A MONUMENTAL DIVIDE

Last February, I asked “Who’s the Boss in Utah’s Bears Ears Country?”   The following  six-part essay, which I've been posting in installments, is an attempt to partially answer that question after a year of watching events unfold there. Road conditions on the reservation strip of San Juan County can be life-threatening. The Navajo Nation claimed ownership of the roads in 2007 and gradually phased-out its relationship with San Juan County to provide maintenance. (Governing) Part 1: Rule by resolution.   Willie Grayeyes and Kenneth Maryboy took their oaths of office as commissioners a little over a year ago after what was described as a “historic” election. They immediately staked their claim to power by choosing to govern primarily through resolutions written by their longtime private attorney and approved without advice or informed consent of virtually anyone in the county. Part 2: The power of environmental nonprofits.  It’s hard to overestima...

Last February, I asked “Who’s the Boss in Utah’s Bears Ears Country?”   The following  six-part essay, which I've been posting in installments, is an attempt to partially answer that question after a year of watching events unfold there. This is part 5. A yard sign-style campaign message of the San Juan County Democratic Party on Highway 262 just inside the Aneth extension of the Navajo Nation was modified in advance of a special election on Nov. 5. The signs were positioned along highways in the southern part of the county. (Bill Keshlear) Part 1: Rule by resolution.   Willie Grayeyes and Kenneth Maryboy took their oaths of office as commissioners a little over a year ago after what was described as a “historic” election. They immediately staked their claim to power by choosing to govern primarily through resolutions written by their longtime private attorney and approved without advice or informed consent of virtually anyone in the county. Part 2: Th...

Last February, I asked “Who’s the Boss in Utah’s Bears Ears Country?”   The following  six-part essay, which I am posting in installments, is an attempt to partially answer that question after a year of watching events unfold there. This is Part 4. A Gallup, New Mexico, newspaper's banner headline offers readers the perspectives of Davis Filfred, chair of Utah Diné Bikéyah, and Alastair Lee Bitsóí, UDB communications director, on November's special election in San Juan County, Utah. Opponents of Proposition 10, which asked voters about studying a possible change of government, slung a bit of mud in their campaign. The paper offered no other perspectives. (Note: Despite what the first subhead says, final decisions would’ve been placed in the hands of voters, not a “self-appointed committee.” The ability of county residents to determine the kind of government they’d prefer to live under is a fundamental right. The election was chock-full of misinformation such as this.) ...

Last February, I asked “Who’s the Boss in Utah’s Bears Ears Country?”   The following  six-part essay, which I've been posting in installments, is an attempt to partially answer that question after a year of watching events unfold there. This is part 3. Kelly Pehrson, former county administrator, testified before the State Records Committee in Salt Lake City in November. County Commission Chair Kenneth Maryboy, below, alleged publicly that Pehrson was insubordinate. Pehrson filed a GRAMA request seeking county records that would document those allegations. Because two searches ordered by the Committee turned up nothing, a reasonable conclusion at this point is that Maryboy just made up the whole thing. (Bill Keshlear)   Part 1: Rule by resolution.   Willie Grayeyes and Kenneth Maryboy took their oaths of office as commissioners a little over a year ago after what was described as a “historic” election. They immediately staked their claim to power by c...

Last February, I asked “Who’s the Boss in Utah’s Bears Ears Country?”   The following  six-part essay, which I’ll post in installments over the next few days, is an attempt to partially answer that question after a year of watching events unfold there. Utah Diné Bikéyah, a tribal-affiliated activist group based in Salt Lake City, played a prominent role in changing San Juan County governance. Their fly-swatter "schwag" was handed out at a political rally two days before the county's November special election. (Bill Keshlear) It's hard to overstate the influence of Utah Diné Bikéyah. Staffers participated as panelists at a U.N. conference in Salt Lake City in August: From left, Eric Descheenie, former Arizona state House representative, Cynthia Wilson, traditional foods program director for Utah Diné Bikéyah, Angelo Baca, cultural resources coordinator for Utah Diné Bikéyah, and Kate Kopischke, moderator and social and environmental safeguard specialist f...