Commissioners to press for clarity after news National Guard armory near Blanding may close
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Summary
County leaders say the Blanding-area National Guard armory is slated to close, leaving the nearest facility in St. George; commissioners discussed asking the governor nd arranging a local meeting with Guard representatives to explore options for testing, emergency response and tribal coordination.
The chair told commissioners the Utah National Guard armory outside Blanding is slated to close and that he had contacted the governor nd Mike Mauer in the governor's office to ask whether the county could get a temporary hold on the closure while local options were explored.
“If this closes down, the closest facility will be in Saint George,” the chair said, stressing the distance and service gap for southern San Juan County and for the Navajo Nation communities the site helps serve.
Commissioner Harvey said the armory provides services such as ASVAB testing for students and can be a platform for emergency response functions; he suggested the county frame its outreach to the governor round public-safety and spill-response needs that could be supported by a local Guard presence. Harvey also proposed commissioners meet directly with Guard representatives in Blanding and coordinate tribal support where relevant.
Commissioners agreed to gather information from local stakeholders, to reach out to the Navajo Nation for potential support and to schedule a commissioners-only meeting with the local Guard detachment. The chair said he would notify commissioners when he has additional contact details and suggested preparing a formal county communication to the governor's office for consideration.
