Standing before state lawmakers Friday, Councilwoman Marilynn House framed the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s future in critical yet hopeful terms.
She urged Colorado legislators to deepen consultation with the tribe on policymaking, explaining: “We request to meet more than twice a year with you all. If you invite, we will come.”
All in all, her roughly 25‑minute State of the Tribe address centered on key tribal priorities and needs. Her top points addressed public safety, housing, health care, critical water rights and safer roadways. She rounded out the speech before the 75th Colorado General Assembly at the State Capitol in Denver by highlighting tribal successes and long‑term projects still on track.
Public safety has increasingly become an issue, and House cited rising gun violence and other violent crime across ages and genders.
“These acts have become the norm for our people of Towaoc. We have requested added Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement to help protect our people, but we have been met with not enough BIA officers or not enough funding,” she said. The tribe set a curfew earlier this month.
House said the tribe recently hosted Attorney General Phil Weiser and formally requested prosecutors pursue crimes committed on Ute Mountain lands “to the fullest extent of the law.”
More affordable housing is a pressing need for most communities. Towaoc is no different.
House asked lawmakers to consider supporting housing development awards from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and mentioned the state’s low‑income housing tax credits.
“Should the tribe be awarded these programs, it will enable the tribe to build 15 new homes in Towaoc,” she said. “Our housing waiting list is a very, very large number of people waiting for a home.”
House emphasized health care as essential to community livelihood, defining it broadly to include mental, physical, emotional and environmental health, not solely access to medical services.
“Tribal consultation is a must for the tribe to have issues addressed and properly considered when legislation is being proposed or eliminated,” she said. “Colorado usually honors tribal consultation, however, there have been times when Colorado has not followed through with its obligation to consult with the tribes on certain matters or issues.”
House said the tribe needs state support navigating complex negotiations with state and federal agencies to secure its water rights for the Colorado River.
“Many tribes have been forced to bargain away their senior water rights to have access to the much-needed infrastructure. This leaves the tribe within the basin more susceptible to just accept water cuts,” she said.
With the Feb. 14 deadline approaching, she asked the state to help protect the tribe’s treaty‑backed rights, invoking the late Chief Jack House’s words: “Chief wants his water too.”
House called on the Colorado Department of Transportation for additional maintenance, signage and road safety studies. This request focused on high‑traffic intersections, particularly U.S. Highway 491, saying reservation roadways should be prioritized for visitors and tribal members traveling every day for work, school or recreation.
House described the planned solar project as a cornerstone of the tribe’s push for self‑reliance and its contribution to the state’s economy. She said the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe wants to be an active partner in Colorado’s energy portfolio. The project is called the Sun Bear Solar Project.
A leasing contract was agreed upon in early 2024 with Canigou Group, a global renewable‑energy developer, to build a large solar facility on roughly 4,400 acres of reservation land. However, she said the project is facing restraints.
“There are issues holding back this project that Colorado legislatures could help provide a solution to and help the tribe make this project a complete success,” she said.
House also highlighted the success of January’s grand opening of the tribe’s first grocery store, Nuchu Market, which she said was envisioned during the COVID‑19 pandemic after residents were forced to travel for basic needs.
“Nuchu Market’s opening finally came to reality. The store serves fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as other grocery items, which serves the community. Tribal members no longer have to drive 12 miles,” House said.
