In a presentation to Taylor councilors, Dennis Chandler, coordinator of the Little Colorado Plateau Resources, Conservation and Development, asked, "Do you have a watershed plan and a list of future needs in Taylor?
     "Who owns the water? The state owns it. If they have a huge emergency in Maricopa County, they could have your water if you don't have a plan. Flagstaff has bought a huge ranch and shifted the water from there to the city. If Maricopa County has a huge need, they can buy a larger ranch and get the water."
     Chandler said it's important for people in this area to understand the (Coconino) aquifer and how to save it while having enough water to irrigate and to have for other uses. That understanding is especially important when a large business comes to the area and wants to use large amounts of water.
     Chandler explained that the RC&D represents underserved and underrepresented areas.
     "Taylor is a small rural community," he said. "Who represents you? You don't have huge businesses, just people, and we don't count."
     The RC&D has helped in a number of diverse projects including clearing 60 acres in Apache County for a firewise project. The White Mountain Forestry Partnership has received between $200,000 and $300,000 in grants for forest thinning projects.
     The work done at Winner's Circle Soils of Taylor is impressive, Chandler said, adding that the RC&D is continually looking for more ways to get more product from the forest to such businesses as the Taylor business.
     Most people aren't too excited with basic weeds but they are all over and can be quickly spread throughout a region. Trying to eradicate the imported weeds is another project in which the RC&D is involved.
     "If your neighbors have weeds, no matter how well you take care of your land, it's still a problem for you," Chandler said.
     The RC&D has also promoted tourism in the area, especially through the Trail of Many Tracks CD self-guided tour of Navajo and Apache counties beginning either from Sanders or Winslow. The CD not only provides the routes to take to various attractions but also provides interesting bits of information of the areas visited. The CDs are available at chambers of commerce through the two counties.
     Chandler said the organization is working with both the Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nation to develop businesses that will allow young people to return to their homes and have careers that will be satisfying and help their tribes.
     "What can the RC&D do for you?" Chandler then asked. "We can help you start a project or help move it along. Your hopes and dreams can become a reality through our cooperation with you. That's what the RC&D can do for your $100 (the annual fee Taylor pays to the organization)."
     Asked by Councilor Robin Palmer if there was a watershed map, Chandler said the map is a combined effort with various agencies. Half of the Little Colorado River watershed is in the Navajo Nation. The water from the Little Colorado River hasn't been adjudicated in the lawsuits that are determining who has the rights to use the water. It's important for both the tribes and the non-reservation residents to have plans to use the water if they are awarded a portion of the water.
     "This is a huge area and we're trying to get people involved,," Chandler said.
     Chandler has previously sent a letter to Taylor asking for the name of the town's representative to the RC&D board. Stu Spaulding has been appointed to that position.