The Hominy Village will soon receive a storage building for its community equipment after the Eighth Osage Nation Congress unanimously passed a $100,000 appropriation bill toward construction costs.
On Dec. 6, Congress passed bill ONCA 23-08 (sponsored by Congressman John Maker) to appropriate the $100,000 from tribal funding to the Hominy Village Committee “for construction of an equipment storage building.”
Consideration of the bill took place during the special session, which included discussion during a Congressional Appropriations Committee meeting on Dec. 1.
Maker said the building is “much needed for the village,” adding “we have equipment that we don’t have space for storage,” which includes weed eaters, lawn mowers for the village landscape. He added that he is sponsoring the bill on behalf of the village committee (also referred to as the five-man board). With no building, the equipment is kept outside, including during inclement weather.
An initial filed version of the bill requested $50,000, but the bill amount increased to $100,000 due to concerns with the economy and inflation costs for construction.
Congressional Speaker Alice Goodfox, who co-sponsored the bill, said she also spoke with the Village Committee and added “that equipment is needed to take care of the grounds,” especially for the Inlonshka each June. She added that when the newer village community building was constructed, the plan included a storage building, but the building was scrapped at that time to keep the project within budget costs.
Goodfox proposed the amendment to increase the bill amount to $100,000 and the motion received a 6-0 committee vote.
Although no plans or blueprints were presented for the proposed building, Goodfox noted the building would include a concrete floor and would be ideal to protect equipment from weather damage and theft. Congressman Scott BigHorse added he has been around construction projects in past years and believed the $100,000 figure is reasonable for the proposed Hominy building.
ONCA 23-08 passed on Dec. 7 during the Congressional 4th Special Session with an 11-0 vote and one absence by Congresswoman Brandy Lemon. Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear signed the bill to take effect.