The purpose of this petition is to demand accountability of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation for: 1) creating a new line of business not related to health care services and, 2) to save tribal sovereignty for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Tribes who are working to build and own their broadband fiber network. 

This petition will be presented to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation and Association of Village Council Presidents, both located in Bethel, Alaska. 

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) has created a new business line in providing broadband fiber to Bethel and other Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta tribes. This is not their core business--it's mission is health care! The Corporation must withdraw from its alliance with GCI where together they will seek grant funds to build broadband fiber in Bethel using grant money from the NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. This alliance is for the benefit of YKHC and will not improve health care in the YKD. This alliance is a betrayal of trust for all YKD tribal communities, including Bethel. 

• This alliance was made in secret - zero transparency
• It is not considered a business line for providing health care services
• It will not create jobs for tribal citizens, or provide training
• It will not boost tribal economic development
• It will not bring affordable broadband fiber to tribal citizens
• It eliminates tribal sovereignty for YKD Tribes
• It will take funds away from health care services and shift them to running a broadband fiber operations center
• It will not improve broadband availability for tribal citizens
• Fire the President and CEO Dan Winkelman who is solely responsible for this business partnership 

Protect your rights and oppose this Corporate move to create a new business line outside their core mission of health services; and for becoming the 'shell corporation' in which to allow GCI Alaska to further exploit Alaskans in Bethel and surrounding YKD communities.

DO NOT HESITATE - Sign this petition today! This alliance was created on 7/30 in secret in order to meet the deadline of 9/1/2021 for the YKHC to submit its grant application to the NTIA. The time is now to demand accountability by retracting this alliance and to fire CEO Dan Winkelman. 

GCI has held a monopoly on 'less than broadband speed' in all Alaska -- while calling it broadband in its marketing and Corporate communications -- when it is not FCC defined broadband speed of 25 Mbps download and 3Mbps upload. What GCI is calling 'broadband' is really 10Mbps - 2 Mbps -- all tribes get LESS THAN half of true broadband speed. THIS IS NOT BROADBAND!

1. The YK Health Corporation receives today reduced broadband service rates through CGI
2. The YK Health Corporation has a sole source contract with GCI to provide 'broadband' speed to its medical facilities and 58 village medical clinics. As a result, Bethel residents internet speeds are throttled down to re-direct bandwidth to the YKHC. 
3. The YK Health Corporation has not published its investment strategy or plan to use funds to pay for this non-medical service line. 

All YKD tribal citizens and residents who oppose this blatant disregard for Bethel citizens and YKD communities should also contact them directly: 

• YKHC - email:  publicrelations@ykhc.org or post a comment on Facebook: YKHC | Facebook
• Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council - email: osg@nativecouncil.org or post a comment on Facebook: ONC | Facebook
• Association of Village Council Presidents - email: communications@avcp.org  or post a comment on Facebook: AVCP | Facebook

About GCI, Inc. - On March 9, 2018, the Colorado-based Liberty Broadband Corporation media conglomerate acquired GCI.