OJO ENCINO, N.M. — On February 17, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren met with leadership from six Eastern Agency chapters — Huerfano, Ojo Encino, Counselor, Torreon/Star Lake, Whitehorse Lake, and Pueblo Pintado — during a joint meeting hosted at the Ojo Encino Chapter House to discuss pressing community needs and solutions.
Chapter leaders outlined critical infrastructure priorities, including long-delayed road projects on Navajo Route 46 and Navajo Route 474, bridge replacements, culvert repairs, and right-of-way challenges impacting multiple communities. Water infrastructure concerns were raised in Huerfano and Whitehorse Lake, including low water pressure and the Sand Springs Waterline Extension. Several chapters emphasized urgent powerline extensions to serve dozens of families still without electricity.
Public safety was a top concern. Counselor and Torreon leaders shared the need for stronger law enforcement presence, faster emergency response times, and potential intergovernmental agreements to address drug activity and delayed medical assistance.
Community facilities were also highlighted. Huerfano’s senior center remains closed due to repair delays, while youth centers and chapter houses across the region require major renovations. Pueblo Pintado and Whitehorse Lake stressed the hardship caused by the closure of laundromats and limited access to basic services. Torreon requested assistance ensuring Capital Outlay and ARPA funds are expended before deadlines to prevent reversion.
Throughout the meeting, division directors engaged in open dialogue with chapter officials, discussing coordination with Navajo Department of Transportation, Capital Projects Management Department, Division of Community Development, Navajo Department of Justice, and utility providers to accelerate project movement and resolve administrative bottlenecks.
President Nygren reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to working alongside chapter leadership to strengthen infrastructure, improve public safety, and ensure that funding already allocated reaches the communities it was intended to serve.
“Solutions begin with listening,” President Nygren shared. “When our chapters come together with a unified voice, we can move priorities forward and deliver real results for our Navajo people.”
