02-01-05 V26N2.Pdf

The deadline for the 2005 Sault Tribe Summer Internship Program is drawing near. Applications are now being accepted. For more on the summer internship program, see page 18 THE SAULT TRIBE NEWS Visit us online at www.saulttribe.com Mko Giizis: “Bear Moon” Win Awenen Nisitotung “One Who Understands” February 1, 2005 • Vol. 26 No. 2 News briefs Benefit breakfast to aid member’s family American Legion Ira D. MacLachlan Post 3 will hold a benefit breakfast from 7:00 a.m. to noon on Feb. 12. in Sault Ste. Marie. Proceeds from the breakfast will go to help two enlisted men wounded during Operation Iraqi Freedom. One of the men is Sgt. Ken O’Dell, whose wife, Tiffany, is member of our tribe from the Sault. The couple have a toddler daughter. Post 3 is just east of Brady Park. Suggested donation for the breakfast is $5.00. The Sault Tribe News accepting advertising The Sault Tribe News will again be accepting display advertising. Commercial adver- tisers interested in placing ads in The Sault Tribe News can contact Darryl Brown, advertising specialist, at 906-632-6398 It was non stop action at the Michigan Snow X Racing Associations (MSXRA), second race of the 2005 season held for more information. at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Hotel and Convention Center. Above, Jared Lutz, of Kaleva, Mich., takes the high road and the checkered flag as he flies around and wins the 16-17 year old Junior II race. The next MSXRA U.P. race will be held Feb. 6-7 at Kewadin Shores Casino in St. Ignace. For more photos from the race, please see page 13. Photo by Alan Kamuda Board of directors approves the 2005 budget Reducing costs while goal is to maintain levels of services in an 2005 Budget Allocation environment of declining resources and enhancing services ($83.8 Million) increased costs and strive to continue to expand and enhance programs and services BY CORY J. WILSON Enterprises to the outlying areas." The Sault Tribe's board of directors 0.6% ACFS passed a $83.8 million dollar membership 9.4% Cultural The majority of the tribe's operating program and services operating budget for 1.2% budget was allocated to health services to the tune of $24.5 million, representing 2005. Internal Services Education 29.2% of the tribe's total operating expendi- The tribe's budget approval starts with 24.9% 4.5% the budget department, who then meets tures. With health clinics and services in with the program managers and directors to seven sites throughout the Upper Peninsula, Elderly the tribe operates one the largest Native explain the requirements of the established 6.9% levels of spending. Program managers and American health care networks in the coun- directors are then required to submit pro- Employment try, which now includes the Manistique posed budgets for review. The budget 0.7% Community Center that opened in 2004. department then prepares a budget docu- “A long awaited community center for ment grouping it into divisions and funding Manistique is a dream come true that is sources. The budget draft document is then greatly appreciated by Unit IV tribal members,” said Denise Chase, Unit IV represen- reviewed by the tribal Chairperson and General board of directors, who in turn appropriate tative. Fund Approximately half of the health ser- revenues from tribal support along with 12.7% federal and state grant funding to specific vices budget is funded with state and feder- member services and community projects. al dollars, with the remainder funded with According to tribal Chairperson Aaron tribal support dollars, dispelling the com- Payment, "We are continuing to restructure Health mon misconception that the tribe does not the membership services and other govern- 29.2% Governmental contribute to health services. 9.9% mental functions to reduce costs, streamline functions and increase functionality. Our ––continued on page 2 In This Issue Budget 2 Health 14 & 15 News 3 YEA 16 Chairperson’s Report 4 ACFS 17 Unit reports 5, 6 & 7 Summer Internship 18 People 8 & 9 Walking On 19 49735 Gaylord, MI Gaylord, Education 10 & 11 Sports & Fisheries 20 30 No. Permit 2% Distributions 12 Public Service Announcement 21 & 22 PAID U.S. Postage U.S. Photo Gallery 13 Ads 23 & 24 STD PRSRT Page 2 2005 BUDGET February 1, 2005 • THE SAULT TRIBE NEWS 2005 budget passed by the board ––continued from page 1 the tribe approximately $340,000 In 2004, tribal health services due to internal appointments of provided 36,161 primary care ser- 2005 Funding Sources the chief financial officer, internal vices and facilitated 10,533 com- services director and associate munity health visits consisting of Funding Allocation Federal Funding Allocation executive director positions. a wide range of services that The largest budget reductions include medical, optical, dental ($83.8 Million) ($27.8 Million) came from the governmental divi- and pharmaceutical services. sion (23.5% reduction), which Indirect The reclassification of various Tribal Funds Federal Funds should be noted, relies marginally 14% General programs to other divisions has 65.4% 33.2% 23% on tribal support. Even though also effected the budget. A major- there was a reduction of funds, ity of elders’ programs moved the governmental division's into one division to provide elders Bureau of majority of funding is still in the with one point of entry. This Indian Affairs form of state and federal dollars brings together in-home services 15% representing 62.4% of the divi- such as home care, access ser- sion's total budget. vices such as transportation, and The next largest budget reduc- community services such as con- tion involved the general fund gregate meals. The tribe provided (21.9% reduction). The general 33,801 services to our elders last fund consists of revenues from year. The new total budget for tribal businesses, which pay for elderly services is now $1.5 mil- community services and econom- lion, with only $150,000 of that ic expansions. The fund subsi- amount coming from federal dizes the Chi Mukwa Community funding. Recreation Center, as well as real In addition to this $1.5 million, State Funds estate purchases and adds dollars 1.4% the tribe paid out $4.1 million in Indian Health Service to a host of community programs. elders’ dividend payments in 48% The internal services division, 2004, bringing the total allocated including departments such as amount to be spent on elders’ The charts above show the allocation of funding sources, left, and the breakdown of the human resources, accounting, benefits in 2005 to approximately sources of federal funding on the right. Federal indirect funding is used for use to cover the management of information sys- $5.6 million. operating overhead cost of the tribe and federal general funding is used for programs and ser- tems, purchasing, communica- “By concentrating our efforts vices. The chart below shows the tribal support dollars allocated to each division. tions, telecommunications, insur- we have improved access to ance and Sault Tribe Construction elders’ services which reinforces accounted for $20.8 million or our commitment to elders as a top Tribal Support Allocation 24.9% of this year's budget. priority in the tribe,” said Vice- ($54.8 Million) Future projects programmed out Chairman Bob LaPoint. of this division include the board- Other divisions experiencing Enterprises approved renovation of a former budget increases compared to last 1.0% ACFS Munising elementary school into year include the education, cultur- 4.0% a community center. The commu- al, and employment divisions. nity center will provide health, Cultural Nearly $3.7 million will be spent elderly and social services to 1.5% towards education this year, with Internal Services community members. more than half ($2,093,633) of 31.6% Education “The Unit V elders, communi- the funding coming from the 3.8% ty members and tribal employees tribe. In 2004, the education divi- Elderly* at the current Munising Tribal sion granted a total of 1,337 10.3% Center have come together to scholarships in the amount of advance the development of our $901,457. Employment new community center,” said 0.5% The cultural services funding Approximately Unit V Representative Victor continues to hover just over the 1.1 million in Matson Sr., “I am heartened by $1 million mark for the second tribal support is their show of support.” consecutive year. Services used to subsidize General Fund The self-sufficiency fund has include powwows, culture camps, elder’s dividend 19.4% steadily grown to $5.1 million. training, language, repatriation payments. The fund consists of dollars allo- and traditional medicine. The cated for the higher education tribe consolidated cultural pro- incentive program, funeral assis- gramming that was previously tance, elders transportation, elders fragmented throughout the orga- health care, and elders dividend nization. The restructuring made payments. sense in order to maximize the In regard to this year's budget, Health Governmental benefit to the community and to tribal Chairperson Payment 22.2% 5.7% better coordinate cultural opera- added, "We hope to continue to tions such as language classes to identify operational efficiencies ensure members are aware of the Self-Sufficiency Program Allocations and budget reductions in the available services and events. future in an overall effort to pre- Members should know that, in ($5.1 Million) serve and enhance services." order to accomplish this, the tribe Funeral Assistance Tribe members can request a increased the cultural budget to 8.6% copy of the last year's audit report over $1 million, of which, over by contacting the Sault Tribe $800,000 is in tribal support.

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