Lunch is served. Or will be soon, according to the city of Seldovia and the state of Alaska. That's good news for Seldovia's non-Native senior residents.
On Oct. 15, a lunch program for the city's 60-and-over crowd and provided by the Seldovia Village Tribe with funding awarded by the state of Alaska came to an end with the tribe's refusal to sign a state-required waiver of the tribe's sovereign immunity. Signing it would have made SVT subject to legal recourse as a result of any actions or claims arising from the state-dispersed funds.
Without those dollars, the program only had Title VI federal money that is earmarked specifically for Natives. As a result, SVT reorganized its lunch program for Natives only.
Although other Alaska Native groups, such as Tanana Tribal Council, offer similar meal programs and have signed the form, SVT held firm in its decision not to put its name on the state regulation-required waiver. Don Kashevaroff, SVT's president, also wrote to Gov. Sarah Palin and offered alternatives to the required form.
"While I understand your concerns, it is imperative that I attend first to the health and welfare of a very vulnerable population; and, therefore, I am directing my staff to take the steps necessary to reinstate meal services to the entire community of seniors in Seldovia that are eligible under the Nutrition, Transportation and Support Services grant," Karleen K. Jackson, commissioner of the Department of Health and Social Services, said in response to Kashevaroff's letter. That grant provides services for Natives and non-Natives.
Those steps taken by Jackson include working with the city of Seldovia, who, last week, passed a resolution "accepting from the state of Alaska a grant to provide quality of life services to all eligible senior citizens."
Seldovia city council member Walter McIness said the city has recruited Sandy Murray to get the program organized and coordinate its operation with the state.
"She's a committee of one, working for the city," McIness said of Murray's volunteer efforts. "She's appointed by the city to research and get information and bring it back to the city."
Murray is the lunch program's former coordinator, having worked for several years under SVT.
"I cooked when the cook wasn't there. I hired the cook. I wrote the grant, made sure there were groceries, prepared menus that had to be passed by the state," Murray said of her experience. In 2001, she was relieved of her duties due to budgetary reasons. Now, Murray is helping create the program for the city.
"We're basically at that stage where we're trying to get organized to start serving meals," Murray said. "I would like to get it started by Christmas. Realistically, it probably will be the 7th of January. There are still some things to be worked out."
She said the program calls for lunches to be served Monday, Wednesday and Friday and estimates 17 meals will be served each day.
"We do have a few more steps that need to be lined up before we're up and going, but it's going to happen," Murray said. "It's too bad it took so long, but it wasn't that long ago when we really knew it would be possible for the city to pick it up."
Lisa Morley, senior and disabilities grants coordinator for DHSS, said a letter to SVT has been sent from the state formally terminating the grant agreement with the tribe.
"Currently, we are in direct negotiations with the city of Seldovia," Morley said of the $27,833 grant. "We are working directly with them to get all the paperwork in order."
Like Murray, Morley is anticipating the city-run program will begin offering meals to seniors the first part of January. Joan Gone, a registered dietician with the state, will be in Seldovia Monday, Dec. 17, to ensure the city-run program meets all nutritional requirements.
"It's been too long, that's for sure," Morley said of the delay in serving meals to Seldovia's non-Native senior population.
Tim Navarre, Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor John William's chief of staff, said the borough has made no decision regarding a repeat of the $8,492 it provided for the meals program last year.
"What we want is the best service and opportunity for success of the program in Seldovia," Navarre said. "We want to get the program back going, but have it be a long-time solution. That's what we're after."
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
