In this issue:

CIPM Completion P.2Employees of the Month P.2Healthy Living Summit P.3Mayor addresses Sewer P.4 problems in Point Hope

North Slope BoroughPO Box 69Barrow, Alaska 99723

Ma r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 4

BOXHOLDER

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1

Ma r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 4

Dear Friends,Happy Spring! What a blessing

to see and hear the snowbirds again! Spring is a time of renewal and preparations, and I want to extend warm wishes to all of you to enjoy this special time of year.

I am happy to report that the North Slope Borough Assembly approved a balanced budget for fiscal year 2014-15. Although this is good news for my administration and the public, there is a tremendous amount of work ahead of us. During the budget hearings we heard loud and clear that we need to focus more on the needs of our communities. To this end, I held a Mayoral Retreat with my appointees on April 3rd and 4th. The purpose of the retreat was to begin the process of improving what we do to provide services to our residents. Two days of intensive teamwork, dialogue and honest feedback resulted in the consensus

Responding to concerns raised about sewer back-ups, Mayor Charlotte Brower traveled with a contingent of North Slope Borough staff on March 11th to meet with Point Hope residents and evaluate the issues with the village’s water and sewer system. “My administration is committed to ensuring that all of our residents enjoy reliable utility services,” said Mayor Brower during a community meeting and luncheon at the Point Hope Qalgi.

Staff from the Depart-ment of Public Works, accompanied by contrac-tors from Umiaq, updated the community on ongoing efforts to resolve sewer-line freeze up problems and their plans on preventing them in the future. North Slope Borough Risk Assessment

personnel also visited all the homes impacted by sewage back-ups and collected infor-mation for insurance claims.

Mayor Brower also met with the City of Point Hope, Native Village of Point Hope and Tikigaq Corporation to discuss closer cooperation between the Borough and the village tri-lateral groups and ways of increasing employment and housing opportunities for

local residents. “By working together, we can improve the level of services that we offer our constituents,” said the Mayor during a meeting with city officials, “and my administration is committed to working with our local tri-lateral groups to find ways to bring greater benefits to our residents.”

Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) holds a General Assembly every four years at which Inuit delegates from across the circumpolar region elect a new Chair and an Executive Council, develop policies and adopt resolutions that will guide the activities of the organization for the coming term. The General Assembly is at the heart of the organization, providing an opportunity for sharing information, discussing common concerns, debating issues and strengthening the bonds between all Inuit.

You can learn more about the General As-sembly and sponsorship opportunities at www.iccalaska.org or by contact-ing ICC Alaska at Phone: 907.274.9058.

ICC General Assembly 2014“Ukiuqtaqtumi

Hivuniptingnun – One Arctic One Future”

Inuvik, NWT CanadaJuly 21-24, 2014

Mayor Brower Addresses Sewer Problems in Point Hope; Visits With Tri-Lateral Groups

Mayors’ Message

that operational efficiencies and communications are two of the major improvements we need to work on. But we also realize that we cannot do this all on our own, and it is only through unity and community support that we can move forward to improve what we do. My administration has worked very hard to support the trilateral partnerships in each community, and we commend community leaders for stepping forward to be a part of positive change for our region.

We support our youth in all that we do, especially in creating new employment opportunities, building self-sufficiency and capacity at the local level. I commend each of our students K3 to post-secondary education for a

job well done this academic year, and congratulations to the Class of 2014, 8th graders going onto high school, and Iļisaġvik College graduates!

Sincerely,

Charlotte E. Brower, MayorNorth Slope Borough

Mayor Charlotte Brower addresses the group in Point Hope.

Arnold Brower, Jr., discusses possible improvements with NSB policies and procedures with key staff.

[EMPLOYEE

of the Month

CIPM project completion in Point Lay

On February 28, 2014 Mayor Brower visited Point Lay and dedicated the newly renovated

Kali School. The contractor selected for the renovation was UIC Construction using local labor. Accompanying the Mayor were the CIPM Director and members of the Mayor’s staff. Several School District Officials also made the trip. The Mayor and team toured the newly-renovated Kali School and everyone expressed pleasure with the work done.

There were many smiles and high fives as the community inspected the facilities of the upgraded school. The remark most heard was “it is beautiful”. UIC constructors did a great renovation job.

The official dedication ceremony was also attended by Superintendent Cowan, Board members and staff. She thanked Mayor Brower and the North Slope Borough for the continued contribution to the education of the

children of the North Slope. She also thanked the community for their patience during the renovation.

Mayor Brower officially dedicated the facility and thanked CIPM for managing and guiding the project to completion. She thanked the Public Works staff for their hard work and contribution to the project. The Mayor and staff provided several door prizes and the approximately 75 community were treated to an outstanding community dinner prepared by the North Slope Borough School District. The Mayor discussed the future of the North Slope Borough and responded to questions about the housing shortage, employment and training needs of Point Lay and the other communities.

Community members expressed the excitement of using the swimming pool and the students were eager to play basketball in on the new gym floor.

Melanie Leavitt, March EOM is a WIC Nutrition Specialist, CPA (Competent Professional Authorities) with the Department of Health and Social Services. Her job provides education about breastfeeding, nutrition, and healthy living to families with WIC services. Her constant support and dedication to WIC and serving the clients of the North Slope Borough have ensured success of the program. Quyanakpak Melanie!

Melanie LeavittEmployee of the Month

March 2014

Join the North Slope Borough Health Department and Arctic Slope Native Association for a Healthy Living Summit on April 14-16, 2014 in Barrow, Alaska.

Mark your calendars and reserve these dates for an incredible opportunity for health care providers, community members, and youth who have an interest in the health and well-being of all who live on the North Slope.

COST TO ATTENDThere is no cost to attend, but

you are responsible for travel and lodging. Limited travel assistance may be available if you qualify.

Registration for the conference can be done in advance (remember it’s free!) or on site each morning of the conference.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?Anyone who has interest in

the healthcare field or health of our community can attend. We will have three tracks: Youth Track, Community Member Track, and Health Care Provider Track with CEUs available from some of the presentations.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN?• A variety of presentations to

enhance your skill set• Healthy activities that

you can participate in to jumpstart your own health and fitness goals

• Networking with your friends and colleagues

• Participate in an Exposition to meet and greet with other regional and statewide organizations

WHO WILL BE PRESENTING?

You will learn from national leaders and Alaska experts from the health and wellness field who will inspire you, share their practical tips and techniques, and leave you anxious to get back to your community or organization to start applying your new skills.

SPONSORHIP AND EXHIBITOR OPPORTUNITY If you are interested in sponsoring the Healthy Living Summit or hosting a

booth in the exhibitor hall, please contact Angela Cox at 907 852 9391. We have lots of opportunities for you to get involved!Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available! For general questions, please contact Aqamak Okpik at 907.852.0366.

[Frederick Brower, April EOM is the

Risk Manager for the Department of Administration and Finance/ Risk Man-agement Division. Fred designed and led training and emergency response exercises which dramatically improved the ability of the Borough to respond to any emergency.

Frederick has developed an outstanding reputation as a tireless and highly skilled leader in Emergency Management.

Quyanaqpak Frederick for your service to the people of our community!

Frederick BrowerEmployee of the Month

April 2014

Ribbon cutting ceremony at Kali School in Point Lay. L to R: Gwendolyn Pikok, Lily Anniskett, Elder Esther Tuckfield, Mayor Charlotte Brower, NSBSD Superintendent Peggy Cowan, Harold Snowball, CIPM, Steve Cropsy, NSBSD and Joanne Neakok

Who Is it?

Who did these group of folks grow up to be?

Can you name any of them?

Photo from the last Who Is it?Three generations of twins. L to R: Jeanie Thibedeau, Carolyn Edwardsen, Marilyn Pico, Juel Thibedeau. the babies are the late Leroy and Ryan Akpik, childrenof late, Sam and Edith Akpik

Healthy Living Summit 2014