Business View Civil and Municipal | April/May 2022

36 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 FARMINGTON, NEW MEX I CO a half radius of Farmington that you can do. We are in the heart of that adventure sphere.” With 260 days of sunshine, Farmington is an outdoor lover’s dream – on the same day, you can go golfing in the morning at Pinon Hills Golf Course (one of the top municipal courses in the U.S.), and then hit the ski slopes in the afternoon. Unsicker, who has lived in quite a few places around the country and moved to Farmington five years ago, quips, “It was astounding when we moved here; you can’t go a quarter mile without tripping over a park.” Farmington has a population of 46,000, although the community serves a much wider demographic. Duckett explains, “Thirty miles from here is the largest reservation for Native Americans in the United States. The Navajo Nation is our neighbor.” He estimates that some 300,000 people shop in the city of Farmington each month. It is a business hub, with a slew of new businesses proposing projects. “We collaborate not only within the community of Farmington, but beyond our fence line to the cities beyond us and that speaks volumes to companies coming to town,” Unsicker explains. “Success breeds success. A rising tide raises all boats… it’s very much a synergistic relationship in this area.” One thing that makes this desert location so unique is the water. According to Duckett, “Sixty-five percent of the state’s surface water actually flows through San Juan County. We’ve got two beautiful lakes and rivers that flow through town.” By desert standards, Farmington is actually lush. In fact, the Navajo name for it is Totah, which means the meeting place of water. Three rivers converge among the mesas here: the San Juan, the Animas, and the La Plata. There is also Lake Farmington, which is open year- round for camping and fishing, and seasonally for boating and swimming. This oasis has trails for hiking, biking, and even horseback riding. They’ve also built a beachfront with water park and shade features, appropriately named, ‘The Beach’– a popular destination for the Four Corners region. “It’s been a big draw for the area,” Duckett says with pride. “It’s some pretty awesome water.” In addition, the Animas River provides a different