Select Committee on Tribal Relations Meeting Summary (August 18-19, 2003)

The Select Committee on Tribal Relations met on August 18 and 19, 2003 in Ft. Washakie.  The Committee met jointly with the Legislature’s Management Council and the Joint Business Council of the Wind River Indian Reservation.  The participants spent the majority of the day touring significant sites on the Wind River Reservation.  The participants also held a meeting to discuss issues of common concern among the parties, including education issues, water development needs, human service issues, and tribal gaming.

The Committee met on August 19, 2003 and received additional information about water projects on the reservations.  The Committee received information from the director of the Water Development office about the procedure to submit applications for funding water projects.  The Committee received information regarding taxation issues.  The Committee was apprised of the status of hiring a liaison between the Governor’s Office and the tribes, which resulted from legislation passed during the 2003 legislative session.  Members of the Northern Arapahoe Tribe reported that they did not receive adequate funding under the TANF program.  The Committee also received information about the status of creating gaming facilities on the reservation.  The Committee did not set a date for the next meeting.