County manager updates board on fairgrounds work, road projects and abatement research

County Manager Welker briefed the Graham County Board of Supervisors on multiple capital projects and planning efforts during the Aug. 18 meeting, including progress at the county fairgrounds, road projects and review of abatement procedures used by neighboring jurisdictions. Welker reported that the Department of Corrections paving crew completed its portion of four parking lots at the fairgrounds and that contractors were finishing curbs; the county will apply emulsion and roll before the highway department’s chip‑seal truck visits in September. He also said crews have been hauling riprap to protect drainage ponds and that parks staff improved soccer fields and reorganized layouts in coordination with AYSO. On roads, Welker said staff and engineers have made progress on Tally Wash design, with a final right‑of‑way easement pending from Freeport. Engineering also started surveys on Emery Road and Sanchez Road for alignment and drainage planning. Planning and zoning staff are working with consultants Bowman on a master plan and landscape recommendations for the fairgrounds. Welker added that he and planning staff have obtained abatement ordinances from Yavapai County (referred to in the meeting as Hila County in a spoken remark) to review local options for addressing junk or blighted properties; he will confer with county legal staff and planning to find a path forward on abatement, which the board identified as a priority. Why it matters: The projects affect public facilities, road safety and long‑term property maintenance; progress and interagency coordination determine construction timelines and maintenance budgets. Next steps: Staff will complete fairgrounds surfacing work, finalize right‑of‑way matters for Tally Wash, continue design work on Emery and Sanchez roads, and review abatement ordinances with the county attorney and planning staff for possible local adoption or policy changes.