DOJ identifies people city must compensate

By Zsombor Peter
Staff Writer

GALLUP — State Rep. Irvin Harrison, D-Gallup, is among the 27 American Indians the City of Gallup plans to compensate for employment discrimination, according to a list released by the U.S. Department of Justice.

City Attorney George Kozeliski had been withholding the names because of a gag order the U.S. District Court judge in Albuquerque overseeing the case placed on the information. But when the Justice Department finally filed the names and how much compensation they're due last month, he said, the information became public.

According to the filing, or notice of proposed relief, Harrison is entitled to $21,171.06 in back pay for being turned down for the position of development director in 2003. He's also one of 25 claimants in line for priority hire, which requires the city to offer him the position he was turned down for once it's vacated. Glen Benefield currently holds the post.

The Justice Department sued the city in 2004 on behalf of an anonymous group of American Indians who claimed the city denied or delayed them employment because of their race. The council approved a consent decree Sept. 28 of that year, agreeing to pay a total of $300,000 for the cases the Justice Department could prove occurred between Jan. 1, 1997, and Oct. 28, 2004.

The 27 claimants the city and Justice Department finally settled on was whittled down from an original list of 388 people claiming 1,248 individual cases of discrimination.
The 388 who did not make the final cut still have a chance to make their cases during "fairness hearings" scheduled for July 13 in Albuquerque. Kozeliski said the city sent them all letters notifying them of the hearings a few weeks ago.

The following is a list of the claimants the City of Gallup has agreed to compensate for employment discrimination between Jan.1, 1997, and Oct. 28, 2004. Each name is followed by the position for which the claimant was denied or delayed employment and the estimated back pay the U.S. Department of Justice is requesting for them.

• Antone, Martha, Esecutive Secretary, Planning, $16,958.07
• Begay, Eugene, Budget Analyst, $13,877.36
• Begay, Presley, Water Operator Trainee, $15,604.51
• Curley Jr., Leon, Wastewater Operator Trainee, $8,166.97
• Etcitty, Steven, Water Distribution Trainee, $23,784.50
• Etsitty, Treva, Secretary I, Police, $22,261.12
• Fernado, Salvador, N/A, $8,166.97
• Harrison, Irvin, Development Director, $21,171.06
• Hoskie, Gerald, EMT Firefighter, $15,789.71
• Kee, Victor, Street Laborer/Maintainer, $10,809.57
• King, Truman, Animal Control Officer, $15,396.10
• Kinsel, Katherine, Judicial Aide, $6,484.66
• Livingston, Pauline, Procurement Technician, $9,387.32
• Livington, Nellie, N/A, $1,081.11
• Milane-Baca, Bernice, Administrative Secretary/Floater, $7,082.49
• Nelson Jr., George, Water Operator, $1,573.26
• Ortiz, Sarah, Administrative Secretary/Floater, $34,836.84
• Othole (Laconsello), Berla, Judicial Aide, $17,603.36
• Peters, Victoria, Secretary I/ Planning $5,802.51
• Roanhorse, Rita, Procurement Technician, $17,731.93
• Sandoval, Mildred, Secretary I/ Planning, $9,916.42
• Spencer, Liverlynn, Receptionist/Office Assistant, $1,081.11
• Tilford, Concepcion, Judicial Aide, $5,077.07
• Tom, Jasper, Administrative Assistant/RRSP, $12,649.19
• Willie, Juphelia, Municipal Court Secretary, $4,732.36
• Yazzie, Kelton, Solid Wast Collector/Driver, $5,253.01
• Yazzie, Kelvin, Water Operator Trainee, $4,679.47