Naabik’iyati Committee finally started and now the committee is hearing a report from Navajo Nation Design and Engineering on plans to spend up to $12 million on renovating two tribal government buildings – Administration Buildings 1 and 2.

DELEGATE ALTON SHEPHERD
Are we throwing money away? Wouldn’t it be better to construct new tribal government buildings? Those buildings are more than 30 years old and the employees are afraid to return to work there even if they are renovated.

DELEGATE KATHERINE BENALLY
I agree with Delegate Shepherd. When these buildings were first closed about two years ago, the Council directed Controller Mark Grant to develop a comprehensive tribal government complex. And there’s land available that is across from where the Administration Buildings 1 and 2 sit. We need a conference center with hotels. A good master plan is what we need for Window Rock. We are told over and over that the single entrance into and exit from the tribal administration area in Window Rock is insufficient. Patchwork is not good in renovating those two government buildings. And school buses have to go right through the tribal administration area. I believe we have the funds for a master plan. Before the closure of the second government building, the Council urged division directors to begin the development of a master plan.