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PENOBSCOT NATION
PROCEDURES DURING SHUT-DOWN

Updated 08/10/2020

Penobscot Tribal Council Meeting

When: Aug 10, 2020 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Penobscot Nation Council Meeting August 2020

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88383430194?pwd=amhYTEdxK0NCNUJub2ZSSFk2Qkgrdz09

Passcode: 641136

Or Telephone:

Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

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Webinar ID: 883 8343 0194

Passcode: 641136

Or iPhone one-tap :

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International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/klWG3MFec

PENOBSCOT NATION
Health and Safety Checkpoint Protocol

Document Link

Tribal Clerks Office

Information Regarding the Tribal Primary Election & Registrations

While Tribal Offices are currently closed vehicle registrations can be done by appointment only. Please contact the Tribal Clerk’s office at 817-7351 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please leave your name and number and someone will get back to you.

VOTING:

The Tribal Primary Election will be held Tuesday, August 11, 2020. At this time, both in-person and absentee voting is available for this election. For in-person, voting will take place on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at the Nicholas H. Sapiel Building.

• Polls are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• PPE will be worn by every election worker
• Hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies are available and will be utilized
• Voters will take the pen used while voting
• Social distancing will be monitored with only 2 voters allowed in the polling place at one time
• Voters are required to wear face masks, they will be made available for anyone who does not have one
• Gloves will be made available for voters if they wish to use them
Voters may cast an absentee ballot instead of voting in person. To minimize interaction with others during this public health pandemic (COVID-19), some voters may prefer voting by absentee ballot. While absentee voting is usually done in the Tribal Clerk’s office, since the tribal offices are closed you can set up an appointment to come to the Nicholas Sapiel Building and we will bring your ballot to you in your vehicle. You can also request to have it mailed to you by sending your request by mail or fax to 827-1136 but please be aware a notary statement must accompany your ballot. If you have any questions please feel free to call 817-7351.

ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST

SAMPLE BALLOT

FREE BUSINESS TRAININGFREE BUSINESS TRAINING

Learn Steps to Start or Grow Your Small Business

The SBA Office of Native American Affairs’ (ONAA) technical assistance provider, Sister Sky Inc. (SSI), will begin hosting their Summer and Fall Empowerment Workshops starting at the end of August through December 2020. The Empowerment Workshops are a business training program about entrepreneurship and small business management for Native entrepreneurs and business owners. Participants can choose which class option best fits their schedule, either a full two-day workshop or shorter class days spread out over four weeks. Both options are offered free of charge, in a virtual webinar format, and participants are eligible to earn continuing education credits through Salish Kootenai College. Anyone interested in attending these valuable Empowerment Workshops is encouraged to learn more and register at: https://nativeSBA.sisterskyinc.com/.

Printable PDF

Penobscot Nation Penobscot Nation COVID 19
Reopening Plan Tribal Council

Document Link

Click on depatment to see more info

Penobscot Nation Health Center

Tribal Clerks

Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Education & Career Services Department

Housing Department

Social Services

COURT

Department of Trust Responsibilities

TRIBAL STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION

The Penobscot Tribal Administration has been made aware of several cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the state of Maine.

At this time, we have determined that this outbreak presents a clear hazard to the health and well-being of our people.

We, the Penobscot Nation Chief and Tribal Council, the duly elected representatives of our sovereign nation, do hereby declare a Public Health Emergency in our community.

With this proclamation, we activate all previously established emergency management and infectious disease containment plans. All of the resources at our disposal will be made available to minimize the impact of this threat and to restore the operations of our government to normal function as quickly as possible.

We direct our employees, representatives, and volunteers to exercise the utmost diligence in execution of their duties. We call upon all Tribal Citizens to comply with any necessary emergency measures and to cooperate with Public Health Officials in order to safeguard the health of our people.

Our thoughts and well wishes are with all the sick and we hope for their quick recovery. During this difficult time, we must pull together and strive for the safety and well-being of all.

Kirk E. Francis, Chief (and on behalf of the Tribal Council)

Penobscot Indian Nation

03.16.2020

NOTICE FROM USET Leadership:

“In response to COVID-19, both USET and USET SPF are working diligently to do all we can in support of members, our org partners, and Indian country overall. Additionally, we are taking the necessary USET/USET SPF internal org specific steps and actions. As you have likely seen already, the majority of our information and communication is being centralized via this site:

https://www.usetinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Coronavirus-Disease-LB.pdf

SMS Alert

CHIEF'S MESSAGE updated 7/17/20

kirk

Dear Tribal Citizen,

As always, I hope this letter finds you and your family safe and in good health. I want to thank everyone that participated in the online town hall meeting yesterday, I hope it was helpful.
We are extending the Nation’s community and workplace restrictions until August 10, 2020. We are continually evaluating the situation and making decisions with advice from our medical team and our local, state and federal partners. We will continue to provide updates.
Community and Workplace Restrictions

- Only public health, public safety personnel and other essential workers are allowed in the administrative buildings.
- Community and other large gatherings are prohibited.
- Continue to shelter in place, which means stay in your home as much as possible, do not visit each other’s homes, and stay 6 feet away from others when outside.
- Continue to practice good habits: wash your hands, clean and disinfect surfaces regularly.
- You must wear a mask to be able to enter any tribal facility. **We are now expanding that mandate to include wearing a mask when you are out in public and are likely to interact with other people. There is significant evidence that wearing masks drastically reduces your chance of getting infected and infecting others. If we all do this we can protect each other. If you need a mask, please call the health center at 817-7400.
- We continue to strongly recommend that people limit travel and only go off the Island for essential purposes.
- All visitation by non-community members is prohibited with the exception of essential personnel. We have instituted a checkpoint to enforce these visitation restrictions. Please see the Nation’s Health and Safety Protocol posted on the tribal website that includes the checkpoint policy and the definition of essential personnel. If you have any questions about the Protocol please contact the Police Department at 817-7358.

We understand that these community restrictions, especially the checkpoint, are inconvenient, but the health, safety, and welfare of our community is and must remain our top priority. Thank you for your cooperation. Together we can protect our people, especially the most vulnerable among us.
We are in the process of establishing an economic assistance fund to help people that have been directly impacted by Covid19 related issues. We are working to ensure that the use and expenditure of these assistance funds will be in compliance with the CARES Act regulations. We expect to have more information available on the tribal website within the next week.

I want to thank our dedicated team of staff, partners, and volunteers who work to ensure that the Nation continues to access resources to adequately meet the needs of our community and tribe to lessen the impact of this pandemic. Please note that available health services have been expanded to include orthodontics and podiatry services.

I will close by saying again how much I appreciate your continued patience and understanding with all these efforts to protect our community and our tribe. While it is exhausting, it is more important than ever that we remain diligent in our efforts and continue to adhere to community restrictions. While it may feel like there is no end in sight, this situation will not last forever, and we will get through this, together. We each have the power to follow the rules and protocols that have been established; it is the best thing we can do for ourselves, our family, friends, neighbors, and fellow tribal citizens.

On behalf of the Tribal Chief and Council and Administration, I send you positive thoughts and best wishes during these challenging times.

In Brotherhood,
Kirk E. Francis, Chief

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