The Osage Nation is hosting outreach meeting events for the Osage public regarding the Land Buy-Back Program with seven meetings scheduled.
The next scheduled Land Buy-Back Program meeting is scheduled this evening at 5 p.m. at the Hominy Village Community Building. Each meeting is scheduled to run at least two hours to provide Osage landowners with more information on the program.
The buy-back program is a stipulation of the Cobell Settlement which provided $1.9 billion to purchase fractional interests in trust or restricted land from willing sellers at fair market value within a 10-year period, according to a U.S. Department of Interior release.
There is roughly 66,000 acres in the Osage Nation with 680-690 individual landowners eligible for the program. Those eligible for the buy-back program are individuals who own an interest in a parcel of land with multiple owners. There must also be a clear land title, and all estates in probate will not receive offers. The BIA has already been working to identify those individuals eligible for offers, according to the Executive Branch. A majority of the fractionated land lies in the southern part of Osage County.
An information website on the program is available at: www.osagenationlandbuybackprogram.com
Landowners can also contact the Trust Beneficiary Call Center at (888) 678-6836 to update their contact information, ask questions about their land or purchase offers, and learn about financial planning resources. Individuals can also visit their local Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) or Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) office, or find more information at http://www.doi.gov/buybackprogram/landowners
Land Buy-Back Program meetings scheduled
- July 12: Wakon Iron Community Building in Pawhuska (5 to 7 p.m.)
- July 14: Osage Casino Hotel – Ponca City (5 to 7 p.m.)
- July 19: Osage Casino – Bartlesville (5 to 7 p.m.)
- July 21: ON Language Department building in Fairfax, 260 N. 2nd St. (5 to 7 p.m.)
- July 23: Tulsa Central Center, 1028 E. 6th St. (noon to 3 p.m.)
- Aug. 6: Oklahoma City – Neuroscience Specialists, 4120 W. Memorial Rd #300 (1 to 3 p.m.)
Also for more information, contact the ON Tribal Development and Land Acquisition Department at (918) 287-5208 or email landbuy-back@osagenation-nsn.gov
By
Benny Polacca
Original Publish Date: 2016-06-30 00:00:00