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Monday the Osage County Commissioners made a motion to appeal an application by the Osage Nation to place 75.916 acres in trust, and the Nation has taken action as a result. If the Osage Nation places the land in trust the county will not receive property tax dollars for the acreage to the amount of nearly $11,000 each year into perpetuity.

Osage Nation Assistant Chief Raymond Red Corn was at the Commissioner meeting Monday an made an appeal to the Commissioners to take no action, as the funds that are brought to the county by the Osage Nation far exceed the $11,000 in tax funds annually. Red Corn also stated that it would be the intention of Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear to take the county to court if they chose to appeal the land in trust action.

Tuesday, the Osage Nation announce and Osage News reported that Principal Chief Standing Bear is holding true to his statement. Osage News reported that the Nation has officially pulled $5,650,000 worth of funds from the Transportation Improvement Plan, a cooperative effort between the county and Osage Nation.

Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear told Osage News that “This vote has set back our relations with the county by years” and that they are “aware that discussions within county government are ongoing in light of the information the Osage Nation has provided them”Chief Standing Bear added that they are “hopeful that we can get to a cooperative footing where we all work together for the benefit of Osage County.”

If the County Commissioners decide to forgo the appeal the motion would be made at the next meeting of the Osage County Commissioners on Monday, February 12.

To read Chief Standing Bear's complete comments visit the Osage News story at: OSAGE NEWS