Minutes: April 15, 2019

SAC AND FOX TRIBE OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN IOWA

Tribal Council Meeting – April 15, 2019, 5:00 PM

Sac and Fox Tribal Chambers

  1. Meeting called to order at 5:06 p.m.
  2. Roll Call

Presiding Officer:  Anthony Waseskuk, Chairman

Tribal Council present:  Adrian Pushetonequa, Vice-Chairman, Troy Wanatee, Jarvis Bear; Apollo Davenport

Absent:  Delonda Pushetonequa

Staff present:  Bessie Scott, Executive Director; Jay Finch, Attorney General; Yolanda Pushetonequa, Executive Assistant and Tribal Council Non-Voting Secretary, Shelly Saunsoci, Housing Authority Director; Chad Kaler, Accounting Specialist; Kent Scheid, Housing Director; Adrienne Mauskemo, Housing Authority Coordinator; Melinda Diego, Administrative Assistant; Tonya Bear, Office Manager.

Visitors: Jerry Youngbear, Jr.; Mike Stacey.

  1. Ascertainment of Quorum – A quorum was ascertained with 5 council members present.
  2. Agenda approval

The Chairman asked for any changes or additions to the agenda. Motion made by Apollo Davenport to approve the agenda. Adrian Pushetonequa seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

  1. Minutes – March 13, 2019 and March 20, 2019

Motion made by Apollo Davenport to approve the minutes for March 13, 2019 and March 20, 2019. Jarvis Bear seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

  1. Reports – none
  2. New Business

 

  1. Housing Authority
    1. Monitoring Report

Shelly Saunsoci, Housing Authority Director since March 25, 2019 presents the HUD Monitoring Report on the Housing Authority. It discusses eleven findings and six concerns regarding the Housing Authority from October 2016 to August 2018, which she was provided when she started 3 weeks ago.

The concerns included operational issues, oversight, and policy gaps. Shelly was concerned that documentation was not provided to HUD in a timely manner and some documentation is still outstanding, which must be submitted. She worries that non-compliance could risk future funding. She requests a few actions that will get the Authority back into compliance including a Housing Authority Board be appointed to assist in proceeding with business and to approve new policies.

Bill Thurman states that the findings are mainly programmatic, the Authority has addressed many issues in recent years, and that we have a good relationship with the agencies.

Tribal Council members comment that prior to any new policies being finalized, it should be reviewed by the Attorney General and reviewed by Council.

Motion by Apollo Davenport to appoint Martha Freeman, Mike Stacey, Jarvis Bear, Tamara Mauskemo, and Avis Bear Bass to the Housing Authority Board. Troy Wanatee seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

Motion by Jarvis Bear to appoint Mike Stacey as the Chair of the Housing Authority Board. Adrian Pushetonequa seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

  1. Realty – Ag Lease for Elliott Lincoln

Jon Keen presents the final draft of Elliott’s lease. The main change is the removing the field west of the travel plaza and the area proposed for the rec center. The new lease gives Tribal Council to remove land as needed. Elliott is aware of the changes and will sign once approved by Council.

Motion by Jarvis Bear to approve the lease for Elliott Lincoln’s revised at lease after removing the Linville parcel. Apollo Davenport seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

  1. MNPD – Decision on K-9

Chris Saunsoci suggests that we let the current K-9 go. Each canine received has had some health issues. It would be okay to cut our losses and re-evaluate the K-9 unit in the future. He suggests reviewing prior experiences when assessing potential K-9 police officers. Chris indicated that an option would be to release the current dog and allow the officer to keep the dog as a way to close out the program.

Motion by Apollo Davenport to suspend the K-9 program until further review and to release the current dog to its handler due to its health. Adrian Pushetonequa seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

Chris Saunsoci also discusses losing Lieutenant Eric Lindsay from the department in the next couple weeks. He has concerns about the recruitment challenges based on the current language in the hiring bonus stipulations. He presents documents on policies regarding tribal police jurisdiction and reciprocity agreements. He says the sign on bonus language requires the successful completion of any reciprocity training. For example a State certified officer would get a BIA certification. In order for the BIA to accept the state training, we must get a waiver from the BIA. The classes are only held twice a year and they’re often booked so it’s realistic to expect it to take over a year. Adjusting the requirement of the sign on bonus would help. We could work up to eventually getting reciprocity accomplished, but removing it from the current guidelines would improve recruitment of new officers.

Motion by Apollo Davenport to strike the sign on bonus wording requiring BIA/ State reciprocity prior to getting the bonus. Troy Wanatee seconded.  Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

Chris also mentions one important piece missing for the MNPD office. Currently there aren’t any disaster proof cabinets which we really should have for the department’s files. FireKing cabinets help to preserve documents and we wouldn’t be able to protect documents right now in case of a fire or disaster. He says we really should have FireKing brand cabinets, which have the ability to sustain a fire. They’re expensive so not in the current budget, but Procurement estimates 3 at $13,000.

Motion by Apollo Davenport to approve the purchase of three Fire King Cabinets for MNPD. Troy Wanatee seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

  1. Meskwaki Natural Resources – Resolution 9-2019 Requesting the President to Authorize a Disaster Declaration

Jay Finch, Attorney General, presents on behalf of MNR the resolution which will support requesting the President of the United States to declare an emergency. Official paperwork has been drafted and sent from MNR to the President and this resolution will follow it. Recent flooding caused extensive damage to roads, infrastructure, and 9 homes.

Motion by Apollo Davenport to approve Resolution 9-2019 Requesting the President of the United States to Authorize a Disaster Declaration. Jarvis Bear seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

  1. Appoint of Interim Tribal Council Housing Liaison

Jarvis Bear volunteered to serve as the interim Housing Liaison.

Motion by Apollo Davenport to appoint Jarvis Bear as the Interim Housing liaison. Adrian Pushetonequa seconded. Vote: 3 yes, 0 no, 1 abstained (Jarvis Bear abstained). Motion carried.

  1. Attorney General Matters
    1. Resolution 10-2019 Authorizing the Chairman to Waive Sovereignty for Gazette Communications, Inc.

Jay Finch, Attorney General, presents on behalf of MBCH, a request to waive sovereignty for a contract with Gazette Communications in order to set up a booth at a career fair in Cedar Rapids.

Motion by Jarvis Bear to approve resolution 10-2019 Authorizing the Tribal Chairman to Waive Sovereignty for Gazette Communications. Troy Wanatee seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried.

  1. Set date for the next Tribal Council Meeting

The next meeting will be April 30.

  1. Adjourn

Motion made by Apollo Davenport to adjourn 7:54. Jarvis Bear seconded. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m.