1986-08-08 Char-Koosta News

              Property Oí
ity College
Chief Koostatah of the Kootenai AUGUST 8, 1986
IHS eligibility changes seen as the newest termination ploy
PABLO -- If the Tribal members' wishes at the IHS public hearing July 28 had any power, the proposed eligiblity rule changes would be consigned to someplace sunless, along with the IHS itself.
None of the 60-70 present spoke in favor of the proposed changes, which call for people with less than V* Indian blood -- regardless of enrollment - to
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be dropped from the IHS service roster at some not-yet-determined date.
Many in the audience were Flathead IHS staff members. They weren't allowed to testify, it was explained, but were present to answer questions.
Tribal Chairman Ron Therriault said that some 1,800 Tribal members would be affected by the new eligibility rules. Of these, 829 lived within the service unit's area (the Reservation and its four adjoining counties) and could get both direct and contract services. The remaining 1,000 or so would be cut off from the direct
services they can receive under the current system, he said.
The Monday hearing was the first of at least eight to be conducted by the Billings - area IHS this summer in Montana and Wyoming. Present to answer questions and take comments were new director Duane Jeanotte, Garfield Little Light, Joseph Plumage and Pete Conway.
The four heard comments that occasionally took them personally to task, and ranged from terse to tartly humorous.
The official Tribal response was (Continues on page two)
FY87 budget hearing scheduled for next week
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Tribal members are invited to attend a hearing next Friday, August 15, on the proposed fiscal year 1987 budget:
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS Total, $1,610,777; revenue sharing, $0.
COMMUNITY SERVICES -
Total, $1,224,964; revenue sharing, $65,000.
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT -Total, $904,569; revenue sharing, $0.
CAPITAL PROGRAMS -Total, $544,190; revenue sharing, $0.
GRAND TOTAL: $4,349,500; revenue
sharing $65,000. The meeting will be held in the
Council chambers in Pablo, beginning
at 9 a.m. Written and verbal comments
are welcome. The budget may be reviewed in further detail at Tribal headquarters during the week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
INSIDE
Per capitas..........Page 3
Pablo to grow........Page 4
No more Char-Koosta?Page 5 'Black Robes'drama... Page 6
Places to go.........Page 11
Opportunities.......Page 23