The Navajo Council’s Resources & Development Committee is still meeting. Without debate, the RDC approved three pieces of Legislation that involved reappointment of Raymond J. Holgate, Belinda P Eriacho, and Sidney B. Dietz to serve on the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Board.

The three are Legislation

0364-14; 0365-14, and

0366-14.

RDC goes to

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

COUNCIL DELEGATE DANNY SIMPSON
seems like every year, we have to approve supplmental funding for local government Grazing Committees and Land Boards.

RDC MEMBER LEONARD TSOSIE
there are concerns from Eastern Navajo Land Board that funding is unfair. The unfairness is that Land Boards are in the Arizona portion of Navajo reservation and that Land Board already receive compensation. And RDC member Leonard Haskie asks why this funding was not part of annual budget process.

DELEGATE DANNY SIMPSON
This was recommended to Navajo Council’s Budget & Finance Committee but it was not approved. And the Council was asked to approve but they disapproved request. It’s been tried. When we appropriate funding for Eastern Navajo, there are sometimes mistakes.

NAVAJO AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR LEO WATCHMAN
currently 20 Land Board and each Land Board represents two or three chapters. District, Agency, Chapter planning and regular meetings, which is a total of four meetings for Land Boards.

RDC CHAIRPERSON KATHERINE BENALLY
Grazing Officials need to present ferral horse report, number of livestock on reservation, number of grazing permits, number of allowed livestock for grazing permits.

DELEGATE DANNY SIMPSON
The Grazing Officials and Land Boards are elected positions and so their supervisors are the people. There are some Land Boards that put in 50 hours a week. Eastern Land Board each receive $305 bi-weekly which is $710. Majority of Land Boards don’t have full time jobs.

RDC MEMBER LEONARD PETE
I support this resolution as long as don’t see overgrazing and ferral horses.

RDC VOTES 5 IN FAVOR, 0 OPPOSED TO RECOMMEND LEGISLATION 0373-14 TO THE NAABIK’IYATI COMMITTEE.