EWS ka-no-he-da4 cherokee one feather THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010Done Deal!67-Year Stalemate endson North Shore RoadBRYSON CITY – The federal governmenthas agreed to make a payment <strong>of</strong> $52million to Swain County to settle thedecades-long dispute over the North ShoreRoad. The federal government’s <strong>of</strong>fer fullymeets the amount requested by SwainCounty leaders and suggested in the Department<strong>of</strong> Interior’s Draft EnvironmentalImpact Statement for the North ShoreRoad.“This settlement will bring muchneededresources to Swain County fordecades to come,” Congressman HeathShuler (D-NC) said. “The interest onthese funds alone will greatly increaseSwain’s annual budget and will help thecommissioners in their efforts to createjobs, invest in Swain County schools, andimprove the county’s infrastructure.”“It has been evident for years thatthe North Shore Road would never be constructed,”Rep. Shuler continued. “Thissettlement, once finalized, will allow allthe citizens <strong>of</strong> Swain County, regardless <strong>of</strong>their position on the road’s construction,to join together for Swain County’s future.”Of the $52 million total settlement,$4 million has already been authorizedfor transfer to Swain County, with anadditional $8.8 million to be transferredafter the signing <strong>of</strong> the agreement. ThePresident's 2011 budget outlines the first<strong>of</strong> ten annual disbursements to SwainCounty that will pay the remainder <strong>of</strong> thesettlement, $39.2 million. The agreementalso stipulates that money provided toSwain County will be deposited in a speciallyprotected trust account with theNorth Carolina State Treasurer, who willdisperse annual interest payments to theCounty.The Swain County Board <strong>of</strong>Commissioners will hold a vote on Friday,Feb. 5 on whether to accept the settlement<strong>of</strong>fer. As acceptance is likely, a signingceremony is being planned for the TownSquare in Bryson City at 11:30am on Saturday,Feb. 6 to <strong>of</strong>ficially finalize theagreement. The backup location in case <strong>of</strong>bad weather is the Fine Arts Center atSwain County High School, 1415 FontanaRoad. U.S. Secretary <strong>of</strong> the Interior KenBACKGROUND: As this agreementwould exnguish a previous agreementsigned in 1943 that required the Department<strong>of</strong> the Interior to build theNorth Shore Road, all signatories to the1943 agreement would need to sign thenew agreement. In addion to SwainCounty, the three other pares to the1943 agreement are the U.S. Department<strong>of</strong> Interior, the State <strong>of</strong> North Carolina,and the Tennessee ValleyAuthority (TVA). The new agreementacknowledges that the State <strong>of</strong> NorthCarolina and TVA have each fulfilledtheir obligaons under the 1943 agreement.Neither party is obligated to addionalacon in the new agreement.As such, they are expected to sign thenew agreement as well.Salazar will be in attendance, as will CongressmanHeath Shuler. Governor BevPerdue and a representative <strong>of</strong> the TennesseeValley Authority have also been invited.“With the help <strong>of</strong> CongressmanShuler, the commitment <strong>of</strong> the Obama Administration,and the hard work <strong>of</strong> manypeople, we are closer than ever to resolvingthe long-standing dispute over theNorth Shore Road in Swain County, NorthCarolina,” said Salazar. “I look forward totraveling to North Carolina this weekendfor what I expect will be a great - and longoverdue - celebration.”Dale Ditmanson, Superintendent<strong>of</strong> the Great Smokey Mountain NationalPark, has stated the Park Service will continueto provide transportation to annualcemetery "decoration days" and tell theirstories through exhibits and programs.“This settlement would not havehappened without Representative Shuler’sleadership,” said Leonard Winchester,Chair <strong>of</strong> Citizens for the Economic Future<strong>of</strong> Swain County. “We greatly appreciatehis hard work to bring this matter to closurein a way that will benefit all the citizens<strong>of</strong> Swain County forever,Thecompletion <strong>of</strong> this agreement will be one<strong>of</strong> the most significant events in the history<strong>of</strong> Swain County and certainly the mostpositive.”Sources: Rep. Shuler’s Office, InteriorDept.2/4One Feather deadlineTuesday at 12noon
Tribal Council AgendaFeb. 4 at 8:30amPROVIDED By TOP OFFICE***Indicates timed item, individual has been notified at this specific time to be presentNEWS ka-no-he-da“For every Dream We Have The Key”651 Smokey Park Highway Candler North Carolina 28715 (828)667-67018:40am – Reports & Announcements***9:00am – Tara McCoy – request for time – <strong>Cherokee</strong> Choices***9:10am – Tabled Res. Nos. 38 & 39 – Nancy Long requests EBCI reclaim statusand power under Constitution <strong>of</strong> EBCI known as Ch. 207 <strong>of</strong> Private Laws <strong>of</strong> NorthCarolina, recognizing the Constitution <strong>of</strong> the EBCI as bylaws <strong>of</strong> municipal corporation(Item #1); Request that all subsidies to private enterprises be stopped immediately(Item #2)***9:20am – Tabled Res. No. 40 – Donald Long requests EBCI cease & desist practice<strong>of</strong> allowing BIA, Division <strong>of</strong> Forestry, control and manage Tribal property bothreal and personal (Item No. 3)9:30am – Tabled Ord. No. 79 – Amendment to Chapter 113 – Hunting & Fishing Ordinance– submitted by Teresa McCoy (Item No. 4)***9:40am – Tabled Res. No. 88 – Last will & testament <strong>of</strong> Charlotte Rosalie SneedWhittemore (d) recognized – (replacement resolution submitted by Legal Dept. – ItemNo. 5-B)**9:50am – Tabled Ord. No. 122 – Travel Ordinance – submitted by Terry TaylorItem No. 6)EXCLUSIVE TO OUR NATIVE AMERICAN NEIGHBORS!FREE32” FLAT SCREEN TV WITH NEW HOME PURCHASEMODULARSDOUBLEWIDESSAME MANAGER 28 YEARSSINGLEWIDES#1 IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOR OVER 40 YEARSDirections; From <strong>Cherokee</strong> take 441 towards Waynesville/ Asheville, to I-40 toward Asheville, exit 44 ENka/ Candler, Turn Right, go approximately1/2 mile on right to “CROSSLAND HOMES” 2/4**10:00am – Tabled Res. No. 129 – Last will & testament <strong>of</strong> Maybelle W. Lepscierd) (Item No. 7)**10:10am – Request for appointment <strong>of</strong> Gary Ledford to establish <strong>of</strong>ficial EBCIonor Guard – submitted by Gary Ledford (Item No. 8)0:20am – Board Member appointments to Museum <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Cherokee</strong> Indians (ItemNo. 9)0:30am – Request for Tribe to donate or lease parcel <strong>of</strong> property to the <strong>Cherokee</strong>entecostal Holiness Church for as long as the property is used as an active churchItem No. 10)0:40am – Ordinances submitted – to be deemed read & tabled for 25 daysSec. 106-50 – Business background checks (Item No. 11)Sec. 49-9 – Loss <strong>of</strong> Membership – Enrollment Ord. Amdt. (Item No. 12)**10:50am – Tabled Res. No. 27 – Peggy Saunooke requests that Kirk Saunookend Matthew Martin be removed as judges in the Tribal Court system (Item No. 13)**11:00am – Tabled Ord. No. 30 – Solomon “Slick” Saunooke desires that Ord. No.3 (03) be rescinded in its entirety (Item No. 14)**11:10am – Mary “Missy” Crowe and Moses L. Walkingstick request that Annettearnawsky, EBCI Attorney General, be relieved <strong>of</strong> duties (Item No. 15)**Banishment Items as NecessaryDon’t Forget Valentine’s AdsDue Feb. 9 at 12noonTHURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010cherokee one feather2/45