HERE AT NAVAJO COUNCIL WINTER SESSION, ONE DAY. VICE PREZ JIM FINISHED STATE OF NATION ADDRESS AND COUNCIL STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS REPORT. JIM ANSWERED SOME QUESTIONS BUT AFTER COUNCIL SAID HE WAS ANSWERING THEIR QUESIONS, JIM ASKED CHIEF OF STAFF MITCHELL AND DIVISION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DAMON TO HELP HIM ANSWER QUESTIONS. AND THEN COUNCIL HAD MORE QUESTIONS.

DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
Since MacDonald and Zah administrations, we have trying to do economic development. I keep suggesting that we go to T&R and use their model, along with border towns. To me quite simple, let’s identify major road sections. And we seem to be afraid of grazing permit holders.
And I appreciate Chief of Staff Mitchell speaking stronger than his boss, Vice President Jim.

DELEGATE LORENZO CURLEY
i FEEL LIKE teling my chapters that Prez Shelly and Vice Prez Jim not supportive of small Navajo businesses. I want to see this president support economic development projects from chapters.
And we talk a lot about Navajo Housing Authority. And Bennett Freeze needs large influx of funding and NHA cud do that.

CHIEF OF STAFF MITCHELL
On mold, this fiscal year we put $1 million into facility maintenance to prevent mold. And we got Indirect Cost Rate in place last couple of months,

VICE PREZ JIM
First of all, mold didn’t occur under Shelly-Jim administration.
And with Headstart, there are tribal laws that are holding up Headstart such as the requirement for three bids.
We believe backbone of reservation economy is navajo small businesses so Council has authority to take over land with eminent domain. So why not do that? But there is respect for people.
So sit down and talk about it.
And it’s not true that the Shelly-Jim doesn’t believe in local government. Shelly-JIm administration is hosting Regionalization Meetings.
And this administration believes in private sector but we need to address land issue.