San Juan County Honors Aztec Wrestling Champs, Approves Public Safety Funding

Aztec High School's wrestling program claimed its 22nd state title last month, and the San Juan County Commission marked the achievement by proclaiming March 3, 2026, as Aztec High School Wrestling Team Day. Commissioner Sandra Lanier read the proclamation at the commission's March meeting, honoring the Tigers' back-to-back state championships and the five individual state wrestling champions the team produced this season.

Songtree Paochi, community outreach specialist with Kinteel Residential Campus, noted that one of their students was among the honored individual champions. Paochi also reported that six Kinteel students recently visited the state Capitol, and announced the campus will hold its First Annual Golf Scramble fundraiser on April 18 at Riverview Golf Course.

After the celebration, commissioners moved through the rest of a packed agenda. They unanimously approved a new county website required for federal accessibility compliance, alongside nearly $2 million in public-safety funding requests. Both items passed without dissent.

A departmental report from Region II Narcotics drew attention when Ferrari praised the unit's recent seizure totals: 108,400 fentanyl pills, a half-pound of fentanyl powder described as equivalent to between 150,000 and 250,000 pills, 47 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.18 pounds of cocaine, and 0.69 pounds of heroin.

Commissioners also unanimously approved a third amendment to the joint powers agreement between San Juan County and the Navajo Nation covering operations at transfer stations in Shiprock, Sand Springs, and Upper Fruitland. Deputy County Manager Steven Saavedra, who requested the amendment, explained that the county and Navajo Nation first formalized the agreement in 1994 and amended it in 2016. Approval of the latest amendment allows the county to collect $270,000 in arrears owed by the Navajo Nation. County Manager Mike Stark has held several discussions with Charlene Jeff of the Navajo Nation about resolving the outstanding balance.

County Clerk Alyssa Kuhn closed the meeting with a reminder that filing day for the upcoming primary election is March 10, with the clerk's office open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.