Last February, I asked “Who’s the Boss in Utah’s Bears Ears Country?” The following six-part essay is an attempt to partially answer that question after a year of watching events unfold there.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL 6-PART ESSAY.
From Part One…
San Juan County, Utah, comprises a splendor of canyons, cliffs and castles of sandstone. Anyone who has made a random discovery of 1,000-year-old artifacts of human habitation, trekked to the top of a Canyonlands National Park overlook at sunset or spent a deathly silent, crystalline night starring at the canopy of Creation can attest to its unearthly beauty.
However, representative government in the county, which will play a critical role in preserving that landscape, seems intractably bogged down by ideological dissembling, undemocratic “outside influences” accountable to no county voter, opaque tribal politics, lawyers and judges making public policy and environmental profiteers...
Part 1: Rule by resolution. Kenneth Maryboy and Willie Grayeyes took their oaths of office as commissioners a little under a year ago after what was described as a “historic” election. They immediately staked their claim to power by choosing to govern primarily through resolutions written by their longtime private attorney and approved without advice or informed consent of virtually anyone in the county.
Part 2: The power of environmental nonprofits. It’s hard to overstate the influence of Utah Diné Bikéyah, the tribal-affiliated nonprofit founded and run by Grayeyes and Maryboy until they took office. They’ve succeeded as leaders in attempts to create Bears Ears National Monument in a way that took results of a presidential election and proclamation to derail.
Part 3: Open-records stonewalling. Numerous requests for public records filed under GRAMA were generated in 2019 due in part to the climate created by the new commissioners’ evasiveness and open hostility toward many constituents and those constituents’ forceful, if sometimes rowdy, responses. The county (Grayeyes and Maryboy) was ordered to produce records in three cases.
Part 4: Gutter rhetoric. Unfiltered comments of public figures were part and parcel of 2019’s hard-edged politicking in San Juan County. It was on full display in the weeks and months leading up to November’s special election that asked voters whether they wanted to form a committee to study possible changes in county government.
Part 5: A defeat for good government. A full-court press of a campaign mounted by the San Juan County Democratic Party, its allies and prominent Navajo Nation politicians defeated an ostensibly non-partisan effort to change the way the county works. Results of November’s special election hinged on rhetoric of retribution and the politics of payback. An alternative story line — charting a path toward better democracy — was a non-starter.
Part 6: But can they fix the roads? To a certain extent the new commissioners’ relationship with officials of the Navajo Nation will determine their success in office. They’ve played an insider’s game of reservation politics for a long time, but so far they’ve been unable to leverage that experience into discernible benefits for county residents.
online what casino open today (Lizzie) canada real money roulette, european roulette betting uk and online poker for
money usa, or are there pokies in western new
zealand
Fine way of telling, and pleasant piece of
writing to get data about my presentation subject matter,
which i am going to present in institution of higher education.
online pokies canada legal, best paying pokies united kingdom and
no deposit bonus slots australia, or $5 min deposit australian casinos
My homepage Pink casino 10 Pound free
Spot on with this write-up, I actually believe that this website needs much more attention.
I’ll probably be returning to see more, thanks for the info!
play online poker united states, online slots casino australia and casino in connecticut usa, or best online casino sites for real money canada
Also visit my page – election gambling 2022
Excellent weblog here! Also your site quite a bit up
very fast! What web host are you the use of?
Can I get your affiliate hyperlink to your host?
I wish my website loaded up as fast as yours lol
Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets
I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was
hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.
Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your
blog and I look forward to your new updates.
Learn step-by-step instructions designed to help users sell bitcoin in india.
best online pokie canada, play free online gambling games list; Mollie, pokies nz and australias gambling problem, or apple pay online casino united states
latest online casinos canada, no deposit casinos for usa and best usa online play grand casino free spins reviews, or highest payout online casino usa
Nice blog here! Additionally your web site a lot up fast!
What web host are you the usage of? Can I get your associate hyperlink for your host?
I wish my website loaded up as fast as yours lol
I was recommended this web site via my cousin. I am
not certain whether this submit is written by means of him as nobody else recognise such particular
approximately my trouble. You’re incredible! Thanks!
casinò senza registrazione
Stop by my site … regola burraco (harrisonandsara.com)
It’s an amazing post for all the online people; they will take benefit from it
I am sure.
tipi di roulette
my homepage … Blackjack Italia – Biscotticioccolatoesaledivolterra.It,
Hey there! I know this is kinda off topic however , I’d figured I’d ask.
Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing a blog post or vice-versa?
My blog discusses a lot of the same subjects as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other.
If you might be interested feel free to send me an email.
I look forward to hearing from you! Superb blog by the way!
dual giocare roulette
Here is my blog post – gioca online spades (Williemae)
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be just
what I’m looking for. Would you offer guest writers to write content for you personally?
I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on many of the subjects you
write with regards to here. Again, awesome blog!
come si gioca a canasta
my web blog :: Mini Baccarat Regola