Navajo council seeks border study

By Emy Zah
Farmington Daily Times

FARMINGTON — Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. signed legislation that approved $7.56 million in spending, including $300,000 for the family of a man recently killed by a police officer and a study of racial discrimination in Navajo Nation border towns.

The legislation was approved by the Navajo Nation council on June 23 during a special session and recently signed by Shirley.

The $300,000 is not just for the Clint John family, said Karen Francis, public information officer of the Office of the Speaker. John was killed by a Farmington police officer when the officer arrived to stop John from beating his girlfriend and then John turned on the officer, taking his police baton and attacking him with it, according to investigation reports. However, the incident was another in a string of criminal cases involving Navajos as either victims or defendants in towns bordering the Navajo Nation.

The legislation that was signed states "$300,000 to the Office of the Speaker for (the) Clint John Family for legal expense(s) and compilation of data by the Department of Justice."

Francis explained that under the directives of the council, the money is intended to have a study completed by the Navajo Department of Justice on racial discrimination in the border towns.

In addition, she said, Speaker of the Council Lawrence Morgan hasn't made any specific designations regarding how the money will be spent.

"We're waiting to find out about the study. We don't want to act in haste," she said.

George Hardeen, communications director for the president, said the president didn't release a statement when he signed the legislation.

According to council documents, Council Delegate Ervin Keeswood of Hogback proposed the amendment to the legislation that included money for the study and the family.

The Department of Justice and Morgan are slated to give a verbal report to the council when the council convenes for its summer session, which begins July 17 in Window Rock.

The bill also approved $3.3 million for Navajo Nation chapters for emergency drought and fire assistance, including $15,000 of funding for each of the 110 chapters — totaling $1.65 million— for the Youth Employment Program; $1.3 million for discretionary assistance for the Office of the Speaker and the Office of President and Vice-President.

Though the legislation was signed last week, Shiprock Chapter President Duane "Chili" Yazzie said he hasn't seen the money designated to go to the chapters in the local chapter's budget.

"We haven't gotten the money yet," he said.

He said that when the money comes from Window Rock, the chapter will present the budget to the chapter voters for approval.

The next Shiprock Chapter meeting is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday.