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Navajo Council Delegate Alton Shepherd reminds Council of what it takes to bring unity
January 26, 2015 News Articles

Here at Navajo Council’s first day of their five-day Winter Session, where Council adopted their Agenda with a few changes to order of legislation.

The 23rd Council Speaker is Delegate LoRenzo Bates. Delegate Alton Shepherd and Bates were the two top candidates among five candidates for speaker. The Council vote on Bates and Shepherd was a tie with each candidate getting 12 votes. As Council Speaker Pro Tem Kee Allen Begay explained that the Council’s rules called for the tie to be broken by each candidate picking a number and the winner would be the one with highest number, several delegates objected. As delegates called for Bates and Shepherd to talk it out and for Speaker Pro Tem Begay to call for a recess, Shepherd stepped forward and concede the speakership to Bates to end the split among the Council and to be an example of what a true leader does to keep unity among the Council and people.

DELEGATE TOM CHEE
i think this is the start of a great legacy and puts greater expectation on Delegate LoRenzo Bates and the Council. Delegate Alton Shepherd showed true leadership.

DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
I learned from Delegate Shepherd on how one could be so gracious. Seeing leadership of Shepherd that as Bates travel that he treat Shepherd as deputy speaker to mind the store and take care of business for the Council. There is a Creator puts your tribulations to test. I agree with Delegate Smith that we be unified in our votes.

DELEGATE JONATHAN HALE
I also appreciate Delegate Shepherd and I would ask Delegate Bates to keep an open communication with each of the delegates. We are all leaders for our communities and we are held to higher standards. We need to develop priorities because once a speaker goes into office, the council’s priorities get set aside. and we also need to have priorities with state and federal governments and their entities. I have never witnessed such a historical agreement between two leaders and i have never seen at local chapter level. leadership not just in council but also in our homes.

DELEGATE NELSON BEGAYE
what has happened is truly history in the making. this morning you asked me to pray and i prayed for leadership, to respect each other and that the government is not our’s. and i prayed that it include the election and the people. when you are asked to pray, i try to be reverant during debate and that is how powerful prayer is. if we can in prayer then we can do so much.

DELEGATE EDMUND YAZZIE
Compliment everyone that ran. Delegate Shepherd you proved leadership and let this be example to move forward. what happened here removed the possibility of having Delegates Bates and Shepherd go into a room and it also was the result of all our prayers. it pulled council together. i would like this at home, work, president’s office, all departments.

DELEGATE WALTER PHELPS
I also believe in prayer and I am renewed by Delegate Shepherd’s decision.

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