Days after being declared in recess, the regular Tribal Executive Board meeting was delayed again due to issues with the tribal building.
The full board meeting was scheduled to resume Thursday, August 17, 2023, at 9 a.m., however street work south of the Tribal Building cut the flow of water to the complex for the day. When the water didn’t come back on, the council stayed away until after 1 p.m.
Once there was a quorum, the meeting continued with Vice Chairman Charles Headdress conducting the meeting.
The meeting resumed with committee minutes.
Land
The TEB approved of purchasing a land allotment containing 40 acres for $20,360, the surface only, near Oswego.
A motion authorized the waiving of appraisal and charge $22 per rod was sent back to committee for further discussion.
Kenneth Williams sold an allotment to the Tribes for $611.11.
Land in allotment 270 was purchased from Marcella Labelle for $998.72. Allotment No. 272 was also purchased from her for $2,275.56.
Wayne Weeks and Nicole Longee were approved for enrolled member new homesite leases.
Kermit Moran and Deyo Four Bear were approved for enrolled member new leases.
James Helmer and Marquieta Colgan were approved for enrolled member lease renewals.
Roger Nygard was approved for a non-enrolled member lease renewal.
John, Jana and Sammy Nygard were approved for enrolled member renewals.
Kelley Hentges was approved for Kelley Hentges.
Kenneth V. and Cynthia Solberg were approved for non-enrolled member renewals.
Branson Farms LLP – Zach Branson was approved for a non-enrolled member renewal.
Justin Fuhrman was approved for a non-enrolled member lease renewal.
Non-enrolled member renewals for James Overgfell, Kirk Sibley, Levi Fossum, Matt and Martin Stenoft, Jim Marmon, and Gary Ediger.
A modification for Scott Satler was modified with the beginning date from 2023 to 2024 and ending date from 2027 to 2028 on an ag lease.
A legal description of land was removed from the map. T6048 was removed from Range Unit 24 for the 2023-2032 permit period. In a similar motion, T3566 was removed from Range Unit 72 for the 2023-2032 permit period.
Tribal leaders approved to go with the previous appraisal for the Dewy C Forsness revocable living trust/Kitty Kolden Property in the amount of $144,910.08
The TEB approved of declaring interest and requesting appraisal for allotment no. 1956 located south of Frazer from Jo Beth Johnston.
Pump
An resolution authorized the amendment number one to addendum number 10 for the Frazer pup station access road project under task order No. 6, additional design and permitting under contract.
Leave
Policies regarding leave for religious purposes were put into the Tribal Policies and Procedures.
The motion changes section 15 Employee Leave Policy, under E. paid admin leave, subsection H (the tribal chairman’s office shall grant administrative leave with pay for those tribal employees who are associated with Sundance ceremonies and other religious ceremonies such as retreats, camp meetings, and revivals and limits one ceremony per year wither on or off the reservation for up to five days, and to include all employees pertaining seasonal, part-time, and temporary employees.
Councilman Dana Buckles said this came about after one woman told her director Christmas was a religious holiday for her and she took leave at that time.
In a related motion the tribes voted approve the same policy change “retroactively” from June 1, 2023 to August 14, 2023.
Bonus
A bonus plan for the Indian Reservation Roads/Tribal Transportation Program staff was approved by the council.
In a related motion, the council approved the retirement of Gary Robinson at IRR. He has worked for the program for over 40 years, and he was given a star quilt as a gift.
FPHA
Fort Peck Housing Authority was approved to be the sole authority to prepare and submit to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development fiscal year 2023 Indian Community Block Grant application for the total amount of $2 million on behalf of the Fort Peck Tribes and certifies that the citizen participation requirements identified by law have been met for the proposed fiscal year 2023 Indian Community Development Block Grant.
ICWA
The council approved to transfer the Title IV-B Subpart two Social Services federal grant award from the Indian Child Welfare Act program to the Red Bird Woman Center who will fully administer the program and approve the chairman to sign all documents for the transfer.
Contract
The modification of a contract between a company and Spotted Bull Treatment Center.
The motion is to modify the contract with B & W Compliance Inc., for consulting services under the Spotted Bull Recovery Resource Center for $11,594, effective immediately.
TSHIP
The council approved amending the scope of work for fiscal year 2024 Tribal Sponsorship Health Insurance Program contract with Indian Health Service to sponsor a retiree’s share of a dental plan premium for eligible TSHIP applicants.
Schooling
A tribal employee was granted educational leave that would allow her to keep her job and attend college.
The motion approved Gracelyn Medicine Cloud be granted with educational leave with all the documents to be signed by the Chairman/Vice Chairman on behalf of the HPDP Program.
MIPPA
Tribal Community Services Program Director Sheila Spotted Bull brought in a resolution to approve funding under a new law.
The motion approves the FY2023 Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act for Beneficiary Outreach and Assistance. Budget for October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024.
According to committee minutes, Spotted Bull met with Kenny Smoker of HPDP and visited about the funding for the bathroom, budget, and line items she can take money from, minutes state. There was no update on a grant for food the program applied for, but she was emailed recently and is hoping to get the funding from the grant.
Awards
Nearly all professions these days have some type of award recognition.
The Red Bird Woman Center’s submission for the RFP National Program Awards to Expand Children Advocacy Centers in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. CFDA Number 16.578 for funding up to $150,000 with an 18 month deadline.
Contractor
The Tribal Council approved the revision of the Lead Advocate/MDT Coordinator position description and the reclassification of Lead Advocate/MDT Coordinator position description by Alisha Gray Hawk, Contractor at the rate of $500 per position description reclassification.
Waive
The council voted to approve TTP Director Rusty Boxers request to waive the performance pond for Badger Oil Field Construction, as well as their request for full payment once the job is done.
According to Boxer the company was denied a performance bond and they need one to finish the Fort Kipp job.
Scope of Work
The Tribal Sponsorship Health Insurance Program will be submitting the FY24 Scope of Work to the Indian Health Service.
New Manual
When the TEB was discussing the Tribes taking over the IHS Dental Unit, it was agreed that it’s necessary to adopt a contract template for negotiation purposes for the PHS/Dentistry Position and authorize Dennis Four Bear to negotiate the terms of the Employment Contract, Special Purpose Assignment Agreement under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act or Employment Contract/Form 38-130 wherein the Tribes pay the federal benefits.
The council approved of adopting the Fort Peck Tribes Dental Employee Policies, Dental Longevity and Salary Scale, and Dental Program Employee Agreement to assist the Tribal Health Program Director recruit and retain qualified dental personnel and support staff to staff the Tribes Dental Program effective with the Tribes execution of the FY2024 Title I ISDEAA Annual Funding Agreement and the Tribes assumption of the FPSU duties planned for October 1, 2023.
A related motion authorizes the negotiation of Dentist/PHN terms with the Employee by offering a special purpose assignment agreement under intergovernmental personnel Act, the attached employee contract template/form 38-130 where the Tribes pay federal benefits.
Day Laborers
The Tribes Day Labor Program was approved to purchase two separate trailers: one a 2022 United WJ 6×12 trailer and a 2023 United WJ 6×12 trailer at the prices of $7,500 per trailer for a total of $15,000 for both trailers, from Badlands Trailers out of Dickinson, N.D.
Another Day Labor Program resolution was passed to approve the transfer of $30,000 to be made monthly to the account set up at Opportunity Bank.
The Day Labor Program was supposed to start in April/May 2023. It has yet to start employing people.
Tribal Health Jobs
The council authorized the development and rating of two positions to be used in the application 1.) CHAP TAP Project Coordinator and 2.) Program Specialist Student Coordinator.
Proclamation
The council voted to approve the Tribal Election Proclamation for the 2023 election season.
Corrections
The Branch of Corrections was approved to close their turn key account of Opportunity Bank in Wolf Point and establish a new checking account with Independence Bank in Poplar.
Corrections Director Richard Cantrell, Jennifer Looking, and Paula Rankin are the names on the account.
Jerica Olson was removed as an authorized user on the new turnkey account with Independence Bank and she was also removed from an existing Branch of Corrections checking account at Independence Bank. .
Bid
Tribal leaders accepted a bid quote from Communication Resources. It is for $294,705 for the entire system including cameras indoors and outdoors, camera software, paging, and viewing stations.
Funding for this will be covered by CARES Act funding.
Website
The council approved hiring an IT Justice Systems Administrator for the Fort Peck Tribal Court to update the Comprehensive Code of Justice on the tribal court website.
