Sault Tribe Board of Directors holds regular meeting in Sault Ste. Marie May 5
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - A regular meeting of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors will be held Tuesday, May 5, 2009, at the Kewadin Casino and Convention Center in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., beginning at 6 p.m. the meeting will be preceded by Matters Raised by the Membership from 5 to 6 p.m.
Resolutions being considered
Thursday, April 30, 2009
CASINOS, SINKING SHIPS AND THE SAULT TRIBE
With the right help from qualified sources, the Sault tribe members could re-float this sinking ship called the Sault Tribe. The ST economy was built on casinos and corruption...the two go hand in hand. There were probably those that never intended that our whole being was centered on gambling and the pathological behavioral problems that came with it. One nicely run casino balanced with numerous other forms of entertainment to get things up and running and then with a nice annual bankroll of retained earnings, we could have burst out into other areas and built a self sustaining community with real jobs where salaries were consistent with state based averages instead of extremely high paid friends and family who weren't qualified in the first place.
That is why we are where we are today. No balance in the economic community and no balance retained in the bank accounts. We are the result of dumb, dumber and dumbest being motivated by greed, corruption and power. That isn't a finger pointed at any one person but pointed at groups of those whose outlook was not towards the best interests of the tribe over the long term but who conspired to take the biggest pieces before they were forced to share it with anyone else.
One Elder who was in the midst of the earlier days of federal acknowledgement has said that "a common mindset of earlier leaders was that they did the work so they should be the biggest benefactor and that the tribal members didn't have the intelligence to handle such a financial windfall anyway, so therefore they should figure out how to get their own". I remember a similar statement printed in the Evening News with the settlement of land claims but with the exclusion of the words.." who should be the biggest benefactor.....get their own".
If there were a fair election held today by an independent contractor, does anyone think that any of the current board members would be sitting in their seats tomorrow? I don't think so. We had hope for one new member and one or two that had served for a time but they have chosen to follow the lead and leave the members out. Will we hear excuses at some time in the future as to why they didn't speak up? It will be too late just as it is too late now. They all need to be removed.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Aristeo Construction Company / Native Renewable Energy
Aristeo Construction Company has set up a gathering for anyone who would like to attend. They would like to discuss the possibilities of putting together some projects for Green Renewable Energy Opportunities, Any and All are welcome time and date listed below.
Place: Aristeo Construction Company
12811 Farmington Rd
Livonia, MI 48150 (734) 427-2700
Date: May 8th 2009
Time: 1:00 pm
Map to Aristeo
Aristeo Construction Company
Place: Aristeo Construction Company
12811 Farmington Rd
Livonia, MI 48150 (734) 427-2700
Date: May 8th 2009
Time: 1:00 pm
Map to Aristeo
Aristeo Construction Company
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
TODAY IS EARTH DAY
The Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians wants to
remind you that everyday should be Earth Day and each of us
has a responsiblity to do our part.
Everything you do as an individual counts. You can be responsible for
destroying this Earth and the future of your children, grandchildren
and their children or you can be responsible, as an individual, to save
this Earth for future generations.
If you don't know how to recycle or what to recycle, take the time to
find out.
Refuse those plastic grocery bags and ask for paper or bring your own.
Cloth bags are simple to make or buy a few and then keep them in your
car so there are no excuses.
Stop using lawn weed killers...embrace those dandelions. If you don't
like them, dig them up. Those chemicals in weed killers as well as
pesticides are killing bees, frogs, fish, birds and all living things.
Those poisons recycle themselves back into the food chain and water
supply and will kill you too.
If you don't do your part now to protect Mother Earth, she will not
protect you.
Reuse Recycle and make everyday Earth Day
remind you that everyday should be Earth Day and each of us
has a responsiblity to do our part.
Everything you do as an individual counts. You can be responsible for
destroying this Earth and the future of your children, grandchildren
and their children or you can be responsible, as an individual, to save
this Earth for future generations.
If you don't know how to recycle or what to recycle, take the time to
find out.
Refuse those plastic grocery bags and ask for paper or bring your own.
Cloth bags are simple to make or buy a few and then keep them in your
car so there are no excuses.
Stop using lawn weed killers...embrace those dandelions. If you don't
like them, dig them up. Those chemicals in weed killers as well as
pesticides are killing bees, frogs, fish, birds and all living things.
Those poisons recycle themselves back into the food chain and water
supply and will kill you too.
If you don't do your part now to protect Mother Earth, she will not
protect you.
Reuse Recycle and make everyday Earth Day
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
WHICH IS IT....FOR OR AGAINST?
Fine approved as CEO
CEO Randall Fine was approved by the Greektown Management Board and the bankruptcy court to be appointed CEO, pending approval of a background check by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Prior to the gaming board’s affirmative vote Monday, Jeffrey Gallant, with Southfield-based Keranen & Associates P.C. spoke on behalf of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians against Fine’s appointment. The tribe has been owner of Greektown, but is facing either a sale of the casino to pay off bondholders or a financial reorganization.
Keranen & Associates represents the tribe, Gallant said.
“The (tribe) asks that this be tabled,” he said. “It would appear that (Fine) has no experience as a CEO and there already is a competent internal manager.”He requested that interim CEO Clifford Vallier, who has worked for the tribe for 20 years, remain CEO.
Gallant said he was asked by Chairman Joe McCoy to make the comments. McCoy, who is also one of the three voting members of the Greektown Management Board, voted in favor of Fine’s appointment, Fine said.
"I can see that they would find it upsetting to work on this for so long and find it in bankruptcy and the situation it’s currently in,” Fine said of the tribe and the casino. “This is a relatively unsophisticated reaction to a loss of influence.”
A phone message was left with McCoy’s secretary, who said he was in a meeting as of noon Monday
CEO Randall Fine was approved by the Greektown Management Board and the bankruptcy court to be appointed CEO, pending approval of a background check by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Prior to the gaming board’s affirmative vote Monday, Jeffrey Gallant, with Southfield-based Keranen & Associates P.C. spoke on behalf of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians against Fine’s appointment. The tribe has been owner of Greektown, but is facing either a sale of the casino to pay off bondholders or a financial reorganization.
Keranen & Associates represents the tribe, Gallant said.
“The (tribe) asks that this be tabled,” he said. “It would appear that (Fine) has no experience as a CEO and there already is a competent internal manager.”He requested that interim CEO Clifford Vallier, who has worked for the tribe for 20 years, remain CEO.
Gallant said he was asked by Chairman Joe McCoy to make the comments. McCoy, who is also one of the three voting members of the Greektown Management Board, voted in favor of Fine’s appointment, Fine said.
"I can see that they would find it upsetting to work on this for so long and find it in bankruptcy and the situation it’s currently in,” Fine said of the tribe and the casino. “This is a relatively unsophisticated reaction to a loss of influence.”
A phone message was left with McCoy’s secretary, who said he was in a meeting as of noon Monday
Contradicts what we heard just days ago.....
From Indian Gaming
April 21, 2009
Soo Tribe's commercial casino sees drop in revenues printer friendly
Revenues at the commercial casino owned by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians fell 7 percent last month.
The Greektown Casino Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, didn't appear to benefit from the NCAA Final Four weekend. The facility was the closest to the games but saw a drop in business during the tournament.
But the other two commercial casinos saw a spike in revenue over the same weekend. However, all three facilities saw a 3 percent drop in March 2009, when compared to March 2008.
Greektown is currently reorganizing in bankruptcy court. The tribe is a majority owner.
Get the Story:
Casinos revenue dips 3% (The Detroit News 4/21)
Greektown Casino didn’t cash in on influx of Final Four fans (Crains Detroit 4/20
April 21, 2009
Soo Tribe's commercial casino sees drop in revenues printer friendly
Revenues at the commercial casino owned by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians fell 7 percent last month.
The Greektown Casino Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, didn't appear to benefit from the NCAA Final Four weekend. The facility was the closest to the games but saw a drop in business during the tournament.
But the other two commercial casinos saw a spike in revenue over the same weekend. However, all three facilities saw a 3 percent drop in March 2009, when compared to March 2008.
Greektown is currently reorganizing in bankruptcy court. The tribe is a majority owner.
Get the Story:
Casinos revenue dips 3% (The Detroit News 4/21)
Greektown Casino didn’t cash in on influx of Final Four fans (Crains Detroit 4/20
Monday, April 20, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
A LITTLE ABOUT MY OJIBWE AND ODAWA HERITAGE....
ERMATINGER / CHIEF KATAWABEDA / POND / CHIEF AMABLE ANSE
Charles Oakes Ermatinger, fur Trader, merchant, farmer, militia officer and Justice of the Peace, was born in Montreal in 1776. During the War of 1812, Ermatinger took part in the capture of Fort Michilimackinac. He married Mananowe, later known as Charlotte, who was the daughter of Katawebeda, a prominent Ojibwe chief. In a period of relative peace after the war, Ermatinger began work on his stone house. Work continued through 1813 - 1814, and soon after the completion of the exterior, this fine house became the centre of the district's social life, and was noted by such visitors as Lord Selkirk, Anna Jameson, Sir John Richardson, and artists Paul Kane and George Catlin. Charles and Mananowe raised thirteen children in this grand field stone house. The Ermatinger Old Stone House is the oldest stone building northwest of Toronto.
Charles Oakes Ermatinger, fur Trader, merchant, farmer, militia officer and Justice of the Peace, was born in Montreal in 1776. During the War of 1812, Ermatinger took part in the capture of Fort Michilimackinac. He married Mananowe, later known as Charlotte, who was the daughter of Katawebeda, a prominent Ojibwe chief. In a period of relative peace after the war, Ermatinger began work on his stone house. Work continued through 1813 - 1814, and soon after the completion of the exterior, this fine house became the centre of the district's social life, and was noted by such visitors as Lord Selkirk, Anna Jameson, Sir John Richardson, and artists Paul Kane and George Catlin. Charles and Mananowe raised thirteen children in this grand field stone house. The Ermatinger Old Stone House is the oldest stone building northwest of Toronto.
MACKINAC BANDS DESCENDENTS
Meeting Tuesday April 21 10:00a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will be holding a meeting in Cheboygan, MI on Tuesday April 21 at the Cheboygan Library. The meeting will be held in the lower level Conference room. Mr Brandon Fewins, aid to Senator Debbie Stabinaw, will be in attendance and Mackinac Bands descendents are invited to attend.
The Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will be holding a meeting in Cheboygan, MI on Tuesday April 21 at the Cheboygan Library. The meeting will be held in the lower level Conference room. Mr Brandon Fewins, aid to Senator Debbie Stabinaw, will be in attendance and Mackinac Bands descendents are invited to attend.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
WE SHALL REMAIN....
Series begins on PBS's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Monday April 13
5 years in the making, first episode in a 5-part mini-series.
After the Mayflower begins in New England in the 1620's, at the time of the so-called 'first Thanksgiving".
This groundbreaking project allows Native Americans to give voice to their heritage.
Communities across the nation are hosting WE SHALL REMAIN events. Find one in your area.
Take a peek behind-the-scenes of the five films. Hear from actors, filmmakers and advisors and see the production teams in action.
DVD set can be purchased at ShopPBS.org at a 20% discount off the list price of $49.99. Use subscriber code MAYFLOWER
Dear Tribal Member:
For the last 9 months, a lot has happened in our Tribe. Greektown in peril and on the brink of a multi-million dollar loss to the Tribe. Long standing employee protection policies were abandoned. The Elder fund has been all but decimated. Tribal Member services and holiday events have been eliminated. The Elder check this year was cut from $1,600 to $600; for Tribal couples, they received a $2,000 cut. All while the Board secured their retirement and eliminated a tax liabilitfor themselves through a convoluted referendum. The only budget that hasn’t taken a cut was the Board salaries. When I became Chair, I accepted a salary cut from $245,000 to $100,000. Maybe it is time you choose the salary of those who represent you via referendum. What's your opinion?
A new Sault Tribe Member blog is under development and is intended to be a news and information forum driven by you the Membership. We have suffered a void of information (the Black hole) from our tribal government as a result of the current administration. We saw the Communications Director fired for allowing the publishing of a letter to the editor that was critical of the Board salaries while they laid off about 150 people (for which 80% were our own people). A tribal member woman with a graduate degree who brought in $3million in new funding to the Tribe was fired after she broke her back coming to work at the Tribal headquarters. Then, a Board member's niece was promoted to her spot. Nathan Wright, candidate for Unit 1Tribal Board, who supposedly lost this election by 3 votes, was terminated out of retribution. Who claimed his seat? None other than Bernard Bouschor. Who announced the termination throughout the local media? Michelle Bouschor (Bernard Bouschor’s daughter-in-law) who continues to draw a $70,000 salary.
Greektown Casino has lost $142,000,000 just since the current administration took office! So much for a business background. In the meantime, he has missed about half of all Tribal Board meetings and instead spends most his time securing ‘minority preference’ contracts for his private company on Tribal time. He also eliminated member meetings where you reside; cut out the Board meeting broadcasts locally and on-line, and silenced his critics by firing them. It is no wonder, those who may have a different agenda and support for the people, sit in silence on the Tribal Board.
In the next several weeks, we will try to compel updates on what is happening in Greektown. During our most serious crisis, you should be receiving more information, not less. The latest was an offer to buy Greektown that will likely mean a $300,000,000 loss to the Membership. Let’s not forget the original debt was incurred through a sweetheart deal offered up on a silver platter to the Greeks by Bernard Bouschor. $268,000,000 on a $24,000 investment! ‘Back to Business’ was his campaign slogan after all. Bruce Green, attorney out of Colorado reported to me that Bouschor signed the deal with no legal representation present. What did he get out of the deal? Does anyone really believe he didn’t get a kickback?
Stay tuned. During my administration, I saved a number of documents to share with the Membership when the time was right. These will enlighten you to some members of the Tribal Board. You be the judge, but look at least look at the documents and ask questions. A healthy democracy is one in which the citizens ask questions.
Aaron Payment
To view new updates, just type: http://saulttribeupdates.blogspot.com/
A new Sault Tribe Member blog is under development and is intended to be a news and information forum driven by you the Membership. We have suffered a void of information (the Black hole) from our tribal government as a result of the current administration. We saw the Communications Director fired for allowing the publishing of a letter to the editor that was critical of the Board salaries while they laid off about 150 people (for which 80% were our own people). A tribal member woman with a graduate degree who brought in $3million in new funding to the Tribe was fired after she broke her back coming to work at the Tribal headquarters. Then, a Board member's niece was promoted to her spot. Nathan Wright, candidate for Unit 1Tribal Board, who supposedly lost this election by 3 votes, was terminated out of retribution. Who claimed his seat? None other than Bernard Bouschor. Who announced the termination throughout the local media? Michelle Bouschor (Bernard Bouschor’s daughter-in-law) who continues to draw a $70,000 salary.
Greektown Casino has lost $142,000,000 just since the current administration took office! So much for a business background. In the meantime, he has missed about half of all Tribal Board meetings and instead spends most his time securing ‘minority preference’ contracts for his private company on Tribal time. He also eliminated member meetings where you reside; cut out the Board meeting broadcasts locally and on-line, and silenced his critics by firing them. It is no wonder, those who may have a different agenda and support for the people, sit in silence on the Tribal Board.
In the next several weeks, we will try to compel updates on what is happening in Greektown. During our most serious crisis, you should be receiving more information, not less. The latest was an offer to buy Greektown that will likely mean a $300,000,000 loss to the Membership. Let’s not forget the original debt was incurred through a sweetheart deal offered up on a silver platter to the Greeks by Bernard Bouschor. $268,000,000 on a $24,000 investment! ‘Back to Business’ was his campaign slogan after all. Bruce Green, attorney out of Colorado reported to me that Bouschor signed the deal with no legal representation present. What did he get out of the deal? Does anyone really believe he didn’t get a kickback?
Stay tuned. During my administration, I saved a number of documents to share with the Membership when the time was right. These will enlighten you to some members of the Tribal Board. You be the judge, but look at least look at the documents and ask questions. A healthy democracy is one in which the citizens ask questions.
Aaron Payment
To view new updates, just type: http://saulttribeupdates.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 9, 2009
MORE ON GREEKTOWN WRITEDOWNS
Some things that fall under 'intangible assets' are such things as goodwill, patents, copyrights, trademarks, franchises, licensing agreements or leaseholds.The value comes from the privilege, competitive advantages or rights granted to or held by the owner/s. Some intangibles assets have a specific value while others can't be specifically determined. It is complicated.
An example of writing down an intangible asset could be the loss of goodwill. Bankruptcy can result in the loss of a corporations good name. Suppose a restaurant and all equipment is appraised with a market value of $500,000. Add the name MacDonalds to it and the price could double because you are also buying the good name. Goodwill is an expense that has to be revalued from time to time and, without a doubt, Greektown's goodwill has little value attached at this time.
The loss of Greektowns good name due to bankruptcy (and as a profitable business) could have a severe detrimental effect on the market value and asking price.This means that they should have sold that losing proposition when they first had the chance and while it still had a good name. Not doing so has caused this loss in value. Right now it is the cart without a horse, a dried up cow with no milk, a car without an engine. Move to a new house and leave the old house empty while you wait for top dollar. In the meantime, the house begins to fall apart. The plumbing freezes, vandals cause damage and a factory moves in across the street but you still have to make those mortgage payments. There goes the price to rock bottom.....you get the idea.
This is most likely what the gaming commission was referring to when they said the current conditions surrounding Greektown was the fault of a board unable to make speedy and efficient decisions. Not having a working knowledge of business operations, market values and trends or even just plain common sense is why the tribe is stuck ditching Greektown for pennies on the dollar. Face it...they tried to make an alleged crooked cop lacking in ethics as the top dog in Greektown....like he would have actually had a clue what he was doing!
Tribal members need to think back at the circumstances surrounding the downfall and remember all the scandalous actions that took place as well as who took part. There is blame to be laid and it started with our elected officials. When the economy began its dive, they should have realized that casinos were not the place to keep sinking money but now they use the economy as the real cause of Greektowns financial problems. Geez, they must think we are stupid.
Most of all, we have to look at motive. Here is something to think about...a local Sault business was just 3 weeks from closing due to tremendous losses in profits. The owner trusted the business manager and bookkeeper to run the show. The bookkeeper was embezzling and the business manager looked the other way. Why?...because he wanted to buy the place. Why not wait until it was worthless before he made his offer. He was fired, the bookkeeper went to jail and the business boomed again. Employees were called back to work, all three shifts were back on the job within a couple of months and then they had to move to a place more than twice the size.
Hasn't there been a familiar name that has been trying for a big piece of Greektown for awhile now? Hasn't that person had a close business association with someone on our board for the same time frame? With so much going for Greektown, why wasn't it making comparable profits to the other two casinos in Detroit? Poor management or purposeful management?
An example of writing down an intangible asset could be the loss of goodwill. Bankruptcy can result in the loss of a corporations good name. Suppose a restaurant and all equipment is appraised with a market value of $500,000. Add the name MacDonalds to it and the price could double because you are also buying the good name. Goodwill is an expense that has to be revalued from time to time and, without a doubt, Greektown's goodwill has little value attached at this time.
The loss of Greektowns good name due to bankruptcy (and as a profitable business) could have a severe detrimental effect on the market value and asking price.This means that they should have sold that losing proposition when they first had the chance and while it still had a good name. Not doing so has caused this loss in value. Right now it is the cart without a horse, a dried up cow with no milk, a car without an engine. Move to a new house and leave the old house empty while you wait for top dollar. In the meantime, the house begins to fall apart. The plumbing freezes, vandals cause damage and a factory moves in across the street but you still have to make those mortgage payments. There goes the price to rock bottom.....you get the idea.
This is most likely what the gaming commission was referring to when they said the current conditions surrounding Greektown was the fault of a board unable to make speedy and efficient decisions. Not having a working knowledge of business operations, market values and trends or even just plain common sense is why the tribe is stuck ditching Greektown for pennies on the dollar. Face it...they tried to make an alleged crooked cop lacking in ethics as the top dog in Greektown....like he would have actually had a clue what he was doing!
Tribal members need to think back at the circumstances surrounding the downfall and remember all the scandalous actions that took place as well as who took part. There is blame to be laid and it started with our elected officials. When the economy began its dive, they should have realized that casinos were not the place to keep sinking money but now they use the economy as the real cause of Greektowns financial problems. Geez, they must think we are stupid.
Most of all, we have to look at motive. Here is something to think about...a local Sault business was just 3 weeks from closing due to tremendous losses in profits. The owner trusted the business manager and bookkeeper to run the show. The bookkeeper was embezzling and the business manager looked the other way. Why?...because he wanted to buy the place. Why not wait until it was worthless before he made his offer. He was fired, the bookkeeper went to jail and the business boomed again. Employees were called back to work, all three shifts were back on the job within a couple of months and then they had to move to a place more than twice the size.
Hasn't there been a familiar name that has been trying for a big piece of Greektown for awhile now? Hasn't that person had a close business association with someone on our board for the same time frame? With so much going for Greektown, why wasn't it making comparable profits to the other two casinos in Detroit? Poor management or purposeful management?
WRITE DOWN
.....a reduction in the book value of an asset, as because of depreciation or a decline in market valueIntangible assets are defined as identifiable non-monetary assets that cannot be seen, touched or physically measured, which are created through time and/or effort and that are identifiable as a separate asset. Human capital is the primary source of competitive intangibles for organizations today. Competitive intangibles are the source from which competitive advantage flows, or is destroyed. The area of finance that deals with intangible assets is known as Intangible Asset Finance.Friday, April 3, 2009 Greektown Casino has lost $142M since May.
Detroit --Greektown Casino-Hotel has lost $142.46 million since it filed for bankruptcy last May, according to documents filed this week with the Eastern District of Michigan bankruptcy court. Much of the loss -- $128.24 million -- was due to a write down of intangible assets. The city's three casinos typically keep mum on their financials, reporting publicly only revenue and the amount of taxes paid as required through the Michigan Gaming Control Board, the state's casino regulatory agency. But since Greektown entered Chapter 11 protections last year, it must disclose more details.
Read article
Tom Biron
Detroit --Greektown Casino-Hotel has lost $142.46 million since it filed for bankruptcy last May, according to documents filed this week with the Eastern District of Michigan bankruptcy court. Much of the loss -- $128.24 million -- was due to a write down of intangible assets. The city's three casinos typically keep mum on their financials, reporting publicly only revenue and the amount of taxes paid as required through the Michigan Gaming Control Board, the state's casino regulatory agency. But since Greektown entered Chapter 11 protections last year, it must disclose more details.
Read article
Tom Biron
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
SAY WHAT?!
I’m still scratching my head over Shirley Petoskey’s unit report.
She wrote that the money spent on the referendum was all for nothing. She blames the members that signed a petition to bring the board retirement plan to a vote of the people….at least that’s the point I think she was trying to make.
Was there wording on the ballot that said:
Was there wording on the ballot that said:
“Do the members approve or disapprove of the Board of Directors retirement plan”? Was there wording to explain or detail the board retirement plan? I didn’t see much on that referendum that covered either of those questions…..did you?
So now Petoskey is pissed because the members wanted a voice in the board’s retirement plan that the board has worked so hard and secretly on. Who do we think we are anyway?!
Petoskey had this to say in her unit report about the petitions: “This was only done to get back at the board”. SAY WHAT!? No one even knows what the board is doing! Also in Petoskey’s words, “People who signed the petition thought that they were getting rid of the board’s retirement plan. Wrong!” Reading between the lines, do I detect a little bit of ‘ha, ha, so you dummies thought you could make us give up something just because all of you did?’
But now I am even more confused. If the members thought they were signing a petition to get rid of the board’s retirement plan, as she writes, then why was the referendum about a tax issue instead? I think the members got ripped off again. They slip a meaningless referendum to the members and then blame the members for it. The board won’t keep the members informed and seem to have way too many secrets regarding the tribe’s finances. They cut employees, jobs, salaries, work hours, Elder land claims and care, children’s programs, health and dental care but NOT their own excessive, unearned wages and benefits.
We want to see the detailed changes in the board retirement plan and then we want another referendum to vote on it. The board can take the cost of that referendum out of their own pockets along with the cost of the useless vote that Petoskey declared worthless (as well as being all the fault of the members). Shirley….they just want to know and you are supposed to keep your unit members informed. You owe it to all members to be accountable for your actions so get off your high horse and do what you were elected to do instead of placing the blame on tribal members.
Speaking of placing blame, Petoskey also claims she wrote a unit report last month but it got lost in cyberspace….yeah right. Did you check your sent file, Shirley? Maybe that’s where you will find the real referendum the members were supposed to get regarding your retirement plan.
So now Petoskey is pissed because the members wanted a voice in the board’s retirement plan that the board has worked so hard and secretly on. Who do we think we are anyway?!
Petoskey had this to say in her unit report about the petitions: “This was only done to get back at the board”. SAY WHAT!? No one even knows what the board is doing! Also in Petoskey’s words, “People who signed the petition thought that they were getting rid of the board’s retirement plan. Wrong!” Reading between the lines, do I detect a little bit of ‘ha, ha, so you dummies thought you could make us give up something just because all of you did?’
But now I am even more confused. If the members thought they were signing a petition to get rid of the board’s retirement plan, as she writes, then why was the referendum about a tax issue instead? I think the members got ripped off again. They slip a meaningless referendum to the members and then blame the members for it. The board won’t keep the members informed and seem to have way too many secrets regarding the tribe’s finances. They cut employees, jobs, salaries, work hours, Elder land claims and care, children’s programs, health and dental care but NOT their own excessive, unearned wages and benefits.
We want to see the detailed changes in the board retirement plan and then we want another referendum to vote on it. The board can take the cost of that referendum out of their own pockets along with the cost of the useless vote that Petoskey declared worthless (as well as being all the fault of the members). Shirley….they just want to know and you are supposed to keep your unit members informed. You owe it to all members to be accountable for your actions so get off your high horse and do what you were elected to do instead of placing the blame on tribal members.
Speaking of placing blame, Petoskey also claims she wrote a unit report last month but it got lost in cyberspace….yeah right. Did you check your sent file, Shirley? Maybe that’s where you will find the real referendum the members were supposed to get regarding your retirement plan.
Monday, April 6, 2009
IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS AND EQUAL TIME...
Lynne,
Tom Biron is calling for accountability.... Tony Grondin is calling for accountability.... Charles Forgraves is calling for accountability.... Ron Filippi is calling for accountability ..... and the list goes on.... BUT.......where were they during the last election?
These same people couldn't agree on who they would back, in the election that promised accountability. Instead...they allowed McCoy to be elected. They turned away from a chairman that pushed for employee rights, a new constitution and making government criminals accountable.
Abramson, McKelvie, Hoffman, Causley and Eitrem are still in office, and now, Bouschor is back.
Everyone, in their wisdom, was divided and weak. Consequently, the same Unit 1 morons were re-elected. The one director that worked for a constitution wasn't protected....his devotion wasn't appreciated.
The Sault Tribe Times Trash was allowed to become the moral compass of the voters. Its influence was just enough to convince voters that a new constitution was not needed. That the director behind it had a faulty character. That the, then chairman, was a power grabber and this new constitution was his tool. Causley and Bouschor were able to stop the drafted constitution. Bill Bouschor and Mike Doud contributed greatly to the defeat by spreading rumors and false testimony about the character of some candidates that opposed Bouschor's grip on the tribe. So, now, you have the worst of the tribe still in office...only telling you what they want. You have the government you deserve.
Name Witheld until permission granted to post.
Tom Biron is calling for accountability.... Tony Grondin is calling for accountability.... Charles Forgraves is calling for accountability.... Ron Filippi is calling for accountability ..... and the list goes on.... BUT.......where were they during the last election?
These same people couldn't agree on who they would back, in the election that promised accountability. Instead...they allowed McCoy to be elected. They turned away from a chairman that pushed for employee rights, a new constitution and making government criminals accountable.
Abramson, McKelvie, Hoffman, Causley and Eitrem are still in office, and now, Bouschor is back.
Everyone, in their wisdom, was divided and weak. Consequently, the same Unit 1 morons were re-elected. The one director that worked for a constitution wasn't protected....his devotion wasn't appreciated.
The Sault Tribe Times Trash was allowed to become the moral compass of the voters. Its influence was just enough to convince voters that a new constitution was not needed. That the director behind it had a faulty character. That the, then chairman, was a power grabber and this new constitution was his tool. Causley and Bouschor were able to stop the drafted constitution. Bill Bouschor and Mike Doud contributed greatly to the defeat by spreading rumors and false testimony about the character of some candidates that opposed Bouschor's grip on the tribe. So, now, you have the worst of the tribe still in office...only telling you what they want. You have the government you deserve.
Name Witheld until permission granted to post.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
WHO TO BLAME
By Tom Biron
Our tribal members can step in and take over the tribal management very easily with a little help. The disaster we now face is the fault of our past and present leadership and they will not accept responsibility so we are left to waiting until they are exposed by outside sources. The federal government should have stepped in by now but they are no better at managing our resources than their/our tribal managers (our board) so we tribal community members are left on our own to deal with these matters. If we let it go any further we will be locked into another 20 year (minimum)cycle of pay and pay more to many of the same players we have made very rich over the last 20 years.
The formula for success is in our hands, not the current leadership. They have only a formula for failure and more failure until all is lost. It is plain to see. The history is well documented and the failures are such that even the outside world is discussing our losses.
The telling of this tale is that our own leaders are not telling us what they have planned for all of this as a closing strategy but believe me they are in negotiations with many of the same people who we now make payments to who will take the debt for certain returns and payments for a certain amount of time etc and so on.
The new deal being developed right now is the same as ever because our tribal leaders are the same. They know no difference and the outside world is openly discussing their lack of expertise in these matters.
Because the courts required them to hire experts does not mean they hired the best experts with our tribes best interests in mind. In fact, the interests of our debtors appear to be the only ones being acted upon while our tribal leaders wait until the bloodletting process is over. Then, when they no longer can do anything because it is all gone, they will return to our community and announce their intentions to rebuild our local tribal economy (the upper peninsula Casinos) which they all but destroyed as they lost eveything we sent downstate because of foolish deals and stupid acts of egotism and arrogance.
More needs to be said and our tribal members need to call them on the carpet and demand they tell us what is happening right now in the Greektown fiasco. Tribal citizens need to know how much we have lost and what is being planned to retire our debt, or carry it on in others forms with other companies who will pick it up and we will then pay them. We need to know the details of all of this now before it happens. If it has already happened then we need to know that with details of who made the deals and when and where and how the decision was made to enter into the new arrangements. All of the information should be published in our tribal paper each month as the details of this disaster are revealed.
One thing that must be avoided at all costs is leveraging our local tribal Casinos in such a way that they become the payors for the Greektown debt. That cannot happen or we are screwed. We will never recover from that arrangment even if they say it is the only way out. That can be avoided if we know about it and fire the idiots who are negotiating us towards that sort of arrangment. We need to get out now and get out completely. No more debt can be incurred from Greektown. It was a stupid idea to begin with which has been proven to be the worst development plan ever for this tribe and we all know who led us there. If we do not act to get rid of them now they will keep us locked up down there for as long as we can make some sort of payments but this outcome negates any potential for investing in our own local communities and we will never recover from this disaster. Cooler heads will soon prevail. The outcome is clear to me. We have lost everything and unless we end it now someone else will take it over and do it for us. The proverbial writing is on the wall.
One thing the Detroit news did was announce the end of this era of weak tribal leadership. Others can see what is going on and it is costing them too so intervention is underway. We can see it clearly even if our own tribal leaders cannot accept it or manage it in such a away that our tribe survives this ordeal. One important step to take towards survival is an open meeting to share the details of our disaster, to tell us what is going to happen to us and our families because of the Greektown fiasco. If the tribal board does not do this it is because they are too corrupt to do it and someone else will be assigned to tell us what is going on as it is required by law.
I am saddened by these facts because I know many of the board membrs and they seemed like caring people at earlier dates in their careers but once they entered into the board positions they became dishonest and weak, frightened of what they were elected to deal with as tribal representatives. I can only advise all of the board members to try and seek help with their fears so that they can reach out to the tribal membership in this time of need when all of our hopes are diminished by this disaster.
Disaster situations are extremely difficult for tribal community members people to deal with, especially those who had hopes and dreams pinned to the promises made by tribal leaders relevant to the Greektown flagship that was going to provide income and resources in volumes that would answer all of our economic woes.
Not too long ago local tribes had 50% or more unemployment and lived in impoverished environments that gave rise to alcoholism and suicide at alarming rates. Several successful tribes paid their members per capita which ended these problems quickly and without delay for many but our tribe did not share the profits with tribal members because they elected to invest in Greektown because it would bring us self sufficiency. Be careful of these words - self sufficiency. They imply failure because they imply our resources will be kept from us so that these fools can keep on paying their friends who live in other places. We cannot ignore the facts of their previous decisions related to "self sufficiency" nor allow our elected leaders to ignore or avoid the reality of the fragilities that could be exacerbated by the Greektown disaster and how it is affecting our own tribal community health and welfare.
We are in a critical moment of tribal history and these guys are still selling us out for all they can get, the same as they always have. The proof is in the Greektown disaster and its history of debt incurred for losing agreements which are slowly being revealed in the current negotiations. We need all of the details of these negotiations so that we can stop them. If we wait any longer it will be too late once again and we will be stuck with this situation for another generation or more. We owe it to our grandchildren to end it now.
Our tribal members can step in and take over the tribal management very easily with a little help. The disaster we now face is the fault of our past and present leadership and they will not accept responsibility so we are left to waiting until they are exposed by outside sources. The federal government should have stepped in by now but they are no better at managing our resources than their/our tribal managers (our board) so we tribal community members are left on our own to deal with these matters. If we let it go any further we will be locked into another 20 year (minimum)cycle of pay and pay more to many of the same players we have made very rich over the last 20 years.
The formula for success is in our hands, not the current leadership. They have only a formula for failure and more failure until all is lost. It is plain to see. The history is well documented and the failures are such that even the outside world is discussing our losses.
The telling of this tale is that our own leaders are not telling us what they have planned for all of this as a closing strategy but believe me they are in negotiations with many of the same people who we now make payments to who will take the debt for certain returns and payments for a certain amount of time etc and so on.
The new deal being developed right now is the same as ever because our tribal leaders are the same. They know no difference and the outside world is openly discussing their lack of expertise in these matters.
Because the courts required them to hire experts does not mean they hired the best experts with our tribes best interests in mind. In fact, the interests of our debtors appear to be the only ones being acted upon while our tribal leaders wait until the bloodletting process is over. Then, when they no longer can do anything because it is all gone, they will return to our community and announce their intentions to rebuild our local tribal economy (the upper peninsula Casinos) which they all but destroyed as they lost eveything we sent downstate because of foolish deals and stupid acts of egotism and arrogance.
More needs to be said and our tribal members need to call them on the carpet and demand they tell us what is happening right now in the Greektown fiasco. Tribal citizens need to know how much we have lost and what is being planned to retire our debt, or carry it on in others forms with other companies who will pick it up and we will then pay them. We need to know the details of all of this now before it happens. If it has already happened then we need to know that with details of who made the deals and when and where and how the decision was made to enter into the new arrangements. All of the information should be published in our tribal paper each month as the details of this disaster are revealed.
One thing that must be avoided at all costs is leveraging our local tribal Casinos in such a way that they become the payors for the Greektown debt. That cannot happen or we are screwed. We will never recover from that arrangment even if they say it is the only way out. That can be avoided if we know about it and fire the idiots who are negotiating us towards that sort of arrangment. We need to get out now and get out completely. No more debt can be incurred from Greektown. It was a stupid idea to begin with which has been proven to be the worst development plan ever for this tribe and we all know who led us there. If we do not act to get rid of them now they will keep us locked up down there for as long as we can make some sort of payments but this outcome negates any potential for investing in our own local communities and we will never recover from this disaster. Cooler heads will soon prevail. The outcome is clear to me. We have lost everything and unless we end it now someone else will take it over and do it for us. The proverbial writing is on the wall.
One thing the Detroit news did was announce the end of this era of weak tribal leadership. Others can see what is going on and it is costing them too so intervention is underway. We can see it clearly even if our own tribal leaders cannot accept it or manage it in such a away that our tribe survives this ordeal. One important step to take towards survival is an open meeting to share the details of our disaster, to tell us what is going to happen to us and our families because of the Greektown fiasco. If the tribal board does not do this it is because they are too corrupt to do it and someone else will be assigned to tell us what is going on as it is required by law.
I am saddened by these facts because I know many of the board membrs and they seemed like caring people at earlier dates in their careers but once they entered into the board positions they became dishonest and weak, frightened of what they were elected to deal with as tribal representatives. I can only advise all of the board members to try and seek help with their fears so that they can reach out to the tribal membership in this time of need when all of our hopes are diminished by this disaster.
Disaster situations are extremely difficult for tribal community members people to deal with, especially those who had hopes and dreams pinned to the promises made by tribal leaders relevant to the Greektown flagship that was going to provide income and resources in volumes that would answer all of our economic woes.
Not too long ago local tribes had 50% or more unemployment and lived in impoverished environments that gave rise to alcoholism and suicide at alarming rates. Several successful tribes paid their members per capita which ended these problems quickly and without delay for many but our tribe did not share the profits with tribal members because they elected to invest in Greektown because it would bring us self sufficiency. Be careful of these words - self sufficiency. They imply failure because they imply our resources will be kept from us so that these fools can keep on paying their friends who live in other places. We cannot ignore the facts of their previous decisions related to "self sufficiency" nor allow our elected leaders to ignore or avoid the reality of the fragilities that could be exacerbated by the Greektown disaster and how it is affecting our own tribal community health and welfare.
We are in a critical moment of tribal history and these guys are still selling us out for all they can get, the same as they always have. The proof is in the Greektown disaster and its history of debt incurred for losing agreements which are slowly being revealed in the current negotiations. We need all of the details of these negotiations so that we can stop them. If we wait any longer it will be too late once again and we will be stuck with this situation for another generation or more. We owe it to our grandchildren to end it now.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
George Washington, Seventh Annual Address, December 8, 1795
It is necessary that we should not lose sight.....
of an important truth which continually receives new confirmations, namely, that the provisions heretofore made with a view to the protection of the Indians from the violences of the lawless part of our frontier inhabitants are insufficient. It is demonstrated that these violences can now be perpetrated with impunity, and it can need no argument to prove that unless the murdering of Indians can be restrained by bringing the murderers to condign punishment, all the exertions of the Government to prevent destructive retaliations by the Indians will prove fruitless and all our present agreeable prospects illusory. The frequent destruction of innocent women and children, who are chiefly the victims of retaliation, must continue to shock humanity, and an enormous expense to drain the Treasury of the Union. --
George Washington, Seventh Annual Address, December 8, 1795
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Ethics By Way Of A Conclusion
Is it possible to understand the difference between our feelings of a culture and how those imbedded in a culture see themselves? Attempts at bridging the cultural gaps between intellectual and political groups, economists and the masses, is challenged by the distrust of power and cultural differences. By positioning oneself within a culture, can we wipe away preconceived notions by replacing false historical viewpoints with opinions based purely on research?
Understanding cultural diversity through ethical means would require that we leave politics and economic gain out of the equation. Our own culture and sense of who we are in society affects how we view others outside our community. Those that characterize themselves by their wealth and social status will likely, not be able to understand those whose culture is based on religious beliefs and customs rather than economics. The same is true if the situation were reversed.
Taking a look back in history may indicate to the majority that politics and economic growth were dependent upon pushing ethics to the back burner. Racism was born out of the need for the acquisition of power and property: politics aka power and property aka economics.
But racism would not exist if ethics was more desirable than power and economics. It was necessary to shape ourselves to fit into certain classes of people as well as differentiate between who is human and who is less than human and even those humans who were considered closer to the animal kingdom than others. This same categorization is how some could rationalize racism in that it gave them permission to move other humans into slavery and also gave them authority over the well-being and safety of their slaves.
Diverse cultural communities will always exist within or outside the confines of politics and economics because history has shown us that the need for challenge, competition and dominance is human nature whether it be between or within cultures, politicians, countries or gender. The real challenge is to bring ethics to the top of all that is desired with greed viewed as the most horrible of all diseases.
The Sault Tribe is a mixture of cultural diversity, politics, economics, hierarchy and status. Racism is also present within members of our tribe by those who differentiate between who appears to be or acts, more Indian. But those who refer to themselves as more Indian than others are in contradition to the beliefs of their own culture. The tradition of smudging which is to cleanse an area or person of evil is performed at the Sault Tribe meetings. Immediately after, the fighting, lying and cheating begins including by those very people who refer to themselves as traditional. The teachings of the 7 Grandfathers are not honored by the leaders of our tribal community. Instead, they have taken on the characteristics of the Europeans who tried to extinquish our people. They may not maim, torture or kill but they have claimed all of the assets of their very own people for themselves.
Traditionally, what would our people have done to those who lied,cheated and stole from their very own people? We would have banished them.
Lynne Weaver
copyright April, 2009
Understanding cultural diversity through ethical means would require that we leave politics and economic gain out of the equation. Our own culture and sense of who we are in society affects how we view others outside our community. Those that characterize themselves by their wealth and social status will likely, not be able to understand those whose culture is based on religious beliefs and customs rather than economics. The same is true if the situation were reversed.
Taking a look back in history may indicate to the majority that politics and economic growth were dependent upon pushing ethics to the back burner. Racism was born out of the need for the acquisition of power and property: politics aka power and property aka economics.
But racism would not exist if ethics was more desirable than power and economics. It was necessary to shape ourselves to fit into certain classes of people as well as differentiate between who is human and who is less than human and even those humans who were considered closer to the animal kingdom than others. This same categorization is how some could rationalize racism in that it gave them permission to move other humans into slavery and also gave them authority over the well-being and safety of their slaves.
Diverse cultural communities will always exist within or outside the confines of politics and economics because history has shown us that the need for challenge, competition and dominance is human nature whether it be between or within cultures, politicians, countries or gender. The real challenge is to bring ethics to the top of all that is desired with greed viewed as the most horrible of all diseases.
The Sault Tribe is a mixture of cultural diversity, politics, economics, hierarchy and status. Racism is also present within members of our tribe by those who differentiate between who appears to be or acts, more Indian. But those who refer to themselves as more Indian than others are in contradition to the beliefs of their own culture. The tradition of smudging which is to cleanse an area or person of evil is performed at the Sault Tribe meetings. Immediately after, the fighting, lying and cheating begins including by those very people who refer to themselves as traditional. The teachings of the 7 Grandfathers are not honored by the leaders of our tribal community. Instead, they have taken on the characteristics of the Europeans who tried to extinquish our people. They may not maim, torture or kill but they have claimed all of the assets of their very own people for themselves.
Traditionally, what would our people have done to those who lied,cheated and stole from their very own people? We would have banished them.
Lynne Weaver
copyright April, 2009
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