Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Alamo dedicates two new businesses

T.S. Last EDC General Manager

They sang "Happy Birthday" to George Apachito, the Alamo Chapter delegate to the Navajo Nation, but the real celebration was for the grand opening of the T'iis Tsoh Mini-Mart and Cougar Canyon staff housing.

The Mini-Mart brings gasoline and groceries to the Alamo Navajo Indian Reservation, which has a population of about 1,500. The 16 apartments that are part of the Cougar Canyon project serve to provide housing for employees of the Alamo Navajo School Board Inc.

Hundreds of people came from near and far for grand opening ceremonies held at Alamo's Walter's Park on Tuesday, June 30. Among them were representatives from the Navajo Nation, headquartered in Window Rock, Ariz.

"It's quite an accomplishment for a community like this to have something like this here," said Charlie Long from the Navajo Nation's Office of the Council Speaker. "We wish you well with the mini-mart and will look forward to seeing if it can be expanded to other areas."

"Economic development doesn't stop here," added Arlinda Bitsoie, executive assistant with the Navajo Nation's Vice President's Office. "We can do anything, if everyone works together."

Many of those who spoke during the two-hour long dedication ceremony cited teamwork as the key factor in getting the long-awaited facilities built.

"It was a total team effort," said Michael Hawkes, executive director of the ANSB. "It's the only way we get things done around here."

"We all did it," said Scott Apachito, president of the Alamo Chapter.

John Largo, of the Navajo Nation's Division of Economic Development, summarized how the mini-mart came to be built. It's been a nine-year journey, he said, starting with a feasibility study in 2000.

People living on the reservation already knew that a store was needed, he said, but a study was required to obtain the funding.

A $150,000 grant from U,S, Department of Agriculture rural development for the design and engineering was eventually approved and the Alamo Chapter donated the land. In addition, the Navajo Nation Economic Development Department provided $1.3 million in grant money.

Over the next several years, the members of the team were assembled. Dyron Murphy was chosen as architect. Sandia Oil Company came on board as the tenant, entering into a one-of-a-kind agreement with the Alamo Chapter for a Bureau of Indian Affairs-approved business site lease.

Things came together quickly in the end, Largo said. A contract was approved for Global Structures to build the facility. Work began earlier this year and the mini-mart opened for business June 18.

In all, the project cost more than $2 million.

The Cougar Canyon staff housing is part of a $40 million project, Hawkes said.

Lewis Sheppard, director of the Navajo Housing Authority, said the 16 new units are a part the growth.

"Housing is a small part of community building," he said.

Other dignitaries included U.S. Sen. David Ulibarri and State Rep. Don Tripp.

Ulibarri spoke of the goods the mini-mart provides are "essentials" and expressed his wish that this was just the beginning of a wave of economic development in Alamo.

Tripp said the mini-mart is one of several signs of progress in Alamo, naming the wellness center and peacemaking court as two other recent additions.

"This will save people time and gas and make the overall quality of life here better," he said.

Tripp, Hawkes and George Apachito each mentioned other needs in Alamo. They include a sewer lagoon, which would allow for a Laundromat to open inside the T'iis Tsoh Mini-Mart, a post office and senior center.

But for the time being, people were just glad to have a mini-mart.

"Now we don't have to go to Socorro or Magdalena to get gas and groceries," said Steven Guerro, president of ANSB. "It's been a long wait, but it's happened."

"Our prayers have been answered," said Pastor Violet Jake, who gave the invocation and benediction.

After George Apachito was serenaded with "Happy Birthday," he urged everyone to celebrate Alamo's new mini-mart.

"Now go buy something," he said. "Spend money while you're here."

tslast@dchieftain.com

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