A Vision of Improvement

Tribal Buildings

Background
At one time, the Nation employed only a handful of people. Today the numbers exceed 300 employees and that fact alone dictates more office space for needed services. Casino revenues have enabled the Nation to meet this need and the following summary describes what has been done to date.

Accomplishments
Government Center. A new tribal government building was completed in 1999 at a cost of more than $1.5 million; this project was paid for solely with revenues from the Nation's casino. The new building is located next to the old bingo hall just west of Mayetta and houses the tribal government offices. This includes: conference room and offices for the tribal council gaming commission, election, enrollment, per-capita departments, the tribal attorney and conference and training rooms for staff use. The building has a total of 36,600 square feet of floor space. The upper level contains 15,300 square feet of office space. The lower level houses several more tribal programs, essentially centralizing tribal services and providing an added convenience for all tribal members. There are more than 80 employees in the new government center.

Childcare Center. In recent years, the Nation built a new childhood education center with Housing and Urban Development grant money. An addition costing $500,000, paid for with gaming revenues, was completed in mid-2001 and is designed to address rapid growth. This new building provides a beautiful place for staff, children and families. Financial supplements from the gaming operation promote continued quality programming and staff retention. Childcare, Early Head Start and Early Intervention are among the comprehensive services provided through the Nation's early childhood programs.

Tribal Police Station. The Nation has completed construction of a tribal police department building. Prior to the development of a tribal police force, emergency situations and criminal actions were responded to by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department. Jackson County, in 1996, had seven full-time officers to police the 658 square miles within the County. Compared to other nearby counties, this force was inadequate to handle the crime rate in Jackson County. In 1996, the Nation received a grant from the Justice Department and BIA for the development of a tribal police department.

Since then, the Nation has developed its own department and the resulting 24-hour police presence deters crime. The Law Enforcement Program is responsible for enforcement of tribal codes, ordinances and regulations, and protecting the peace, health, safety and property of reservation residents. In order to ensure quality personnel, the department has set strict hiring, training, evaluation and qualification standards for the officers to meet. Upon hire, each officer must be certified as a police officer by the State of Kansas by completing an accredited police officer training academy. Upon certification, each commissioned tribal police officer must log a minimum of 40 hours of training each year. Each officer must requalify with his pistol and shotgun every six months and requalify with the baton, defensive tactics, handcuffing procedures and public relations skills on an annual basis.

The department has an officer and a dispatcher on-duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer questions, offer assistance and uphold the laws established by the Tribal Council for the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Reservation. The goal remains to have cross-deputization of tribal and county police officers for the protection of all.

Fire Station. The Nation has built a new fire station -- a $1.1 million project completed in late fall 2000. This facility allows the PBP Community Fire Department to house all of their emergency vehicles inside a heated station. The new station houses a new fire engine, a recently acquired tanker, a new rescue truck, three brush trucks and the Nation's two ambulances. In addition to office and administrative areas, the main level also has sleeping and eating areas for a shift crew of eight personnel, which includes four firefighters, two paramedics and two EMT/firefighters -- all on duty 24 hours a day. The basement of the new station serves as a staff-training classroom.

Elder Center. The new Elder Center is now complete at a cost of $1.5 million dollars and has over 11,000 square feet in the main level and 7,500 in the lower level. The new facility houses the Senior Meal site with a seating capacity in the main dining room for 96 people and a separate dining room for another 16. The kitchen is furnished with the latest appliances and equipment, including a walk-in cooler and freezer. The center has a lounge area with fireplace and large-screen TV, a craft room with sewing machines and work table, and a game room with two billiard tables and another large-screen TV. The facility is also equipped with an elevator, a medical room, lockers and showers. This is a state-of-the-art building, which all tribal members can be proud of now and for years to come.

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Park Development

People's Park Renovation
In a recent independent 2001-02 survey of tribal members (104 reservation residents and 1,454 off-reservation residents) by Jones Seel Huyett of Topeka, Kansas, a need for reservation camping facilities was identified. One survey question worth noting asked:

Please mark the recreation services you would like the Tribal Government to provide AND circle the service you are most interested in:

Recreation Chart

Note: Not all respondants answered all questions.

As a result of the data, the governing body proceeded to renovate Prairie People's Park, with new construction and a general face-lift. The majority of the funds came as a result of the new five-year management agreement with Harrah's Kansas Corporation. As part of the final negotiated casino management agreement, Harrah's agreed to pay $500,000 "for the refurbishment of the Prairie People's Park and to fund the Nation's cost of hosting the Gathering of Nations at the Park in 2002."

Renovation Progress - view current slide show
The current renovation of the People's Park includes a new arbor, fence, eight shelter-houses with picnic tables, improved signage and lighting, a sidewalk along the arbor, additional parking, and an expanded campground. All of these improvements are long-term investments for the Nation.

The goal is to make People's Park a place for tribal members to have picnics, meetings, family reunions along with pow-wows and, of course, host the Gathering. In keeping with this goal, there will be no locked gates, thus making the park accessible to all tribal members year-round.

There will also be new lighting along the road through the park. The roadway can also be used as a walking path for health-conscious tribal members. The park already has a playground for the children of the nearby "Cluster One" living community and anyone else from the reservation who wishes to utilize the play area. During the last pow-wow this area was heavily utilized.

Vern Wabaunsee and his maintenance crew, along with Tim Ramirez's heavy equipment crew, have put in numerous hours on the grounds. Both crews are hard-working and dedicated. This was an enormous project -- attainable only through commitment. These tribal workers shared a belief in planning, preparation and follow-through. Progress was furthered due to a mild winter in 2001-02.

The campground is due east of the new arbor, where the pow-wow will take place each year. There are several picnic tables and benches scattered throughout the area. Large shade trees and a number of smaller trees were planted, making it a colorful backdrop to future events. In fact, an annual landscape budget is to be planned for the park and all tribal buildings. It is advisable to start with a detailed plan, analyze a site and learn what conditions are necessary for specific plant growth.

The fence in the front of the park is complete. This was contracted out to a local master bricklayer, David Abeyta. He did a superb job -- stop by and judge for yourself.

The shelterhouses, each a 40' x 40' structure, were utilized during the Gathering for the workshops and presentations, and will be used as picnic areas for family reunions in the future. One shelterhouse -- located near the front gate and used as a feeding area and meeting place at the Gathering -- has brickwork similar to the fence and serves as the showcase of the shelterhouses.

All in all, the work done today will serve the Potawatomi indefinitely. It made a welcoming environment for the 5,000 visitors at the 2002 Gathering.

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Future Projects Status Update
Local Potawatomi and Youth Program workers developed plans for a Boys and Girls Club. The youth have patiently waited for a program such as this and for their own building. Groundbreaking for the new facility took place in the late summer of 2002, with completion planned for fall of 2003. The Boys and Girls Club will offer constructive alternatives to society's ills.

A museum has been discussed in the past, but requires more study. A museum can provide several economic benefits to the Nation, including:

• A number of jobs which can be partially funded by admission receipts
• Helping instill in present-day tribal members the desire and means to discover the values and traditions of their ancestors
• Allowing these values to be continued into the future

Successful economic development will require tribal members work together as a group as they did in the past.

Replacing the concept of individualism with the traditional concept of working together will create a foundation upon which the economic development process will be more likely to succeed. In addition, many historians have offered to donate their research material to a Potawatomi museum.

A Senior Citizen nursing home/assisted living center is in the planning stages for future development. A feasibility study will be conducted to provide planners with the scope and practicality of such a reservation project. One study finding is a manpower issue. Staffing is required 24/7 and if this isn't done then the Nation will do a disservice to its elderly population. Concentrating housing and emergency services near the senior citizen site and allowing the elderly to live on their own, is the current solution. Pursuing a home health care program along with current CHR services is another possibility.

Conducting feasibility studies may initially slow down potential growth, but it's necessary to ensure future project success. By addressing basic infrastructure needs, the Potawatomi hope to attract future economic projects.

Regional Commercial Prospects. A central focus of the strategy to achieve tribal self-sufficiency is to develop businesses on the reservation providing an alternative to tribal members -- allowing them to purchase their consumption needs on the reservation. This import substitution philosophy allows the greatest possible "multiplier effect" and provides additional sources of tribal income. An outlet mall might be a good mechanism to help reach this objective.

Presently, an average of 11,975 vehicles pass through the US 75/County Road 150 intersection each day. By 2026, the projected daily traffic flow will be 24,650 vehicles. We need to look long range at an outlet mall -- many have been successful for a few years after opening, only to be closed later. We need to conduct a feasibility study to determine type and scope of project.

This type of venture would provide clothing, appliances and other consumption needs of tribal members, while attracting customers from nearby communities to spend money on the reservation. This increased employment and tribal income will contribute to tribal self-sufficiency.

Local commercial needs include a grocery store, laundromat, drug store, medical establishments and personal care businesses. These businesses will be subsidized by the Nation to help provide a better standard for its people.

One early economic venture undertaken was a convenience store/gas station. The "PBP Nation Station" opened its doors on September 30, 1999 and is part of the economic infrastructure of the Nation. The Nation Station is located adjacent to the casino. Its customer-base is comprised of visitors to the Nation's gaming operations, non-resident reservation workers and residents of the reservation. It is a modern 8,400 square foot convenience store, constructed at a cost of $1.4 million. The store is more than three times larger than the average convenience store (2,500 square ft) and does a higher volume of business. The store also provides important services to residents of the reservation and reservation workers. Many of its fuel customers are people who work or live on the reservation, other than at the casino, and supplies fuel to the Nation's government vehicles. The product mix is typical of a neighborhood convenience store: 70% fuel, 20% cigarettes and 10% food, snacks and other merchandise.

Future projects
Aside from a strip mall, a golf course, although voted down in a past General Council meeting, has the potential to make our area a premier golf-destination and serve as a strong aspect of economic growth.

Road Improvements

The Nation will continue to make investments on reservation roadways to support economic growth, job creation and enhance the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. An old, inefficient transportation system becomes a significant negative factor in attempts to develop the community and provide services to its residents. A five-year road improvement plan reflects a Potawatomi government commitment to protect and enhance the standard of living on the Potawatomi reservation. This plan seeks to change the existing system, from a drag on the potential of the Potawatomi Nation, into an asset to the Nation's growth. An effective transportation network is an important factor in creating long-term job opportunities for the Potawatomi community.

Background
In 1986, Martell & Associates prepared a Transportation Plan for the Potawatomi reservation. In compiling the plan, Martell conducted an extensive evaluation of the existing road conditions, traffic volumes and improvement needs. The plan generally shows the road conditions to be poor and the improvement requirements to be substantial. The study identified several areas of concern:

• Most of the intensive land-use areas within the reservation have access problems
• Main access routes, one providing a north-south access and the other providing an east-west access, have several road condition problems
• Roadway maintenance agreements between different governing agencies are not well-defined
• Low usage of traffic control devices within the reservation
• No existing system of arterial streets on the reservation
• All roads are presently gravel roads in fair-to-poor condition

Accomplishments
Pavement of Road 158 in 1998 was a cooperative project of Jackson County, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Housing and Urban Development grants and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. The $2.8 million road improvement project included grading and surfacing of nine miles of roadway -- from highway 75 to "K" road and south on "K" -- that was completed in three phases.

Current Projects
In 2001, the Nation completed $2 million worth of improvements to seven additional miles of roadway, that connect to Road 158, (under contract to Hamm's Construction of Perry, Kansas). This included not only road resurfacing, but road reconstruction to achieve a higher degree of safety and improved drainage.

No work was completed in 2002 due to right-of-way issues with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Future roadwork is scheduled for 2003 and will commence after right-of-way problems are addressed. This five-year Road Improvement Plan will blacktop, or chip and seal, a total of 35 miles of roadway, bringing the total to 44 total miles of improved road.

In addition, the Road and Bridge Department maintains 118 miles of roads on the Potawatomi Reservation. The department has 33 employees, 32 of whom are members of the PBP Nation. Many successful improvement projects, including upgrades of major roads to all-weather status, have been completed by the department in the last several years. Seven Nation-funded bridges have been built in the last six years, to replace deficient and unsafe structures that did not meet BIA Federal Funding Guidelines. The projects were made possible through gaming revenues.

Road projects like these will promote tourism, create jobs and improve the Potawatomi business environment and quality of life.

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