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Welcome Delegates!. 2013 Tribal Assembly . State of the Tribe Address. Edward K. Thomas President. “Hold Each Other Up!”. Hold Each Other Up. Challenges Our People Face are Many External Internal Simple Theme – Cornerstone of Longevity No federal or state government in traditional times
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Welcome Delegates! 2013 Tribal Assembly
State of the Tribe Address Edward K. Thomas President
Hold Each Other Up • Challenges Our People Face are Many • External • Internal • Simple Theme – Cornerstone of Longevity • No federal or state government in traditional times • Extended family & clans • Our people held each other up!
Report Content • Tribal Leadership • Tribal Trust Fund • Program Administration • Property Management • Political Involvement • External Challenges • Changing Times
Thank You Executive Council Demonstrated Leadership!
Thank YouTribal Hostess & Host Laverne John Tom Dalton
Tribal Trust Fund • Blended Portfolio • Preserve Assets in a Down Market • Performance Mirror Benchmark • Balance at End of March 2012: $8,937,822 • Balance at End of March 2013: $11,353,844 • Nez Perce Settlement • $2.25 million • $225,000 attorney fees
Nez Perce Settlement • Not a “windfall!” • Money Tlingit Haida would have earned had our funds been properly managed by the government. • Rolled into the Tribal Trust Fund.
Tribal Trust Fund $13,261,213 $11,353,844
Reduced % of Federal Contracts • Local Tribes Increase Local Program Administration • Helps Local Administrative Capacity • Strengthens Local Economies • Weakens Regional Economies of Scale
Program Funding Reductions • Sequestration Only Part of the Problem • National Debt and Deficit Spending • State Oil Money Decreasing • Costs Continue to Rise • It is going to be very challenging for tribes to get a reasonable allocation of federal funding after sequestration.
Personnel • Employees • 281 Total Employees • 166 Full-Time • 234 Native • 47 Non-Native
Staff Grievance Procedure Final Level President • Hear Committee • Recommendations • Decision not appealable 3rd Level Personnel Committee • Remain Open-Minded • Gather Info From Both • Meet with Both Document…Document 2nd Level Department Manager • Remain Open-Minded • Gather Info From Both • Meet with Both 1st Level Immediate Supervisor • Articulate the Issue • Set Boundaries / Timeframes • Expected Outcomes
Improved Technology • Office Management Systems are Better • Data Management More Accurate • Generally Saves Time • Keeping Current is Expensive • Staff Training is Important but Costly and Time Consuming
Quality Services • Clients are Highest Priority • Program Requirements are Key • Staff responsibilities • Client responsibilities • Work Readiness Requirements • Eligibility Running Out for Some • Sidestepping training & work experience • Used up eligibility leads to homelessness
Client Grievance Progression Political Involvement: Executive Council / Delegates • Phone Calls • Emails • Letters Minimizing political involvement in client management is important! 3rd Level Office of the President • Question All Involved • Secure Client Files • Assign to Committee Complaint progression 2nd Level Department Manager • Gather Info From Both • Meet with Both • Remain Open-Minded 1st Level No Response To Client • Phone Call Not Returned • Award Not Issued • Paperwork Not Completed
Property Ownership - 1984 • Andrew Hope Building – 2nd & 3rd floor • Goldstein Building • Remote Properties • Yakutat • Haines • Klawock • Sandy Bay • All Were Losing Money for the Tribe
Property Ownership Principles • Keep Native Property in Native Ownership • Juneau Indian Village • Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall • Acquire Property We Can Use • Keep Debt Reasonable & Paid for with Operations Funding • Keep Facilities Available at a Reasonable Cost • Keep Facilities Attractive to Customers
Property Management Activities • Andrew Hope Building – Built 1984 • Updated heating system (grant) • Updated doors (grant) • Updated kitchen (investment) • Updated sound system (investment) • Parking lots (grants) • VTRC – Removed Stage in Auditorium • Thomas Bldg – Remodeled Roads Office (program funding)
Involvement • Alaska Federation of Natives • Convention Committee Chair • Tribal Relations Committee Chair • National Congress of American Indians • Secretary • Federal Funding Committee • Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians • Member
Efforts • Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) • Thank you Will Micklin & Phil Baker-Shenk • Alaska Tribes would have been excluded • Land into Trust – Carcieri Fix • Congressman Young – Congressman Cole • ANCSA lands • State of Alaska objection • Native Vote • Except in Alaska Language
Future Challenges • Post-Sequestration Federal Funding • Indirect Cost Recovery • Head Start • Non-BIA programs • State programs • Client Funding Not Increasing with Rising Costs • Reduced Competitive Edge in Funding Application • Reduced economies of scale
Future Challenges (cont.) • Department of the Interior FY 2014 Increase at 4% over FY 2012 • Bureau of Indian Affairs increase Only 1.2% • .8% without indirect cost being counted
Advocacy • Meeting with DOI Secretary Jewel • NCAI Tribal Budget Briefing • Testify to House Appropriations Committee • Begich Staff – Alaska Safe Families and Village Act • Strengthen tribal law enforcement • AFN – Senator Murkowski’s Cross Deputizing Program • Include Southeast Alaska tribes
Statute Changes • Special Statute Drafting Committee • Change Our Statutes with the Times • Strengthen Tribal Status Among Governments • Strengthen Standards in Tribal Judge Elections without Being too Limiting • Executive Council Adopted Title VI Replacement with Amendments
Business Development • Must Broaden Income Base to Perpetuate Growth • Cannot Depend on Program Management • You Heard Richard Rinehart Yesterday • Appreciate him offering his skills and energy to our business development efforts • Contracting Opportunities More Competitive • Investigating Expanding Involvement in Gaming
Future Tribal President • I Will Not Seek Presidency Next Year • I Love Serving as President • Time has been kind to me • Best for the long-term interest of Tribe • A year for succession planning • I look forward to a productive year of working with you & Executive Council on our issues and concerns.
Recommended Policy Change • Constitution • More dependable • Not change with political tides • Standing Rules • Qualifications of Candidate Important • Political • Administrative / Management skills
Proposal #1 • Currently: • President political & CEO • Authority to delegate • Proposed: • President political & CEO • Authority to delegate • Optional: President can be political • Hire a CEO to manage tribal operations • Would not be required to live in Juneau The Same
Clarence Jackson lived in Kake when he was President before Ray All T&H Presidents Priorto Ray Paddock Jr.Operated as I Propose
Proposal #2 • Declare Candidacy for President & Executive Council 10-Days Prior to Tribal Assembly on Election Years to Have Name on Ballot • Delegates learn candidate qualifications • Gives candidate more opportunity to make case • Delegates have more time to evaluate all candidates • Improved participation by new delegates • Quality candidates elected • Write-in candidates allowed
Historical Methods • Tribal Citizens Over 18 Registered to Vote • 1 delegate per 100 registered • 56 delegates in 1976 • I Proposed in 1985 • Get rid of voter registration system; duplicative & confusing • Strengthen enrollment system & count all over 18 for determining delegates • In Mid-1980s: 1 Delegate Per 150 Over 18
Proposal Determine Delegate Allocation to Each T&H Community Based Only On Tribal Citizens with Good Addresses
Comparing Years 1984-2012 57% 136% 131% 42%
This proposal does not remove citizens from Master Enrollment A database of citizens with good addresses will be used for future delegate allocation
Points • T&H is a representative form of government • If we do not know if a tribal citizen is in our community we can not say we represent him/her • Our democracy is compromised • The number of citizens with bad addresses is growing • The number of bad addresses is more than any one of our T&H Communities
The issues and policies we consider today are not significantly more complex than in 1986 to warrant so many more delegates There are 42% more delegates now than we had in 1986
This proposal is a practical and fair approach to delegate allocation It provides credibility to representation by reducing the unknown!
Your decision will impact the tribe for generations to come! What is really the best forthe Tribe?!