Journal Staff Report

Tomorrow (Oct. 8) Ute Mountain Ute Tribal members will elect one of three candidates to serve a three-year term on the tribal council. The election will begin at noon, and take place in the dining hall in Towaoc. The Cortez Journal profiled the two challengers, Manuel Heart and Patapony Root, and the incumbent Benjamin Lehi, all of whom are running for the one open council seat.

What experience would you bring to the Ute Mountain Tribal Council?

Heart: I served a three-year term from 1995 to 1998 and was very involved in economic development issues that I feel need more attention. When I was on the council I took part in the development of the new detention center that is nearing completion and I was chairman of an education task force that I formed. I was also the vice chairman of the Indian Health Board here, and would work towards getting more grants for that program, specifically for audiology. White Mesa especially needs improved health care access. Also I am co-chair of the Four Corners Monument Planning team, and have been appointed by the Colorado Governor to a committee called Four Corners Heritage, which deals with local tourism. In addition I am a member of the Four Corners Empowerment Zone committee that allocates grant funding for poorer areas like White Mesa, which need improved infrastructure, parks, and services.

Lehi: I have served for six years on the council and have developed the skills needed to be an effective leader. What I have learned from my upbringing and from government service is how important it is to listen to the people. I know what to expect and have the know-how to get things done in a way that represents our community. For example, I have worked hard to bring more employment to the reservation such as construction jobs that when completed will present more opportunities for our tribal members to make a decent living.

Root: I have 19 years of law enforcement experience -- nine years with the Ute Mountain tribal police, and 10 years with the Southern Ute force. It has given me the people skills that I believe will transfer well into government, and shows that I’m committed to community service. Also I am familiar with tribal, state and federal laws and would be of assistance there.

What issues will be a priority for you if elected?

Heart: I have three priorities: Economic development, setting up a Finance Committee so we can look towards long-term goals that bring back revenue for tribal members, and better education.

Our kids are our future, they are our primary resource and will soon be running this tribal office so we need to look out for them. We are lacking on a lot of education. I would like to a get classes that focus Ute and Native American culture at the Re-1 school district and would continue push for a better relationship between the tribe and the Cortez schools. That way we know which side the other is coming from, which works to the benefit of everyone involved in a positive way. If it goes both ways, because then we can respond better to each other’s needs.

As far as language, there needs to be a better effort to preserve and teach Ute. We have a CD-ROM out that teaches the basics, but there needs to be more advanced editions that cover more complex aspects of our language like sentence structure and pronunciation. I would encourage linguists to come in and work with elders to create more language teaching tools through technology. The problem is that we teach Ute language early on but by the fifth grade our kids lose it because there is no real language classes in public schools. So we need to structure something in the school district that accommodates Ute kids’ language and heritage. It is a part of their livelihood. Ute kids are really challenged because they must balance today’s society, with the cultural traditions that define who they are.

Lehi: There are many. One issue that has been going on forever is the Animas La Plata project, which would provide our tribe with water for development. Once we get our water settlement it will be a great benefit for the tribe because of the employment it will bring us and our sister tribe the Southern Utes. So I will continue to push for that. Also Ute hiring preference, whether it is from Mountain, Southern, or Northern Ute tribes, is critical for our the collective survival as a sovereign nation, and I will continue to ensure that this is a priority. Ideally it would be best to have Utes trained and then employed in the various federal jobs that are part of the Native American political system, too. I represent the people here by promoting policy that will preserve our culture, but also allows us to be self-sufficient and successful economically. I will also work more with the Cortez City Council on improving tribal employment in Cortez, for instance hiring more Utes for construction crews on roads and other city or county projects.

Root: I am looking forward to the opening of our new detention center, and believe this is a very important for our community because of the jobs it will create for our people and the rehabilitation services it offers. So I feel that from a law-enforcement side this is a priority for me. I have learned some very good ideas in my career and would like to share those with tribal government here. One of the goals that I have is to touch up on salaries, because around here they are too low. They need to be more competitive than $7.50 per hour in order to keep up with rising costs of living. Also, if selected, I will be open minded, work with the people and their concerns, and be a willing listener.

Another goal of mine is to improve communication between our elders and tribal government. A lot of our elders do not understand English and rely solely on their traditional Ute language. I am fluent in Ute and would use our native language more to help them communicate their concerns and questions to the tribal council; that’s important. I’m aiming for improved communication overall between the tribal council and the community, I think there are some problems there.

Working with our youth to stay in school and succeed is also a big issue with me. They are having some difficulties in school up in Cortez and I think that needs to be looked into more in cooperation with the Re-1 school board. Our drop-out rate in high school is too high and so this problem needs to brought out into the open and resolved. I want to stress education, and preservation of our language and culture, which is something that the new Head Start building now under way here will help us do. Also, I would create a new position for a tribal member who has an education to work with our youth, especially during the summer months. Our kids need more constructive activities and direction then in order to stay on track and prevent them from getting in trouble. For example some of them need a better understanding of the dangers of substance abuse and what those consequences are.

What are some of the challenges that the tribe is facing in the near future?

Heart: Tourism and economic development is a good goal for the future. This area is a big tourist area so we are working in partnership with other tribes at the Four Corners Monument so that revenues are increased to the benefit of all tribes in the area. We have passed a bill in the Senate to help fund that $4-million development at the Four Corners Monument.

Right now the tribe is lacking a finance committee, and so this needs to be put in place. A finance committee looks at long-term revenues such as from oil and gas, coal, and business development, instead of short-term. Per capita is good, but we can’t do it every year with what we have right now. We need to invest that revenue so that our kids can have per capita in the future. We are building a lot right now, but we need to know more accurately how long it will take to recoup the revenue that we paid into it? I am looking at creating a financial master plan that looks at long-term goals to prevent our revenues from being drained off unwisely.

Also I’d like to expand on our Farm and Ranch organization by taking over unused ranches and utilizing them since they have the equipment to do it. Plus, I believe that consolidating our tribal cattle herds under one management team will help improve our marketability and increase profits.

A lot of tribes are thinking that we can do it on our own. But in this day and age we have to look beyond our boundaries for us to be progressive in today’s society. We, as a little tribe, need to do that also.

Lehi: The challenges we face are getting the economic development projects off the ground such as the Ute Travel Center, truck stop, hotel, road and infrastructure improvement. Also it is important to continue to improve relations between federal, state and local governments. Specifically, I feel more cooperation and dialogue is needed between us, the Cortez City Council and the Re-1 school district. Working together will go a long way towards reducing misconceptions of us, plus we both have common interests, like education.

I’d like to see Re-1 introduce Ute history in the curriculum so that our children can identify with our past and so non-Indians can learn and appreciate a different culture that is right next door. I think it is a great opportunity for all children and adults that has been overlooked for too long. One idea that I have been encouraging is to bring in our elders to speak with students about our culture and language. Their life experience and story telling would be a great asset for both communities. Another challenge is to improve the educational forum for Ute kids here so that they are better prepared when they enroll at Re-1. We also want to encourage our spiritual ways that are in danger of disappearing. It is possible to do both.

Root: Good, high-paying jobs require education; this needs to be stressed to the community. Advanced, modern technologies are really taking hold here in Towaoc going into year 2000. We are growing, and the job opportunities created from that will require more and more of those skills. There is a danger on the reservation of becoming isolated, so that is why I stress education. Someday the younger people will run tribal government, so they need good training in computers and modern technology that they can bring back and contribute to the reservation.

Will you have an open-door policy?

Heart: I will have an open door policy. When I served before I worked seven days per week and holidays and was available. My purpose in council is to respect and care for the entire tribe as one family.

Lehi: I have always had an open door policy, and will continue to do so. People of all ages are welcome to come and talk to me, express their concerns. I will figure out a way to help them through the government process. These last few years I have begun to give my opinions more and institute measures that are in the best interests of the tribal membership. I’ve come a long way and would like to continue in this role.