suquamish.org
Suquamish News
January 2017 | 7
Government
Chairman’s Report by Leonard Forsman
The Suquamish Tribal Government continues to explore expansion of our health care system. Staff from Human Services, Administration, Department of Community of Development and Tribal Council continue to meet. We are focusing our research into the feasibility of on-reservation health facility. We are planning to start small and expand as needed. We will be seeking public input early next year once a draft concept document is completed. We held a meeting with representatives from Harrison Medical Center (CHI (Catholic Health Initiatives) Franciscan Health) to discuss billing issues, especially for emergency room visits. We are still engaged in finding a solution to this complex billing issue. The Olympic Community of Health held their executive board meeting in Suquamish. This was our first post-election meeting and there are great concerns about how the Trump Administration may try to change the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). We are going to move forward with our plans and initiatives to provide improved healthcare delivery in our three-county region. Tribes are working hard to prepare for the incoming Trump Administration. We are concerned about natural resource protection, the budget for the BIA and Indian Health Service and Supreme Court appointments. I attended two meetings regarding the Presidential Transition. The National Indian Gaming Association and the National Congress of American Indians hosted a Presidential Transition meeting in Washington, DC. Several Republican lobbyists, former staffers and representatives came to the meeting and gave their opinions on how the new Trump Administration would approach Indian Country issues. The main message was that the Congress (House and Senate) would not allow the new President to roll back gains in Indian Country made in bi-partisan supported legislation. For example, the Violence Against Women Act and Indian Health Care Reauthorization. They also urged Tribes to educate incoming Congress members and their staffs and incoming Presidential appointees. The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians held
a Presidential Transition Planning Session in Tulalip as well. We heard many of the same messages from a tribal lobbyist reporting from DC that we heard at the NIGA-NCAI meeting. There are great concerns regarding energy extraction projects that will be promoted that could have great impacts on our waterways. I have also engaged with the National Conference of State Legislators through State Senator John McCoy (D-Marysville) in developing a program to educate state legislators regarding Tribal issues and Treaty Rights. We hope to provide the Conference with speakers to help them better understand the issues and thereby improve relationships. Locally we continue to work cooperatively with our neighboring governments. The Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council held its monthly meeting. There is a discussion of land use and transportation planning. We work with the Puget Sound Regional Council to identify our economic centers for planning purposes, this allows for grant dollars to flow to the County for infrastructure investment, especially transit and transportation. Kitsap Transit dedicated their new North Viking Transit Center in Poulsbo near the Sonic restaurant that will serve as transit hub and park and ride for riders on SR 305 and other routes. Russell Steele joined in the celebration as we unfurled a banner saying “welcome” in our language. The U.S. Navy held their Navy Tribal Council meeting at Naval Base Everett. Rear Admiral Mayes hosted the meeting that featured presentations by a Navy Seal detachment on their training techniques. The Seals train in Puget Sound at times and try to be as non-disruptive as possible. Chairman Mel Sheldon of Tulalip and I gave Admiral Mayes and all the local Navy Base Commanders an overview of our tribal history and culture. Cultural resource preservation has received a lot of attention lately, mostly because of the Obama Administration’s attempt to protect sacred places and because of the Dakota Access Pipeline Protest. I was honored to have President Obama appoint me to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation as Vice-Chairman last month. I will be the first American Indian to hold the post. Thanks to all of you for your support over the years and I look forward to representing our Tribe and the Nation in a good way.
From left, Senator Maria Cantwell swearing in Chairman Leonard Forsman as the Vice-Chair for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. He is the first Native American to hold the position.
to order the completion of a full Environmental Impact Statement on the project. He also announced that his Tribe wanted all the protesters at the encampment on the Missouri River to return home because of the harsh weather. The DAPL protest is a historic stand against many forces; climate change, fossil fuel dependence, destruction of sacred sites, and endangerment of water quality. We as Indian Nations need to As previously mentioned, we have our honor this movement and use their energy work cut out for us in our efforts to pro- to engage future projects that lack adequate tect Puget Sound from further damage. tribal consultation and/or consent. The West Central Local Integrating Or- Kitsap County hosted a meeting with the ganization is one way that our local gov- Low Income Housing Initiative regardernments can work together to provide on ing the Tiny House movement. This is the ground solutions to improving habitat a strategy for providing low cost housing in Puget Sound. I met with WCLIO Vice- solutions to homeless populations. Many Chair Commissioner Charlotte Garrido to of these homeless people cannot find afdiscuss how we could make our mission fordable housing while others face mental and actions more relevant to these goals. health or substance abuse issues. There are Martha Kongsgaard has decided to leave many good projects using the Tiny House her position as President of the Puget approach in Seattle and Kitsap will be takSound Partnership. A dinner honoring ing a strong look at bringing a project here. her was held in Bremerton. We all wish We at the Suquamish Tribe are also considher the best knowing she will be involved ering a similar approach. in other ways in protecting our precious Leadership Kitsap held their annual EcoSalish Sea. NCAI held a conference call nomics Day at Watsons Furniture for their updating Tribal Leaders on the Dako- new class. Russell Steele and I joined John ta Access Pipeline Protest at Standing Forsman (Leadership Kitsap Alumnus) in Rock. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chair- presenting a history of the Suquamish man Archambeault spoke to their success Tribe and an overview of our economic in getting the Army Corps of Engineers activities. I was humbled and honored to have Senator Maria Cantwell present to swear me in to my new post. In our state there is a major effort underway to improve the process for protecting archaeological sites and sacred places on private forest lands. A meeting between Tribal Governments and Private Forest Landowners to discuss ways to accomplish this important task was held in Olympia.