FARMINGTON, N.M. - Farmington city and business leaders are bracing for a potential Navajo Nation government "boycott" of Farmington businesses as tensions have flared after several recent events. The Governor's office has sent staff to monitor the situation, and the Navajo Nation President has met with Farmington's mayor.
The potential boycott of Nation purchases in Farmington was discussed by Navajo council delegates during an early July special session in Window Rock. It remains to be seen if a boycott will gain consideration during the council summer session July 17-21.
"Absolutely there would be an economic impact to Farmington if there were a boycott of its businesses," Farmington Chamber of Commerce CEO Melissa Lane said. She estimated that some of the businesses most hit would be big retailers such as Sam's Club and Wal-Mart, in addition to construction supply and office supply businesses.
In addition to such an unfortunate circumstance for the city's businesses, many Navajos would also be affected as nearly every type of business in Farmington employs Navajos, Lane said.
One type of Farmington business sure to suffer most from a "stop purchases" order by the Navajo Nation Office of the Controller would be large automobile retailers. Performance Auto sells GMC, Buick, Pontiac and other auto brands. Sales Manager Brett Chapel said though Performance does not have fleet leasing arrangements with the Navajo Nation, a "huge chunk" of its customers are Navajo. There is the likelihood that a tribal government ban on purchases in the city might also affect the purchasing decisions made by Navajo families.
Ziems Ford Corners, a large East Main business in the heart of the Farmington business district, does maintain fleet-lease arrangements with the Navajo Nation, including the leasing of Ford trucks to the tribal farm, the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, Ziems General Sales Manager Melton Beville said.
"There's no question about it; it would affect us," Beville said of a potential tribal boycott. However, in noting that Ziems also repairs vehicles for the tribe, such a move might be "biting off the nose to spite the face" as tribal employees would have to travel twice as far and spend considerably more time leasing vehicles elsewhere.
"I'm not sure what the boycott would accomplish, other than it's a form of punishment," Farmington Mayor Bill Standley said. "If it's trying to get publicity or attention, I think they (Navajo Nation leaders) have got that. We're trying to address the issues with an open, continuous dialogue," he added while noting that face-to-face meetings with Nation leaders are ongoing.
Stanley referred to Navajo leaders seeking punishment for a Farmington police officer, Shawn Scott, shooting 21-year-old Navajo Clint John four times on June 10 in the East Main Wal-Mart parking lot - the fourth shot being the "kill shot" to the head. The officer was exonerated of any wrong doing by the San Juan County Sheriff's Office.
Navajo leaders on hand for the press conference at Sheriff's headquarters in Aztec, including Shiprock Chapter PresidentDuane "Chili" Yazzie and Hogback Delegate Ervin Keeswood Sr., were "not impressed" with the fact that Scott "inadvertently" forgot to turn on his in-car camera, a violation of Farmington police policy. In addition, two Farmington teens are facing possible hate crime prosecution for "rolling" a middle-age Navajo man and trying to set him on fire.
Standley said that while the city has asked the District Attorney's office to "look into" the hate crime statute, the entire city and its businesses should not be held accountable for two or three recent incidents.
"How do you boycott the hospital?" he said of San Juan Regional Medical Center. "We have Native American nurses and emergency personnel working there."
The city's image is already under siege and will almost assuredly suffer far worse damage should a potential boycott be initiated by one of the nation's largest tribes. Some Navajos are already comparing recent events to the racial tension of the "Broken Circle" days of 1974, a reference to Rodney Barker's best-selling book. The June 30 issue of The Navajo Times offered a political cartoon with Navajos holding signs, one which reads, "Farmington, City of Hate." In place of the "A" was a pointed mask reminiscent of one worn by a member of the Klu Klux Klan.
The Farmington media including The Daily Times and KOBF-TV Channel 4/12, the NBC affiliate, have been loath to mention the word "boycott." KOBF news anchor Scott Michlin said the station will cover the boycott issue if and when it appears on the tribal council agenda.
"I think that any call by any organization to not do business (in Farmington) has an impact on business," said Jason Sandel, the newest member of the Farmington City Council and Vice President of 600-employee Aztec Well Drilling.
Sandel said rather than focus reactively on a potential boycott, the city's leadership needs to focus proactively on improving intergovernmental relationships. That means embracing multiculturalism and conducting city affairs as a business, in an atmosphere where everyone leaving Farmington leaves "with a smile." However, Mayor Standley said that even when the city and its Chamber of Commerce offer "Train the Trainer" seminars on conducting friendly business relations with Farmington's neighbors, "The ones who need it the most don't come to the sessions."
"We must recognize the faults of the past as an opportunity for change in the future," Sandel said.
July 4 Freedom Days Quiet
No demonstrations were held during the rain-soaked July 4th Freedom Days Parade, an evening event on Main Street in Farmington. Despite only a few thousand people showing up because of weather, Farmington Police Chief Mike Burridge said he had 135 uniformed officers on hand, including most of his 125-man force as well as other law enforcement officers.
Burridge confirmed that members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) have been in Farmington since the police shooting of Clint John. Tribal leaders including Duane "Chili" Yazzie have said that some type of demonstration is imminent.
Located in the picturesque San Juan River Valley, Farmington is within sight of Colorado's rugged San Juan Mountains and desert highlands of Arizona and Utah. With a year 2000 population of 37,844, and an estimated year 2004 population of 42,421 (a 12.1% increase), Farmington is the on the northeast border of the sprawling Navajo Reservation.
Median resident age: 33.6 years
Males: 18,558 (49.0%), Females: 19,286 (51.0%)
Median household income: $37,663 (year 2000)
Races in Farmington:
… White Non-Hispanic (62.8%)
… American Indian (18.4%)
… Hispanic (17.7%)
… Other race (7.8%)
… Two or more races (3.1%)
… Black (0.8%)
(Total is greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races.)
Labor Market
… Unemployment rate 7% (approximate)
… Employed civilian population, 16+ 16,928
FY2006 City Budget: $174,918,318. |
