The Navajo Nation, McKinley County and Gallup officials have signed an agreement to keep a detox and alcohol treatment facility open.
The agreement signed Thursday creates a funding structure for the center and gives the tribe authority to operate the program.
The tribe and the city agreed to provide $670,000 to improve the property to meet any codes and standards by Jan. 1.
Gallup and the county will use 10 percent of revenues from an alcohol excise tax to help fund the center on an annual basis.
The agreement comes after the Na Nizhoozhi Center Inc. closed its operations in June. The closure sparked fears that alcohol-related violent crime and deaths could increase and hospital emergency rooms could become overwhelmed in a city that has made great strides in reducing public intoxication.
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