Millions available for New Mexico chapters

ALBUQUERQUE, March 13, 2008

Navajo chapters within New Mexico stand to receive millions of dollars, as a whole, for capital outlay projects now that Gov. Bill Richardson has signed Senate Bill 471.

The grant funds, however, are generally doled out on a reimbursement system. This means the chapters, or the Navajo Nation, have to provide the start-up funds for a project and document that the work has been done. They can then bill the state for reimbursement.

This system has proven problematic on Navajo, according to state Rep. Ray Begaye, D-Shiprock, who has said in previous interviews that hundreds of Navajo-related projects are stalled or never built for lack of upfront funding.

Any money not used within four years goes into the state's Tribal Infrastructure Fund, where it becomes available for reallocation to tribes and pueblos.

There is a $19 million backlog of these uncompleted - or never started - projects in the New Mexico chapters, according to LoRenzo Bates, chairman of the tribal council's Budget and Finance Committee.

The council acted to remedy the problem last fall, but uncertainty still surrounds the situation. It set aside $20 million within the Undesignated Unreserved Fund for chapters to draw upon from the Capital Improvement Office in Window Rock for start-up funding.

But no chapter applied, so in January the council voted to reallocate the money for other purposes, a move that President Joe Shirley Jr. vetoed last week.

The problem of money going unused has not gone unnoticed by Richardson, who vetoed some projects in SB 471 including a few for Navajo chapters.

"Senate Bill 471 includes many projects that lack proper planning, are outside of established funding processes, or are not ready to proceed. Regretfully, I believe it is necessary and fiscally prudent to veto some projects that might otherwise have merit," Richardson said in a March 5 letter to the Senate.

SB 471 approved projects

Navajo-related capital outlay projects that now have been funded include $1.25 million to acquire rights of way and plan, design, and construct a water pipeline on the eastern portion of the Navajo Nation in McKinley and San Juan counties;

$100,000 to plan, design and construct a water distribution system for T—hajiilee Chapter; $150,000 to plan, design, construct and purchase water system improvements in Ramah Chapter;

$100,000 for a motor grader for Casamero Lake Chapter, $1.5 million to construct the culinary arts building and hospitality center at Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint; $210,000 for restroom additions in Pinedale Chapter;

$275,000 to construct and improve the veterans' hall at Smith Lake Chapter; $100,000 to purchase a road grader for Little Water Chapter; $200,000 for power line extensions in New Mexico parts of Red Valley Chapter;

$300,000 for a grader for Sanostee Chapter; $5 million for a library at Diné College-Shiprock; $325,000 to construct a veterans' center in T'iistoh Sikaad Chapter; $52,800 to purchase vehicles for the Ramah and Thoreau senior centers;

$400,000 to purchase vehicles for senior centers in Navajo chapters throughout New Mexico; $24,000 to construct a senior center in Upper Fruitland Chapter; $80,000 to construct a senior center in Alamo Chapter; $5,000 to acquire rights of way, plan, design and construct a water line from Albuquerque to T—hajiilee;

$55,000 to construct water system improvements in the Ya-Tah-Hey, N.M., water and sanitation district; $34,000 for renovations to the courthouse at T—hajiilee; $60,000 for a grader for T—hajiilee, $55,000 for residential bathroom additions in the Ramah Chapter, $45,000 for trucks and a trailer for Ramah; $30,000 for water line and bathroom additions on the New Mexico side of Fort Defiance Chapter;

$144,000 for the Shiprock municipal water and wastewater system; $85,000 to construct a parking lot at the B‡‡h‡‡l’ Chapter House; $45,000 to expand the B‡‡h‡‡l’ Chapter House; $10,000 for a housing compound and regional veteran's center on the B‡‡h‡‡l’ -Pinehaven development site; $35,000 for bathroom additions in Baca-Prewitt Chapter;

$85,000 for bathroom additions in Becenti Chapter, $30,000 to equip a waste transfer station in Chichiltah Chapter; $25,000 to plan an economic development project in Church Rock Chapter;

$75,000 for power line extensions in Church Rock Chapter, $25,000 for utility extensions in Coyote Canyon Chapter; $50,000 for a modular office building for the tribal Local Governance Support Center in Crownpoint;

$85,000 for a Head Start center in Iyanbito Chapter; $25,000 for improvements to Manuelito Chapter; $35,000 for a veterans' hall in Manuelito; $75,000 for a playground in Mexican Springs Chapter;

$40,000 for a water line extension in Mexican Springs Chapter; $75,000 for a grader for Ojo Encino Chapter; $35,000 for wiring and powerline extensions in Pinedale Chapter;

$35,000 to improve the community recreation center in Red Lake Chapter; $52,000 for a powerline extension in Standing Rock Chapter; $25,000 for a first-response building in Thoreau Chapter;

$30,000 for poweline extensions in Thoreau Chapter; $50,000 for bathroom additions in Thoreau Chapter; $10,000 to fence a cemetery in Tohatchi Chapter;

$25,000 for a veterans' center at Tohatchi; $35,000 for a government office complex in Twin Lakes Chapter; $30,000 for pellet stoves for Whitehorse Lake Chapter;

$120,000 for a water line extension and bathrooms for the Torreon and Ojo Encino chapters; $125,000 for power line extensions for White Rock Chapter; $100,000 to construct a dormitory at Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington;

$9,000 for a trailer for Huerfano Chapter; $40,000 for power line extensions near Lake Valley Chapter; $72,000 for a grader for Little Water; $10,000 to renovate the warehouse at Little Water;

$35,000 for bathroom additions in Nageezi Chapter; $25,000 for bathroom additions in Newcomb Chapter; $169,000 for an irrigation project in Newcomb Chapter;

$65,000 for a first-response building in San Juan Chapter; $100,000 for construction of the Shiprock Home for Women and Children; $50,000 for digital sign equipment for Shiprock Chapter;

$50,000 for an irrigation system in Shiprock Chapter; $30,000 for a parking lot at White Rock Chapter; $70,000 for economic development, veterans' services, health services and a code talker museum in McKinley County;

$55,000 to construct improvements to Sweetwater Road in Iyanbito Chapter; $100,000 to construct road improvements in Nenahnezad Chapter.

SB 471 vetoed items

Navajo-related projects that Richardson vetoed in Senate Bill 471 were:

$40,000 to construct a senior center in Counselor Chapter; $10,000 to install restoration structures for land conservation and erosion control at B‡‡h‡‡l’ Chapter;

$15,000 for improvements to the rodeo arena and grounds at B‡‡h‡‡l’ Chapter; $10,000 for a regional transfer station in B‡‡h‡‡l’ Chapter;

$10,000 for vehicles for B‡‡h‡‡l’ Chapter; and $30,000 for equipment for a youth empowerment and leadership initiative program in Tohatchi Chapter.

SB 471 also allocates $5 million to the state Tribal Infrastructure Fund.

A list of all bills passed by the New Mexico Legislature and signed into law by Richardson, including Senate Bill 471, is available on the secretary of state's Web site at www.sos.state.nm.us.