All:
The following information is in reference to the ARPA program where the tribe has voted to distribute its second stimulus check. This information will appear in the Shooting Star, on our website and on the discussion board. The Tribe will receive two checks, one based on tribal enrollment data and the second based upon employment data. We have received our first check, a total of 18.6 million which must be used by the end of 2024. Half of that or 9.3 million has been allocated for distribution to tribal citizens, $2500 to each regardless of age if you have been affected by COVID. A questionnaire has been mailed to each family we have a mailing address for and that questionnaire has also been placed on our website. Many of you have already returned that questionnaire and are awaiting your payment. Please remember the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act commonly referred to as ARPA are two different Acts, two different guidelines, two different requirements. Unfortunately in ARPA we have had a hiccup regarding dual enrollment. The question has been asked If a person is enrolled in more than one tribe, is that person eligible to receive funds from only one tribe or from both or from three or four tribes, depending upon how many tribes where that person is enrolled. ARPA’s interim guidance suggests funds may have to be repaid in certain situations. We simply need to protect the tribe and make sure if funds must be paid back because of receiving them from more than one tribe, it should be the person receiving the funds who must return the funds and not the tribe. Your signed questionnaires with responses will be the documentation we need.

Therefore, because the original questionnaire did not include a question regarding dual enrollment, we have had to prepare a second questionnaire adding that question. If you submitted the original questionnaire, you will need to resubmit. Use the new questionnaire on our website or call and ask that a new one be sent to you.

For those of you who have already submitted questionnaires that had the dual enrollment question on the form, you do not need to resubmit.

We apologize for this error and for the delay it may have caused in receiving your funds. Our interests were totally centered around making funds available to tribal citizens as soon as possible. Tribal administration employees have been authorized to work overtime to process your submissions as quickly as possible. Hopefully we will be able to begin cutting checks by Monday, June 28. If direct deposit is utilized, funds could be in your bank account Tuesday, June 29. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.

Chief Glenna