Greetings Relatives/Frens/Humans: The Navajo Council is scheduled to have a one-day special session today, Nov. 2, 2020, starting at 10 a.m. via telecommunication at:
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The only proposed agenda item is Legislation 0262-20, which seeks Council; supporting and approval for the Navajo Nation government’s Gaming/Gambling Enterprise Reopening Full Operation Plan at a Minimum 50% Capacity and Navajo Blue Travel Plaza to Operate at Full Capacity.

The sponsors of 0261-20 are Navajo Council Resources & Development Committee Rickie Nez, who was the legislative district assistant to former Navajo Council Speaker LoRenzo Bates, who was pro-coal and now works for the Navajo government’s Navajo Transitional Energy Company, which continues to close its ears and eyes to the FACT that the COAL INDUSTRY is DYING or DEAD.

The other sponsors of opening Navajo casinos and the Twin Arrows Casino travel center are Navajo Council Delegate/Speaker Seth Damon, another LoRenzo Bates protege, whom Bates picked to be on the Budget and Finance Committee and successfully supported/lobbied for B&F Committee chairman. Bates was also a B&F Committee chairman before becoming Council speaker.

B&F Committee Chairman Jamie Henio and B&F Committee member Jimmy Yellowhair are also sponsors of the Navajo government’s legislation 0262-20, as well as Council Delegate Pernell Halona.

Hopefully, the Navajo government’s gambling business does not go down the same road as the defunct Navajo Generating Station and Peabody coal Kayenta Mine. The Council, with Bates at the helm, and then Navajo President Russell Begaye and then Vice President Jonathan Nez dumped million of the Navajo people’s money into keeping a 50-year-old coal-fire generating station and a coal mine with only one customer, the 50-year-old power plant, open to save jobs and revenues…SMH!! I mean, HOW can anyone, especially our PUBLIC SERVANTS, not see and hear that the Navajo government could not make a profit from a 50-year-old coal-fired power plant that could not sell its power because its power was produced by COAL/FORSSIL FUELS. And HOW could a Navajo government business ever make a PROFIT if the Navajo government/the OWNER is continual dumping millions of the Navajo people’s dollars into its FOSSIL FUEL business?! I’m no BUSINESS major. And I don’t have a BUSINESS degree. BUT there is no way a business can make a profit while it is being subsidized by public funds!!!!!!!

And on TOP of that, the Navajo government is left with an old power plant and TWO, NOT ONE, PEABODY COAL MINES that Peabody has not removed and cleaned up since it closed its Black Mesa Mine in December 22, 2008, its Kayenta Mine in August 2019.

I have repeatedly requested a WRITTEN report on how much of the Navajo people’s money went down the drain to save NGS & Peabody Kayenta Mine. To this day, I have not received even a “No” or “Yes” or “Go Away Marley. There’s no story here” answers.

And so before the Council makes a DECISION on Reopening the Navajo government’s gambling business, which by the way was what one could call a “Cannibal Profit-Making Gambling Business” because the most profitable casino of the Navajo government’s casinos is Fire Rock, which is about four miles east of Gallup, NM. And who are the patrons of Fire Rock? Navajo people.

And if Navajo people are under LOCK-DOWN and in dire need of hardship assistance because of COVID-19, who will be gambling. Let us not forget that the NM GOVERNOR has started tightening controls regarding curfews, and reopening businesses.

I also forgot to mention that anytime the Navajo government’s gambling operation makes a verbal report to the Council, it’s ALWAYS been BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

WHY?!

I’m hoping that the GAMBLING REPORT is open to the PUBLIC because as Navajo people, we own the gambling enterprise and we have the RIGHT to know if we should finance a business that cannot make a profit because it is a business that DEMANDS indoor service, constant cleaning with special cleaning supplies, masks, social distancing, hand-sanitizers, water, law enforcement, etc., which are ALL NECESSARY to PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.”!!!!

My suggestion is for the Navajo government’s gambling enterprise to OPEN ONE CASINO. And that ONE CASINO must be the ONE that is making a PROFIT. I have ALWAYS wanted to read a GAMING REPORT about how PROFITABLE is the Navajo gambling business. Are ALL the Navajo government casinos making a profit? Which casino suffered the highest loss?

And I truly believe that an INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ANALYSIS of the Navajo gambling enterprise MUST be completed before the Council decides to DUMP millions of the Navajo people’s money into GAMBLING for Ni’hwiil biihi or “The One That Wins The People.”

PROPOSED AGENDA OF THE 24th NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL
SPECIAL SESSION VIA TELECOMMUNICATION
November 2, 2020 – 10:00 AM
Navajo Nation Council Chambers
Window Rock, Navajo Nation (AZ)
PRESIDING: Honorable Seth Damon, Speaker, Navajo Nation Council

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER; ROLL CALL; INVOCATION
2. RECOGNIZE GUESTS AND VISITING OFFICIALS TO THE NAVAJO NATION
3. REVIEW AND ADOPT THE AGENDA
   (m) (s) (v)
4. REPORTS: None
5. OLD BUSINESS: NONE
6. NEW BUSINESS:
   A. LEGISLATION 0262-20: An Action Relating to Budget and Finance, Health, Education and Human Services, Resources and Development, Naabik’iyati’ Committees, and the Navajo Nation Council; Supporting and Approving the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise Reopening Plan; Supporting and Approving Reopening Full Operations of Gaming Enterprise Facilities at a Minimum 50% Capacity; Permitting Navajo Blue Travel Plaza to Operate at Full Capacity
   SPONSOR: Honorable Rickie Nez
   CO-SPONSOR: Honorable Seth Damon
   CO-SPONSOR: Honorable Pernell Halona
   CO-SPONSOR: Honorable Jamie Henio
   CO-SPONSOR: Honorable Jimmy Yellowhair
   (m) (s) (v)
7. CLOSE OF SESSION; ANNOUNCEMENTS; ADJOURNMENT
   Page 2 of 2
   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 Number 8.
   Livestream will be available online at:
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