Race for Hopi chairman, vice chairman under way

By Stan Bindell
For The Independent

First in a series of the candidates for Hopi chairman and vice chairman.

KYKOTSMOVI, ARIZ. — The race for Hopi chairman and vice chairman is on. Hopi Chairman Wayne Taylor Jr. announced Monday in a news release that he will seek a third term in the November elections.

The primary is scheduled for Nov. 2 with the general election two weeks later on Nov. 16. Chairman Taylor's only opponent thus far, according to the tribal election's office, is Caleb Johnson.

The two candidates for vice chairman thus far are Phillip Quochytewa and Robert Sumatzkuku. The candidates for chairman and vice chairman have until 5 p.m. Oct. 18 to file for candidacy.

Chairman Taylor began his career as an elected official in 1994 when he was elected as vice chairman. He previously served as chief of staff to the chairman and as a staff assistant to the vice chairman.

"This is a crucial period for the Hopi Tribe, particularly in light of the pending closure of the Mohave Generating Station, which is fueled by coal from Black Mesa Mine, the tribe's major source of revenue," he said in the news release.

The chairman said the tribe is in the midst of intensive and sensitive negotiations aimed at importing the water necessary to keep the plant and the mine operating. He said these talks must not fail.

Chairman Taylor noted that the tribe, including the villages and the Hopi Tribal Council, are working on multiple efforts to create a diversified sustainable economy to ensure that young Hopi men and women can find jobs and opportunity on their homeland.

"We must utilize our must abundant resource our voluminous reserves of coal to create an economy respectful of the environment and Hopi land stewardship," he continued. "Most important, we are preserving the Navajo Aquifer, the lifeblood of our culture and traditions. We are working tirelessly to embrace new ways, while preserving the past, so our young people and the generations to come can grow prosperous, confident and healthy in the Hopi way. Along with the efforts to keep Mohave and the Black Mesa mines operating, the Hopi Tribe has entered into partnerships with Headwaters Inc. of Jordan, Utah, and the Southern Ute Tribe of Colorado to develop the tribe's reserves of coal and coal bed methane."

Chairman Taylor said the Headwaters will hopefully result in the development of plants designed to use Hopi coal to manufacture bio-diesel fuels and generate electricity. The operations, under the ownership of the Hopi Tribe, he said would create jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

To promote renewable energy, Chairman Taylor said the Hopi Tribe leased land for development of Sunshine Wind Park and entered into a partnership with Foresight Wind Energy for a second Clear Creek Wind Park on tribal land south of the reservation. These windmills would be used to produce energy for homes and businesses.

Chairman Taylor said the tribe has also completed soil and water studies in preparation for the long-awaited development of Tawaovi, a planned community of homes, government offices and businesses on a site 15 miles north of Second Mesa.

Chairman Taylor presided over the 1994 HopitPotskwaniat, the first tribal consolidated strategic plan. His administration also reached resolutions in the Minerals Tax Case and the Navajo-Hopi Land Damage Case.

The Hopi Tribe established the Hopi Economic Development Corp. and Hopi Telecommunications Inc. It diversified its economic portfolio with the acquisition of ranches, shopping centers, business parks and other off-reservation businesses.

Chairman Taylor's administration was responsible for creating the youth and elderly offices and lobbied successfully for the new Hopi Health Care Center and the Hopi Education Endowment Fund.

Chairman Taylor serves as a delegate to the National Congress of American Indians. He also serves on the boards for the Council of Energy Resource Tribes, University of Arizona's Native Nations Institute, Northern Arizona University's Institute for Native Americans and the University of Arizona's American Indian Advisory Board. He also sits on the Pathways Into Health National Adivsory Council.

He was named as the recipient of the Jay Silverheels Award, the highest honor granted by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development. Chairman Taylor earned a BA from the University of Arizona and he completed the certified public management program at Arizona State University.

Chairman Taylor and his wife Loris have six children and seven grandchildren.