Greetings Relatives/Frens/Humans, the Sacred, Holy Beings blessed us all with another Nizhoni Day to be Most Productive.
I’ve been busy attending meetings of the Navajo Council Budget & Finance Committee and Law & Order Committee and a few chapters, which is why I didn’t see the following Announcement by the Resources & Development Committee: “Due to Limited Space at the Navajo Nation Land Department, Access will be Telephonic for the Public. Space at the Navajo Nation Land Department is Limited to the Resources and Development Committee and Staff.”
The RDC published that Announcement banning the Public from Attending Navajo govt meetings in their agenda for their meetings on 3.8.23 amd 3.1.23. And for their 2.27.23 meeting, RDC announced on the Navajo Council Meeting Site in Capital Letters, “Resources & Development Committee Strategy Session Approved Agenda (EXECUTIVE SESSION)”. Their approved agenda stated, “The Resources and Development Committee’s Strategy Session is Closed to the Public and Limited to Only the Committee Members and Staff.”
According to Navajo law, the Navajo govt/Navajo Council/Navajo Chapters, executive sessions are to discuss personnel matters and, or litigation and the Navajo govt entity going into executive session is mandated to publicly state why they are going into executive session and they that Navajo govt entity votes in Open Session on going into executive session. I was attending a 24th Navajo Council RDC meeting, when then RDC Chairman Rickie Nez announced that the RDC was going into executive session. I thought I missed the vote and why the RDC was going into executive session and so I stood up and asked if I missed the vote and reason for the executive session. RDC Chairman Rickie Nez called on legislative attorney for legal advice. RDC Chairman Nez was advised to announce the reason for the executive session and to call for a vote. FYI – Rickie Nez is a member of the 25th Navajo Council RDC.
The RDC agenda for 2.22.23 did not have announcement banning public. But it did on 2.15.23 and 2.14.23 – “Due to Limited Space at the Navajo Nation Land Department, Access will be Telephonic for the Public.”
According to the RDC Revised Orientation agenda for 2.13-17.23, “Space at the Navajo Nation Land Department is limited to the Resources and Development Committee and presenters. The Resources and Development Committee members and presenters who do not attend in-person may attend telephonically. The zoom connection number will be emailed to these individuals.”
On 2.8.23, the RDC did not ban the public from their meeting due to limited space…
The RDC’s 3.8.23 meeting has an Executive Session identified for Agenda Item “C. Report on from Navajo Engineering & Construction Authority (NECA) on the CARES / APRA Projects and Bonding Matters (Executive Session). Presenter: Brett Grubbs, Chief Executive Officer / General Manager, Navajo Engineering & Construction Authority.’
The following is the proposed agenda for the RDC 3.8.23, 10 am, meeting.
RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OF THE 25th NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, March 08, 2023, 10 a.m.
PROPOSED AGENDA
PRESIDING: Honorable Brenda Jesus, Chairperson, Honorable Casey Allen Johnson, Vice-Chairperson
LOCATION: Navajo Nation Land Department
2B Taylor Road, Building #8966
St. Michaels, Arizona 86511
via Telecommunication***
Call-In Number: 1-669-900-6833
Meeting ID: 732-628-2566
Passcode: 86515
*** Due to Limited Space at the Navajo Nation Land Department, Access will be Telephonic for the Public. Space at the Navajo Nation Land Department is Limited to the Resources and Development Committee and Staff.
- Call Meeting to Order; Roll Call; Invocation; and Announcements:
[] Brenda Jesus (C) [] Casey Allen Johnson (VC) [] Shawna Ann Claw [] Rickie Nez [] Danny Simpson [] Otto Tso - Recognizing Guests and Visiting Officials:
- Reviewing and Approving the Agenda:
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( ) - Reviewing and Approving Journal(s): March 01, 2023 (Regular Meeting)
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( ) - Receiving Reports:
A. Report on the Re-Introduction of the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act in the 118th Congress. Presenter: Carlyle Begay, Federal/State Government Affairs Advisor, 25th Navajo Nation Council
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( )
B. Report on from the Navajo Department of Justice on the Status of the Procurement Code Amendments. Presenter: Katherine Belzowski, Assistant Attorney General, Economic/Community Development Unit, Navajo Nation Department of Justice
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( )
C. Report on from Navajo Engineering & Construction Authority (NECA) on the CARES / APRA Projects and Bonding Matters (Executive Session). Presenter: Brett Grubbs, Chief Executive Officer / General Manager, Navajo Engineering & Construction Authority
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( ) - Old Business: None.
- New Business:
A. Approving a Work Session (Hybrid) with the Division of Natural Resources, General Land Development, Navajo Nation Land Department, and U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs to Discuss the One Stop Shop and Right-of-Way (ROW) Process for Friday, March 24, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. at the Budget & Finance Conference Room in Window Rock, Navajo Nation (Arizona).
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( )
B. Approving a Work Session (Hybrid) with Navajo Transitional Energy Company, Division of Natural Resources, Department of Minerals, Navajo Nation Land Department, Navajo Environmental Protection Agency, Navajo Department of Justice Natural Resources Unit, Office of the President & Vice-President and the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs to Discuss the Land Surrender Area of the Navajo Mine for Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. at Nenahnezad Chapter in Fruitland, Navajo Nation (New Mexico).
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( )
C. Approving a Work Session (Hybrid) with Navajo Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, Division of Natural Resources, Navajo Nation Land Department, General Land Development Department, and Vertical Bridge to Discuss the Inventory of the Cell Towers on the Navajo Nation and Telecommunications Regulations for Friday, March 31, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. in the Window Rock, Arizona
Vicinity.
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( )
D. Approving a Work Session (Hybrid) with the Department of Agriculture (“DOA”), Navajo Nation Land Department, and U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs on the DOA’s Plan of Operation, Proposed Navajo Grazing Act and Proposed Navajo Rangeland Improvement Act for Monday, April 03, 2023 and Tuesday, April 04, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in the Window Rock, Arizona Vicinity.
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( )
E. Approving an In-Person Leadership Meeting with Manti-La Sal National Forest Service and Navajo Utah Commission on the Revision Manti-La Sal National Forest Plan and the Start of the Formal Consultation Process for Thursday, April 06, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. (Navajo Nation Time) at the Monument Valley Welcome Center in Oljato-Monument Valley, Navajo Nation (Arizona).
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( ) - Close of Meeting; Announcements; Adjournment. _
M: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: Claw ( ) Jesus ( ) Johnson ( ) Nez ( ) Simpson ( ) Tso ( )
THE AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE: The public is advised that the Navajo Nation Council Agenda and the Agendas of the Standing Committees are not final until adopted by a majority vote of the Navajo Nation Council or the Standing Committee at a Navajo Nation Council or a Standing Committee meeting pursuant to 2.N.N.C. §§163 and 183. Navajo Nation Council Rule of Order No. 7 and Standing Committee Rule of Order No. 8.
