March 31, 2021 Seminole Tribune

Q&A with outgoing Jessica Osceola 5th state title for Miss Indian World discusses her art bowler Allie Williams v COMMUNITY v 5A ARTS 4B SPORTS v 5B www.seminoletribune.org Free Volume XLV • Number 3 March 31, 2021 Haaland Tribe’s to tackle vaccination weighty numbers tasks at increase Interior BY DAMON SCOTT BY DAMON SCOTT Staff Reporter Staff Reporter The rate of positive The committee hearings are done, HOLLYWOOD — Covid-19 cases and deaths from the virus have Senate confirmation is in the books and a both decreased in Florida and across much of swearing-in has taken place. On March 16, the country in recent weeks. However, health Deb Haaland was confirmed by a vote of 51- officials warn that while there are reasons for to-40 to lead the Department of Interior. She optimism, the pandemic isn’t over and the was sworn in March 18 – her first day on the threat is still real. job as secretary. The positive developments have taken Naturally, Indian Country celebrated place in the midst of increased vaccinations the historic significance of the moment. across the country and internationally, Haaland is the first Native American to lead including among Tribal Nations. the agency and the first to hold a cabinet For the Seminole Tribe, the number of position. In 2018 she also made history as tribal members and tribal employees receiving one of the first two Native American women the Covid-19 vaccination has risen since the elected to the House. effort was launched in late December. “The impact of Native American The tribe’s Health and Human Services representation at the top of a federal agency (HHS) department said that as of March 24, that so directly affects our daily lives DOI/Twitter tribal members and those who live in the cannot be overstated,” National Congress Deb Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, is sworn in as U.S. Secretary of Interior on March 18 in Washington. She is the first Native American cabinet tribal community had received 831 first dose of American Indians president Fawn Sharp secretary in U.S. history. shots and 682 second dose shots. said in a statement soon after the Senate The tribe has been administering the vote. “The relationship between Tribal leading a 60,000-employee agency that is oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Some of the first steps Haaland is two-shot Moderna vaccine. Nations and the federal government has been charged with overseeing 500 million acres Bureau of Indian Education – two agencies expected to take include a halt on new oil Employees working for the tribe had fractured for far too long. Having an ally like of federal lands, federal waters off the U.S. that position Haaland to address the needs of drilling, reinstating wildlife conservation received 631 first dose shots and 504 second Secretary Haaland who is not only deeply coastline, dams and reservoirs across the Native Americans – a group that has faced rules that were rolled back by the Trump dose shots. qualified but is from our communities has west and the protection of thousands of a variety of injustices over generations and administration and a fast moving expansion The tribe also recently expanded the potential to transform the government- endangered species. that has been impacted disproportionately by of wind and solar power on public lands and eligibility to employees at all Seminole to-government relationship and will be vital The job also entails upholding trust and the pandemic. waters. Gaming venues in Florida, which include in advancing Native American issues for treaty responsibilities for the country’s 574 Seminole Hard Rock properties in Hollywood generations.” federally recognized tribes and millions of Priorities in focus and Tampa. Haaland now has the huge task of Native Americans. The Interior Department F See HAALAND on page 4A F See VACCINE on page 9A Jack Smith Jr. earns praise for service to STOF, Water Commission Helped tribe secure water rights BY BEVERY BIDNEY Staff Reporter BRIGHTON — After a lifetime of service to his tribe, Jack Smith Jr. retired from the Seminole Water Commission in November 2020. Smith, 73, served as Brighton Councilman in 1987 when the Water Rights Compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the State of Florida and the South File photo Florida Water Management District (the Jack Smith Jr. District) was created. Smith signed the compact in his capacity as councilman. clean as it can be. In 1988, Tribal Council created the “We have good people in the ERMD Water Management Office with Smith as offices that work with us and keep us its Brighton representative. About a year informed,” he said. later, the council created the Seminole Water Smith has dealt with governmental Commission to oversee the water office, File photo issues for his entire career, starting with which later evolved into the Environmental The signing of the water compact May 15, 1987. From left are SFWMD Governing Board Vice Chair Y.D. York, Max Osceola, Fred Smith, Nancy Motlow, Jack Tribal Council. Resources Management Office (ERMD). Smith Jr., Gov. Bob Martinez, Jim Shore, Priscilla Sayan, Wanda Billie, Counsel for the Tribe Jerry Strauss, and Governor’s office representative Timer “He has been an integral part of the Smith continued his tenure on the Tribal Powers. tribe,” Tiger said. “Jack’s been an essential Council until 2001 and was appointed to it out,” Shore said. “The District, Florida’s Winters Doctrine, a Supreme Court decision supersede any government agency. There is part of the commission and has come up the Water Commission in 2008. The Water attorney general, and Timer Powers, a in 1908 which gives tribes the rights to all an inherent right of the tribe for water use.” with a lot of ideas over the years. He’s been Commission consists of seven members: representative from the governor’s office, waters that arise on, border, traverse or are Since the 1980s, the tribe’s standard instrumental in all this stuff.” two each from Hollywood, Big Cypress and were all involved. The Water Commission encompassed within their reservations. of living and degree of development Smith’s contribution to the tribe is Brighton and one from Immokalee. is like our own District with rules and “The compact reflects the special status have changed significantly. All of the apparent to those who worked with him over “We didn’t have any control of the regulations that control water on the of the Seminole Tribe and entitles them to development on the reservations since then the years. flow before the compact,” Smith said. “We reservations. Council was supportive of original water rights,” Myers said. “What was accomplished because of the water “Jack will really be missed,” Myers have since improved the flow through the the effort that we would have more stable is unique is it establishes these rights which compact. said. “The uniqueness of Jack is that he is reservations.” availability of water. In the long run, that’s differ substantially from rights of other “Jack was a key ally and was extremely well balanced at everything; agriculture, “The idea of the compact started in what the compact did. Now we have a Florida citizens.” supportive in what it would assert for wildlife and water resources. He has a good my time,” said Jim Shore, Tribal Council working relationship with the District and As a result, the compact allowed the tribe the tribe regarding sovereignty and self- breadth of knowledge and understanding for general counsel. “When there was flooding, the state.” to develop ERMD, the Water Commission determination,” Cunniff said. “He helped all those disciplines and is leaving a great we would be flooded in Brighton because Smith had a lasting impact on the Water and empower Tribal Council to administer usher in a lot of development and served as legacy.” property owners north of us opened their Commission, even before he joined it as a its own water code. a tribal watchdog. The commission assures “Jack is a man of many trades. He is a culverts to drain excess water and flood us. commissioner. “Jack is a wealth of knowledge. He has the tribe is protecting its water resources for cattle owner, served in the military and is on During droughts, they would close those “Jack is one of the pioneers who tremendous memory for things that occurred seven generations.” the board of the Florida Seminole Veterans culverts and we would be without water.” knows the flow of the water on the land,” in the past,” Myers said. “He has a very good During his approximately eight years Foundation,” Councilman Howard said. “He When Shore began working with the said Brighton Councilman Larry Howard. understanding of the water resources on the on the Water Commission, Amos Tiger comes from a pedigree of leadership. He’s tribe in 1981, the tribe had already filed a “I am sure he educated others who served reservations and is a talented guy.” has seen big changes, including more someone I looked up to growing up and I lawsuit against the state. After a change in alongside him for all those years. He is an All tribal development and infrastructure tribal government projects and Everglades still look up to him today.” leadership in Tallahassee, the state offered active person to this day. I appreciate him for improvements that have to do with water restoration. He said anything the state Smith’s plans for the future include to settle with the tribe. Instead of dealing the time he dedicated to the tribe.” go through the Water Commission, which does that involves water traveling through tending to his cattle and spending time with with drought and flooding, the tribe wanted When the water compact was written, submits a detailed annual work plan to the the reservation goes through the Water the family.

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