By
Benny Polacca
The 2020 fiscal year budgets for the Grayhorse, Hominy and Pawhuska villages received approval from the Sixth Osage Nation Congress during the Tzi-Zho Session in September.
Congress unanimously passed bill ONCA 19-73 (sponsored by Congressman Eli Potts who is the Congressional Appropriations Chairman), which is referred to as the 2020 fiscal year Village Committee Funds Appropriation Act.
The bill contains the three respective village budgets totaling $365,220 with the Grayhorse Village budgeted to receive $110,000 and Hominy Village will receive $50,000. The Pawhuska Village, which receives a monthly percentage of the gaming revenue at the Pawhuska Osage Casino located on the village property, is budgeted to receive $205,220, according to the bill.
Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear signed the budget bill one day after its approval vote on Sept. 18.
Potts noted the Congress passed separate legislation during the 2019 Hun-Kah Session to establish revolving funds for the three villages so the village funding would not be subject to fiscal year limitations and the money would be available until the Village Committees authorized the expenditure of the money.
The Hominy Village is receiving $50,000 as it has in past fiscal years. The Grayhorse Village has also received $50,000 in recent years, but a $60,000 increase this year is due to needed maintenance issues at the village sewage lagoon.
Congresswoman Paula Stabler said the Nation’s Department of Natural Resources inspected the lagoon earlier this year and it was noted the lagoon was not maintained and now remediation work is needed due to leakage. “There is a grant coming forward to remediate the area, but in the meantime, there’s still cleanup and things that have to be done, so this gives money to the five-man committee to either contract the service and have (a company) maintain it throughout the year or to buy some equipment and have someone come out and maintain it,” Stabler said.
Congresswoman Brandy Lemon said the lagoon is not easily visible due to unkempt landscaping, so the area will also need clean-up improvements for the lagoon maintenance to take place.
The three village committees use their respective budgeted funding for other operational expenses at the village properties throughout the year including utility and maintenance costs at the village buildings, funding to pay part-time workers for custodial and maintenance work in the villages and village resident special events during the holidays.
For more information regarding ON Congressional regular or special sessions, filed legislation and Congressional committee meetings, visit the Legislative Branch website at www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/legislative-branch
Original Publish Date: 2019-12-12 00:00:00
