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Gulf in Apache County widens
By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK It appears about the only thing that
will restore Apache County Sheriff Brian Hounshell's power to what it
was when he assumed office is a $100,000 frybread fund-raiser to help
him post bond.
Hounshell attended a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday during which
County Manager Delwin Wengert told the board that due to the sheriff's
failure to post a $100,000 performance bond, it was being recommended
that a new division be formed for Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
The board voted 2-1, with Supervisor Jim Claw casting the dissenting vote,
and Tom White and David Brown voting to remove the two agencies from the
sheriff's jurisdiction and place them under the control of the county
manager.
Claw described the move as "a waste of time and a waste of resources,"
and added that the Supervisors' action would seem to "paralyze and
take away from an entire department."
Sheriff Hounshell said he adamantly expressed his displeasure at the meeting.
Previously under Delwin Wengert with Emergency Management, there was little
to no service to the citizens of Apache County, he said.
"Communities and citizens throughout Apache County are prepared emergency
responders. This has not happened without hard work and hundreds of community
members' volunteer time. I find it hard not to wonder if the $250,000
in equipment that was delivered to the Navajo Nation has something to
do with Mr. Wengert's recommendation," the sheriff said.
Claw asked whether there had been any discussion with the affected agencies
or any reports prepared to indicate that the changes were in the best
interest of the people of Apache County. Richard Guinn of the Sheriff's
Office said Wengert told them no, but that he believed it would be better.
There was no response to an e-mail request for comment sent Tuesday to
Wengert's office.
Hounshell said Wednesday evening that during the meeting he told Wengert:
"There's places in Apache County that you don't even know how to
get to in such an emergency, and he said, 'If you can get there, I can
get there.' So, basically they took it (Emergency Management) away from
us."
Direct attack
Hounshell considers this latest lob from Wengert and the board "a
direct attack since we delivered that equipment two weeks ago," he
said, referring to delivery of the Homeland Security equipment to the
Nation's headquarters in Window Rock.
"I feel, personally, that every time we make an effort to help agencies
within the county, specifically this time the Navajo Nation they fire
back on us using the bond as an excuse," Hounshell said.
One example of them working together was when County Attorney Criss Candelaria
attended a chapter meeting last Friday at New Lands. He "got up and
spoke against me in a chapter meeting, and I was not there to defend my
agency," the sheriff said.
"And after he finished his speech and presented stuff about the bond
and investigation to the people, they turned right around and approved
a resolution supporting me and my agency unanimously at the chapter.
In the last week and a half, Wide Ruins Chapter, Fort Defiance Agency
Council (17 chapters), Fort Defiance Chapter House, Lupton, and New Lands
presented the sheriff with an overwhelming vote of confidence unanimous
resolutions of support.
"We never solicited the resolution. It came from the people who want
their voice to be heard. People have a right to voice their displeasure
with Apache County government when it comes to the safety and welfare
of their families," Hounshell said.
"This is a big ploy to stop the services we provide in northern Apache
County. We've been asked a lot of direct questions about our services,
what we do. Our mutual-aid agreement (with Navajo) has been brought up,
and I just feel this is a personal attack, politically motivated, on the
services we provide."
Tug-of-war
But when it comes to Emergency Management and Homeland Security, it's
not just the northern part of Apache County that will be affected, but
the county as a whole, the sheriff said. "Wengert in the meeting
said, 'If there's an emergency, we'll get you involved.' "
"I said, 'No. If there's an emergency, I'll call you. I am the sheriff
of the county. It's my job by statute to respond in emergencies, and we'll
do that with or without you,' " Hounshell said.
"It's not his position to come out and respond to emergencies. That
is my responsibility. And what this affects is, this could ultimately
directly affect the Citizens Emergency Response Teams (CERT) that we have
all across the Navajo Nation and southern Apache County."
"This is definitely going to cripple our operation," he said.
"He doesn't realize that we may be facing the toughest fire season
that we've had since 2002, and that was the toughest one in the history
of Arizona."
The sheriff said CERT coordinators Lillian Chavez and Hugh Lynch have
organized volunteer groups to be ready in case of an emergency.
Hounshell said that when the Board of Supervisors' actions become a public
safety issue, "I think their interference with my office directly
is handed down to the citizens. But I want the citizens to understand
we will be there to take care of them.
"We will continue to work closely with all agencies in Apache County
and we'll let them continue their attack. But I think it's important that
the people know that it's gone too far."
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Thursday
January 19, 2006
Selected Stories:
City, Comcast work on local
programming
Gulf in Apache County widens
Grants Friendship Park near completion
Two men sought in armed robbery of city
gas station
Deaths
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