Leaders channel optimism during 2021 State of the Community

Jun. 12—Area civic and political leaders reflected on the past year and shared their visions for the future during the virtual State of the Community event Friday.

Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman Jim Berry began the event by welcoming those watching, and said the State of the Community address calls to mind the unprecedented events of 2020.

"It reflects on our commitment as a community to further safety, financial responsibility, equality, inclusion, and response to the challenges of a new day," Berry said.

TACC CEO-President Nathan Reed described Tahlequah as a diverse and cultured community.

"Each organization speaking to you today plays a valuable role in the improvement and advancement of this strong community. The last year has proved the importance of each organization by implementing the betterment and vital support of Tahlequah, its businesses, and its residence," said Reed.

United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indian Chief Joe Bunch was the first featured speaker. He said everyone had to accept a "new norm" over the past year, and learn a new way of doing business.

"A new way of business for us, in terms of what we had to do — certainly the masks, no more hand shakes, no more face-to-face meetings, limiting travel and limiting our travel within the area," said Bunch.

UKB Human Services received $1.5 million through the Treasury Department for assistance with prevention of eviction during the pandemic. Funding can be used for rental arrangements, rental assistance, utility assistance, and utility arrangements. Bunch said funding is income-based and may be used by any tribal member, regardless of service jurisdiction.

The UKB Housing Department is growing, as it built elder cottages in 2019, and broke ground on the Coosa Watte Housing Edition in 2020. Additionally, two community gardens were developed in the Flint and Tahlequah districts.

District 3 Cherokee County Commissioner Clif Hall introduced the trash awareness program as part of the countywide hotel/motel tax.

"It's a 4 percent tax that's going to start coming in to the county. Three percent of that is going to Tour Tahlequah, who the county named as its agent for advertising and promoting all of Cherokee County," said Hall.

The county will get 1 percent of the 4 percent, and Hall said they're going to funnel most of that into the beautification of county roadways. The state will collect those funds in July, and the county should see that sometime in September.

Construction on the north side of the courthouse is slated to begin sometime in August. The $962,000 project will give the entrance a much-needed update and make it compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Tahlequah Mayor Sue Catron said they've worked on financial stabilization for the past two years.

"If you remember a couple of years ago, we were budgeting for about $2.5 million in the hole, more than what we were bringing in," said Catron. "I'm proud to announce that we are going to be presenting a balanced budget for the coming year, and it has additional funds in it even for some neglected projects and safety needs."

Catron shared which plans and projects are underway, or will be in the near future: updates to city parks, trail enhancement and development, downtown enhancements, art expansion, street and sidewalk, safety initiatives, ecology initiatives, and economic development.

"This past year was a tough one for Tahlequah. The pandemic created fear, isolation, economic hardship, and loss. It also created an environment where our residents stepped up to keep an eye on their neighbors, to volunteer to sell masks, and to make sandwiches for the homeless, to go out of their way to support local businesses and encourage our heath and emergency workers," said Catron.

Northeastern State University President Steve Turner said they finished a five-year campaign with a goal of $20,925,000. NSU was able to raise over $27 million, with $4 million gifted from Cherokee Nation. Renovations for several historic buildings on campus are underway: Seminary Hall, Wilson Hall, and Jack Dobbins Field House.

"A major project that we've had is the Veterans Monument. The monument itself [of] the six larger-than-life bronze figures — that's about $450,000, and then you add the plaza [and] it's about $610,000 total. We're so thankful to all of the donors that stepped up," said Turner.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said the community spirit throughout the pandemic has put the tribe in a position of strength.

"We entered the pandemic together, we're getting through the pandemic together, we'll move beyond this pandemic together," said Hoskin. "For our part, we took a leadership role in response to COVID-19."

CN received over $1.8 billion under the American Recovery Plan Act, and Hoskin said they're excited about the possibilities in store for Tahlequah and the entire 14-county reservation.

"We can make investments that will make positive generational impact. We'll start with dedicating 43 percent of those ARPA funds directly to Cherokee citizens in the form of $2,000 payments," said Hoskin.

Hoskin explained how CN introduced innovations to the region by bringing Wi-Fi to those in need, creating mask manufacturing, and opening a meat processing plant in the Tahlequah area.

"From vaccines for everyone to infrastructure that we all benefit from, Cherokee Nation's response to COVID-19 has been comprehensive and effective both in terms of our health and the health of our economy," said Hoskin.