Greetings Relatives/Frens/Humans, the Navajo Nation Council has called a Special Session at 1 pm, 9.29.22, at the Navajo Council chambers in Window Rock, Arizona.
The Navajo Council meeting is available via telecommunications:
Call-in Number: (669) 900-6833
Meeting ID: 928 871 7160
Passcode: 86515
Livestream will be available online at:
VIMEO: www.vimeo.com/navajonationcouncil
YouTube: www.youtube.com/navajonationcouncil
NNC Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/navajonationcouncil
According to Legislation 0177-22, the Navajo Housing Authority Board of Directors approved Resolution NHA-5119-2022, whcih states that Amendment One to Legislation 0177-22 will “assist impacted families with utility assistance payments for low and non-low income families who have lost employment as result of the COVID-19 pandemic effects, and its other impacts that have caused price increases on food and gasoline. and that adversely impact costs for their daily necessities such as electricity, natural gas, propane, water and waste water, and are facing potential interruption of utility services through their local utility companies across the Navajo Nation.”
According to Legislation 0177-22, the Purpose and Need. Mr. Walter Haausc, NTUA General Manager informed the leaders that an unprecedented volume of non-payment of utility bills for over 10,000 accounts would severely impact the obligations for NTUA to continue to pay for much needed electrical transmission line costs including water supply delivery and would not be able to sustain its operations. The President and Council Delegates then directed the tribal departments and tribal enterprises to collaborate and coordinate possible solutions to the dilemma at hand and to c_onvcnc a “meeting of the minds” meeting on Monday, September 19, 2022, at 1pm.
A meeting was convened on Monday, Sept. 20 with the NTUA, NHA, DSS and OPVP scheduled at 1 pm held at the NTUA conference room. Representative attendees included NTUA Deputy General Manager Rex Kontz, NTUA Deputy CFO Gerard Curley, NTUA Wireless Manager Cheryl Bitsuie, NHA Deputy CEO Aneva Yazzie and DSS Director Deanna Neswood-Gishcy. Mr. Curley presented NTUA’s analysis as shown in Exhibit# 1 (NTUA Past Due Analysis) that reflects 12,281 impacted families of which 7,365 remain subject to utility disconnection for a total amount of $10,062,194 needed by NTUA in order to not disconnect electric and water services by a one-week delay to September 23, 2022. The only source of assistance provided by NTUA is their Affordable Wireless Connectivity program for low-income families for wireless services presented by Ms. Bitsuie.
Navajo Division of Social Services Deanna Neswood-Gishey arrived from a meeting held with Department of Energy officials on Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). She reported that she shared the emergency utility situation to LIHEAP officials and they offered to assist by allowing up to $20,000 per family to be assisted with utility payments; however, the new LIHEAP fund allocation could not be available to families until October 1, 2022. DSS also informed of other services for Navajo families that include Low-Income Water and Wastewater Assistance Program (LIW AP) and the US Treasury Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF). She reported that HAF Program can assist homeowners funding assistance for mortgages and homeowner
payments in arrearages including utility payments with funding available up to $50 million to families and program administration costs up to $5 million. Ms. Deswood-Gishey added that the HAF program still needed program set-up via the US Treasury Department and the Navajo Nation approval process and therefore, anticipated the program to not to be available to Navajo homeowners until January 2023.
NHA presented its programs from the U.S. Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to assist qualified low-income renters with rent and utilities; CARES IHP for COVIDimpacted needs that allows utilities payment assistance for both Low-income (LI) and Non-low income (NLI) families; and the regular 2022 IHP Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program that can also assist with emergency utility assistance payments for primarily low-income and a small threshold (not to exceed 10% of the IHP) for non-low income families. However, due to the ERAP policy and procedures for applications and limited eligibility to only qualified renters with lease agreements and the program subject to ending on 09/30/2022 unless Congress extends the date, this was not an immediate viable option. Those families found not eligible for ERAP with need for utility payments would be eligible under the CARES IHP and/or the 2022 IHP.
APPROVED AGENDA OF THE 24th NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION Thursday, Sept 29, 2022 1 PM (DST) Navajo Nation Council Chambers Window Rock, Navajo Nation (AZ)
Call-in Number: (669) 900-6833
Meeting ID: 928 871 7160
Passcode: 86515
PRESIDING: Honorable Seth Damon, Speaker, 24th Navajo Nation Council
- CALL MEETING TO ORDER; ROLL CALL; INVOCATION
- RECOGNIZE GUESTS AND VISITING OFFICIALS TO THE NAVAJO NATION
- REVIEW AND ADOPT THE AGENDA
(m) Hon. Pernell Halona (s) Hon. Raymond Smith, Jr. (v) 19-0 (snv) - REPORTS: NONE
- OLD BUSINESS:
A. LEGISLATION 0003-22: An Act Relating to Resources and Development, Budget and Finance, and Naabik’íyáti’ Committees, and Navajo Nation Council; Allocating $900,000 from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance (“UUFB”) to the Division of Economic Development/Tourism Department for Personnel and Operating Expenses for the Remainder of FY2022; Waiving 12 N.N.C. § 820(E), § 820(F), and § 820(J) to Allow Use of the UUFB for Recurring Expenses (2/3) SPONSOR: Honorable Wilson C. Stewart, Jr.
(m) (s) (v)
04/20/2022 – Motion to Refer Legislation 0003-22 to the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee for further discussion; (M) Hon. Carl R. Slater; (S) Hon. Jimmy Yellowhair; (V) 20 In Favor, 02 Opposed (Speaker Damon Not Voting)
08/30/2022 – Legislation was passed and referred back to the Navajo Nation Council; (M) Hon. Rickie Nez; (S) Hon. Vince R. James; (V) 13 In Favor, 05 Opposed (Chairman Damon Not Voting)
B. LEGISLATION 0024-22: An Action Relating to the Resources and Development, Health, Education and Human Services, Budget and Finance, Law and Order, and Naabik’íyáti Committees and the Navajo Nation Council; Amending the Navajo Nation Veterans Trust Fund at 12 N.N.C. §1176 to Create Separate Business Unit Numbers When Funding Navajo Veterans’ Organizations
SPONSOR: Honorable Kee Allen Begay, Jr.
CO-SPONSOR: Honorable Amber Kanazbah Crotty
CO-SPONSOR: Honorable Carl R. Slater
(m) (s) (v)
07/26/2022 – Motion to Refer Legislation 0024-22 back to the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee to hold a Work Session within 30 days; to hear from the Navajo Veterans, Navajo Nation Veterans Advisory Council and possibly the Navajo Nation Veterans Administration; (M) Hon. Herman M. Daniels, Jr.; (S) Hon. Thomas Walker, Jr.; (V) 11 In Favor, 08 Opposed (Speaker Damon Not Voting)
08/18/2022 – Work Session Directed by the Navajo Nation Council was completed.
09/13/2022 – A Veterans Public Hearing was completed at Eastern Agency on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at the Navajo Technical University Wellness Center.
09/14/2022 – A Veterans Public Hearing was completed at Western Agency on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at the Monument Valley High School Nash Auditorium. - NEW BUSINESS:
A. LEGISLATION 0177-22: An Act Relating to an Emergency and the Navajo Nation Council; Approving Amendment One to the Fiscal Year 2022 Navajo Nation Housing Plan for the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 Indian Housing Block Grant Funding; Waiving 2 N.N.C. § 501 (B)(2)(b) (2/3)
SPONSOR: Honorable Wilson C. Stewart, Jr.
CO-SPONSOR: Honorable Thomas Walker, Jr.
(m) (s) (v)
B. LEGISLATION 0007-22: An Act Relating to Resources and Development, Budget and Finance, Law and Order, and Naabik’íyáti’ Committees, and the Navajo Nation Council; Allocating $900,000 from the Navajo Nation Tourism Fund (24 N.N.C § 741) to the Division of Economic Development/Tourism Department to Cover the Tourism Department’s Personnel and Operating Expenses for the Remainder of FY2022; Amending 24 N.N.C. § 741(B) to Allow All Revenue in the Tourism Fund to be Used by any and All Navajo Nation Programs for Tourism-Related Purposes (2/3) SPONSOR: Honorable Wilson C. Stewart, Jr.
(m) (s) (v)
C. LEGISLATION 0165-22: An Act Relating to an Emergency; Approving $89,480 from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance (“UUFB”) for a New HVAC System for the Oljato Chapter Senior Center SPONSOR: Honorable Herman M. Daniels, Jr.
(m) (s) (v) - CLOSE OF SESSION; ANNOUNCEMENTS; ADJOURNMENT
Livestream will be available online at:
VIMEO: www.vimeo.com/navajonationcouncil
YouTube: www.youtube.com/navajonationcouncil
NNC Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/navajonationcouncil/
PROPOSED AGENDA OF THE 24th NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION Thursday, Sept 29, 2022 1 PM (DST) Navajo Nation Council Chambers Window Rock, Navajo Nation (AZ)
Call-in Number: (669) 900-6833
Meeting ID: 928 871 7160
Passcode: 86515
PRESIDING: Honorable Seth Damon, Speaker, 24th Navajo Nation Council
- CALL MEETING TO ORDER; ROLL CALL; INVOCATION
- RECOGNIZE GUESTS AND VISITING OFFICIALS TO THE NAVAJO NATION
- REVIEW AND ADOPT THE AGENDA
(m) (s) (v) - REPORTS: NONE
- OLD BUSINESS: NONE
- NEW BUSINESS:
A. LEGISLATION 0177-22: An Act Relating to an Emergency and the Navajo Nation Council; Approving Amendment One to the Fiscal Year 2022 Navajo Nation Housing Plan for the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 Indian Housing Block Grant Funding; Waiving 2 N.N.C. § 501 (B)(2)(b) (2/3) SPONSOR: Honorable Wilson C. Stewart, Jr.
(m) (s) (v) - CLOSE OF SESSION; ANNOUNCEMENTS; ADJOURNMENT
THIS 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.
Livestream will be available online at:
VIMEO: www.vimeo.com/navajonationcouncil
YouTube: www.youtube.com/navajonationcouncil
NNC Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/navajonationcouncil
