Navajo Council says goodbye to issues of 2007

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — As the curtain draws to a close on 2007, the Navajo Nation Council delegates are ready to put questions of rings, Hawaiian trips and the Dam Escrow Account behind them.

Those were just some of the issues that dogged the Council , and kept the opinion pages of local newspapers buzzing.

Not that all of the big issues of 2007 will end with the calendar year. There’s still the small matter of a $100 million rotating loan deal with JP Morgan Chase Bank.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. was gung-ho about getting the country’s largest Indian tribe into gaming. But there were issues; primary sponsor Charles Damon II removed his support for the legislation, causing some questions of whether the whole bill had to be scrapped.

It didn’t. And, then, when it seemed like all the T’s were crossed and the I’s dotted, a big X turned up in the mix.

JP Morgan Chase wants collateral that could include the Nation’s Permanent Trust Fund — l and Budget & Finance Committee Chairman LoRenzo C. Bates is ready to say “Hasta la vista, baby” to the big-money bankers.

Council wrestled with the issue of compensating 999-classified workers, and it was even put on the agenda for a special session.

The bill would have provided wage adjustments for the 999-classified employees, retroactive to Oct. 1, 2002, when the 999 classification took effect. Employees that fell under that designation were not eligible for cost of living increases or merit bonuses.

This legislation, sponsored by Council Delegate Norman John II, Twin Lakes, would also end the practice of withholding future general wage increases from the 999 employees.

After popping up in several meetings, the bill just seemed to be put on hold.

Although gaming is still very much on the table, the Council did hand the president several setbacks this year. First, it voted down the line-item veto power Shirley sought by a 41-25 vote.

And it ended the year with two overrides of Shirley vetoes during a special Dec. 19 session. The first override concerned placing the government reform commission under the auspices of the speaker. The second, sponsored by Delegate Tom Lapahe, concerned the Economic Development Committee’s ability to implement Navajo Nation business site licensing.

The Dam Escrow Account was put up as collateral for a metal fabrication business — one that has nearly defaulted on its loan obligations from the get-go. The account holds $2 million.

Council also passed an override of Shirley’s veto for allowing gaming in the Tse Daa Kaan Chapter.

• In other action this year, Council rejected the idea of extending Council terms from four to six years by a 6-60 margin.
• Several attempts to remove money from the Land Acquisition Fund were rebuffed.
• Many Farms Delegate Kee Allen Begay was upset when Shirley did not support his attempt for a special referendum vote on using $153 million from the Permanent Trust Fund to be used for court and public safety facilities. Begay chairs the Judiciary Committee.
• Council voted to spend $50,000 on commemorative rings, touching off Ringgate.

John Christian Hopkins can be reached at hopkins1960@hotmail.com