Bluff workshop maps "knowledge tree" to guide incoming officials and staff

At a workshop in Bluff, town officials, appointed board members and staff spent a session building a "tree of knowledge" framework to document the laws, day-to-day processes and outside partnerships incoming officeholders need to do their jobs.

The facilitator introduced the exercise as a way to organize three categories — "roots" (foundational ordinances and statutes), "trunk" (routine processes, systems and meeting operations) and "branches" (external partners and funding sources). "So this activity, I am calling the tree of knowledge or the knowledge tree," the Moderator said when she opened the exercise.

Participants filled flip-chart paper and sticky notes at three stations labeled for elected officials, appointed boards and staff. At the elected-officials table, attendees recommended that newcomers be directed first to a short, prioritized checklist rather than a large file of studies. "Read the website, including the general plan, the strategic plan, the human transfer case and plan," one Meeting participant advised as essential reading to orient new members.

Workshop attendees identified recurring needs that the town lacks in a compact, accessible form: standard operating procedures (SOPs), a clear chain-of-command chart, up-to-date website links to ordinances and resolutions, and a consolidated project- and grant-history listing. The group also listed external partners that land in the "branches" category: San Juan County, UDOT, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, the Navajo Nation, Rocky Mountain Power, SERDA and the Community Impact Board.

Several operational gaps came up in discussion. Staff-table participants raised payroll and time-sheet accountability as points that require clearer guidance; they recommended orienting employees to deadlines and defining how long late timesheets will be accepted. On procurement and staffing, one Meeting participant described persistent confusion about whether certain workers should be contractors or employees. "If they make more than 600, we've always understood you've got to have them make the employee pay their social security," the Meeting participant said while discussing classification and tax reporting considerations.

The workshop also flagged training and digital-access gaps. Participants said basic office tools and shared digital access — Word or Adobe on office desktops, OneDrive for shared files and searchable links to key governance documents — would reduce onboarding friction.

Organizers assigned concrete next steps. The Moderator told participants to complete individual "If I left tomorrow" forms due next week by 04:00 and to assemble SOP lists by the end of the month; she said she will compile the town's high-priority resources into a hyperlinked document. "Those are due next week by 04:00," the Moderator said when announcing the deadline for the individual forms.

The facilitator also reported that Chris McEnany will join the Oct. 14 work session to discuss enforcement procedures related to recently drafted ordinances and encouraged planning and zoning members to attend. The session closed with a voice vote to adjourn.

Next steps: participants will submit the assigned forms and SOP drafts, the facilitator will assemble prioritized materials into a consolidated resource, and the town will discuss enforcement with the county attorney at the Oct. 14 work session. If participants need clarification, the facilitator offered follow-up support before materials are finalized.