$3 M FOR FRMR FREEZE & EVICTED NAVAJOS

NOTE: CORRECTION – CORRECTION – CORRECTION – CORRECTION
I’M AT NAVAJO COUNCIL BUDGET SESSION.
NAABI COMMITTEE MET & ADJOURNED EARLIER. THE ONLY AGENDA ITEM FOR NAABI WAS DELEGATE KATHERINE BENALLY’S LEGISLATION FOR A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS PLAN, WHICH THE NAABI COMMITTEE TABLED WITH A VOTE OF 11 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED AND DIRECTIVE FOR NAABI WORK SESSION.

THE FIVE YEAR IS MANDATED BY THE PERMANENT TRUST FUND ACT BEFORE THE COUNCIL CAN USE 95 PERCENT OF THE PTF INTEREST WHICH IS ESTIMATED AT $25 MILLION. THE PTF INTEREST HAS NOT BEEN USED BECAUSE THE COUNCIL ALWAYS DISAGREES/BICKERS OVER HOW THE PTF INTEREST WOULD BE USED. EACH DELEGATE WANTS PTF INTEREST FOR HIS OR HER CHAPTER.

SO WHEN I ARRIVED, THE COUNCIL WAS IN THEIR BUDGET SESSION AND DELEGATES WALTER PHLEPS & JOSHUA BUTLER WERE SPONSORING THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT:

DELEGATE PHELP’S AMENDMENT TO PROPOSED 2014 BUDGET: PAGE 3, LINE 9, DELEGATE “the Decentralization Project” and replace with new language: “housing & infrastructure within the Former Bennett Freeze and Navajo Partition Land”

IN ADDITION:
PAGE 3, LINE 13, DELETE: “a Decentralization Project as described in exbihit l and repalce with new language: “housing & infrastructure within the Former Bennett Freeze and Navajo Partition Land”

THE DECENTRALIZATION PROJECT IS THE BRAIN CHILD OF THE BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHICH MADE IT PART OF THE PROPOSED 2014 BUDGET AND FUNDED IT WITH $3 MILLION, WHICH DELEGATES PHELPS AND BUTLER WANT TO WIPE OUT AND USE FOR FRMR FREEZE AND NAVAJO PARTION LANDS. THE NPL WAS CREATED BY CRAZY FEDERAL JUDGE WHEN HE SLASH NAVAJO AND HOPI LANDS IN HALF AFTER PEABODY COAL WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ATTORNEYS FROM UTAH, WHO PROUDLY CLAIMED TO BE MORMONS, DID A BANG UP PR JOB OF CREATING A NAVAJO-HOPI WAR WHICH OPENED THE DOOR FOR FEDERAL INTERVENTION & THE CRAZY FEDERAL JUDGE USING FEDERAL MARSHALLS AND FEDERAL MONEY TO FORCIBLE REMOVE THOUSANDS OF NAVAJO FAMILIES FROM THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMES. AND WITH A CLEAR FEDERAL COURT DECISION OF WHICH TRIBAL GOVERNMENT OWNED LAND NOW, PEABODY COULD CONTRACT WITH NAVAJO & HOPI GOVERNMENTS FOR COAL. BEFORE ALL THIS INJUSTICE, THE NAVAJO AND HOPI PEOPLE SHARED THE LAND SO PEABODY COULDN’T LEGALLY HAVE A CONTRACT FOR THE COAL AND WATER. THERE IS A LONG SORID HISTORY HERE THAT REARS ITS UGLY SCARY HEAD REPEATEDLY. THE LATEST SIGHTING WAS WITH THE NAVAJO GENERATING STATION LEASE EXTENSION.

BACK TO NAVAJO CUONCIL:
DELEGATE JOSHUA BUTLER
Funding needed for former Bennett Freeze. Don’t need more reports, assessements of needs of frm Freeze. Council has done nothing for pple. No legacy. Only 2 more years left in administration. We’ve only held two strategy sessions. Support funding, no matter where comes from.

DELEGATE PHELPS
thx colleagues for much needed discussion & sentimanets to resolve needs of frmr Freeze. Support alternative funding but let’s take care of this.

I’m willing to negotiate with using Reserves. Just give $1 million for planning from $3 million Decentralization Project. Take $2 million for frmr Freeze.

SPEAKER NAIZE
all seasoned delegates recommending to Phelps to use Reserves or other financial option. We have staff standing by to assist Phelps.

SPONSOR – DELEGATE KATHERINE BENALLY
like to know balance of Reserves.

DELEGATE LORENZO BATES
Certainly appreicate amendment but there seems to be misconception about regionaliazation versus decentralization. Some think regionalization out there and making chapters upeasy cuz chapters think chapters will be removed and no more chapter officials.

but decentralization is service oriented. all of our chapters have experienced an initiative moving through tribal government process and gets hung up here in Window Rock for years. OUr chapters finally give up cuz can’t get needed info to move project so plan is to get that assistance at local level.

$3 million doesn’t go to Division of Community Development. Go to COA 12: DCD is go develop plan and present to Resources & Development Committee for what needed, especially staff such as planners, lawyers, accountants.

If dollars get here form Navajo Generating Station, those dollars can be spent for Decentralization Project which is to improve services at chapter level versus Phelps’ One-Time assistance. Now talking about Five Year Plan. Is frmr Freeze part of Five Year Plan? If not, then needs to be if all agree that frmr Freeze lack of infrastructure/ec development.

$3 m does something but not enough. So where are additional dollars coming from. so if use certain percentage of Permanent Trust Fund and releases

NAVAJO COUNCIL BREAKS FOR ONE HOUR TO ASSIST DELEGATE WALTER PHELPS WITH AMENDMENT FOR FUNDING OF FRMR FREEZE AT 1 PM.

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