1961-10-01 Char-Koosta News

              Char-Koost
PUBLISHED BY THE CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES, FLATHEAD AGENCY, MONTANA VOL  4 - NO. 10 OCTOBER NOVEMEER, 1961
Flatliead Tribal Credit Program Has New Policies, Operation Plan
The Tribal Council, The Tribal Credit Committee and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have been working the past year and one-half drafting a new Declaration of Policies and Plan of Operation of the Tribal Credit Program. By resolution number 1182, dated September 28, 1961, the Tribal Council made the final approval and acceptance of the newly drafted Declaration of Policies and Plan of Operation and the Tribal Credit Program has been operating in accordance with this Declaration of Policies and Plan of Operation since Sept. 28, 1961.
The Declaration of Policies and Plan of Operation, in conjunction with the Code of Federal Regulations and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Manual, are the established procedures by which the Tribal Credit Program is operated. The Declaration of Policies and Plan of Operation, the Code of Federal Regulations and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Manual are too large and extensive to quote verbatim in this publication; so we will outline and explain some of the major and most important parts of the above mentioned Declaration and regulations so that the Tribal members will have a general knowledge of the procedures that govern the operation of the Tribal Credit Program. To bring the desired information to the people will probably require continued publications for several issues.
The Credit Program, at present, is financed and operated entirely with Tribal funds. If the Tribal Credit Program continues to expand as planned, it may be necessary to make application to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for a loan of appropriated Revolving Credit Funds. The Tribal Credit activities of the Tribe arc administered by a Credit Committee of three members. The Credit Committee members are from outside of the Tribal Council membership and are ap-I>oinlod by the Tribal Council to serve for three years. The present members of the Committee are Bernard McLeod, Arlec, Montana, Chairman; Evelyn Gren-ut, Arlee. Montana, and Lester Dupuis, Kenan. Montana. This Credit Committee has full authority to act for and in be-
half of the Tribes in all phases of its credit operations. It is the duty of the Credit Committee to review all loan applications and make approval, recommendations for approval, disopproval of applications and to follow up on approved loans to see that payments are made on the loans as scheduled and to handle all foreclosure procedures. A Finance Specialist and Clerk-Stenographer are available at the Agency Office to assist and advise members in making loan applications and other credit matters and procedures.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Tribal Credit Program is to make loans to eligible members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to raise the social and economic status of members of the Tribes to a point where they can look to the same sources of financing as are looked to by other citizens. The Credit Program i:. operated on a limited amount of funds and. after a client has increased his chattel or real property, through the Tribal Program, to a point where it is adequate security to obtain a loan from other sources, it is the policy to graduate the client to non-bureau lending agencies. Tribal funds will be available to establish another member in an economic unit that does not have adequate security to secure financing otherwise.
LOAN PROCEDURE
Loan for the purchase of land, educational loans, rehabilitation or productive loans and housing loans will receive preference in the order named. A physical inr.pection of property to be purchased and assets taken as security will be in-rpected by the Credit Committee. A farm and home plan is required on agricultural rehabilitation loans. Applications for the purchase of unrestricted real property must be accompanied by an up-to-date abstract of title showing a clear and marketable title. Upon arrival of the loan, the abstract of title will be presented to the Tribal Attorney for his review and issuance of an opinion,
Will be Dec. 16; Five Posts Ooen
The election of councilmen for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council of the Flathead Indian reservation will be conducted Saturday, Dec. 16.
Council members are to be elected from five districts. They are now filled by the following: Poison, E. W. Morigeau; Ronan, Alfred Senecal, Elmo-Dayton, Jerome Hewankorn, Arlee, Victor Matt; and St. Ignatius, Walter McDonald.
Councilmen serve four-year terms and new elected members take office at the first regular meeting of the council following the election.
Candidates can be any qualified member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes provided they have maintained a residence of at least one year on the reservation and one year within the district in Which they seek election. They must notify the secretary at least 15 days in advance of the election of their candidacy in writing. Closing day for filing will be Dec. 1, 1961. A list of candidates and the polling places and time will be announced 10 days before the elections.
Filings as of Nov. 24 are as follows and the polling places for each district are:
Elmo-Dayton^W. Charles Radel; Larson church.
Poison—Roy E. Courville. who served on the first council; city hall.
Ronan-^Eugene Allard, Alfred Senecal; Parish hall.
Arlee—Fred M. Whitworth, Floyd W. Nocolai, David L. Pierre; Brown building.
St. Ignatius—David Barnaby, Charles V. Cordier, Alexander Sloan; Commodity House (Beckwith Bldg).
if the title is clear and marketable. The examination of the abstract of title is part of the property purchase and the cost of examining the abstract must be born by the applicant. On the purchase of any real property a down payment will be required as set by the Credit committee.
On housing loans the application must be accompanied by a plan showing the type, dimensions, floor area to be constructed and an estimate of the cost of construction. No loans will be made for the construction of houses unless the applicant-owns the land or, in the case of Tribal land, the applicant must have an approved assignment or a long term lease. For the purchase of livestock, the applicant must own a brand that is registered with the Montana State Live-rock Commission.