Nepotism charged in backhoe repair controversy

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — It was not such a beautiful day in Mr. neighborhood Monday.

A nepotism and conflict of interest complaint filed against White Rock Chapter President John Nez Begay was dismissed by the Ethics & Rules Committee, but the confusion and animosity that arose was because Community Services Coordinator Gilbert Roger neglected to do his job, Office of Ethics & Rules Director Lawrence John said.

For his part, Roger blamed the complaint on politics and a personal vendetta.

“There’s an election coming up,” John said.

At the center of the controversy is a backhoe in need of repair, the chapter president’s son-in-law and the question of just who hired him to repair the machine.

Chapter Secretary/Treasurer Corraine L. Johnson lodged the complaint against Begay, alleging that he hired his son-in-law, Leroy Begay, to fix the backhoe.

How was Leroy Begay selected to repair the backhoe?

At an April 3, 2006, planning meeting, chapter officials discussed the need to fix the backhoe — but there was no mention of hiring Leroy Begay, Chapter Vice President Shawn D. Jim said.

“We only discussed the parts needed for the backhoe,” Jim recalled. He didn’t ask about who would repair the machine, assuming it would be land board member Irwin Jim, the vice president added.

Shawn Jim said he became aware that Leroy Begay had been hired when Johnson told him while they were attending a conference in Gallup .

“I just looked at her (Corraine L. Johnson) and said I wasn’t aware that he was hired to fix the tractor,” Jim said.

Irwin Jim said he had been asked to repair the backhoe and said he would do it as time allowed. He was about 40 percent done with the repairs when Leroy Begay took over the job, he said.

What is the usual process in hiring, E & R’s Tim Goodluck asked.

An application is filled out, and an interview conducted, Shawn Jim said.

Was that procedure followed in this case, E & R’s Joe M. Lee asked.

“Not that I’m aware of,” Roger said. He denied hiring Leroy Begay.

However, minutes from the April 3, 2006, meeting say that Roger agreed to the hiring of Begay, John said.

Roger disputed that, saying he was not told to hire Leroy Begay and never discussed any payment for him.

“Who hired him?” John pressed.

“Probably, John (Begay) did,” Roger replied.

“So you basically neglected your duties as community services coordinator, and did not tell chapter officials that what Mr. Begay was doing was wrong?” John asked.

“I would say, probably, yes,” Roger admitted.

The top pay for temporary work is $6.60 per hour, John said. Why then, he wondered, was Leroy Begay paid $24 an hour?

He did not authorize that amount, Roger said.

“Did that concern you?” John asked.

“Later on, it did,” Roger said.

A check for nearly $1,000 was cut for Leroy Begay and it was signed off by John Begay and Roger, John noted. However, John signed off on the check on May 21, 2007 — when he was not an authorized signatory on the Wells Fargo account, John said.

John quizzed Roger on why he never told John Begay that it violated ethics laws for him to hire his son-in-law.

No one else was qualified, Roger replied.

“To me, hiring means getting paid,” Roger said. He thought Leroy Begay was volunteering to fix the equipment, he explained.

John Nez Begay told the ethics committee that Roger hired Leroy Begay.

Goodluck questioned the nepotism charge against John Begay, since the president did not have the authority to hire staff.

White Rock community member Ramona Begay – John Begay’s daughter – said she recalled a conversation regarding the need to repair the backhoe.

“I have trust in the honesty of my chapter officials,” Ramona Begay said.

The need to fix the backhoe has “always been on the agenda,” said Lucinda Begay. She is Leroy Begay’s wife, and John Begay’s daughter. She said that she prepared the bill that was submitted to the chapter, and also personally went to Farmington to pick up parts.

“The chapter should have been paying you, right?” John asked. “You worked on the invoice, didn’t you?”

Leroy did the repairs on the backhoe, she just helped by picking up parts and getting the invoice in order, Lucinda Begay said. She said that Roger hired her husband, saying that the chapter coordinator came to their house in July of 2006.

John tried to pin her down on the nepotism question, but Lucinda Begay gave evasive replies – finally saying she didn’t think nepotism was an issue.

“There’s always nepotism,” she said.

She pointed to one chapter official who had her husband hired to haul eight loads of wood, and another who got his aunt hired for the summer work program.

“So your husband is immune from that?” John asked.

“Yes,” Lucinda Begay responded.

She said it wasn’t nepotism because two other people were asked to repair the backhoe but failed to do it.
Who authorized the $24 an hour fee, John asked.

“No one did,” she said.

Leroy Begay, who is a professional welder, said he got three estimates from professional mechanics – ranging from $55 to $125 an hour. That is how he came up with the $24 an hour figure, he explained.

“The one person I blame for this is the community services coordinator, he’s the focal point,” John said. “If Gilbert Roger had done his job, John Begay would not have signed the check. I don’t blame Mr. Begay.”

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