Committee Meeting Information

October 10, 2005

The Inn at Lander, Best Western

Lander, Wyoming

 

Committee Members Present

Senator Robert Peck, Chairman

Representative Del McOmie, Vice-Chairman

Senator Cale Case

Senator Bill Vasey

Representative Patrick Goggles

 

Committee Members Absent

Representative Frank Philp

 

Legislative Service Office Staff

Maxine Weaver, Staff Attorney

 

Others Present at Meeting

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

 

Call To Order (Monday, October 10, 2005) 

Chairman Peck called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

 

Tribal Liaison Appointees

Ivan Posey, Chairman of the Eastern Shoshone Business Council testified one person had been named to the tribal liaison position, but was unable to accept the position.  The Governor is currently working to finalize another appointee for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.

 

Allison Sage explained his goals for the tribal liaison position and his expectations between the state and the Northern Arapaho Tribe.

 

 

Gambling Update

Richard Brannan, Chairman of the Northern Arapaho Business Council, Melanie Gambler, Chairman of the Northern Arapaho Gaming Agency, Jim Conrad, CEO Wind River Casino and Andy Baldwin, attorney for the Northern Arapaho Tribe provided an update on the status of gaming on the reservation.  [Appendices 3-6].  Information from the Western Governor's Association Indian Gaming Summit had previously been provided to the Committee by LSO.  [Appendices 7 and 8].  Attorney General Pat Crank participated in the discussion by conference call and provided comments on behalf of the State.

 

Mr. Posey updated the Committee on the intentions and planning of a casino by the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.

 

 

Water Projects Report

Mike Besson, Director of the Wyoming Water Development Office, Mitch Cottenoir, Eastern Shoshone Chair and Sandra C'Bearing, Northern Arapaho Chair of the Wind River Water Resources Control Board and Baptiste Weed, Tribal Water Engineer, Office of Tribal Engineer provided an update on the Ray Lake expansion, delivery system improvements and additional upstream storage.  [Appendices 9 and 10].

 

 

Health – Report on Delivery of Health Services

Cathy Keene, Director of Indian Health Services, Clarence Thomas, Tribal Health Director and Diabetes Coordinator, Mr. Posey and Kassel Weeks, Eastern Shoshone Tribe, Betty Sones, Minority Health Program Manager, Wyoming Department of Health and Steve Chasson, Executive Director, Wyoming Primary Care Association presented an update on health services.  [Appendices 11 and 12].

 

Senator Case moved to have the Committee Chairmen send a letter to the Wyoming Department of Health expressing the Committee's appreciation for the department's cooperation and support to the Indian Health Services.  Representative Goggles seconded the motion and the motion passed.

 

Senator Vasey moved to draft a letter in support of a community health center.  The motion was seconded by Vice-Chairman McOmie and passed.

Education

St. Stephens School

Louis Headley, Superintendent of St. Stephens School and Norman Willow with the St. Stephens School Board discussed the status of the school and the school funding.  [Appendix 13].

 

Senator Case moved to have the Committee sponsor a bill for an appropriation for the department of education for additional funding for St. Stephens School.  Representative Goggles seconded the motion.  The Committee discussed various amounts.  Senator Peck recommended the Committee could use the difference between St. Stephens School figures and the state's figures under the recalibration model.  Following discussion, the motion passed.

 

Wyoming Indian School

Michelle Hoffman, Superintendent of the Wyoming Indian School reported on testing incentives used by the Wyoming Indian School.  [Appendix 14].

 

Wyoming Department of Education

Fred Hansen, Director of Finance, Wyoming Department of Education, provided the Committee with expenditure data regarding various schools and school districts.  [Appendices 15 and 16].

 

 

Mineral Activity and Revenue Report

Mr. Brannan provided an update on the Northern Arapaho mineral activities.  Valorie Atkinson and Kassel Weeks, Eastern Shoshone Business Council updated the Committee on mineral activity with the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.  Heidi Badaracco, Acting Director of the Shoshone and Arapaho Minerals Compliance Office provided a report to the Committee.  [Appendix 17].  Berthenia Crocker, attorney for the Northern Arapaho Tribe, commented on environmental impacts to the reservation. 

 

 

Action Items

Senator Vasey moved to request Management Council approval to allow Representative Goggles to attend the October 30 National Conference of American Indians meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Vice-Chairman McOmie seconded the motion and the motion passed.

 

Senator Vasey moved for the Committee to sponsor the same constitutional amendment the Committee sponsored last year.  Senator Case seconded the motion.  Following discussion, the motion passed. 

 

Vice-Chairman McOmie moved to have a second meeting at the time and place at the discretion of the co-chairmen.  Representative Goggles seconded the motion and the motion passed.

 

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Representative Goggles moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Vice-Chairman McOmie.  The motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Senator Robert Peck, Chairman