Council gives nearly $2 million to delegates
Special session ends up as Navajo spendfest

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Nearly $2 million in discretionary funding — $15,000 per delegate, per chapter; and $100,000 each for the Office of the President/Vice President and the Office of the Speaker — was approved over the protests of several delegates Monday.

The action came during a special session of the Navajo Nation Council called to finish some old business. While most of the items on the special session’s agenda were deleted, the $2 million appropriation was added to the lineup, and overwhelmingly approved.

“The more we do this, we encourage our people to look for handouts,” Delegate Leonard Chee said. “They become so dependent, they even demand they get the funds.”

Delegate Jonathan Nez agreed that discretionary funding creates dependency.

“We don’t need to refuel this,” he added.

The public would support the use of discretionary funding, if it was done aboveboard, said Delegate Leonard Tsosie.
“We want to help everyone, but let’s be honest about it,” Tsosie said.

The funding should be subjected to the normal process for legislation and not added on at the last moment, Tsosie suggested.

“I have a problem with the way we’re doing things recently,” said Delegate Omer Begay Jr. “Sneaking certain things into legislation. I think it’s about time we started promoting self-sufficiency.”

He would rather see everyone “get a job, rather than a hand-out,” Begay said.

The legislation doesn’t require delegates to accept — or spend — the $15,000 per chapter, said Delegate Ervin M. Keeswood Sr. Any delegate that doesn’t want the money can refuse it, and it will go into the speaker’s office coffers, he added.

The discretionary funding passed 65-15.

The session began with Delegate Johnny Naize moving to delete most of the new business items on the agenda.

“The whole intent of this session was for one legislation,” Naize said. That bill was to provide $2 million to the Department of Water Resources for the rehabilitation of water wells, earthen dams, storage tanks; to provide minor/major repairs on all equipment; for the procurement of water wells supplies, construction materials, transportation supplies and fuel for the 14 field offices across the Navajo Nation to provide drought relief.

This legislation is sponsored by Delegate Amos F. Johnson.

“This is a real important issue,” Johnson said. He had tried to add it to the summer agenda, but lacked the votes, he said.

Delegate Charles Damon II asked if there was a list of the proposed repairs.

The chapters provided a list of needs, but that list has not been complied and prioritized, Johnson explained.

“This is just a one-time expense,” Johnson said.

A $1 million grant for the Rehoboth Christian School to construct the Rehoboth Sports and Fitness Center was one of the items deleted from the agenda. Delegate Young Jeff Tom reintroduced it as an amendment — this time asking for $500,000.

Surviving Naize’s deletion attempt, legislation to provide $93,641.54 as a grant to Nideiltihi Navajo Elite Runners, Brandon Leslie and Alvina Begay, was also approved.

“They do need our support, and we need to support them,” Johnson said. “We should be proud of these two young people.”

The runners are training for the United States Olympic marathon trials.

But Delegate George Arthur was concerned. Though he supported the athletes, he said questions had been raised of the amount of other donations being solicited.

He hadn’t heard any such rumors, Tom insisted.

“Where is this funding going?” Delegate Norman John II wondered. And, he asked, how would the money be divided?

The funds would be divided in equal halves for the runners, said Delegate Orlanda Smith-Hodge.

The bill passed 45-37.

Items deleted from the special session agenda included legislation that would provide wage adjustments for the 999-classified employees, retroactive to Oct. 1, 2002. Since the 999 classification took effect in 2002, employees that fell under that designation were not eligible for cost of living increases or merit bonuses.

Other deletions were a bill to give $150,000 to the Chinle Agency Department of Navajo Veterans, the Central Navajo Veterans Organization and the Chinle Chapter Navajo Veterans Organization for the Navajo Reservation Veterans Summit; $1.3 million for Public Safety; $250,000 to the Lukachukai Chapter for construction of the Lukachukai Agriculture Complex.