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PENOBSCOT NATION
PROCEDURES DURING SHUT-DOWN

Updated 06/30/2020

State of Maine
Notice of Primary and Special Referendum Election and Penobscot County Referendum Election Tuesday, July 14, 2020

More info

Penobscot Nation Penobscot Nation COVID 19
Reopening Plan Tribal Council

Document Link

Registrations -

Rapid renewal is now available for residents of Indian Island, vehicles can now be renewed by using the link below. New vehicles must still be processed in the office.

Rapid Renewal

Residents can use this link to register their boats and ATVs: https://www5.informe.org/online/boat/

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 6/29/20

kirk

Dear Tribal Citizen,

I hope this letter finds you and your family well. I am writing to update you on the Nation’s continued response to the Covid19 pandemic.

Since many of you have asked, I will start by letting you know that the Nation is further extending its community and workplace restrictions until at least July 15, 2020. In addition, while we strongly discourage travel out of state, community members who do so will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon return. I know this cautious approach is frustrating, but no one is able to say for certain when it will be safe to open. The health and safety of our citizens and community must continue to be our top priority. We rely on current medical and scientific advice, meeting regularly with public health officials and USET’s office of epidemiology. We base our decisions on the information that is available, and that changes daily.

What we know about the Covid19 virus now:
• There are outbreaks in many tribal communities in the East that have resulted in hundreds of new cases and close to 80 deaths just in the past month
• The Houlton Band of Maliseets is being impacted by a recent outbreak of cases in Houlton
• The United States has experienced its largest increase of new cases in months, and experts agree it is a result of lifting crowd and business restrictions too soon and not following CDC recommended safety guidelines - mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing
• The State of Maine has more cases now than it did a month ago, many due to community transmission
• There is no proven treatment for this virus or a vaccination.

We must continue to protect our community, especially the most vulnerable among us who are at the highest risk of complications and death due to covid19. Thank you for continuing to follow the safety guidelines, your diligence and tenacity is appreciated by your fellow tribal citizens. Our dedicated team of staff, partners, and volunteers will continue to provide essential services and will keep searching for innovative ways to meet the needs of the community.

Thank you to all who participated last week in the online meeting via Zoom. I am attaching a write up from the Department of Treasury that outlines the rules and provides guidance on the Coronavirus relief fund. We are drafting plans for programs to provide assistance to members impacted by Covid19 and will be presenting these plans to Tribal Council for their review and approval.

On behalf of leadership and staff, please know that you are always in our thoughts and your health and safety is our top priority. Be well.

In Brotherhood,
Kirk E. Francis, Chief

Below are the updated FAQs that Treasury put out regarding eligible expenditures. Page 8 addresses per caps (excerpted below):

Must a State, local, or tribal government require applications to be submitted by businesses or individuals before providing assistance using payments from the Fund?

Governments have discretion to determine how to tailor assistance programs they establish in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. However, such a program should be structured in such a manner as will ensure that such assistance is determined to be necessary in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and otherwise satisfies the requirements of the CARES Act and other applicable law. For example, a per capita payment to residents of a particular jurisdiction without an assessment of individual need would not be an appropriate use of payments from the Fund.

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