OKMULGEE, Okla. – The Muscogee (Creek) National Council held the monthly Regular Session at the Mound Building on Feb. 24.
The Council addressed the following legislation, the interpretation of which is attributed to language in the bills:
NCR 24-001 Declaring the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” Representative Anna Marshall sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
The bill will follow the United State’s observation of March as women’s history month, and will recognize the many Mvskoke women past and present who have made significant contributions to the tribe and their community.
NCR 24-002 Selecting Kevin Agee to the Board of Directors of Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises, LLC. Representative Robert Hufft sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
Agee’s term will last until March 31, 2027.
TR 24-006 Authorizing the Election Board to execute an attorney contract between the MCN Election Board and Savage O’Donnell Affeldt & Weintraub Law Firm. Representative Thomasene Yahola Osborn sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
Savage O’Donnell Affeldt & Weintraub Law Firm will assist the election board by formulating and reviewing election policies and procedures.
TR 24-007 Confirming the nomination of Grover Wind to serve as the Office of Veteran Affairs Services Administrator of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Representative Mary Crawford sponsored the legislation, Representative Leonard Gouge co-sponsored it. It was adopted 14-1.
Wind will serve a new four-year term as the MCN Veterans Affairs Services Administrator.
TR 24-008 TR 24-007 Confirming the nomination of Shawn Terry to serve as the Secretary of Health of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Crawford sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
Terry will serve a new four-year term as the MCN Secretary of Health.
TR 24-009 Confirming the nomination of Kaila Harjo to serve as the Secretary of Education, Employment and Training of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Crawford sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 9-6.
Harjo will serve a new four-year term as the MCN Secretary of Education, Employment and Training.
TR 24-010 Confirming the nomination of Carmin Tecumseh-Williams to serve as the Secretary of Community and Human Services of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Representative Dode Barnett sponsored the bill, it was co-sponsored by Rep. Gouge. It was adopted 11-4.
Tecumseh-Williams will serve a new four-year term as the MCN Secretary of Community and Human Services.
TR 24-011 Authorizing the Principal Chief to execute a utility right-of-way agreement with Oklahoma Natural Gas associated with the construction of a project in McIntosh County. Representative Darrell Proctor sponsored the legislation, it was co-sponsored by Representative Galen Cloud. It was adopted 15-0.
According to the bill, the Nation requires utility service installation to the property for construction purposes. The Nation will authorize the Bureau of Indian Affairs to execute a right-of-way agreement for a 20-year term for the trust property.
TR 24-012 Authorizing the Principal Chief to execute a memorandum of understanding with the City of Coweta for the maintenance of roadways and associated rights-of-way constructed or improved by the MCN Tribal Transportation Program. Representative Mark Randolph sponsored the legislation, it was co-sponsored by Representative Charles McHenry. It was adopted 15-0.
According to the bill, the Nation must enter into a memorandum of understanding for maintenance of public roadways and associated rights-of-way constructed by the Muscogee Nation Tribal Transportation Program.
TR 24-013 Approving the update of the MCN Long Range Transportation Plan with the addition of the routes listed as the attachment “A” – MCN NTTFI 2024. Rep. Cloud sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
According to the bill, new routes have been identified within the reservation the Nation intends to add to the tribal transportation facility inventory.
TR 24-014 Supporting the addition of new routes, as identified in attachment “A” -MCN NTFFI 2024, to the existing National Tribal Transportation Facility Inventory and Requesting the Bureau of Indian Affairs add these new routes to the Nation’s National Tribal Transportation Facility Inventory. Rep. Cloud sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
According to the bill, new routes have been identified within the reservation the Nation intends to add to the tribal transportation facility inventory. The BIA will officially add the routes to the inventory.
TR 24-015 Confirming the nomination of Little Snow Fields to serve as the Secretary of Housing of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Cloud sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 10-5.
Snow Fields will serve a term of four years as the MCN Secretary of Housing.
TR 24-016 Authorizing the Principal Chief to submit a 2024 American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services Grant to the office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education. Rep. Crawford sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
The grant will provide vocational rehabilitation services, including culturally appropriate services to American Indians with disabilities so that individuals may prepare and engage in high-quality employment and increase self sufficiency. The grant application will ask for $6,000,000. A match of $200,000 will be committed to the grant each year for five years by the Nation, along with a $25,000 appropriation for outreach.
TR 24-017 Confirming the nomination of Richard Lerblance for appointment to the Supreme Court of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Hufft sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
Lerblance will serve a six-year term as a MCN Supreme Court Justice.
TR 24-018 Confirming the nomination of Andrew Adams III for appointment to the Supreme Court of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Hufft sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
Adams will serve a six-year term as a MCN Supreme Court Justice.
TR 24-019 Authorizing the Principal Chief to submit a Small, Rural and Tribal Body-Worn Camera Program application for the benefit of the MCN Lighthorse Police Department. Representative Nelson Harjo Sr. sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
According to the bill, a one to one match of $30,000 will cover a one-year period for financing for the program. The purpose of the program is to reduce the use of force, de-escalate conflicts, and improve interactions between law enforcement officers and the public.
TR 24-020 Confirming the nomination of Shane Holuby to serve as Tribal Administrator of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Barnett sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 12-3.
Holuby will serve a new four-year term as the MCN Tribal Administrator.
TR 24-021 Confirming the nomination of Zechariah Harjo to serve as the Secretary of the Nation for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Hufft sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 13-2.
Zechariah Harjo will serve a new four-year term as MCN Secretary of the Nation.
TR 24-022 Confirming the nomination of Mary Mashunkashey to serve as the Tax Commissioner of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Harjo sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 8-7.
Mashunkashey will serve a new four-year term as the MCN Tax Commissioner.
TR 24-023 Confirming the nomination of Jeffrey Fife to serve as the Chief of Staff of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Hufft sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
Fife will serve a new four-year term as the MCN Chief of Staff.
TR 24-025 Confirming the nomination of Patricia Kilian to serve as Controller and Secretary of Treasury for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Barnett sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 13-2.
Kilian will serve a new four-year term as the MCN Controller and Secretary of the Treasury.
TR 24-026 Confirming the nomination of Geraldine (Geri) Wisner to serve as the Attorney General of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Barnett sponsored the legislation, which failed 6-9.
If Wisner’s nomination was approved, her term would have started upon confirmation and ended concurrent with the term of the current principal chief.
TR 24-029 Approving and authorizing the MNGE Board of Directors to execute the construction manager agreement with Crossland Construction Company. Rep. Hufft sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
According to the bill, MNGE seeks council approval by a resolution to enter a contract with Crossland Construction for a project that will exceed $1,000,000.
TR 24-030 Confirming the nomination of RaeLynn Butler to serve as the Secretary of Culture and Humanities for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Rep. Proctor sponsored the legislation, it was co-sponsored by Rep. Cloud and Rep. Gouge. It was adopted 15-0.
Butler will serve a new lifetime appointment as the MCN Secretary of Culture and Humanities.
NCA 24-009 Authorizing the expenditure of grant funds awarded from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pass-through Entity Southern Tribal Plains Health Board, Oklahoma Tribal Epidemiology Center, Tribal Overdose Prevention Program Grant. Rep. Marshall sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
The MCN Department of Health will receive $60,000 from the grant to develop and implement public health programs and services that address the drug overdose crisis.
NCA 24-010 Authorizing the expenditure of grant funds awarded from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pass-through Entity National Indian Health Board, Hear Her Campaign Grant. Rep. Marshall sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
Grant funds of $25,000 will be used to raise awareness of urgent maternal warning signs during and after pregnancy to improve communication between patients and their healthcare providers.
NCA 24-011 Amending NCA 21-097 (Authorizing the expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act funds received from the United States Department of the Treasury for the MCN Citizen Vaccine Incentive.) Rep. Crawford sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 14-1.
The Council set aside $40,000,000 for the MCN Citizen Vaccine Incentive in which $11,933,530.09 was expended, leaving $28,066,469.91 to be allocated upon National Council approval for further use.
NCA 24-012 Amending NCA 21-150 (Authorizing the expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act funds received from the United States Department of the Treasury to provide a second disbursement of COVID-19 Impact Relief Individual Assistance.) Rep. Crawford sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 14-1.
The Council set aside $196,092,309 for a second disbursement of COVID-19 Impact Relief Individual Assistance. A total of $152,263,076.60 was expended, leaving $43,829,232.40 as of December 31, 2023. The remaining balance will be allocated back to the National Council for further use.
NCA 24-013 Amending NCA 21-077 (Authorizing the expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act funds received from the United States Department of the Treasury to establish the COVID-19 Impact Relief Individual Assistance) as amended by NCA 21-098. Rep. Crawford sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 14-1.
The Council set aside $196,092,309 for the COVID-19 Impact Relief Individual Assistance. A total of $159,060,782.91 was expended, leaving $37,031,526.09 as of December 31, 2023. The remaining balance will be allocated back to the National Council for further use.
NCA 24-014 Amending NCA 21-093 (Authorizing the expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act funds received from the United States Department of the Treasury for the MCN Vaccine Incentive for employees) as amended by NCA 21-096. Rep. Crawford sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 14-1.
The Council set aside $965,550 for the MCN Vaccine Incentive for tribal employees. A total of $943,194.49 was expended, leaving $22,355.51. The remaining balance will be allocated back to the National Council approval for further use.
NCA 24-015 Amending NCA 23-042 (Authorizing the expenditure of Fiscal Relief funding for the benefit of the MCN Community and Human Services Department.) Rep. Crawford sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 14-1.
The department is requesting $2,500,000 to fund the MCN Developmental Disabilities Advocacy Program. The funds include direct assistance to participants and two administrative positions and programmatic costs for 24 months.
NCA 24-016 Authorizing an appropriation to the Cultural Center and Archives for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to participate in the 2024 Mvskoke Etvlwv Festival at the National Museum of the American Indian. Rep. McHenry sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 14-1.
An appropriation of $81,533 will pay for lodging and per diem costs for hymnal singers, stomp dance demonstrators, artists, Honor Guard members, staff from the facilities department and one chartered bus for the 2024 Mvskoke Etvlwv Festival at the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
NCA 24-017 Amending MCNCA Title 36 Chapter 3 entitled, “Motor Vehicle Tax and Licence Code” providing certain motor vehicle registration discounts for elders and veterans. Rep. Gouge sponsored the legislation, which was adopted 15-0.
According to the bill, any enrolled Muscogee Elders who have a license to drive in the state of Oklahoma and have reached the age of 65 years, or older shall not be subject to the annual registration fee eligible for one vehicle. This applies to veterans who are enrolled in the MCN who can prove veteran status. Special fees apply to any additional vehicles.
For more information visit www.mcnnc.com.