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 Council is now on Legislation 0005-15 An Action Relating To NAABIK’ IYATI’ And The Navajo Nation Council; Confirming _____________________As Speaker Of The 23rd Navajo Nation Council

ORDER OF CANDIDATES TO SPEAK
Kee Allen Begay
Dwight Witherspoon
Lorenzo Bates
Walter Phelps
Alton Shepherd

DELEGATE WALTER PHELPS
The work of the speaker is enormous but i can the work. i am married for 35 years. i have traveled off rez for my education. my employment has prepared me to be your leader. i have worked with various political groups for Navajo HOusing Authority, youth, children, Tuba City Health Board. i have worked as supervisor and manager for over 15 years so i am experienced in management of office and employees. i also served as Leupp chapter official. and when the navajo people asked to reduce council, my constituents asked me to represent them. during reorganization of 22nd council, we worked hard at reorganzing council and committee structure. standing committees addressed legislation for federal and state funding and we lobbied them. for example, i was involved in the recent visit by federal officials about the Navajo Hopi issues of decades that involved assistance for homes. the council deals with legislation that addresses the entire reservation while maintaining our work for our chapters. we, as council, work good when we work together. i don’t think that when we were 22nd council, we were not given training as leaders for people. we need that for 23rd council. we also need information before controversial/emergency legislation comes before us. economic development is needed that will generate jobs for our people so they will not have to go off rez. there are other issues identified by other candidates but as 23rd council we need to work together.