On Dec. 5, the City of Holbrook hosted the 5th Annual Mayors Summit in conjunction with the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission in an event that had 26 participants. Those in attendance included city and county leaders, and law enforcement officials from Holbrook, Winslow, Flagstaff, Page, and Farmington and Grants, N.M. There were also representatives from Navajo and Coconino counties and the Navajo Nation.
Opening the summit, Holbrook Mayor Bobby Tyler said that today is, “A good opportunity for our rural departments to work together.” Each town, city and county represented shared the challenges they face as they work to bring unity between the tribes and the people in the communities to provide safety and improve the quality of life.
“Boundaries are starting to blur between tribes, people and states. We are learning to work together on sharing resources,” stated Grants Assistant City Manager Les Gaines.
From seeking a greater pool of candidates for public safety jobs to creating civility and respect among community members, the stories were told. In the end, one common theme echoed through the room: find the humanity within each person and build a relationship.
With the focus on building greater understanding to problems within the community, Holbrook Justice Court Judge Evelyn Marez stated, “Navajo County is starting a teen court to deal with underage drinking by involving the students in the judicial process.” She also said that she is looking to expand the teen court to the reservation as well. “Most of the focus within the teen court is on rehabilitation.”
Mayor Tommy Roberts of Farmington, N.M., related how his city has made efforts to address recidivism with success. Roberts said, “Change came for us when we began to see the needs of the individual and created a comprehensive treatment plan based on those needs.”
The summit also included a presentation by attorneys Arusha Gordo and Becky Monroe from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and a brief talk by Snowflake Councilman Byron Lewis regarding the continued efforts to bring broadband into the county noting, “The injection of broadband into Navajo County has significant economic and individual service implications.”
