Attorneys to face off
on Council reduction

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Both sides are continuing to meet in the disagreement over President Joe Shirley Jr.’s idea to cut the Council to 24 members.

Attorney John A. Chapela, acting as the hearing officer for the Navajo Office of Hearings and Appeals, said he received a fax late Thursday from attorney Stephen Boos — who is representing Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan — requesting he withhold making a decision on motions to dismiss the case.
Boos’ fax indicated that both parties were meeting in an attempt to negotiate a settlement, Chapela said.

“As a result, I agreed to hold my decision in abeyance until June 30,” Chapela said Friday. “This will allow additional time for them to work out their differences.”

Boos and attorney Albert Hale, who is representing the president, had agreed during a May 30 hearing to attempt to reach a settlement. At that time, it was agreed that each party would submit briefs on the dismissal motions, and Chapela would make a decision June 13 on whether or not to continue the case.

The president’s legal team motioned for dismissal for two reasons, one challenged the jurisdiction of the Office of Hearing & Appeals to hear the matter; the other objecting to the fact that the Navajo Election Administration isn’t a party to the case.

Shirley is seeking to have two initiatives placed on the November ballot — to cut the Council from 88 delegates to 24, and to give the president a line item veto.

The speaker has questioned whether the president has such authority and, if the initiatives are allowed on the ballot, whether they need a two-thirds super majority to pass or the 50-plus-1 simple majority.

Chapela has encouraged the two sides to sit down and talk.
“Hopefully, they’ll come to a settlement in the Navajo way, and shake hands and walk away,” Chapela said.

John Christian Hopkins can be reached at Hopkins1960@hotmail.com