FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2013
Kykotsmovi, AZ. – In a significant moment of history, the Hopi Tribal Council by majority vote, approved Resolution H-055-2013 and Resolution H-056-2013, authored by Bacavi Tribal Council Representative Davis Pecusa. Approval of the Resolutions authorizes the Establishment of a Hopi Department of Transportation (HDOT) and Approval to Submit an Application to the Bureau of Affairs (BIA) to contract the BIA Road Maintenance Program, pursuant to federal Public Law 93-638.
In his introduction of HDOT’s overall Goals and Objectives, Pecusa referred to the Hopit Pötsqwaniat (the Strategic Plan of the Hopi Tribe) in which it describes the Mission, Goals and Objectives of the Tribe’s transportation facility needs, including: Road Maintenance/Construction; Road Safety; Transit and Airport Facilities.
HDOT is responsible for oversight and management of all transportation road maintenance and construction projects throughout the Hopi reservation. It is also charged with conducting programs and services to address transportation priorities and needs as determined by the Council or the Department.
The approved HDOT Resolution states all tribal laws, policies and regulations regarding transportation facility and roads shall be included in one volume of the Hopi Code to be labeled as “Transportation”. The Department shall also have the authority to adopt its own regulations and operations manual consistent with applicable manuals of the Hopi Tribe and to develop and apply for grants and lobby for its own program funds.
HDOT’s mission is to provide safe, efficient/adequate transportation and public road access within the Hopi Reservation and one of the Tribe’s goals is to assess the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) Road Maintenance Program to determine if it is advisable to contract the Program from the BIA.
After assessment and review of the BIA’s Road maintenance program, the Tribal Transportation Task Team found it would be in the best interest of the Tribe to consolidate the BIA maintenance program with the HDOT. Councilman Pecusa presented the findings and recommendations and the presented the proposed Resolution to the Tribal Council. Upon much discussion, the Hopi Council, by majority vote, approved Resolution H-046-2013.
Approval of the Resolution authorized the Hopi Chairman and the Director of HDOT to submit an application to the BIA within thirty days to contract the BIA Transportation Maintenance Program, pursuant to P.L. 93-638.
“Approval of these Resolutions, addresses significant areas of the Hopi Tribe’s Transportation needs,” said Pecusa. “This will allow HDOT to move forward in a more positive and aggressive manner to address priority needs.”
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