These two men that claim to represent us are having their strings pulled and tugged at by forces unseen. They are getting their documents written by people or groups that are secretive. They are speaking to each other in another language and saying things that we are not allowed to hear.
Introduction by Editor
Featured Image source Salt Lake Tribune
This letter to the editor appeared in the San Juan Record on February 27. The author, Wendy Black, is a resident of San Juan County, Utah and has been active in local politics for several years. In 2015, in concert with the majority sentiment of county residents, Wendy became active in opposing the proposed Bears Ears National Monument, which would have swallowed up approximately one-third of San Juan County’s landmass. In December of 2016, President Obama announced the Bears Ears designation while on vacation in Hawaii. In December of 2017, President Trump, at the urging of Utah leaders and the locals of San Juan County, revised the monument, splitting it into two much smaller monuments.
Since the 2017 federally-mandated race-based redistricting of San Juan County, and the election of a majority-Democrat commission to a majority-Conservative/Republican county, many locals have been alarmed by the lack of proper representation. At issue are the Democrat commissioners’ lack of transparency, apparent entanglements with radical environmentalist groups, and their willingness to flout the will of the people. In response to a recent San Juan Commission meeting, Wendy penned the following opinion, referencing resolutions that will reverse prior, citizen-supported county actions related to the now-defunct Bears Ears monument.
The truth about the commission meeting 2-19-2019
It was truly a work of secret combinations and lies behind closed doors.
To get to the point and hit on the highlights we start with the comment portion of the meeting.
There were many comments given to the county commissioners and some were for and some were against the resolutions that were proposed at last meeting and this meeting. There are 12 new resolutions either being considered or already voted on in the 4 short meetings they have had together. I want to note that there was not even one positive comment made for the resolutions regarding the monument. During the comments, one gentleman asked Willie Grayeyes if he represented a people or a county. Willie kept insisting he represented a certain group of people. When pressed on this issue and asked if he really meant what he said and Willie then said he represented people. I’m still not convinced he understood the question.
The two commissioners that brought the new resolutions to the table were asked who wrote a letter to me and they were also asked who wrote these resolutions that they were bringing to our county. We should expect to be able to ask for complete transparency from these men if they are claiming to represent what the people want. They both looked down and then they both looked to each other. They dodged the questions and misdirected the questions by saying that they were not written by a paid attorney. Willie just kept repeating over and over that it was not a paid attorney. They never would answer the question. It was pointed out to them that the other commissioner, Bruce Adams, while discussing another resolution, was forthright about who was going to write it. When the city of Blanding representative came to the front to discuss their resolution they had brought to the commission meeting, It was plainly announced who had written it. No hiding and dodging. We need to expect this honesty and integrity from our new commissioners. It was brought up that they could still hold off on their voting for or against the resolutions. They needed to listen to their constituents to form an opinion of their own. They needed to hold listening sessions. They refused by voting on them anyway.
While in Salt Lake at legislature meetings, [Commissioner] Kenneth [Maryboy] said he had a meeting with the governor. He was obviously seen as a representative of the people of San Juan County, because he told us that the governor kept calling him ‘Commissioner.’ This meeting was held behind closed doors and Kenneth proceeded to tell the governor that the people here did not want the county split and we wanted to get the monument back. Kenneth is misrepresenting us. He is using his commissioner title to further his and his environmentalist friend’s agendas. We are without representation. Bruce was not invited to this meeting, which is against protocol and is going to affect the conducive relationship we should expect to have between our commissioners.
Bruce only has one vote. It was very obvious and very plain to see that the other commissioners had discussed what they were going to say and how they were going to vote before the meeting even started. At one point Bruce asked the two commissioners to quit speaking Navajo so he could understand what they were saying. They spoke to each other in Navajo on 3 different occasions during the meeting.
When it was pointed out to Willie that what Kenneth and Willie are doing was considered tyranny, Willie had the audacity to bring up that he knew history because his people were here longer. Does this mean that if someone only lives here a year they should not expect representation? Does it really matter whose ancestors were here first? We all live here now!! Together!! We are the people that these men are supposed to represent.
To top everything off, Kenneth, who is the commission chair forgot to ask for a moment of silence or a prayer to start out the official commission meeting. It has never been forgotten before he was chair. It is a standard part of the meeting.
These two men (Kenneth Maryboy and Willie Greyeyes) that claim to represent us are having their strings pulled and tugged at by forces unseen. They are getting their documents written by people or groups that are secretive. They are speaking to each other in another language and saying things that we are not allowed to hear. Is this who we want representing any of us? I should say not.
Wendy Black
See more from the SJ Record here
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