Cibola detention center goes after Navajo Nation inmates

By Jim Tiffin
Staff Writer

GRANTS — Cibola County is going after Navajo Nation inmates.

Cibola County Detention Center (CCDC) Administrator Rick Lucero told the board of commissioners Monday night the Tuba City, Ariz., detention facility is closing, and the Navajo Nation has 60 inmates that could be transferred to Cibola County.

There are currently 68 vacant beds available at CCDC for non-county inmates.

"As you know commissioners, we are looking everywhere and at everybody for inmates to rent out our beds in the detention center," County Manager David Ulibarri said.

A Navajo Nation contract was presented to the commission but needed several changes before the county could present a proposal to the Nation to take its inmates.

The contract needed the CCDC's policies, a $50 fee for each day for each prisoner and should include the Nation's policies on civil rights, Indian Health Service and Indian services, Commissioner Chair Bennie Cohoe said.

"You also need to make arrangements to make sure the county will be paid," he said.

Cohoe is a member of the Navajo Nation, a former tribal delegate and chapter house president.

A motion to submit the contract to the Nation on Feb. 23 as a proposal with changes and amendments was approved unanimously with Cohoe, commissioners Fred Scott, Dr. Jane Pitts and Elmer Chavez voting yes. Commissioner Frank Emerson was not present.

In other business, the board:

• Tabled a contract to sell 39.7 acres of county-owned land near Coyote del Malpais Golf Course to Falcon Ridge developers in Albuquerque for $225,000. The county will be sending changes to the proposed contract to the developer and the contract will be on the March meeting agenda.
• Tabled a request by the county DWI program to begin a one-class period per day session at Los Alamitos Middle School for students who have been identified as being heavily involved in drugs, alcohol or tobacco use by the Living Full Circle, non-profit organization. The commission wanted to see non-profit incorporation papers and a question of whether the county was covered under its insurance was also not answered. It will be on the March meeting agenda.
• Approved a grant funding of $50,000 from the federal government for emergency management operations training.

All county officers will be closed on Feb. 21 in celebration of President's Day.

The commission will next meet at 5 p.m., in the county complex at 515 W. High St., on March 14.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin@blackmesa-isp.net.