[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6618876,"mediaKeyId","2940155-2eb2ac5335166333e59c879e2db16063","parentId",2940155,"title","Career services, workforce programs and tax-assistance activity highlighted at Cherokee Nation meeting","audioSeconds",353,"startMs",997000,"endMs",1350000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2940155-2eb2ac5335166333e59c879e2db16063&start=997&end=1350","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2940155-2eb2ac5335166333e59c879e2db16063/thumbnail_997000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6618876/Oklahoma/Career-services-workforce-programs-and-tax-assistance-activity-highlighted-at-Cherokee-Nation-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6618876-0956f07f0270122fb3c95c2f49707352/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931815&Signature=XYQH9rGQumpDW4~dBtpic3tGqe4ejejPgYfrGEdYp~F5uTKd~hnuWYNNeWx7ejglLLm~8cSkGqBOSDMYtBFpYdNB4m2NQGug4XgWrsRQdTccNho~o0V8bSbFcQRrncuHrn8EXeGwGquDCgMfDgPI~zpzBbofnAbxPXM~TtqKeXmlRbAI~1snboKGf4s8yZ7KvxkjwMJqMxzgROQTKF03L5Nzg64vB-c-BVYAYHnDx3dupoc~Ks1mogDktTz60D6eBcqn6a43CAnMEBZPsgmlF5VPAvRitFLAPzdYcYzGRYrZmqcNBosIZD6-~eE8Y~~B0avGgf4poZBT7hRCD9mz-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cherokee Nation","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","Career Services and Commerce Department staff updated the Cherokee Nation Executive and Finance Committee on Feb. 27 about workforce and community programs, including a March start for summer youth employment applications, technical-training graduations and increased tax‑return assistance during tax season.

Diane Kelly of Career Services described several local workforce items, saying \"George Roach is getting ready to start the summer youth employment program during the month of March, and his staff, along with all the other counselors, will be taking applications.\" She also reported the Ever Rise Building work (for Taro and an adult learning center) remains in progress and is not yet ready to open, and noted that fiber‑tech, building‑trades and business‑tech trainings will have graduations at the new training center.

Kelly also summarized recent outreach and events, including a veterans‑center opening in Sallisaw and regional coordination that she described as important for local partners. In response to a committee request, she said staff would provide a flyer that can be disseminated to council offices for outreach.

Anna Knight of the Commerce Department told the committee the department is in the middle of tax season and expects to prepare close to 3,000 tax returns this year, an increase from the usual volume of about 2,000. Knight said local walk‑in service remains available in Tahlequah on Wednesdays and Thursdays and that, at present, the department does not have capacity to add more days.

The committee had no substantive questions beyond requests to circulate materials and encouragement for members to attend upcoming community events. Several members praised local facilities and events during announcements.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Executive & Finance Committee Meeting - 02/27/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the Feb. 27 Executive and Finance Committee meeting, Career Services reported on upcoming summer youth employment, training graduations and facility work, and the Commerce Department said tax‑season activity is up and expected to reach roughly 3,000 returns this year.","taxTitle","Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma","taxId",76341,"location","Oklahoma","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6618878,"Cherokee Nation CEO reports gaming softness, federal contracting slowdown and diversification strategy",757,212000,969000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2940155-2eb2ac5335166333e59c879e2db16063&start=212&end=969","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2940155-2eb2ac5335166333e59c879e2db16063/thumbnail_212000.jpg","/articles/6618878/Oklahoma/Cherokee-Nation-CEO-reports-gaming-softness-federal-contracting-slowdown-and-diversification-strategy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6618878-aad73b334d3d834344144d8e3c00885f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931815&Signature=nxwkzFujN24i8pO8yg2-2pAg6LLGoRk95a8znjTuh~pTZp2tfduFVYUOnQg1jzXHzmrWCCKQOfgbBCMTwInWOcwxXe65YLbl2W4pmvu-cpFcCBy1bayAExArYjkC5VgNpCEoMjP7BDzy8-yXscDgAFN9qJdeV39VckxdUumDDUlCNQ9mOGFutXgcRvBRP0vgxRvDidTqusTndgWiD7I3pBvB3gTjXQoAx7lOxmBzpVrWOPNj7VT7oeXzCqyFjNMfr3T-5udmZldnGpIeZWKrETBPxrR7OC~QQdSdqcCRn3n1MtoLrIjCIUnMgvNgsuOqnz1WkHiwIA~TWjUEvt-k8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","CEO Chuck Garrett reported to the Cherokee Nation Executive and Finance Committee on Feb. 27, 2025, that the tribe’s gaming operations are experiencing a period of softer demand while federal contracting activity is delayed by disruptions inside customer agencies.

\"We're seeing it's softening right now, across our portfolio,\" Garrett said of the gaming business, adding that seasonality and tax-refund timing influence customer visits. He told the committee he met with Aristocrat, a global gaming‑equipment manufacturer, to discuss industry trends and that publicly traded operators are reporting declines of roughly 5 percent in recent results.

On federal contracting, Garrett said agencies that are the Nation’s customers are \"largely disrupted\" and that choices by contracting officers and shifting federal priorities have slowed the steady flow of new awards. He said the organization has received very few stop-work orders but has not yet seen the usual pipeline of contract awards for the time of year.

Garrett also noted legal developments affecting the Nation’s business footprint: \"I was in Little Rock yesterday, meeting with our lobbying team, legislators, our legal team, preparing for the end of the month, we'll have a bench trial at the Eastern District Of Arkansas. A 3 day bench trial that I think will, we're very prepared for.\" The transcript records his description of the pending bench trial but does not include further legal filings or dates beyond \"end of the month.\"

Addressing strategy, Garrett said the Nation’s diversification across gaming and federal contracting dampens risk and that leadership has spent three years identifying industries for expansion, mostly via acquisition because it is faster than building new capability.

Garrett provided workforce figures for Cherokee Nation businesses: \"A few days ago, 9,560 jobs, at C and B, just slightly over 61% of those jobs where we can legally exert, preference. 61% of those are Cherokee jobs. Another 6% or a total of 67 and a half percent are native jobs.\" The transcript presents those percentages as the CEO's summary of workforce composition.

Garrett closed by telling the committee leadership will \"keep an eye on\" revenue headwinds and recommended continued prudence in expense management.

","CEO Chuck Garrett told the Executive and Finance Committee on Feb. 27 that gaming revenue is softening across the portfolio, federal contracting awards are timing‑constrained by agency disruptions, and the Nation is pursuing diversification and targeted acquisitions; he also reported workforce composition figures.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6618879,"Cherokee Nation committee approves surplus donations and emergency budget amendments",222,1401000,1623000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2940155-2eb2ac5335166333e59c879e2db16063&start=1401&end=1623","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2940155-2eb2ac5335166333e59c879e2db16063/thumbnail_1401000.jpg","/articles/6618879/Oklahoma/Cherokee-Nation-committee-approves-surplus-donations-and-emergency-budget-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6618879-5b03ca140e9d94cc2aaf094d91f6b15d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931815&Signature=gCdkPDQQzq4qfh8ywGviyN2yVGXVOI7OlgmOHXbKQfnYKRf9CaQsKZJr6uloNqmgWlP7r8iQzSgOmCtpdZtWuC8UDy-h4TxE4-4Jz6LRT39BAaBcgeknYKYyPZMWkX46vez403~34qQI7R1ixJI6CptWz8PNcimeu8AsL9cSS2Am2xQXAUJ~pRcK8LZgKhhUAc2e~nR9HasMfI0cqelQLnHIkNJjgiqsvIEOfTUwY39bViJYB3iIfruF9Z10ycbZ-UUWzsCoLmp-97UNlMloZvjjxz~EcGsMa1bFtpJgMI00pCMpF2pVsuR-~BkqySJeCOxvOMS96drnGnivBNGpZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cherokee Nation Executive and Finance Committee voted on Feb. 27, 2025, to approve two surplus-donation resolutions and to adopt amendments to the tribe’s FY2025 operating and capital budgets, each declared an emergency by the motions on the floor.

The committee first amended the agenda to add a comprehensive capital budget item (FY2025 Mod 3) before taking up four items that passed by voice vote. The committee approved a resolution authorizing the Cherokee Nation warehouse to donate surplus items to Marietta Public School and a separate resolution authorizing the donation of a vehicle to Will Rogers Downs. Both donations were introduced on the floor as resolutions and passed after voice votes of “Aye” with no recorded opposition.

The committee also approved Legislative Act 34-24 (as described on the desk) amending the comprehensive operating budget for fiscal year 2025 (Mod 6A) and separately approved an act amending the comprehensive capital budget for fiscal year 2025 (Mod 3). Each budget motion was introduced as an amendment to an existing legislative act and declared an emergency before approval by voice vote.

All votes reported in the meeting transcript were recorded as voice votes with no opposition called; no roll-call tallies or named no/abstain votes were recorded in the transcript.

Votes at a glance
- Resolution: authorize Cherokee Nation warehouse to donate surplus items to Marietta Public School. Mover: Cody Poindexter (motion introduced on the floor). Outcome: approved (voice vote). Discussion: none recorded.
- Resolution: authorize Cherokee Nation warehouse to donate a vehicle to Will Rogers Downs. Mover: Councilman Kevin Easley (motion introduced on the floor). Outcome: approved (voice vote). Discussion: none recorded.
- Legislative act amendment: amend Legislative Act 34-24 authorizing the comprehensive operating budget for FY2025, Mod 6A; motion declared an emergency and approved. Mover: Johnny Kidwell (took item on the desk and moved approval). Outcome: approved (voice vote). Discussion: one brief acknowledgment from a member; no substantive debate recorded.
- Legislative act amendment: amend Legislative Act number 30324 (as read on the desk) authorizing the comprehensive capital budget for FY2025, Mod 3; motion declared an emergency and approved. Mover: Cody Poindexter (motion introduced on the floor). Outcome: approved (voice vote). Discussion: none recorded.

Recording and next steps
The consent and budget items were adopted as emergency amendments per motions taken during the meeting; the transcript does not show subsequent recorded implementation steps or specific departmental assignments tied to the approvals. The chair announced the next tentative meeting for March 27 at 3 p.m.

","At its Feb. 27, 2025 Executive and Finance Committee meeting, members approved four consent and new-business items including two surplus-donation resolutions and amendments to the FY2025 operating and capital budgets designated as emergency measures.","actionData","errors"]

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Career services, workforce programs and tax-assistance activity highlighted at Cherokee Nation meeting

Cherokee Nation CEO reports gaming softness, federal contracting slowdown and diversification strategy

Cherokee Nation committee approves surplus donations and emergency budget amendments