Where will session meet?
Confusion reigns

By John Christian Hopkins
Din Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Isn't that special?

The Ethics & Rules Committee will have a special meeting Monday to decide what to do after the InterGovernmental Relations Committee has its special meeting Friday to discuss whether to call for a special session of the Navajo Nation Council.

Got all that?

Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan told his IGR peers last Monday that council would have a special session to determine whether it would override two vetoes of gaming enterprise legislations by President Joe Shirley Jr.

However, with the council chambers undergoing some renovations making them unavailable for a special session the speaker said council would likely meet in the auditorium at the Din Education Center.

Whereupon, IGR member Ervin M. Keeswood Sr. questioned the need for a special session, especially since the chambers won't be available.

IGR decided to meet Friday to decide if it would cancel the request for a special session.

The trouble is that E & R has already approved a special council session for March 15-16, and Wednesday it met to approve an agenda for the meeting.

"This is already an agenda item," said Vice Chairman Roscoe Smith. "What does IGR have to do with it?"

IGR which consists of the chairs and vice chairs of the 12 standing committees asked for a chance to review the issue and see if a special session is necessary, said James "Doc" Davis, representing the speaker's office. The speaker was at the San Juan Chapter as it celebrated receiving its certification Wednesday.

"Also, there's been no response from the education department on whether we can use the auditorium," said Davis.

"It appears that there's no agenda," said E & R Chairman Francis Redhouse.

The item should be stricken from the agenda, Smith suggested.

Not so fast, according to Legislative Advisor Angie Benally. If the item were deleted from the E & R agenda, it would be as if it had never existed, she said. The committee must take some action on the item and tabling it would be an action, suggested Benally.

"I'll know more on Friday," Davis said.

As of now, there is a special session of council scheduled for next week but no agenda.

"Either way, we'll have to come back Monday," Redhouse said. If IGR cancels the session, then E & R will have to vote to cancel the dates it already set; and if IGR approves the session, then E & R will have to accept an agenda, he explained.

In other business, Delegate Willie Tracey, chairman of the Education Committee, submitted legislation to change his committee's regular meeting days to the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. His committee currently meets on the second and fourth Friday, he said.

His committee has some major issues ongoing including litigation and renewal of the No Child Left Behind Act and there is plenty of work that needs to be done.

"We want our staff to be in tip-top shape, in balance with nature and in balance with harmony," Tracey said.

But Navajo staffers tend to take leave on Fridays, leaving no one to assist the committee, Tracey said.

"Nothing gets done," he added.

E & R unanimously approved his request.

John Christian Hopkins can be reached at hopkins1960@hotmail.com or by calling 505-371-5443.