BAY MILLS — The Bay Mills Executive Council met Feb. 9 with all present. The council generally meets the second and fourth Monday of each month beginning at 10:30 a.m.
The council discussed renewal of History Department funding. The department has operated under a tribal grant, along with any other funding it can obtain. The renewal passed but the budget was set aside — no departmental budgets will be passed until the council sets the general fund budget and decides how the money will be allocated, said Tribal Chairman Jeff Parker.
With the History Department's upcoming move to the Cultural Center comes the possible integration of the History and Cultural departments into a new “Heritage” department. Secretary Greg Parker said that the new department should be eligible for a wider range of grants.
A proposal to allow non-resident tribal members to purchase a monthly quota of cigarettes was tabled for lack of written procedures; the procedures now in place aren't set up for sale of a monthly quota. Chairman Parker said the council would come back to the proposal after written procedures have been put in place.
The council approved renewing the federal Family Violence Prevention grant; an employment waiver for a tribal member was approved.
The council approved the recommendation from the director of the Human Resources Department (HR) to accept all applicants to the Grievance Committee so that HR can have a pool from which to select.
An item concerning officers' pay adjustment was deemed an administrative matter and sent back to Bay Mills Law Enforcement to straighten out with HR.
Pow Wow Committee member Angie Johnson presented a $36,000 budget for the 2004 Honoring Our Veterans Pow Wow, which is now a competition pow wow. The council had no objection to holding the event at the ballfield, providing the facility is protected. The event will be held in conjunction with the second annual Blessing of the Bikes on June 12 and 13.
Allyn Cameron said the pow wow needs to become self-sufficient. Johnson said the committee would like to conduct some fund-raising and asked for a 50/50 raffle license and a bingo license. The bingo would be held at the cultural center using volunteers.
The raffle permit was approved but the bingo was another matter. the council told Johnson to look into bingo costs and perhaps sharing of some senior bingo equipment.
Chairman Parker scheduled the next Monday as a General Fund working session, in order to determine the amount of funding and how it will be allocated.
