Council Dispatch #197     September 26, 2023

 

Tribal Council

 

  • Martin Charlo attended the Montana Environmental Information Center event that took place in Victor. It was a 50th anniversary event and he gave the welcoming remarks and a brief history of the Bitterroot and Salish and that area. Some achievement awards were presented. It was well attended and well received. Thompson Smith and Sadie Stops gave presentations, tours of important cultural sites, and the history of the area. It is a good organization that we are allies with.

 

Administrative Services/S&K Mission Management

 

  • Council approved SKMM Proposal 26A in the amount of $81,531.00 to install bulletproof windows in the Natural Resources Department building located in Polson. There will also be an option to make payments without clients having to enter the building.

 

  • There were some questions about addressing the health issues at that building. The council was told the facility was tested for mold and lead paint and the professionals reported it is not a health risk. The Maintenance staff has done everything they can by conducting tests and keeping it clean. Len TwoTeeth mentioned that building was originally a bank and is not set up to house 25+ staff members. The Tribes were planning to build a facility for the Natural Resources Department and Tribal Forestry, but it never happened. This building was supposed to be a temporary location for the department. The issues need to be addressed. The HVAC will be replaced in November. Martin Charlo commented we have other departments that have public-facing offices and he would like to ensure the safety of those, as well. Lisa Shourds informed council that they could start doing Plan B if the Tribal Council wants to move forward on that. Council would rather wait until the proposal is received and there is a full council present. 

 

Natural Resources Department

 

  • Council took action to approve by resolution the purchase of the Reum property. The Tribal Lands Department does not have the phase one environmental survey completed yet, and closing is scheduled for Monday. Lynn asked if she should delay the closing or proceed without the survey. Council told her to proceed as planned.

 

  • Council approved the 2024-2025 Nonmember Recreation Regulations. The final regulations will be sent to the State of Montana to route to the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission. Council recommended checking with various locations to sell permits. The staff will follow up.

 

Financial Management

 

  • Council reviewed a memorandum of agreement for a subrecipient agreement with the Salish Kootenai Housing Authority to institute a cooperative financial relationship between the CSKT and SKHA for funding and coordination of efforts to administer and operate the Environmental Health and Sanitation Construction program on the Flathead Reservation. The staff will verify the dates in the document and return to council at a later date.

 

 

 

NOTE:  The official Council Minutes will contain more complete details about lengthy discussions and should be considered the official record of Council. Dispatches are written from notes taken live and may occasionally contain partial information, over-simplified characterizations or an occasional error. Council reviews and corrects the draft minutes before approving as the official record.  Comments (both affirmations and concerns) are part of change and are expected and encouraged. Along with any specific comments, please also share what you would like to hear more about in upcoming communications. The email address for comments is: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..