February 1, 2019 suwarog’omasuwiini (9) Odd Culture 3 • Health 4-5 • Education 6 • Sports 16 Cooking Clifford Subscription or advertising PRSRT STD information, 970-563-0118 matters with attends book U.S. POSTAGE PAID Ignacio, CO 81137 $29 one year subsciption family fair Permit No. 1 $49 two year subscription PAGES 5 PAGE 6 March 27, 2020 Vol. LII, No. 7 FOOD DISTRIBUTION SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBE Tribe increases safety So. Ute Food Distribution: Serving the measures and issues community in a time of need ‘Stay At Home’ order By Jeremy Wade Shockley THE SOUTHERN UTE DRUM The Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Food Distribution program has seen an uptick in demand from the local community, and increasingly, younger families are benefit- ing from the service. This was before the COVID-19 crisis increased needs for food sup- McKayla Lee/SU Drum plies throughout the country; Southern Ute Emergency and Risk Manager, Donald especially true in rural com- Brockus helps brainstorm ways to best operate the munities where resources are Southern Ute Permanent Fund during the COVID-19 often limited. The Southern pandemic. Ute Food Distribution pro- Staff report 25, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. gram continues to provide SOUTHERN UTE INdiAN TRIBE Because it is crucial to nutritious and healthy food slow down the spread of choices to the community Jeremy Wade Shockley/SU Drum archive The Southern Ute In- COVID-19, the Tribe is during the crisis under the Food Distribution Program Manager, Deanna Frost emphasizes a healthy diet with the dian Tribal Chairman, requiring all tribal mem- direction of program man- program’s goals of providing more fresh produce, including fresh farm eggs. While demand for Tribal Council, and Inci- bers to stay at home un- ager and Southern Ute tribal food is on the rise, the program’s commitment to providing for the community is unweavering. dent Management Team less it is essential. member Deanna Frost. (IMT) are replacing the The Order is based on “My participation rate taling 343,” Frost said. “Our younger families, from age gram, seeing that it is not advisory issued on March Tribal Council’s con- went up since January; we tribal member participation 19 to mid-30s.” how it used to be; we have 23, 2020 with a ‘Stay at tinuous assessment of served one hundred more rate has gone up tremen- “New tribal elders have Home’ Order effective participants in February, to- dously. We started enrolling also enrolled in the pro- Food distribution page 9 today, Wednesday, March At home page 8 SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBE CORONAVIRUS Tribe continues core services for Chairman Sage restricts tribal operations to limit tribal membership during Covid-19 Staff report be mailed to the recipients COVID-19 exposure HUMAN RESOURCES by the Finance Department. Probation Office: Proba- In response to the rapidly tion will maintain services Staff report developing events surround- but will be contacting pro- SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBE ing COVID-19, the South- bationers by phone. ern Ute Indian Tribe’s Per- Family Court Support Southern Ute Chair- manent Fund government Office: The Family Court man, Christine Sage along will modify the programs Support Office will be with Southern Ute Tribal and services to ensure the available by phone only for Council, the Southern Ute protection and safety of trib- emergency situations. Indian Tribe Incident Man- al members, tribal employ- agement Team (IMT) and ees, and our community. FINANCE tribal entities, ordered the The identified operations The processing of monthly courtesy SunUte Community Center Southern Ute Indian Tribe have been modified in accor- tribal distribution payments SunUte employee, Divine Windy Boy answers calls at to modify tribal govern- dance with the recommen- will continue as normal, in- Southern Ute COVID-19 Call Center. The call center will ment services and business dations made by the Center cluding communications remain active, and can be reached at 970-563-0214. operations. • If symptoms arise, for Disease Control (CDC) with membership for chang- The Southern Ute Tribal and/or COVID- which includes guidelines es to method of payment or regular mail. ly providing tutoring and stu- Permanent Fund, Southern 19 is suspected, the for social distancing and (check /direct deposit), any Purchasing: Purchasing dent support through emails, Ute Growth Fund, South- employee is required to restrictions on congregat- other changes, and answer- will process as normal re- text, and phone calls. There ern Ute Shared Services consult their primary ed groups no larger than ing questions. All checks/ad- motely. is partial funding available and positions within the healthcare provider for 10 people, and at least six vices will be mailed. Checks Contracts and Grants: if students need assistance Sky Ute Casino Resort COVID-19 screening feet apart. Social distancing will not be available for pick All aspects of contracts and with technology and other have been directed to work or access telemedicine also includes limits on per- up at the tribal offices. Mi- grants management will educational needs. remotely unless otherwise consultation services son-to-person contact, group nors trust account services continue as normal. communicated. Critical from Anthem found here meetings, and other social will continue. All checks/ Budgeting and Planning: HOUSING AND functions have been re- (https://livehealthonline. activities. advices will be mailed. All aspects of FY2021 bud- CONSTRUCTION vised and only critical trib- com). The non-essential func- Tribal Credit: The pol- get planning will continue. SERVICES al staff must report to their • Tribal members who tions have been identified and icy that limits loan draws Staff will work remote- workstations. have traveled outside a comprehensive list of mod- to $1,000 has been waived. CULTURAL ly and on an on-call and This became be effective of a 50-mile radius are ified services and hours of Applications will be tak- PRESERVATION emergent basis. All major Monday, March 23, 2020. strongly encouraged to operations are detailed below. en over the phone and will The Cultural Preservation electrical, plumbing, sewer, self-quarantine for 14 not require tribal member Department staff will be gas, and HVAC systems will THE DIRECTIVES days for their own health TRIBAL COURT signature. Final loan docu- working remotely, but avail- be addressed by staff. Staff ARE AS FOLLOWS and safety as well as The Southern Ute Indi- ments will still require tribal able via phone to respond may ask the tribal member- that of members of their an Tribal Court will be held member signature, but not to questions about cultural ship to leave the home or • Identified tribal staff household and the tribal Mondays, Wednesdays, and require a notary. Signed events, upcoming tribal fair, isolate in a spare room while who reside in the State community. Fridays. Hearings are held documents may be received and any other related matters. work is taking place. Staff of New Mexico will be • Staff from the Southern from 1:30 p.m. until all hear- through email, fax, or reg- will respond to emergency required to work remote- Ute Permanent Fund ings have concluded. The ular mail. The deadline for EDUCATION requests at the Cedar Point ly beginning, Monday, are not expected to report court will accept filings as submitting applications will SUIMA: The Southern Townhomes. Rent payments March 23, 2020 with to their workstations. All usual; however, any motions be Tuesday at 3 p.m. each Ute Indian Montessori Acad- and processing will continue exception Southern Ute staff needed to perform or pleadings can be submit- week; applications received emy is closed and staff will and must be post marked by law enforcement agen- critical operations will ted by email (tribal court after that time will be pro- work remotely providing on- the fifth of the month. There cies and tribal staff in began working remote- will be accepting filings by cessed the following week. line instruction and monitor is currently some emergen- some operations within ly on Monday, March email given the current cir- Loan checks/advices will be student process through on- cy housing available at the the Southern Ute Growth 23, 2020. Exceptions cumstances and the filing fee mailed Friday of each week. line programs, emails, phone townhomes and J Road. Of- Fund and key Southern include designated trib- should be mailed), mail, or Accounts Payable/Ac- calls, and texting. Families fice phones will be forward- Ute Shared Services in- al personnel from the fax. The court will only set counts Receivable (AP/ will have access on the SUI- ed to staff who can walk the frastructure staff. following departments: cases on an emergency basis AR): The cashier window MA website for daily Ute membership through some • According to a public Tribal Information Ser- and will be resetting previ- will be closed. Accounts Language lessons (https:// basic repair tasks. service announcement vices, Clean Team, ously set matters for a later Payable will process as www.suima.org). issued from the IMT Grounds Maintenance, date when the environment is normal. Someone from AP/ Higher Education: High- JUSTICE AND sent on Friday, March Food Distribution, Legal safer for all parties. Currently, AR will be in the office on er Education will work re- REGULATORY 20, 2020, all tribal staff Department, Southern Web/Video Conferencing ca- an as-needed, emergent ba- motely advising student The Southern Ute Police who voluntarily travel Ute Police Department, pabilities are being evaluated sis to process rush medical through email, regular mail, Department will continue outside of the identi- Southern Ute Detention for potential implementation emergency checks when and phone calls. GED and to provide law enforcement fied safety area (includ- Center, Division of Gam- for Court operations. needed. Accounts Receiv- Adult Education lessons will services, radio communica- ing San Juan County, ing, Southern Ute Tribal Child Support: No child able will process as normal be provided through emails tions (911), criminal inves- N.M.) will be placed on Rangers, Southern Ute support will be available for but remotely.