WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Before the Navajo Nation receives New Mexico capital outlay money to build projects, it often pays costs first and waits for reimbursements.
The money is used to build roads, power lines and make cemetery upgrades, among other community-driven projects.
Delays in construction readiness and waiting for reimbursements cause inevitable problems.
To find resolution, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren on Thursday met with New Mexico Indian Affairs Secretary Josette Monette, Senior Tribal Policy Advisor James Mountain and Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Crotty.
Key points from the discussion were the need for:
- a master intergovernmental agreement
- better project management tracking
- leveraging Navajo Nation enterprises for quicker project completion
President Nygren said Navajo Nation enterprises like the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority can mobilize faster than government agencies. Tribal enterprises often subcontract projects funded by capital outlay.
Currently, the Navajo Nation has 45 local governance certified chapters. These include 16 in New Mexico. Between 2021 and 2024, these chapters have 307 projects with funding worth over $83 million in projects.
However, Arbin Mitchell, executive director of the Navajo Division of Community Development, said only $27.3 million has been committed, and just $1 million has been spent.
The New Mexico Indian Affairs Department said it will plan a Navajo Nation field trip before Thanksgiving to assess the progress of these projects. “We need to get the money spent,” said Monette.
Crotty, an advocate for New Mexico chapters, said it’s important the Navajo Nation receive timely reimbursements to keep funds in tribal communities. She said New Mexico does not reimburse after its deadline, she said.
