Friday, March 29, 2024

Prez says he opposes $1 million for each delegate

Prez says he opposes $1 million for each delegate

WINDOW ROCK

During the Navajo Nation Special Council Session Oct. 5, delegates withdrew 12 bills requesting about $17.1 million from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance for chapter projects.

Rather than getting the funds from the UUFB, they decided to use an alternative route and allocated $1 million from the UUFB for each of the 24 delegates.

Delegate Seth Damon said he understands there are delegates, himself included, who have been trying to get their projects funded through the UUFB process. “This is a barrier point where it starts to hinder and break us apart,” said Damon. “I think this is a challenge to say, ‘Yes, we have some dollars set aside in the UUFB’ and go ahead and move forward with that.”

The list of bills asking for UUFB dollars were for projects such as:

  • $157,662 for the Tse Si Ani Chapter powerline extension project;
  • $3 million for the veterans’ organizations at the 110 chapters;
  • $3.7 million for the construction of a new Tuba City Senior Citizens Center;
  • $1.7 million for the Naatsis’aan Chapter power line extension project;
  • $690,000 for the Ts’ah Bii Kin Chapter house wiring and electrification initiative;
  • more than $1.3 million for powerline extension projects at Chichiltah, Tse’ Lichii, Manuelito and Baahaali Chapters;
  • $2.2 million for the Teec Nos Pas Chapter North Phase Ill powerline extension project;
  • more than $3.1 million for Thoreau Chapter Veterans Service Center construction;
  • a $299,139 grant for the St. Bonaventure Indian Mission School to buy three school buses;
  • $471,192 for heavy equipment the Sawmill Chapter;
  • $150,125 for structural analysis for the Coalmine Canyon Chapter; and
  • $200,000 for communication services for the Coalmine Canyon Chapter.

Karis Begaye, legal counsel for the president’s office, said President Russell Begaye wouldn’t agree with the $1 million allocation to each delegate and there was no doubt Begaye would not approve it.


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About The Author

Arlyssa Becenti

Arlyssa Becenti reported on Navajo Nation Council and Office of the President and Vice President. Her clans are Nát'oh dine'é Táchii'nii, Bit'ahnii, Kin łichii'nii, Kiyaa'áanii. She’s originally from Fort Defiance and has a degree in English Literature from Arizona State University. Before working for the Navajo Times she was a reporter for the Gallup Independent.

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