Commission Meeting

October 21, 2014

Schoodic Institute @ Acadia National Park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor

Approved at the 2/25/15 meeting

Commissioners in attendance:  Jamie Bissonette Lewey (Chair), Vera Francis (Passamaquoddy – Sipayik), Matt Dana (Passamaquoddy-Motahkmikuk) by phone, Roy Partridge (State), Bert Polchies (Penobscot), John Banks (Penobscot), Gail Dana-Sacco (State), Joan Nass (State),Richard Gould (State) by phoneOthers in attendance: Aarati KasturiranganStaff: Executive Director John Dieffenbacher-Krall Regrets: Linda Raymond, Brian ReynoldsMinutes recorded by John Dieffenbacher-Krall.The meeting took place with a quorum.

Review of agenda

Gail Dana-Sacco requested an opportunity to update the Commission on her research project to look at the implementation of LD 1228 Resolve, To Direct Action on Health Disparities of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Washington County, and assess how the quality of tribal-state relations affects Passamaquoddy health disparities.  The Commission made it the first agenda item under old business.

Consideration of minutes for the 6/17/14 meeting

Jamie Bissonette Lewey brought up the minutes for the 6/17/14 meeting.  She asked for any potential changes.  The second paragraph in section V, Report of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission Assessment of the Intergovernmental Saltwater Fisheries Conflict in Maine, was deleted and replaced with new language more accurately reflecting the discussion that occurred during the meeting.  Bert Polchies moved to accept the minutes as amended.  Roy Partridge seconded the motion.  The motion passed with eight Commissioners voting in favor of the motion with one abstention.

Study to understand how differences between Passamaquoddy tribal health and the health of others are affected by the quality of tribal-state relations

Gail Dana-Sacco outlined her study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The subject of the study is to understand how differences between Passamaquoddy tribal health and the health of others are affected by the quality of tribal-state relations.  She is specifically examining the resolve introduced by Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative Donald Soctomah, LD 1228 Resolve, To Direct Action on Health Disparities of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Washington County, during the 124th Maine Legislature.  The study includes what led to the resolve and what happened to it.  The study’s aim is to better understand how the tribal representatives to the Maine State Legislature and the MITSC, as entities who have specific impact on the development of tribal state relations,  affect tribal health disparities.  Gail reported that she expects data collection to be completed by the end of November.  She anticipates the study will be completed in 2015.  The research question is how does the quality of tribal-state relations impact work to address tribal health disparities.

MITSC Chair position

Jamie Bissonette Lewey invited Bert Polchies to report on the work done by the committee that was formed at the 4/30/14 MITSC meeting. The committee was tasked with considering the question of the next MITSC Chair and making a recommendation to the full Commission.  The group consisted of Dick Gould, Bert & Denise Altvater.  It followed the process that was agreed upon by the Commission.  A question was raised at the June 17 MITSC meeting concerning the process utilized by the committee.  The committee tasked with examining the Chair question met after the 6/17 meeting and it decided again that it had followed its process.  The committee affirmed its original recommendation that the MITSC should re-elect Jamie Bissonette Lewey to a second term as the Commission’s ChairJamie responded that she thought if elected to a second term the Commission should limit the duration of her term to one year.  She cited the fact that the Commission has just begun a strategic planning process.  When it completes that process, it should assess what skills, experiences, and other qualities would be most desirable in a Chair to implement the strategic plan.  John Banks suggested the term should be two years to give the Commission an extra buffer to complete the strategic planning process and to recruit a new Chair.  Bert moved to elect Jamie Bissonette Lewey for a period of two years retroactive to July 1, 2014 or until the Commission develops a job description for the Chair and a search for a new Chair is completed.  John Banks seconded the motion.  It passed unanimously.

MITSC quorum

Jamie Bissonette Lewey referred to the handout she developed on quorum, “Recommendation on Addressing Quorum When Seats on the MITSC Are Vacant for Over 3 Months.”  She read the proposed amendment.  Commissioners had a number of questions.  Jamie suggested the document be emailed to the entire Commission for more consideration.  Jamie asked Commissioners to consider two aspects of the proposed change.  One, how to honor a government’s decision not to participate in the Commission.  Two, how to best define a Commissioner vacancy.  Jamie asked John Dieffenbacher-Krall to send out the handout as a Word document.  She asked all Commissioners to take the document to their respective governments to request their input.  John Dieffenbacher-Krall was also asked to reach out to Linda Raymond, Brian Reynolds, and Maliseet Tribal Representative Henry Bear to ensure they received the document and that MITSC is contemplating a potential bylaws change.

Consideration of Report of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission Assessment of the Intergovernmental Saltwater Fisheries Conflict in Maine

Jamie Bissonette Lewey reminded the group that earlier during the MITSC retreat a committee was formed consisting of Jamie, Joan Nass, and Roy Partridge to work on an implementation plan to achieve the most important recommendations of the saltwater fishing report. The group will refine the implementation plan developed 10/20.  Jamie asked for additional volunteers to serve on the working group. The Commission agreed that the work group should include Passamaquoddy representation. Vera Francis volunteered to serve on the committee.  

MITSC Annual Report 2013 - 2014

Jamie Bissonette Lewey asked all Commissioners to review the draft MITSC Annual Report and get comments to John Dieffenbacher-Krall by November 4.  Commissioners directed John Dieffenbacher-Krall to ensure any place that discusses a letter that the MITSC may have sent that a non-response is noted in the report.  Gail Dana-Sacco suggested and the rest of the Commission agreed that a paragraph or short section should be added about the collective non-response to official MITSC correspondence.  John Banks suggested that State Commissioners follow up with Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Chandler Woodcock about the letter MITSC sent December 17, 2013.  Jamie asked John Dieffenbacher-Krall to send an email to the Commission reminding everyone of the November 4 comment deadline on the MITSC Annual Report.

MITSC financial matters

A. Consideration of the MITSC financial report for FY 2014 John Dieffenbacher-Krall referred Commissioners to the final income and expense statement concerning MITSC finances for FY 2014.  The Commissioner received $95,575 of unrestricted income and spent $105,480 for a deficit of -$9,905.  The Commission carried forward $18,566 from the previous fiscal year leaving a balance of $8,661.B. MITSC income/expenses to date FY 2015John Dieffenbacher-Krall referred Commissioners to an Excel spreadsheet showing MITSC income and expenses to date for FY 2015.  To date, the Commission has received $89,125 while spending $11,990 leaving a balance of $85,796.C. MITSC budget for FY 2015Jamie Bissonette Lewey asked John Dieffenbacher-Krall to explain the FY 2015 document with 5 columns.  John told the Commissioners the column showing a budget projecting $94,219 in income and spending $110,510 is recommended for adoption as a working budget.  John also reviewed columns showing the potential cost of adding positions part way through the fiscal year and what those positions would cost on an annualized basis.  The budget was tabled until the next MITSC meeting.

Scheduling

The next MITSC meeting was set for December 1 at 9 am as a phone meeting.  The first meeting for 2015 will be January 28 from 10 – 2:30, likely in the Augusta area.  The Commission also adopted a regular monthly meeting schedule for 2015 designating the fourth Wednesday of every month with the expectation of holding both in-person and phone meetings.

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