Select Osage services relocating to better assist
Osage Nation Director of Operations and Deputy Director of Operations are leading efforts to improve efficiency of service based programs for Osages and other eligible community members
By ON Communications
The O-Ki-Ki-E Tsi (Osage Nation Welcome Center) has been open since November 2, 2015. The 20,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility was designed to adjust and accommodate the changing needs of service-based programs most frequently utilized by Osage Nation constituents. Programs that work in tandem that were previously situated in different towns are now next door to each other, saving time and money for constituents and the Osage Nation. -- Photo by Cody Hammer, ON Communications
Pawhuska, Okla., (Tuesday, January 17, 2017)—Several Osage Nation directors for service based departments gathered on Thursday to discuss and learn about a new initiative to improve accessibility and efficiency of services. One program is relocating from Hominy to Pawhuska and other programs will be relocating to different Osage Nation sites in Pawhuska. Deputy Director of Operations, Jodie Revard, emphasized that the efficiency driven effort will only cost manpower and is scheduled to be complete in a couple weeks, by February 1, 2017.
For several years, programs that assist many of the same clients have been located in different towns and this has made information sharing difficult. At the same time, the distance is difficult for clients who are often referred by one department to another similar department located in a different town or different building. Revard pointed out that many clients who are seeking assistance might already have the added burden of limited access to transportation.
As an added program advantage, Revard said, other service programs that need to share knowledge will be within collaborative proximity. For example, Osage Nation Language and the Cultural Department will be located at the same building instead of two different places.
Other components of the redesign include best use of space for employee numbers and space costs.
Osage Nation departments scheduled to relocate and their new locations:
- Communities of Excellence and Osage Nation AmeriCorps to Wah-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center site, 1449 West Main Street, Pawhuska, Okla. 74056
- Cultural Department to former Communities of Excellence site, 220 West Main, Pawhuska, Okla. 74056
- Tribal Works to former Cultural Department site, 1449 West Main Street, Pawhuska, Okla. 74056
- Bird Creek Farms to Aquaponics Facility, 25235 State Highway 99, Pawhuska, Okla. 74056
- Compliance Department to Executive Building on same floor as Self-Governance, 627 Grandview Avenue, Pawhuska, Okla., 74056
- Grants Department to Executive Building on same floor with Self-Governance and Compliance, 627 Grandview Avenue, Pawhuska, Okla., 74056
- Osage Language Curriculum team to former Communities of Excellence at same site as the Osage Language Department, 220 West Main, Pawhuska, Okla. 74056
- Child Care to Welcome Center, second floor, 239 West 12th Street, Pawhuska, Okla., 74056
- Constituent Services to Welcome Center common area, 239 West 12th Street, Pawhuska, Okla., 74056
- Housing Program to Welcome Center former Constituent Services offices, 239 West 12th Street, Pawhuska, Okla., 74056
Osage Nation Archives is among the programs listed in the efficiency redesign but they will not be relocating. Archives is expanding to occupy the entire building where they are currently located, including offices formally occupied by Osage Nation Housing, at the Osage Nation Industrial Park in Hominy.
Updates and information will also post to Osage Nation on Facebook, @OsageNation on Twitter and www.osagenation-nsn.gov.
For Media Inquiries: Osage Nation Communications 918-287-5599