Northern Cheyenne meeting regarding Highway 212 safety concerns

 

LAME DEER Mont. – On January 14, about thirty Northern Cheyenne tribal members braved winter weather conditions of -40 degrees, (not counting wind chill) to gather at the Tribal Chambers to discuss Highway 212 public safety concerns with tribal, county, federal and state officials.

This concern was partially brought to head by the recent and tragic death of Darrell King, Big Horn County Sherriff in a vehicle/semi collision on Highway 212 which begins at Crow Agency and continues to the South Dakota border.

In Cheyenne tradition the meeting was opened by Pastor Willis Busenitz who has served the reservation for over fifty years. In calling for a collaborative and cooperative effort to produce realistic recommendations. He said, “Many families are grieving from losses on Highway 212.”

Lori Four Horn, community activist who organized the meeting urged the people to help one another – in all the communities who must deal with 212. “I live on that road,” she said. “The truckers are reckless and many, including my family, have had narrow escapes. It is crazy out there. It doesn’t just affect tribal members, but also non-Indian travelers, tourists and so forth on that road.”

State Senator Jason Small who represents both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations chaired the meeting. Small is also a Northern Cheyenne who regularly travels that highway.

Other key officials who attended included Rosebud County Commission Ed Joiner; staff from the Big Horn County Commissioners office; the new Big Horn County Sheriff Jeremey Middleton; Chief Ketchum, Northern Cheyenne BIA Law Enforcement; Pat Dennis, Ashland Fire and Rescue Department; Major Kyle Hayter; Region 2 Commander for the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) and Debbie Charette, Muddy District Tribal Council member. 

Melissa Lonebear, Lame Deer Tribal Council visited briefly to make a few remarks and acknowledge community member concerns “We brought this to the attention of the Governor with no results. We need to start talking again,” she said. “And will do that.”

The same officials are serving on a newly established Highway 212 Safety Task Force, funded with both federal and state monies.

Coincidentally, the Task Force will be holding public meetings along the corridor from Crow Agency to Alzada. In Lame Deer, Four Horn beat them to the organizational punch, but all in attendance agreed that future meetings will be scheduled.

The two-hour discussion covered a broad range of topics.

In the opening comments, Small said “This is an extremely difficult situation. The funding for the Highway is three parts federal with a match from the State, so the Tribe cannot afford to take it over.”

He also stressed that there are no written agreements between the Tribe or State regarding increased law enforcement on 212. “This has got to be a nation-to-nation process and solution,” he reminded the audience. “People can be very helpful in promoting that.”

Major Haytor explained that the MHP is extremely short staffed with only two troopers in the area (Broadus and Colstrip) who cover hundreds of miles of roads. Also, he said that MHP cannot cite tribal members within reservation boundaries. Finally, “we need better data. Additional funding is always based on statistics.”

Big Horn County Sherriff Middleton explained that the former Sherriff Kind had started a pilot program on the Crow Reservation to deputize BIA officers to enforce county and state traffic laws. “The question,” he posed is:” How to protect tribal sovereignty and still protect the people?”

Ed Grinsell, Northern Cheyenne tribal law enforcement explained that the Tribe tried to utilize a Highway Safety Grant which would have dedicated two tribal officers to patrolling 212. “The BIA shot that down,” he said.

“That was before my time,” BIA Chief Ketchum quickly responded.

“This type of agreement has never been done before, and we expect some kinks.”

BIA Chief Ketchum agreed also explaining serious staff shortages in those ranks.  Due to a lack of traffic codes, BIA officers are limited to a small number of offenses, primarily reckless driving and DUIs, he said.

While they can stop and detain non-members and truckers, it is then necessary to notify the MHP and perhaps wait for hours.

“Highway 212 is basically a no-man’s land when it comes to truckers,” one audience member stated. “They know that through the trucker grape vine and are always looking for ways to save time. 212 helps them do that.”

Two other major problems were identified with audience participation. First, the most complaints regarded school bus stops, often jeopardized by speeding truckers; the unreliability of cell phone service across the area, often making emergency calls or reporting truckers problematic; and impaired drivers.

Patsy Tallbull, a community member recommended that the Tribe and families must take more responsibility for highway safety. “Many of our vehicles are not safe; We need to become stricter; train our young drivers about auto safety and alcohol. Maybe even require insurance and driver’s licenses. Commissioner Joiner summed up the meeting. “I live on Highway 212 and travel it every day. I have a “hit the ditch” escape route when entering 212 and as a former emergency responder have had to help with too many tragedies.”

One possible solution, he explained, would be to designate 212 as a Scenic Highway. Those routes are closed to commercial traffic except for deliveries, otherwise used only by local and tourist traffic. “That is a very complicated process, requiring federal approval,” he reported, “but maybe an idea to put on the drawing board.”

Joiner also said a Highway 212 Facebook Page is being established. Community members are urged to express their views and concerns with that tool.

Sherriff Middleton added: “In this effort, communication with other agencies, the Tribal Councils, local governments, and the community will be the key to developing some productive solutions.”

(Contact Clara Caufield at 2ndcheyennevoice@gmail.com)

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