Greetings,
I hope this message finds you well.
It’s that time of year when the weather is a toss-up. The téhdo:ö’ (groundhog) may not be an accurate barometer but, I feel that mother nature has a firm handle on our beautiful and ever-changing seasons. The best part is that with each passing day, we are experiencing more and more sunlight!
Building Closures
I would like to take a moment to remind the community of upcoming building closures. As part of our ongoing Active Shooter training, the William Seneca Building will be closed all day on February 27th & the Cattaraugus Community Center will be closed from 8am to 5pm on February 28th. The following week the LRJHC will be closed all-day on March 5th and the CIRHC will be closed all-day on March 7th.
Red House Bridge
There will no longer be any access to and/or across the Red House Bridge. Starting Tuesday, February 20, 2024, Coldspring Construction will be installing concrete barriers at the bridge. They will begin the bridge deck removal starting Friday, February 23, 2024. Coldspring Construction is looking for CDL drivers! If you are interested, please stop by the Seneca Nation Allegany TERO office today!
Opioid Epidemic
On Thursday, February 15, 2024, Seneca Nation Councillors, and officials attended an Opioid roundtable discussion in Gowanda, hosted by NYS Assemblyman Joe Giglio. President Armstrong added “We have to find ways to protect our people against this growing threat, which has placed a target on Native people and Native communities. The pain and loss have to stop, and we need to work together – Native and non-Native – as neighbors and as one united region and community to find a way to stop this wave of personal devastation and the sick and dangerous individuals who are preying on our people for profit.” The NYS Department of Health recently reissued its order allowing pharmacists to dispense Naloxone to anyone who visits a pharmacy and asks for it.
Seneca EMS
At the February 2024 Council session, Seneca Nation Councillors approved the renewal of the Seneca EMS Medical Director contract with Dr. Joseph A. Bart. Dr. Bart is the Director of EMS operations for UB/MD Emergency Medicine and operates as a field physician with the Buffalo Fire Department. The medical director allows our EMT’s, Advanced EMT’s, and Paramedics to perform critical-life-saving interventions under his license. Although Dr. Bart does not perform direct patient care with Seneca EMS, he is directly involved in the training and quality assurance of our EMT’s, Advanced EMT’s, and Paramedics ensuring that the best care is given to every patient.
Broad Street/Iroquois Drive Roundabout
The Broad Street/Iroquois Drive Roundabout project is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds (TTPSF.) The goal of the project is to eliminate accidents and improve safety. To accomplish this, Seneca Nation DOT will build a roundabout on the Allegany Territory within the City of Salamanca, at the intersection of Iroquois Drive, Broad, Messenger, and Hoy Streets. Known locally as Tim Horton’s. The project design is 95% complete and we will begin looking for bids in April 2024. The Seneca Nation Department of Transportation is working with Qk4, Inc Engineering and Planning on parcel impacts.
STS Allegany Salamanca Circulator
The Seneca Transit System (STS) implemented a new service on October 1, 2023. The addition of the circulator bus on the Allegany Territory has seen a steady increase in ridership over the past 4 months. The service is intended to increase accessibility and convenience for more riders in the community. The service operates Monday through Friday from 7:15am to 7pm, as well as Saturdays from 9am to 7:15pm. The route runs from the Sullivan Hollow housing to the Allegany Community Center. We have had very positive feedback, and we hope to continue and possibly expand the route in the future. For more information and schedules, visit: https://sni.org/community-services/seneca-transit/
Our students and educators will return from their mid-winter break soon. I hope all our students, educators, and families are refreshed and ready to tackle the remainder of the academic year.
Think spring, O’nö’has:o’ (wild onions) are soon to appear. Until next time, please check on your neighbors, family, and friends.
Respectfully,
Rickey L. Armstrong, Sr., President
