SRMT Discusses Tribal Heating Assistance, Standing Rock Solidarity, and TCR on Medical Marijuana and Industrial Hemp Questions– “Capital Projects Manager, Colleen Thomas, provided an update on the new 54,000 square ft. Tribal Administration building…”

SRMT Monthly Meeting Report- September 2016
The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Monthly meeting was held on September 10^th, 2016 at the community building, chaired by Chief Beverly Cook.  The action items were read by Tribal Clerk, Betty Roundpoint, which read as follows:

• Request for a report from SRMT Environment on the Invasive Aquatic Species in relation to the removal of the Hogansburg Dam. SRMT Environment is working on this, and once completed a report will be given.
• Request for SRMHS to provide a number of patients that have chronic disease diagnoses/symptoms by NYS Dept. of Health Commissioner to receive treatment with medical marijuana. SRMHS is working on this, and once completed a report will be given.

Following the action items a presentation on the Heating Assistance & Furnace Maintenance Program was given by Elliot Lazore, informing the community of the upcoming fall 2016 approved fuel allocations.  Akwesasronon 60+ years of age will receive $600; an estimated 280 gallons.  Akwesasronon under the age of 60 will receive $300; an estimated 140 gallons.

The Heating Assistance Program has increased by 80 homes since last year, and serves about 1,465 households.  The SRMT is able to assist Akwesasne homes with fuel oil, kerosene, propane, wood, wood pellets, and electrical service.  This allocation will be available from September 14^th to December 16^th, 2016.

The available SRMT heating assistance dealers include: #9 Fuels/Propane, Grays Fuels, Jacobs, Harris Oil, Adirondack Energy, Econo Fuels, Mix Fuels, Suburban Fuels, and Diamond Propane.  Available vendors and service providers include: National Grid, Massena Electric, Enbridge, St. Lawrence Gas, Akwesasne Housing Authority, and Mohawk Indian Housing.  The Wood and Pellet Vendors list is still being determined, and a bid process will go out to pellet vendors in the near future.  Last year SRMT provided about 21 tons of wood pellets to the community.  The farthest the wood has come from is Potsdam, NY, as SRMT is mindful of the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.

Lazore answered some frequently asked questions, which included:

• “Am I allowed to change dealers?” -Yes. If you change dealers all you will need to do is fill out a new form at the compliance office with your new dealer.  A new list goes out monthly to update the dealers, so after you submit a new form to switch dealers the change will be effective the following month.
• “I forgot to apply in December and January, OR, I just moved back; can I still apply?” – Yes. We always anticipate additional applicants, and have limited funds. However, you will be included in the next list if eligible, and will be included in the next list.  You could be eligible for up to $150.  Seniors will be taken care of first, as they are a priority.

On September 21^st, the Furnace Maintenance Program will be rolled out for seniors only, to assist in cleaning their furnace before winter arrives.  For now SRMT Compliance will be focusing on fuel oil furnaces, as propane burns cleaner needing less maintenance.  There are about 160 seniors that utilize fuel oil as their heating source, all of whom are eligible to receive an $80 voucher to their fuel dealer towards furnace cleaning.  “The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe is taking a proactive approach this year to try and avoid bigger problems or furnace breakdowns in the middle of winter,” stated Lazore.

For any questions or concerns, please contact the SRMT Compliance Department at 518-358-2272.

Following the heating assistance presentation Tribal Executive Director, Tsiorasa Barreiro, provided updates on the SRMT Capital Projects.  In attendance with Barreiro were Colleen Thomas- SRMT Capital Projects Manager, Ernie Thompson- Planning & Infrastructure Director, and Brent Herne- P&I Roads Manager, to present or comment on any of the ongoing projects.  Barreiro stated that, “Our intent today is to provide updates, share information and answer any questions about ongoing projects and projects that are upcoming.  Keeping the community informed is important to our staff and to Tribal Council.”

There are four primary capital projects that are currently underway or upcoming: Route 37 waterline replacement, a new Planning & Infrastructure Building, a new Tribal Administration Building, and an expansion of Business Park Road through Generations Park to McGee Rd.  These special projects are separate from annual projects that the Planning & Infrastructure Division oversees, such as road construction and maintenance, as well as individual water and sewer systems for Tribal members.

The annual projects include: road construction and maintenance, individual water and sewer systems, special projects identified by program needs, and the new IRA Homes.

Capital Projects Manager, Colleen Thomas, provided an update on the new 54,000 square ft. Tribal Administration building, which will be a three story building, complete with two towers, and a steel atrium.  The features will include: 220 parking spaces, 9 of which are handicap; multiple meeting spaces, classrooms, fire proof vaults, emergency operations center, and improved storage space.

This new administration building will be 100% handicap accessible. Energy conservation measures have also been taken into consideration in the design of this new building, designed by Beardsley Architecture & Engineering of Malone, NY.  There will be ground mounted solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, high efficiency lighting, room occupancy lighting sensors, recycled materials, construction waste management, and daylight harvesting.  “All furniture in the new administration building will be made of recycled materials,” stated Thomas.

This new administration building will be located at the back end of the Tewatahitha Walking Trail, and “will benefit the staff in its location, so employees can get out and walk a few laps around the trail, or stretch their legs,” assured Barreiro.  Studies have been done on the effects of employees in different environments, and when employees have access to natural sunlight, walking areas, such as a walking trail, or park, they use less sick days and employees are much healthier.

Currently many offices within the SRMT Administration Building are “stuffy due to the poor HVAC systems, and some employees feel that the building is making them sick,” according to Barreiro.  “The new building will be healthier, safer, and include an elevator and large break room for employees.  We’ve been told this current foundation is ok, but the entire building needs to be gutted for remodeling, or demolished.”

There will be 16 programs housed in the new administration building, including all programs that are currently housed in the admin building, Education, Finance, HR, Council, Grants & Contracts, Technical Support, Legal, Compliance, and Tribal Clerk to name a few.  Most program departments are open space offices making it more flexible, are going to be complete with moveable walls, and will be created with the anticipation of growth within each department.  High traffic areas, such as the Tribal Clerk’s office, will be located on the first floor of the new building.

The next project presented was the expansion of business park road, which will be renamed: Margaret Terrance Memorial Drive Extension, in honor of the elder that donated the land to the Tribe.  SRMT has been working with the DOT to establish speed limits through this area, as well as a crosswalk for the community on Route 37, which will include a traffic light for pedestrians.  A six-foot wide sidewalk will run from Route 37 to McGee rd. for increased safety.  The road will include a bicycle lane and curb on one side as well.  The road design is about 90% complete, and construction is anticipated to begin in July of 2018.  There will be a comment period for community members, and all homeowners affected by this new design will be consulted.

Features of this road expansion include: 2,200 linear ft. extension to McGee Rd. with a left-hand sidewalk, turning lanes on to Route 3 and on to MTM Drive, traffic/pedestrian actuated signals, pedestrian crossings, street lights, a bike lane, and ditches.  There will be a more in depth meeting on this expansion, within a month to show all the designs.

Director of Planning and Infrastructure, Ernie Thompson, provided an update on the Rt. 37 waterline replacement project which is about 98% complete.  The project has replaced aged valves and water mains including adding 100 new gate valves.  They have replaced 4,800 ft. of individual service lines, and to date has installed 20,800 ft. of 8” water main.  This project has also added 42 new fire hydrants, and removed 33 old ones.  “There were a few breaks along the way, and a few complaints, but it all went well,” stated Thompson.

The latest project to break ground in the Planning & Infrastructure Dept. is the ground breaking of their new building.  Currently the department is located in the former HAVFD Station #1 in Hogansburg, and will be relocating to the corner of Rt. 37 & Rt. 95 adjacent to Akwesasne TV.

The Planning & Infrastructure Dept. has 15 employees in one of the worst buildings within the SRMT.  Including being located in a flood zone, the building has failing plumbing and electrical, lack of parking, insufficient office space, and disturbs its neighbors that are in close vicinity.  The separation of office and garage are not up to code, and it is guaranteed every winter that the plumbing will freeze.

The new 11,600 sq. ft. building will be equipped with a five vehicle bays, equipment storage, men & women’s locker rooms complete with showers, seven work stations, and will be 100% handicap accessible.  The design has added energy conservation measures including room occupancy lighting sensors, high efficiency lighting, programmable thermostats, radiant heating floor system, and roof mounted solar photovoltaic panels.

Proposed future projects include: Health Services addition and renovation, a new law enforcement building, water treatment plant expansion, partridge house renovations, and upgrades to tribal program facilities.

Tribal Council provided an update on the Washington D.C. & Standing Rock trips, expressing support for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota.  Chief Beverly Cook attended a court hearing, while Chief Ron LaFrance and Sub-Chief Cheryl Jacobs went to Standing Rock to extend support.

Chief LaFrance explained that, “the first day we got there was a day of prayer, and it was the most spiritually uplifting experience I’ve had in a long time.  They set free rehabbed eagles, it was amazing to be a part of.  Lots of people from there were very appreciative of us coming from so far away.”  The second day both Chief LaFrance and Sub-Chief Jacobs went to the tribal council itself and delivered a 3-page TCR (Tribal Council Resolution).  “One of the messages I wanted to bring back is that you can feel that everyone is there for a purpose.  There were people on horseback, which was very cool to see.  It was very uplifting to be there,” stated LaFrance.

Chief Beverly Cook provided an update on the Land Claims, which at this point is “nothing new,” she stated, “other than New York State is taking an active role and working with Franklin County making recommendations we’ve already made, that were turned down.”  The State has been in contact with Franklin County for the last few days, according to Chief Cook, and council is awaiting their report.

Following the Land Claims update, the floor was opened up to community members for new business.  A request was made for Tribal Council to explore options to enforce burn bans with the Amish neighbors, after a community member was smoked out of her home due to a large clearing fire that lasted days.  Her home and vehicles were covered in ash, and it affected the health of everyone in her household.   Even after being neighborly and informing them of the problem the man replied that he “didn’t care.”  Tribal council will be looking into the issue, as well as vendor’s license policies for their vegetable stands.

Another request was made to Tribal Council to entertain a ban on cigarette billboards within the community of Akwesasne.  The community member reasoned that cigarettes are already heavily advertised with roadside or in store signage, and as much as they are already an eye sore in the community, they are also contradictory to the positive messages that the SRMT, MCA, and ACDP work so hard at creating for the community.  “Cigarettes sell themselves, and we don’t need to be advertising them like that, especially to young impressionable children.  I picked up my first cigarette when I was 12, and I didn’t need a billboard to help me do that.”

Finally, community member Jenna Herne announced that she has cleared her non-profit application and has been successful on obtaining the ability to open an animal shelter on the reservation.  She plans on creating different outreach programs targeting youth, on the health and safety of animals in our community.  People will have opportunities to obtain dog safety training, resources on where to go to get help for your animals (spay/neuter services), and for help or advice.  “I’ve submitted a proposal for spay & neuter programs and just want to make Akwesasne safer and better.  This is happening, and I’m excited,” stated Herne, as the community building went up in applause.

Chief Cook concluded with the latest Tribal Council Resolution (TCR): Resolution of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe for Tribal Referendum on the Exploration of Medical Marijuana and Industrial Hemp.  At this point, it has been Resolved that the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe hereby calls for a referendum to be held on (date to be determined) on the following questions: “Should the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe explore options to legalize, license and regulate the cultivation, production and distribution of MEDICAL MARIJUANA?” & “Should the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe explore options to legalize, license, and regulate the cultivation, production and distribution of INDUSTRIAL HEMP?  To read the TCR in its entirety, it is available to community members at the community building.

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe encourages all Tribal members to attend their monthly meetings.  If you cannot do so, you may listen to the recording in the Tribal Clerk’s office during regular business hours.  The October Tribal monthly meeting will be announced in the coming weeks.

BY: Ohseraseia:hawi