December Tribal Council Meeting Held

By Janice Billie

BIG CYPRESS — On Dec. 15 the Seminole Tribal Council held the monthly meeting at the Herman Osceola Gymnasium.

Several presentations were made to the Council before the official business of the Council began.

Hendry County Commissioner and longtime friend of the Seminole Tribe Bill Maddox addressed the Council first. He presented the Council with a plaque in appreciation for the Tribe’s support and dedication for the Swamp Cabbage Festival. He also presented a plaque to Board of Directors President Moses Osceola in recognition of the Board’s contributions of support for the festival.

Maddox gave a personal thanks to Board Representative Paul Bowers. He recalled how Bowers helped him paint signs in the cold and rain in preparation for the event.

The next presentation was to an employee of the Hard Rock Hotel. Emergency Services Director Armando Negrin honored Jean-Marc Claccemus with the Billy Cypress Service Award. Claccemus is a medical response technician. He saved a patron from choking using the Heimlich maneuver at the Hollywood Hard Rock’s Blue Plate restaurant on Oct. 15.

After the presentations the regular session began with Executive Administrator Ken Fields reading the consent agenda. The consent agenda consists of “items of a routine and administrative nature and have been previously discussed by the Tribal Council.”

Among the resolutions that were discussed and passed at this meeting were approval of agreement with Seminole Design Build, Inc., purchase agreement and service contract for currency counter equipment for the Tampa Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and authorization for formation of a Tribal court committee.

The next Council Meeting is scheduled for Jan. 13 on the Hollywood reservation.