Agriculture, Elder Assistance & Home Improvement Discussed at First Tribal Council Meeting of 2018

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council held its first public meeting of the New Year on Saturday, January 6, with Chief Eric Thompson as chair. Community members were given annual updates by the agriculture and home improvement programs as well as the Elders Benefit Working Group. There was also an announcement about an expansion of Snow Removal Services.

Wally Ransom presented about the Tribe’s Agriculture program and the various initiatives they’ve begun.

Ransom said, “People once took great pride in food, because it took a lot of work to create it. Things have changed. We don’t grow as much of our own. We have a study that shows we live in a ‘food desert,’ which means we have to travel to get good food while stuff that is bad for us is readily available.”

Ransom described the program’s egg project which had student participants. He also spoke at length on the planned pig farm to be located on community lands behind the former IGA on Route 37, formerly known as the Blair farm. This will allow community members to purchase pigs that will be raised by program staff and then processed at a licensed meat processor. The USDA-inspected meat can be eaten by community members, resold in stores, or served in restaurants. Funds have been secured to build a new barn at the site, which an organization in Canada will be helping them to construct in 2018. There will also be two acres of crops planted there, but some of the land will be left uncultivated as part of a program to protect field-nesting birds.

There was also a brief report on composting activities that have saved the tribe money. Food waste from the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino and Resort was previously dehydrated and disposed of in local landfills. Now it is mixed with wood chips and lawn clippings from Generations Park and composted.

The Home Improvement Program (HIP) was also on the agenda for an annual report given by Jamie Bay. This program was originally funded by the BIA in 1993. Gaming revenue allowed the tribe to fund 90% of the program from the Tribe’s General Fund (TGF) in 2007. The program now has a 10- year plan to decrease its dependence on the TGF. There are 8 workers and 2 management personnel working in the program. One of the initiatives announced by Mr. Bay is a plan to build homes on a 20 acre lot of common land near the CKON Radio Station and the offices of Indian Time. This area runs along the US/Canada border and is largely surrounded by other homes. Indian Time noted that any area near the St. Lawrence river has a high probability of archaeological features present, and asked if there was a plan to do an assessment there. The response was that a full archaeological and environmental impact study will be done on any lands the Tribe hopes to develop.

Next to present was James Ransom, who gave an update on the work of the Elders Benefit Working Group. This group was established after a survey indicated that 385 community members were supportive of giving a $200 a month benefit to seniors, whereas 150 voted no. It was stated by Mr. Ransom that the current President and Congress were determined to slap the budgets of various federal programs that benefit the elderly, such as LIHEAP. Based on the working group’s research, it was determined that a large number of elders were below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) which means they get less than $1,200 per month. (Indian Time was asked not to reveal statistics that were reported in the meeting, as this data is somewhat sensitive and is not meant for the general public.) Phil Tarbell, a former chief of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, asked about a $7.5 million transfer the tribe made to Tewatahonni Corporation. He said he requested information about this in June and has not had a response to his inquiries. He asked “where has this money gone?” After a few vague responses from both chiefs and a tribal attorney, it was requested by another community member that the issue be placed on the agenda for the next tribal meeting.

It was also announced at the meeting that any elders needing snow removal from their properties are asked to call the Office of the Aged to sign up. They also asked that if any community members have snowplows or snow blowers and are willing to provide this service to the elderly, the program would pay them to do it. They will also be expected to shovel walkways and steps in addition to clearing the driveway.