Tribal leaders approved a request to build a new Summer Food Program eating site.
The new building will be paid for with American Rescue Plan Act funds. No start or finish date has been set.
During the full board meeting Monday, June 12, 2023, the Tribal Executive Board approved a request from Summer Food Program Director Mary Plante to get a new building for the program and to pay for it with $1.3 million in ARPA funds set aside.
In addition, the building will also house the Community Services office.
Plante visited with the TEB on June 6, 2023, and told them they have no place for the program to feed the children. The deadline for this program is July 28, 2023, according to tribal committee minutes.
The Health Promotion Disease Prevention program was supposed to run the program and they were planning on issuing sack lunches. Plante said that’s can’t be done, because children are supposed to be served hot meals, minutes state. The Thundering Buffalo Wellness Center staff told her the kitchen on site was not equipped for the request.
In Wolf Point, sack lunches can be distributed to children. The hot food requirement is just for Poplar, minutes state. The first people who ran this program for her was Bessie Beauchamp, minutes state.
For years the program was operating out of the Poplar Activity Center. In addition to seating a large number of people, there is a kitchen and fridge for use. Plante said repairs and maintenance were always being done on the old community hall.
Now, they have some remaining ARPA funds that could go a long way with the summer food program..
“We have this ARPA money that will be ours and HPDP cannot take it over,” Plante said.
Plante said there are no places to use for the program. With this money, it could build a permanent center for the program and other offices such as Community Services, minutes state.
At the main meeting this Monday, the council voted 10 for, one (Marva Chapman) opposed, and one TEB member (Wayne Martell) absent.
The following are highlights from the regular full board meeting this past week.
Bank
The TEB voted to declare interest and request an appraisal for the First Community Bank.
Councilman Bryce Kirk said the Tribal Court was interested in getting this for their vault and extra storage space. The First Community Bank wants to $447,000, minutes state.
All Tribal Court records are kept in the limited office space available.
Kirk said money for this would come from an over payment to the Internal Revenue Service.
The final vote was seven for, two (Carolyn Brugh and Justin Gray Hawk) opposed, two (Terry Rattling Thunder and Stacey Summers) and one absent (Wayne Martell).
Money
Tribal leaders amended a resolution to pay cash reward to tribal students finishing their education.
Resolution #30-286-2020-02 set up the Incentive/Degree Completion Program award. The amounts include $50 for Kindergarten to Sixth Grade, $75 for Middle School, $100 for High School with $200 for Salutatorian and $400 for Valedictorian.
Degree completion includes $30 for Head Start, $50 for Eighth Grade, $100 for High School Diploma/GED, $150 for a one year certificate, $200 for a two year certificate, $300 for an associates degree, $500 for a bachelors degree, and $1,000 for a masters degree.
The resolution adds $1,500 for a doctorate.
Bid
Tom Weeks of the Tribes ARPA Office was approved to submit a bid for $125,000 for work on a community center.
According to the motion, the bid is for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning labor to complete work on the Frazer Community Center.
Before voting, councilwoman Patt Iron Cloud asked what were they voting on because the council approved of something similar to this before. Councilman Lawrence Hamilton said they were planning on using AJ Culbertson’s company.
This was voted on before, and hopefully this is the last time they have to vote on this issue, councilman Kirk said.
Land
The Tribal Executive Board approved a lease for 169 acres of farm land,m with 14 acres of irrigated crop.
The council voted to declare interest ion Range Unit 32.
A land sale application from Sherry Longtree was accepted for two allotments, one northeast of Poplar and the other is near Nashua.
Coy Black Eagle sold his land to the Tribes for $98,333.33. It is for four allotments near Frazer.
The Tribal Natural Resources Program was approved to add another tract to a grazing permit to Range Unit 46 for the 2023-2032 permit period.
A land sale was approved for $80,376 from Michael Hope. This is for the minerals and surface.
The TEB declared one-third fee interest in A3549 for $41,078
Darryl Crowley, and Linda M. Nielsen were approved for an enrolled member renewal of leases.
Robert Booth was approved for non-enrolled member renewals.
Odin Shipstead was approved for term 23-27, section seven, township 28, range, unit 42,
Michael Bowan was approved for a non-enrolled member new lease.
David Madison was approved for an enrolled member home site renewal.
Wayne Stensland and Donna J. Leibrand was approved for a non-enrolled new lease.
Robert Baker was approved for non-enrolled member lease renewals for multiple tracts of land.
A lease for Morris Tattoo was modified to change the start date of his current lease to January 1, 1997 instead of January 1, 2000.
A non-enrolled member homesite lease was approved for Dean Garfield.
B&M Inc. and Tade Inc. were approved for non-enrolled
Debbie Matejovsky was approved for an enrolled member renewal.
Warren Fast, Larry Stensland, Brad and Chanel Johnson, and Buzzards Glory Farms Inc. were approved for non-enrolled member lease renewals.
Jean Werner was approved to add Darrell Werner to all tribal leases.
The council voted to declare interest and request an appraisal for Donna Youngman’s land. The allotment has 255 owners; and for Vicky Bisbee on three allotments, two of them north of Brockton and one east of Poplar.
A very large land sale from Paris Bryant to the Fort Peck Tribes for 20 separate allotments was approved. No amount was listed in the minutes.
Health Grant
Tribal leaders accepted a health care grant to improve the local crisis response system.
The Montana Healthcare Foundation Grant for $35,000 will be used to develop a crisis coalition that will serve the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and Roosevelt County. The coalition will collaborate on improving their community’s behavioral health crisis response system. The coalition will engage health and justice system partners, develop a charter, analyze data related to the Tribes behavioral health crisis in the community.
The coalition will create a sequential intercept map of the current crisis system and develop a strategic plan for improving the local crisis response system, according to evident based guidelines.
HPDP
The Health Promotion Disease Prevention Program extended the temporary appointment of Loren Headdress, a maintenance worker, by 30 days.
Carpet
An additional $5,640.34 was added for a carpet contract.
The extra cost came because of the increase of shipping price.
Amendment
Resolution 31-1983-2923-05 was amended to change the purchase amount to $81,512.
IRR
The Director of Indian Reservation Roads (IRR) Rusty Boxer brought in two resolutions for approval, one for training employees and another backing a Northern Arapaho tribal member for a Tribal Transportation Coordinating Committee Representative for the Rocky Mountain Region, which includes all tribes in Montana and Wyoming.
The first motion formally requested Road Inventory Field Data System training on behalf of the Rocky Mountain Region.
The second motion is to provide a letter of support for Winslow Friday, a Northern Arapaho tribal member from the Wind River Indian Reservation, for the position of Tribal Transportation Coordinating Committee Representative.
In a related motion, the council authorized IRR Director Rusty Boxer to update position descriptions for the TTP/IRR director, financial manager, and specialist. Administrative officer, supervisory civil engineering technician, transportation planner, and maintenance worker for reclassification by Elisha Gray Hawk outside consultation.
Transit
Tribal leaders approved a Coordinated Service Plan to be submitted with grant application to the Montana Department of Transportation that will be implemented by Transit Director Elmer Decoteau and Secretary Accountant Megan Gourneau.
Dental
The Tribes are closer to running the Indian Health Service dental unit.
The Tribes plan to submit it’s Fiscal Year 2024 Dental and Public Health Nursing proposal by June 15, 2023, that requires IHS Billings Area and IHS Fort Peck Service Unit to either approve and award it or decline it by September 15, 2023, two weeks prior to the start of FY 2024.
Also, the new Dental and PHN Program will also receive from IHS Contract Support Costs (CSC) and pre-award budget for a total budget of approximately $335,000.
Equipment including vans, computers, one Cere Plain Mill (Dental Restorations) residential trailers and another mobile dental unit. The Tribes will seek approximately $2.0 million for equipment. Start up funds will have an on-going consultant and legal services for the first year of contract operations to assist the Tribes ensure successful Dental and PHS Program operations, according to tribal documents.
At the full board meeting, the council approved the proposed contract documents, scope of work, and FY2024 budgets. This includes pre-award and one-time start-up budgets, and one-time start up budgets, approve the Tribes FY2024 contract proposal to IHS to amend the Tribes Health and Human Services Program contract.
The motion authorizes the Chairman/Vice Chairman to transit the Tribes FY2024 contract proposal and budgets to IHS officials for prompt negotiation, and to execute such other documents as are required for the Tribes to successfully assume IHS duties for these programs and service, effective October 1, 2023.
Paving
The north part of the Tribal Building will be getting a new parking lot.
According to the resolution, the TEB gave the okay for Century Companies Inc. to pave asphalt on the North Parking Lot of Phase III for $174,425. This will be paid for using the revenue loss for the Employee Tax Credit.
Temporary Job
The TEB appointed Justiss Toavs was for 30 days and approved advertising the Human Resources Manager position (GS 12) and accepting retroactive pay for the Tribal Operations Office from May 22, 2023, and accept the Tribal Operations Officer position description and new rating of GS 15, Step four.
Experience
Tribal employees in the same department can have a lateral transfer for jobs in the same department.
According to the motion, employees who get a lateral transfer will retain the same step.
In a separate motion, Tribal Health employees who are transferring from one progrm to another will be able to continue living in the tribal housing.
Foster Care
The TEB approved a regular/emergency license foster home license.
Fish and Game
Tribal Fish and Game Director Robbie Magnan hired Richard Roberts from the Montana Education Department. He will do a business plan for the processing plant.
Reclassification
Human Resources will reclassify the Gaming Director and Technical Supervisor positions.
Corrections
Tribal Corrections will now be following the Department of Law and Justice’s policies and procedures.
In a related motion, tribal corrections officers will be getting a $2,000 bonus (retention fee).
Dentist
The council approved a contract with Lisa Anderson, D.M.D. for dental services through June 30, 2028, for the HPDP Program.
Mental Health
Tribal leaders approved a one year contract extension for Wilderness Medical Staffing through June 2024. This is through the HPDP Program.
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