Navajo Council’s Naabi now on Legislation No. 0318-14: Relating to Budget and Finance Committee, Resources and Development Committee, Naabik’iyati’ Committee and the Navajo Nation Council; Approving Supplemental Funding from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance in the Amount of $500,000 for Oljato Chapter for Professional Technical Services and Architecture/Design (Sponsor: Honorable Jonathan Nez, Honorable Danny Simpson)

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE JONATHAN NEZ
This funding is for planning and design of government complex for Oljato.

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
I’m concerned because we have not received a report on the balance of the reserves.

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE DWIGHT WITHERSPOON
I’m also concerned about the balance of the reserves.

AMENDMENT ONE, Insert new Exhibit C
Vote is 8 in favor, 3 opposed

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE LEONARD HASKIE
I assume we will be building Oljato Chapter house and square footage runs from $200 to $300 per foot and concerned that technical service and architectural design the same.

VOTE on 0318-14 is 11 IN FAVOR, 3 OPPOSED. 0318-14 now heads to Council.

NAABI now on Legislation No. 0348-14: Relating to Health, Education and Human Services Committee, Budget and Finance Committee, Naabik’iyati’ Committee and the Navajo Nation Council; Approving Supplemental Funding from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance in the Amount of $600,000 for the Navajo Transit System to Purchase Two New Buses
(Sponsor: Honorable Dwight Witherspoon)

VOTE on 0348-14, 13 in favor, 1 opposed. This bill now heads to Council.

NAABI now on Legislation No. 0359-14: Relating to Health, Education and Human Services, Budget and Finance and the Naabik’iyati’ Committee; Accepting a New Mexico Public Education Department Strengthening Tribal Languages Grant to the Navajo Nation Department of Dine Education for $30,000.00 and Approving the New Mexico 6.15 Percent (%) Indirect Cost Rate in the Grant 4 (Sponsor: Honorable Jonathan L. Hale)

VOTE on 0359-14 is 14 in favor, 0 opposed

NAABI ON Legislation No. 0363-14: Relating to Health, Education and Human Services, Budget and Finance and the Naabik’iyati’ Committee; Accepting a Federal Transit Administration Grant to the Navajo Transit System (New Business Unit) for $166,000.00 for the Purpose of Purchasing Two (2) Buses and Approving an Indirect Cost Rate of 10 Percent (%)
(Sponsors: Honorable Nelson S. Begaye, Honorable Charles Damon

VOTE on 0363-14 is 14 in favor, 0 opposed.

NAABI on Legislation 0373-14 An Action Relating to Resources and Development Committee; Budget and Finance Committee; Naa’bik’iyati’ Committee and the Navajo Nation Council; Approving Supplemental Funding from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance in the Total Amount of $1,559,250, to be Distributed in the Amounts of $877,500 to District Grazing Officials, $483,750 to Farm Boards and $198,000 to the Eastern Navajo Land Board for Operating Expenses and Attending Planning and Regular Chapter Meetings

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE LORENZO CURLEY
one of my grazing officials has to deal with people without grazing permit who have livestock. what are we doing about that. Delegate Tso said grazing officials report these kinds of activities and they conduct livestock tally counts and all those reports are sent to Bureau of Indian Affairs. Tso said BIA then does nothing and so grazing officials question why they do tally counts. He said grazing officials also spend money out of their own pockets on gasoline.

the Farm Boards never provide any information. what are they doing? i don’t see farming.Are they just collecting money? we need report tomorrow when this goes before council.

RENALDA BEGAY, PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS SPECIALISTS FOR NAVAJO NATION AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT
resolution from Chinle was never received. reason i put that most grazing officials not approving proposed Grazing Act is we did survey and 85 percent didn’t support Rangeland Improvement Act cuz of transition from elected officials to range officials and they would not qualify.
Delegate Curley asked about livestock trespass from pple without permits and that is very common problem. i deal with complaints daily. report via complaint process that is filled out by permitee and dispute settled by grazing officials.
Farm Board says no reports cuz no water. Not irrigating cuz no water. Many Farms is doing extensive plan of cancelling 32 permits. Red Willow Farm Board working on irrigation plan that was federally funded. Farm Boards mainly working on water allocation plan for emergency situations.

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE NELSON BEGAYE
this funding request came from directive to pay stipend because of unfunded mandate from Council and this should have been included in 2015 Budget.

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
i’ve always had problem with FArm Boards. They grown crops and feed their families instead of benefiting everyone. they should promote community farms. having no water to farm is not an excuse. we have talked about backyard farming and school farming. we shouldn’t be compensating them and i make motion to delete compensation to Farm Boards until they show Council why they should be paid. I understand maybe that they share reports to each others but this is Navajo people’s money, $483,000.

AMENDMENT TO DELETE $483,000 COMPENSATION FOR FARM BOARDS

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE TSO (Delegate Tso is originally from Many Farms, Arizona. He is Tótsohnii (Big Water Clan), born for Bit’ahnii (Leaf Clan), his maternal grandfathers are Tábąąhá (Water’s Edge Clan), and his paternal grandfathers are Deeshchii’nii (Start of the Red Streak People Clan). The newly appointed delegate will fill the vacated seat previously held by former delegate Johnny Naize. Tso representing the communities of Low Mountain, Many Farms, Nazlini, Tachee/Blue Gap, and Tselani/Cottonwood.)

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE NELSON BEGAYE
I have three Farm Boards with masters and they done a lot and they have also obtained outside funding. They started Food Sovereignty. They also work on dams. They did $2 million irrigation. We are growing alfalfa to sell to community instead of buying from outside which brings in lot of noxious weeds.

COMMITTEE MEMBER RUSSELL BEGAYE
we have about 7,000 farms in my area. Farm Boards monitor farms because it is tied to water rights and that is what we say to our Shiprock Farm Board. We are using water to farm out land so important to support Farm Board leaders and they really have tough job. and when see farm over grown with trees and weeds, they try to give to another person and they really get hammered for that especially when have three or four applicants. I would dare say that FArm Board and grazing officials are more connected to public than chapter officials. they are out there. they are boots on the ground.