Five Osages appointed to the Osage War Memorial Commission took oaths for their service in pursuing a memorial project in Pawhuska.
Appointed by Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, those taking their oaths at the ON tribal courthouse on Aug. 4 were Richard Luttrell, Frances Williams, John Henry Mashunkashey, Franklin McKinley and Richard Perrier. ON Trial Court Chief Judge Marvin Stepson (also an Army veteran) administered the oaths for the appointees.
The appointees will also be subject to confirmation by the Fifth ON Congress, which convenes for the 2016 Tzi-Zho Session starting Sept. 6.
According to a news release, the War Memorial Commission will engage in fundraising for the memorial and inform the public concerning the progress and needs of the project. The commission is also charged with oversight and control of the Osage War Memorial.
The commission was established by Osage law in 2011 (ONCA 11-86 sponsored by then-Congressman Standing Bear) after approval by the Third ON Congress. After that time, no commission members were appointed and the war memorial revolving fund established in the law remains with the appropriated funds unspent.
When ONCA 11-86 was passed, a $500,000 revolving fund was created for constructing, maintaining and administering the war memorial. Two years later, the fund was reduced by $350,000 to $150,000 during the 2013 Tzi-Zho Session after Congress passed ONCA 13-99 proposing the reduction due to budget concerns at that time.
According to ONCA 11-86, the bill’s intention is “to follow the Osage Nation tradition of honoring Osage Veterans” and “to provide a physical reminder to the present and future generations of the contributions and sacrifices of the Osage veterans and their families by building the Osage War Memorial at the Osage Agency Campus.”
By
Osage News
Original Publish Date: 2016-08-12 00:00:00
