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CSKT Lands Dept. receives award for Agricultural Business of the Year

By Lailani Upham

As Tribal Lands Weed Specialist Dan Jackson stood to accept the award on behalf of the Tribes, the Polson Chamber of Commerce played the Oscar's theme much to his surprise. (courtesy photo)

POLSON — CSKT Tribal Lands Department received the “Agricultural Business of the Year” award for the first time, Saturday evening at the Annual Polson Chamber of Commerce Banquet meeting.

Over 200 people were in attendance at the awards ceremony at the KwaTaqNuk Resort last weekend. “It was really nice and everybody always has a lot of fun,” said La Nita Barahona, Polson Chamber of Commerce Chairperson.

CSKT Weed Specialist, Daniel Jackson, and his wife attended the banquet to receive the award on behalf of the Tribal Lands Department. Crystal Reese, CSKT tribal information technology specialist who also attended the banquet as a Polson Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, stated it was a joyful surprise that the Tribes received the award. “(The Tribes) were nominated in the past and this is the first time they received it,” Reese said.

Six awards were given out from the Chamber of Commerce. Nominees and winners were determined through a vote by the 241 Commerce members.

The Tribes lease out approximately 500 leases for agricultural use, according to Brad Trosper CSKT Tribal Lands Program Manager.

The CSKT Tribal Lands Department assists Tribal members and other trust land owners and Indian land users, including the Tribal government, with a number of efforts with land transactions and issues, such as land ownership research, purchases and exchanges, appraisals, land use planning and subdivision, road and utility easements, wills and estate planning, probates, leasing and permitting, agricultural planning and development, noxious weed management, and transfers of land from fee to trust, or trust to fee status.

The Lands Department employs approximately 35 specialists in real estate and land management.

The Tribal Realty Office began in the mid-1960s, with two employees located in Ronan that included the Bureau of Indian Affairs Realty staff. The Tribal Natural Resources Department was established in 1982, and Tribal Realty became a part of it.

In the mid-80s, the Tribal Realty Program had evolved to include a draftsman, permit agent, special projects/land development coordinator, planning coordinator, program manager and a secretary.

In 1990, the Tribes contracted management of the Flathead Agency Land Operations Branch from the BIA, and began to operate agricultural and real estate programs, as the Division of Lands within the Tribal Natural Resources Department.

In 2002, the Tribal Council created a new department for Tribal Lands, that included four main programs: Permitting and Leasing, Land Planning, Land Services (Acquisition, Exchanges, Easements), and the first Tribally-managed land Titles and Records office in the nation.

The following Polson Chamber of Commerce Awards for 2009 went to: Citizen of the Year, Dennis Anderson with Anderson Broadcasting; Business Person/Enterprise of the Year went to Polson Motorcoach & RV; Volunteer/Ambassador of the Year to La Nita Barahona with Mountain West Bank; Non-Profit of the Year to Mission Valley Elks Lodge #1695; Leadership Award to Jackie Cripe with Jackie M's Footwear; Teacher of the Year to Pat Danley of Polson School District #23; Support Staff Person of the Year to Millie Nesladek.
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