IVC Presidential Report

Written by
AlexAnna Salmon
Published
13 January 2017

2016 Program Highlights and 2017 Pursuits

The Igiugig Tribal Village Council serves Igiugig, a self-sufficient village with strong cultural and environmental values. Our mission is to provide resources, programs, and infrastructure to enhance our quality of life.

In 2016, Igiugig Village Council administration, employees, and subsidiaries continued fulfilling our Comprehensive Community Strategic Plan and organizational mission.

BIA Program & ICWA Social Services

The BIA continues to fund our main government staff: Administrator, Administrative Assistant, Accountant, Tribal Clerks, Maintenance and Janitor Personnel, and all of our office supplies. It also staffs our Indian Child Welfare Assistance Program with a Social Services Director. This year we were due for an Annual Single Audit which began at the end of November – Sandy Alvarez worked around the clock to prepare and endure it. A new administrator –Beth Layton—began work for us in December. Welcome to the team Beth!

Environmental Program - IGAP

In 2015, the Director position was filled by Stacy Hill, and she has been doing an outstanding job since – just look at her report, or see how good the community looks as you drive through it!

Tribal Library

Igiugig Tribal Library continues to operate from IMLS and State funding, and under a Memorandum of Agreement to use the Igiugig School library space. Roz Goodman is our Professional Librarian who visits once a year and weeds our collection, conducts onsite training, and does our long-term library plan. We are in need of another dedicated part-time librarian who could train under Roz in the spring.

IVC Rental Homes and NAHASDA Services

IVC has 7 rental homes, all occupied, and 2 needing a water source. Our NAHASDA services and rental subsidies are budgeted to continue through 2017. We also budgeted a one-time down-payment for one HUD Section 184 loan program applicant. A shortage of adequate housing is an ongoing problem. Recommendations for Igiugig include: 1. File housing applications with BBHA. 2. Request IVC to apply for BIA Housing Improvement Funds if you are an eligible applicant. 3. File for HUD Section 184 for a guaranteed low interest loan to have a new home constructed.

Igiugig Clinic & Emergency Services

We have spent our first year with all our health services transferred from BBAHC to Southcentral Foundation. We currently have one health aide and are looking to fill a second position. Our emergency response vehicles have been maintained (fire truck, PTV, rescue boat) and we have 5 ETT certified responders.

VPSO Program – no funding through BBNA for FY2017.

Igiugig Electric Company

Our primary operator Dave Hostetter continues to do an outstanding job. We had 2 secondary operators trained in 2015 – Alicia and Sharolynn Zackar. Tony Wassillie also covers for Dave when needed. Sharolynn managed her first shift while Dave was on leave and we had power throughout, quyana!

Public Water System

In 2015 we upgraded from the community well to the surface water source. This year we assumed ownership of our new water system which is much more expensive, regulated, and high maintenance than our previous ―high arsenic‖ ground water well. The good news: we have high water quality that meets all federal regulations! Thank you to everyone that has helped, and continues to help out, with our water infrastructure.

Dan Salmon Scholarship Fund & AVT Funds

In 2016 we awarded seven education and AVT Fund recipients totaling nearly $14,000. We have temporarily halted awarding new scholarships until more funds can be raised. We continue to receive a small amount of BIA AVT funds each year for interested applicants. There is a significant community service component associated with those funds.

Wanguta Qanriarait Nanvarparmiut Yugestun & Cultural Revitalization Efforts

2015 was the beginning of our 3 year language preservation and maintenance grant. A project director, project coordinator, 5 apprentices, and 4 elders are hard at work in Year 1. We are now in Year 2, and have begun 3 hours a week of Yup’ik headstart immersion and have been teaching 30 minutes of Yugestun to upperclass Igiugig School Monday – Thursday. We completed our grant titled, "A Yup’ik Under-standing of the Plants Around Us" which allowed us to enjoy two local plant knowledge workshops with an indigenous plant expert Meda Dewitt-Schleifman, and the end result is the plant guide available at the Igiugig Gift Shop. We have also completed the community trip of a lifetime to New Zealand – please watch the video for the highlights! In 2017 we expect to have our human ancestors that are stored in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History to be repatriated to Kaskanak – an ongoing effort. We are under-way a BBNC grant to put new signage around the village all in Yup’ik!

Local Foods Program/Greenhouse Production

In 2015 Jeff Bringhurst rose to the challenge of Local Foods Program Manager. 2 new hoop houses were constructed. We executed a "First Nations Development Institute Grant" where the high school students operated their very first food cart. We had reindeer sausage dogs, salmon salad, and endless delicious entrees. We are already craving fresh produce for 2017!

Transportation: FAST

Iliamna Lake Contractors manage our roads program. We are continuing our Government-to-Government Program Agreements with the BIA that allows for more self-management of the program.

2016 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PURSUITS

Hydrokinetic Project
IVC, in cooperation with ORPC, were the successful recipients of DOE funding: NEXT GENERATION MHK RIVER POWER SYSTEM, OPTIMIZED FOR PERFORMANCE, DURABILITY AND SURVIVABIL-ITY. We are currently in our first 10 month budget period.

Our Wind Resource
IVC has one open grant with AEA for the design of a wind turbine project for Igiugig. Meanwhile, the Gordon and Betty Moore foundation is still supporting the vertical axis wind turbine test study, and are committed to installing a high penetration wind system if it works.

Solar Thermal Resource
IVC is currently pursuing solar thermal options for IVC buildings.

Capital Improvement Projects

In 2016 we will finally installed the gas card system and completed the Emergency Building, and secured funding for the repair of the bulk fuel farm retaining wall which is 80% complete. We also received funding for an elder/handicapped van and are in progress of purchasing a tugboat.

Iliamna Lake Contractors and Iliaska Environmental

This report is being provided by Karl Hill, ILC Assistant Manager, and Christina Salmon, Manager IE.

THANK YOU for another wonderful year serving this community and IVC Board.
Alussistuaqegtaarmek Piamteggen Cali Allrakuqegtaarmek!
Quyana!

Contact Us

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tel: +1 907-533-3211

Igiugig Tribal Village Council

PO Box 4008
Igiugig, AK 99613


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