LEUPP, Ariz. – Navajo Nation Council members from the Budget and Finance Committee and the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee’s Síhasin Fund Subcommittee, attended a groundbreaking ceremony Dec. 15 for the Twin Arrows Police and Fire Substation, which will be constructed north of the Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort, located approximately 24-miles east of Flagstaff.
On Nov. 29, the BFC passed Legislation No. 0398-16, which approved the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise’s grant agreement, construction plan, and fund management plan for the proposed Síhasin Fund Twin Arrows Police and Fire Substation Economic/Community Development Expenditure Plan, and directed the Navajo Nation Office of the Controller to release the funds for the construction. The committee serves as the final authority on the bill.
Approximately $4.5 million was released to fund the police and fire substation, which was allocated through Resolution No. CAP-20-16, that was approved by the 23rd Navajo Nation Council in April 2016.
BFC chair Council Delegate Seth Damon (Bááháálí, Chichiltah, Manuelito, Tsé Lichíí’, Rock Springs, Tsayatoh) commended all entities involved with the substation project, stating that it fulfilled a required commitment to construct a secure on-site public safety facility.
“The property will have 10 full-time police officers and 14 full-time firefighters, and the operational expenses will be provided by the NNGE,” Damon said. “This is a direct service that will be provided to the people in the southwest corridor of the Navajo Nation. As the sponsor of this legislation, I fought to meet the requirements of the gaming compact, but also for public safety and to create more jobs for our people.”
Damon added that because the property is fully funded by the Síhasin Fund, as it illustrates the overall growth of its first expenditure from the trust fund that will directly meet the needs of Diné citizens.
Síhasin Fund Subcommittee chair Leonard Tsosie (Baca/Prewitt, Casamero Lake, Counselor, Littlewater, Ojo Encino, Pueblo Pintado, Torreon, Whitehorse Lake) provided the public address at the groundbreaking and stated that the public safety substation is an important project that will aid in economic and community development.
“The Síhasin Fund Subcommittee worked very hard on this, and it has allowed this project to contribute to the growth of the Navajo Nation’s economy and will provide much needed services to the surrounding areas, and we are proud that we can say this project was fully funded by the Nation,” Tsosie said.
He added that the utilization of the Síhasin Fund affirms the Navajo Nation’s self-determination and is the start to further independence in developing and funding capital projects.
BFC member Council Delegate Tuchoney Slim, Jr. (Bodaway/Gap, Coppermine, K’ai’Bii’Tó, LeChee, Tonalea/Red Lake) said the groundbreaking signified the beginning of a prosperous future for surrounding communities.
“This is the Navajo people’s land and they should be proud. This is what sovereignty looks like and we should be proud as a Nation, Slim said. “Our future of self-funded projects indicates that we have achieved great lengths to ensure economic stability for our Diné citizens.”
Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety executive director Jesse Delmar thanked Council members and everyone involved with the public safety substation project.
“The groundbreaking ceremony indicates that we as Navajo people are doing this on our own and that’s how it should be” Delmar said. “The bottom line is to have economic security so we can upgrade services for our Navajo people.”
The entities involved with the development, planning, and construction of the police and fire substation included the 23rd Navajo Nation Council, NNGE and its board of directors, NNDPS, Leupp Chapter, Navajo Gaming Regulatory Office, SICON – LLC, and Arviso Construction.
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