TITLE
A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Maricopa, Arizona supporting the submission of a grant application to the Ak-Chin Indian Community for funding Native American Connections, Inc. and agreeing to act as the designated fiscal agent of such funding. Discussion and Action.
AGENDA ITEM DESCRIPTION
The City of Maricopa Mayor and City Council shall discuss and potentially sign a resolution agreeing to be the Fiscal Agent for Native American Connections, Inc. to obtain 12% Grant Program funding from the Ak-Chin Indian Community if awarded funding.
In 2002, Arizona tribes and the Governor concluded negotiations of a new standard form Tribal/State Gaming Compact (“Compact”), which was subsequently approved by the Arizona voters. In Section 12 of the Compact, each tribe agreed to contribute a portion of its gaming revenues in exchange for substantial exclusivity covenants by the State. Tribes must deposit 88% of this contributed revenue into the Arizona Benefits Fund. By law, the State must use this contributed revenue to support education, healthcare, and other programs that benefit Arizona residents. A tribe may elect to distribute the remaining 12% (the 12% Contribution”) directly to the cities, towns and counties of its choosing.
For 2017, the Ak-Chin Indian Community (“Community”) has elected to award its 12% Contribution directly through its 12% Grant Program. Through the 12% Grant Program, the Community accepts applications from cities, towns, counties, and other organizations seeking funding to support services that benefit the general public. The Community looks forward to supporting the Arizona community with grants made through the 12% Grant Program.
Proposals must address one or more of the following priority areas:
1) Animal Shelters/Services for abused, abandoned, or neglected animals
2) Food Banks/Programs providing food to needy families
3) Healthcare and Health Services
4) Schools/School Districts/Universities
5) Programs providing services for persons with special needs
6) Youth Shelters
Native American Connections, Inc (NAC). is requesting funds for the development of the Phoenix Indian School Visitors Center at Steele Indian School Park. NAC and Phoenix Indian Center (PIC) have had meetings with the City of Phoenix and the community to discuss the redevelopment of the site. Through these meetings it was determined Phoenix and Arizona are in need of a Native American cultural and business center to serve the 22 tribes in Arizona, the 150,000 Native Americans living in metro Phoenix and the Public at large.
The following project information was provided by NAC:
According to the US 2010 US Census, 4% of the population of the City of Maricopa is Native American. The Phoenix Indian School was home to students from tribal communities across Arizona including Ak-Chin and the Gila River Indian Community; communities immediately adjacent to the City of Maricopa. Although census data by tribal affiliation is not available, proximity leads us to believe the 4% of your residents identifying at Native American mostly likely come from the Ak-Chin and Gila River Indian Communities.
Over the years, alumni from both communities have become tribal leaders and today, recognize the historical significance of the Phoenix Indian School Visitors Center to their communities and the residents of the Arizona, including the City of Maricopa. Many tribal members and residents of Arizona are unfamiliar with the history of the boarding schools and the impact to Native Americans. The main purpose of the Phoenix Indian School Visitors Center is to increase awareness about Native history and the role of the boarding school. The popularity of the Heard Museum’s boarding school exhibit led to expansion and extension of the exhibit. While local in scope, the Visitors Center will provide a more localized look at boarding schools and the impact to Arizona. To not share the story of the school leaves a gap in Native history and the state’s history.
A key aspect of the Gallery will be the development of K-12 curriculum that can be incorporated by schools throughout the state. To date, a number of districts have expressed interest in adopting the curriculum. Our goal is to have all schools in Arizona include the history of the Phoenix Indian School in their history curriculum. We hope this will include schools in the City of Maricopa.
While students will be a key focus area, the Visitors Center will be open to the public. Residents from Maricopa can visit the Gallery and also attend the special events and classes. The City of Phoenix has indicated 95,000 people visit Steele Indian School Park each year; however, they don’t track where the visitors come from. We will be tracking this information and can easily report to the City of Maricopa the number of residents visiting the Visitors Center.
This item will be presented by Brenda Hasler, Financial Services Director.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve the Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Maricopa, Arizona supporting the submission of a grant application to the Ak-Chin Indian Community for funding Native American Connections, Inc. and agreeing to act as the designated fiscal agent of such funding.