ARCHIVE
- GRAND
OPENING OF SECOND 477 PROGRAM FIELD OFFICE
GRAND OPENING
OF SECOND 477 PROGRAM FIELD OFFICE
PRESS RELEASE POC: CRST Public
Relations
7/31/06 D. Alice LaClaire (605)964-8308
Harold C. Frazier, Chairman of the Cheyenne River
Sioux Tribe is pleased to announce the Grand Opening
of the second Tribal field office on the reservation.
The doors open to continue the progress of decentralizing
Tribal government services for the Cheyenne River Sioux
Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Decentralizing has
been a priority for Chairman Frazier in response to fulfilling
the mandates of the people’s platform. Chairman
Harold C. Frazier and Mike Rousseau, District 6 Tribal
Council Representative were present for the grand opening
of the new field office for the LaPlante community on
Tuesday, July 25, 2006.
The passage of Public Law 102-477 by the US Congress
made it possible for the CRST to design a more efficient,
comprehensive Program, known as the 477 Plan. P.L. 102-477
allows Tribes to consolidate programs that are currently
funded into a single coordinated and comprehensive program.
For over 25 years the Tribe has managed an employment
training program funded through a grant from the Department
of Labor, but this program has grown stagnant due to
decreasing funding levels and increased numbers of eligible
participants.
After many working sessions, the “477 Plan” as
it has been called, emerged as a re-designed tribal employment
and training program entitled the new Oyate Connections
Program. Oyate Connections will be provide the following
services at the LaPlante field office – work experience,
on-the-job training, youth employment and support services
to improve and strengthen the economic and social development
within the communities.
This effort is part of the Tribe’s overall poverty
reduction work and an investment in workforce development
reservation-wide. The field offices will bring tribal
services to the communities and reduce the number of
miles people have to travel to seek tribal services in
Eagle Butte. It will also serve as work sites for TANF
and TWEP participants.
The new office in LaPlante is ready for business and
welcomes all community members from LaPlante and surrounding
communities to utilize their office to conduct their
business with the tribe. “We have two more field
offices that will be opening its doors in the communities
of Cherry Creek and White Horse in the very near future.
The staff of Oyate Connections Program are working hard
in making the field offices a reality for the communities,” said
Chairman Harold C. Frazier.
Barry Mann, Acting Director for the Oyate
Connections Program introduced Jean Roberts, Field Supervisor
for the LaPlante field office and announced that the
office will be in operation Monday to Friday from 8:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone, fax lines and internet will
be installed sometime this week.
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