Kenneth Maryboy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kenneth Maryboy
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| Navajo Nation Council Delegate | |
| In office January 22, 2001 – January 10, 2011 |
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| President | Joe Shirley Jr. |
| Preceded by | David L. John |
| Commissioner Dist. 3 of San Juan County | |
| In office January 2, 2007 – January 1, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Morgan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 13, 1961 |
| Nationality |  Navajo Nation USA |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Cherly J. Maryboy |
| Residence | White Rock, Utah |
| Occupation | Radio (Sports, Basketball) |
Kenneth Maryboy (born May 13, 1961) is an American politician. He has served as a leader for both San Juan County, Utah, and the Navajo Nation. Kenneth was a Council Delegate and a San Juan County Commissioner. He was the third Democrat in a row to be elected as Commissioner for District 3. This district was created in 1984. Kenneth was later replaced as commissioner in 2015 by Rebecca M. Benally.
Kenneth Maryboy is the brother of Mark Maryboy. Mark served as a Navajo Nation Council Delegate for 16 years. He was also a San Juan County Commissioner for four terms. Kenneth also represents the same Utah section of the Navajo Nation as Davis Filfred on the council.
He also works with Rebecca M. Benally and the San Juan School Board. They focus on the school curriculum for Navajo students in Utah. He also works with Bruce Adams on San Juan County matters.
Maryboy was reelected in 2010 during the National Midterm and Navajo Nation Elections. He won positions as both San Juan County Commissioner for District Three and as a Council Delegate. This was for the newly smaller 24-member Navajo Nation Tribal Council.
Contents
Early Life and Talents
At 18, Kenneth lived with his mother and younger brother on the reservation near Bluff, Utah. They struggled financially, living on his small wages as a welder. Even though times were tough, Kenneth got better at welding. Later, he learned to be an electrician. He then used his skills in other jobs where they were needed.
Later in life, Maryboy became known as a "Medicine Man" in the Four-Corners Region. He helps people with their physical, mental, and spiritual needs. Maryboy connects the old Navajo traditions with modern life in America.
He also had another natural talent: announcing. During rodeo seasons, he was often asked to announce for many different events.
Announcing for KTNN Radio
In April 1993, KTNN 660 AM started broadcasting. This is a Navajo Language AM radio station from Window Rock, Arizona. They began sharing live comments for the NBA team, the Phoenix Suns.
Kenneth Maryboy, a rodeo announcer, joined KTNN Sports Director L.A. Williams. They did the play-by-play for their first Suns game. This was the first time a Navajo broadcasting station worked with a major basketball team.
Kenneth Maryboy remembered his happy childhood Christmas celebrations at St. Christopher's Mission. These memories inspired him to create a program called Navajo Santa. This program helps his people feel the spirit of Christmas all year long. He changed the idea of Santa Claus to fit the needs of Native Americans. Many Native Americans are among the poorest people in the U.S.
The program gives gifts like food, clothing, blankets, and toys. It also provides medical care and other services. Kenneth brings hope to everyone helped by his joyful program.
"I want to see understanding and caring continue," he said. "I want people to understand togetherness and what caring means. I still imagine doing many more things, not just in the Navajo Nation, but in other places where there is need."
Navajo Santa is a non-profit organization. It was created to bring food, blankets, warm clothes, toys, and other important items to Navajos in need. These families live on the reservation in southeastern Utah. The program is run entirely by volunteers. Navajo Santa helps create a cultural exchange and support between Navajo and non-Navajo people.
Kenneth is now a commissioner for San Juan County. His solo Christmas Eve visits have grown into a big annual Navajo feast. This event gives gifts of clothing, tools, and toys to over 700 people. Kids who are sick or can't get to the event get a personal visit from Kenneth or one of his helpers.
"My grandfather taught me that you become a man and a warrior by sharing and by keeping promises," he says.
Receiving the Caring Institute Award
On November 18, 2002, Kenneth traveled to Washington, D.C. He went to receive the Caring Institute Award. This special honor had been given to famous people before. These included Mother Teresa, President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter, and Paul Newman. Other winners include former Senator Bob Dole and Reverend Billy Graham.
In 2000, Maryboy was elected to the Navajo Nation Government. He became a Navajo Nation Council Delegate. He represented the Mexican Water, Aneth, and Red Mesa Chapters. These areas cross the borders of Arizona and Utah. They include nearly 10,000 people.
After being elected, Kenneth joined the Navajo Economic Development committee. He served as the Vice Chair for the Navajo Nation Council.
On December 15, 2009, tribal members voted to make the Navajo Tribal Council smaller. It went from 88 members down to 24. The Navajo Nation Supreme Court said this change should happen right away. This decision was made on May 28, 2010. Because of this change, Councilman Maryboy ran against fellow Councilman Davis Filfred. This happened during the November 2, 2010, General Elections.
Councilman Maryboy won against Councilman Filfred. He won for a new "Shiprock Agency" section on the Navajo Reservation.
Investigation into Funds
In October 2010, Navajo tribal officials faced an investigation. This was about how certain funds were used. This happened just weeks before the November election. The council members involved said they were Not Guilty of the accusations.
A special investigator, Alan Balaran, shared the results of his work. He filed complaints against many council members. This was part of a large investigation into how discretionary funds were used. Davis Filfred and Kenneth Maryboy were mentioned in this investigation.
In 2014, Kenneth Maryboy was one of seventeen people running for Navajo Nation President. He did not win the primary election. He placed fifth with 3,738 votes. Chris Deschnee and Joe Shirley Jr. moved on to the next stage.
Serving as San Juan County Commissioner
In November 2006, Kenneth Maryboy was elected as the San Juan County Commissioner for District 3. The commissioners handle county issues in Monticello, Utah. The San Juan County Commissioner group has three people. They oversee the needs and issues for San Juan County residents.
Commissioner Maryboy won his nomination for Commissioner. This was after a tough primary election against Andrew Tso from Montezuma Creek, Utah. This happened during the 2010 San Juan County Primaries.
Reelection as Commissioner
After winning against Andrew Tso, Maryboy was reelected to his county office. He ran unopposed in the 2010 San Juan County General election.
Holding Two Important Jobs
After being elected as both San Juan County Commissioner and Navajo Nation Council Delegate, people wondered if it was right to hold both jobs. It was a big discussion whether members should serve two government bodies at once. Kenneth Maryboy was in this exact situation.
On October 16, 2007, the Navajo Nation Council voted. They allowed delegates to serve as both Councilmen and County Representatives. This meant Maryboy could keep his positions. He remained both the San Juan County Commissioner and Navajo Nation Council Delegate for the Aneth, Red Mesa, and Mexican Water Chapters.
Kenneth Maryboy has to balance his role as a Navajo leader with his duties as a San Juan County commissioner. He took office in January. His brother, Mark Maryboy, made history in 1986. He was the first American Indian county commissioner in Utah's history, also in San Juan. Since then, the county has always had one Navajo county commissioner.
Bruce Adams, another San Juan Commissioner, said, "More than 55 percent of registered voters in San Juan County are Native Americans. They need to be represented. This is something that maybe Anglo commissioners had not thought about before."
Historically, Utah Navajos were often overlooked. This happened not only by the county and state governments but also by the Navajo Nation.
The Utah strip is a narrow area in the Four-Corners region of the United States. It is home to 8,000 of the Navajo Nation's 300,000 citizens. Officials in San Juan County long believed that Utah Navajos were mainly the tribe's responsibility. The Navajo Council, however, thought their Utah relatives could manage on their own. This was after a 1933 federal rule. It gave them 37.5 percent of the money from rich oil fields near Aneth, in Utah's part of the reservation.
Between 1933 and 1990, the Utah Navajo Oil Trust Fund lost a lot of money. A Utah legislative report said $150 million was misused. The Navajos' lawsuit against the state is still ongoing. Utah is the only state that manages a trust fund for American Indians whose lands are within its borders. The Utah Navajos wanted a bigger role in deciding how the money from these oil royalties was used. This would give them that chance. State leaders promised to make the change as smooth as possible for the people who benefit.
The Utah's Navajo Trust Fund law was set to end in 2008. In 2007, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman and state leaders asked Congress to create a new way to give out the money. Utah's legislative leaders are now actively working with the Utah Navajo people. They want the Utah Navajos to control these royalties themselves.
Utah Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich said, "Our congressional delegation must create a way to distribute these monies. All of the Chapter Houses must have a say in how it's used."
Kenneth Maryboy and Davis Filfred have been active in the Utah Navajo Trust fund. They are also helping with the change. This change moves control of the Utah Navajo Trust from Utah to the Utah Navajos themselves.
Kenneth feels his job is to help bring basic services to the people in his district. Many Navajo Nation services are not available on the Utah side of the reservation. For example, there are no Navajo Nation Health, Education, and Welfare offices in Utah.
Here are some examples of services that are missing:
- Navajo Division of Public Safety Locations: 30 in Arizona, 13 in New Mexico, but none in Utah.
- Emergency Medical Services: 9 in Arizona, 4 in New Mexico, but none in Utah.
- Fire and Rescue Services: 6 in Arizona, but none in New Mexico or Utah.
- Corrections: 4 in Arizona, 3 in New Mexico, but none in Utah.
Recently, Council Delegates Kenneth Maryboy, Davis Filfred, and former Council Delegate Mark Maryboy have been working hard. They want to make sure that the Aneth Oil Royalties stay with the Utah Navajo people.
However, this effort faces challenges. The Navajo Nation itself has been working to take control of the Aneth Oil Revenues. This creates a big problem for Kenneth.
On June 16, 2008, Kenneth Maryboy, Mark Maryboy, Davis Filfred, and Phil Lyman from Blanding, Utah traveled to Washington, D.C.. They went to show Congress a plan. This plan would make it easy to transfer the Utah Navajo royalty money. It would move from the State of Utah to a working Utah Navajo organization.
Also, on December 8, 2009, the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee held two hearings. These hearings took place in Washington, D.C.
Senate Bill 1690
The first hearing was about Senate Bill 1690. This bill would transfer the power and money for the Utah Navajo Trust Fund. It would move it from the state of Utah to the Utah Dineh Corporation Inc. The second hearing looked at a long delay in decisions about Indian land. This delay often stops tribes from using their lands for years.
Locally, a big issue is an emotional disagreement over a trust fund. This fund holds money from oil and gas leases in and around Aneth. The fund's money doubled to over $52 million. This happened when Utah agreed to settle a lawsuit about past problems with the fund.
Utah gave up its role in overseeing the fund two years ago. No projects to help the Utah Navajos can start until Congress chooses a new trustee. Many Utah Navajos do not have electricity or running water. The Navajo Nation, which gets 62.5 percent of the royalties, wants to control the whole fund.
"No way," says Kenneth Maryboy. He is one of the council candidates and a San Juan County commissioner. "Keep the money in Utah."
On January 27, 2009, a Navajo group attended Indian Caucus Day. Utah Navajo Delegates Maryboy and Davis Filfred went to the Utah State Capitol. They spoke for Navajo people living in Utah.
Elected leaders from Utah's five tribes met with former Utah State Governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr.. They also met with Governor Gary R. Herbert, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, and many program directors. They stressed how important it was to keep enough money for programs. These programs provide direct services to tribal citizens.
The state of Utah announced big budget problems for the next year. They suggested cutting state agency budgets by 15 percent. At the meeting, tribal leaders urged Utah state leaders to understand the limited state services available to Utah tribes. They asked for specific programs to be kept, even with the state's money problems.
Kenneth Maryboy said, "With proposed budget cuts, it is important as tribal leaders that we are clear about which state programs we believe are most important to keep. It is also important that we are clear about our goals for making state and tribal relations stronger."
Life Outside of Politics
Even though politics takes up much of Kenneth's time, he has found hobbies to balance his busy public service life. Kenneth and his family enjoy riding ATVs and hunting as a passion. The Maryboy family is very involved in outdoor racing events. These include mudbogging and drag racing. In fact, the Maryboy family runs a racing club called Whiterock Racing.
Like many Western Democrats, Kenneth enjoys spending time outdoors. He takes advantage of the beautiful rural environment in the Southwest. He loves activities like hunting and fishing. The southern Utah area offers many outdoor activities for people who live there. Kenneth continues this tradition, like most Utahns.
Many people in southern Utah enjoy what Lake Powell has to offer. Kenneth and his family enjoy the many chances the lake provides. Many other Utahns and Southwestern Americans also take advantage of these opportunities.
Images for kids
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December 2007 Navajo Santa Event
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Council Delegate Maryboy informing his supports of former Navajo Chairman Peter MacDonald's endorsement of his reelection campaign
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Commissioner Kenneth Maryboy (2010)
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Commissioner Maryboy shortly after taking the Oath for Commissioner
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Utah Navajo Strip: located in Southeast Utah
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Utah Navajo: Northernmost section of the Navajo Nation (in Orange)
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Navajo Nation Delegation to Utah State Legislature
