Nygren’s chief of staff responds to claims, new human resources director appointed
WINDOW ROCK – Debbie Nez-Manuel and several Council delegates argued that President Buu Nygren is unfit to lead the Navajo Nation and questioned Patrick Sandoval’s role at the president’s office.
Nez-Manuel, the former Division of Human Resources executive director, reported to the Health, Education, and Human Services Committee on July 1 that she was confused as to why she was terminated as an executive director on June 27. Council delegates’ questions followed.
“What was not presented in either the open session of the HEHSC meeting nor in the Council’s news release is mention of the ample information that was presented to the committee to substantiate her (Nez-Manuel) release,” George Hardeen, Nygren’s spokesperson, wrote in an email to Navajo Times on July 10.
When asked for Nygren’s response to Nez-Manuel’s and the delegates’ comments, Hardeen wrote that Nygren was unavailable as he was in Washington, D.C., to talk to senators and congressmen about the water rights legislation.
“As President Nygren has said many times, his job comes with criticism,” Hardeen explained. “What counts is results and he’s confident about those.”
COS roles and responsibilities
Nez-Manuel and the delegates questioned Patrick Sandoval’s role in the president’s office. She claimed she was not terminated by the president but by Sandoval, Nygren’s chief of staff, whose role is to oversee the president’s staff.
His responsibilities include managing and coordinating with the division directors, protecting the political interest of the president’s office, advising staff, and attending meetings, among other roles assigned to him.
“Nez-Manuel was made aware of the decision factors for the cumulative reasons for our decisions for her departure from the Office of the President and Vice President,” Sandoval wrote in an email shared by his executive assistant Holly James. “It is not uncommon for the Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, Legal Counsel, or any other appointed individual to deliver the decision to separate to any level of staff.”
Delegate Vince R. James, the HEHSC chair, questioned why Nygren’s administration is releasing staffers and why Nygren didn’t personally relieve Nez-Manuel.
Nez-Manuel was hired to serve the Nygren Administration, according to Sandoval. She was given clear direction on topics and matters relating to the slow hiring process in the Nation, as well as finding out why there were many job vacancies.
“The Executive Order was created by DOJ in hopes to streamline the process and onboard more rapidly,” Sandoval stated. “During Mrs. Nez-Manuel’s tenure here, Mrs. Nez-Manuel did not enforce the Executive Order, and did not fulfill directives, combined with complaints from Workforce Development, and other areas that are reliant on the hiring process.” Because of that, Sandoval had to intervene in her duties to ensure the process moving forward.
Read the full story in the July 25, edition of the Navajo Times.
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