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A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF CERTAIN HEALTH CARE CAPITAL PROJECTS UNDER THE RESPOND, RECOVER AND REBUILD PLAN
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WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation (“Nation”) since time immemorial has exercised the sovereign rights of self-government on behalf of the Cherokee people;
WHEREAS, the Nation is a federally recognized Indian Nation with a historic and continual government to government relationship with the United States of America
WHEREAS, The Cherokee Nation received pandemic response funding under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA);
WHEREAS, the Council of the Cherokee Nation previously approved a broad framework for spending ARPA funds in specified categories under the Cherokee Nation Respond, Recover and Rebuild plan, retaining all relevant constitutional and statutory appropriation and oversight authority, by Resolution 26-21 enacted May 27, 2021;
WHEREAS, among the categories specified under Resolution 26-21 were healthcare infrastructure and community partnership opportunities;
WHEREAS, Cherokee Nation Health System has a number of health care infrastructure opportunities to be developed in future years, but replacement of its two most aging structures, W.W. Hastings Hospital in Tahlequah and the A-Mo Health Center in Salina are high priority opportunities;
WHEREAS, Cherokee Nation has a decades long partnership with Northeastern State University College of Optometry and such partnership has been indispensable to both the provision of optometric services to more than 30,000 patient annually and the development of educational opportunities for Cherokees pursuing a career in optometry;
WHEREAS, Northeastern State University has determined that replacement of its College of Optometry facility is necessary in order to continue providing a high level of optometric education and services at a total estimated cost of $33 million;
WHEREAS the Council supports, subject to all relevant constitutional and statutory appropriation and oversight authority, the following projects proposed by the Administration under the ARPA-funded Cherokee Nation Respond, Recover Rebuild Plan:
• Hospital (Replacement and expansion of W.W. Hastings Hospital with estimated cost of $400 million, approximately $250 million of which will be sourced from ARPA and the balance to come from reinvesting Health Services revenue or other such sources as the Council may deem appropriate. replacement structure for W.W. Hastings Hospital), Tahlequah, OK. estimated construction cost of $250 million.
• Outpatient health center (replacement structure for A-Mo Health Center), Salina, OK, estimated construction cost $35 million
• Donation to the Northeast State University College of Optometry construction project, via a Memorandum of Understanding to be negotiated by the Principal Chief and Northeastern State University, not to exceed $5 million (of the estimated total $33 million total cost).
WHEREAS nothing herein limits the further development or funding of future health care infrastructure projects or limits the Council of the Cherokee Nation’s appropriation or oversight authority with respect to the projects identified herein;
WHEREAS the Council of the Cherokee Nation encourages the administration to explore further health care infrastructure needs across the reservation and to bring such future potential projects and funding sources to Council for review.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CHEROKEE NATION that the Council of the Cherokee Nation supports the estimated $290 million in health care infrastructure investment specified herein under the Cherokee Nation ARPA-funded Respond, Recover and Rebuild plan and encourages further evaluation of health care infrastructure needs and funding sources.