In response to an email from Charles Forgraves, a voice we count on for his integrity, Debra Pine, an elected official whose job is to represent the people, responded in her usual 'shut up---I don't care what you say' attitude. Her usual arrogance is easily detected following Charles' article. Read for yourselves.
Sault Ste. Marie, Mi...Representatives of Indian Energy LLC met with tribal elders at the Sault Tribe's Elder's Center here in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Mr. Cadreau, the company president, discussed the merits of Indian Energy LLC as a tribal investment, but his presentation was lost on the disgruntled elders. The room was so filled with ill will toward the tribal board members present that the bad feelings went on to carry the day.
Tribal citizen Mr. Basil of unit two took the floor away from director Pine who had appointed herself master of ceremonies. Mr. Basil then went on and made his case for the tribal elders while at the same time lambasting the tribal leaders. He thought the $2,500,000.00 would be better spent restoring the elder services and programs that were cut to balance the tribal budget at their expense. He pointed out that it would take more than the $2,500,000.00 to restore those programs and services. He also pointed out that the board didn't take any cuts whereas the elder's were asked to take the brunt of them. Mr. Basil then discussed the board's salaries and perks; indicating that many of our part time board members work less than the15 hours a week allotted to the elders but yet they earned more a week than the elder's earned in a month. He enumerated their perks, listing their gas and their cell phones as paid for and their health and life insurances and retirements, etc, etc, etc, and concluded by mentioning that the board hadn't made any sacrifices themselves while balancing the tribal budget.
Director Boushour, his ears boxed by Mr. Basil, took the floor to clarify a few things. He went on with his usual spiel about the accomplishments of past administrations, beginning with the 1930's and working his way up to the present, giving a great deal of the credit for those accomplishments to himself. He reviewed and praised the tribe's leadership in the areas of health care and housing and elder services and suggested to the elder's that they should feel grateful for the work done on their behalf.
Mr. Nanook raised his hand and asked permission to re-butt director Bouchor's remarks. The gentleman of the north took the elder's microphone and reminded them of the monopoly that the Sault Tribe has enjoyed in gaming in the Upper Peninsula and that it was the Bay Mills Tribe that open the way for the Sault Tribe to develop its casinos. Mr. Nannook said with the kind of advantage enjoyed by the Sault tribe in the gaming business any tribal member with an unused barn could successfully develop and run their own casino. He then reminded director's Bouchor and Pine of the twenty-five or thirty business failures since the 1990's; pointing out to them that not one tribal director was held accountable for their loss. ...to include the $800,000.000.00 Greektown Casino; suggesting to the two directors that each of them would have been fired were they working in the real corporate world. Mr. Nanook concluded by addressing director's Bouchor and Pine directly; telling them that he didn't trust them with his financial future as a tribal elder.
Director Pine who had began the introduction to the presentation took the microphone again and rebutted Mr. Nanook's interpretation of tribal history. She used the same rhetoric that she used in the 2010 campaign to win her board seat, citing the desperate shape of the tribal budget when she came on board and how the board worked so hard at cost cutting to balance it. She said the tribal budget was $15,000,000.00 in the red when she came aboard and hinted at the previous administration being responsible; while at the same time failing to mention the $5,000,000,00 which the board borrowed secretly on her watch, using the elder's land's claim fund as collateral; and then subsequently using the $5,000,000.00 borrowed in secrecy to balance the budget and claiming it as surplus and accrued income available for investing.
Mr. Cadreau of Indian Energy LLC finally took the floor. He began with his business and educational background and then spent time connecting with the elder's as a fellow tribal member. Mr. Cardreau wasn't far into his presentation when an elder interposed with remarks about the tribe's prospects with Indian Energy. He didn't like it that tribal money was being invested in Mexico and worried that the tribe would lose it. Ofher elder's present felt that with the tribe owing $79,000,000.00 to a local bank at 12% that it couldn't afford to invest the $2,500,000.00 in Indian Energy or anything else until the bank loan was paid off or at least paid down.
The meeting began at 12:00 P.M. and it was now 1:30 P.M. At this time the president of the elder's committee asked for a break. She asked to have the 50/50 drawing so that some of the elder's who wanted to leave could do so. This writer, having errands to run and other commitments, left along with a majority of the members in attendance.
In conclusion: the emotional atmosphere of the event wasn't conducive to the Indian Energy LLC presentation. Mr. Cadreau was interposed constantly with questions and comments from the floor and any meaningful or productive discussion was fragmented and inconclusive at best. The vast majority of the elder's present didn't have as much argument with Mr. Cadreau and Indian Energy LLC as they had with director's Bouchour and Pine. Member's were furious with the way the tribal board was handling the tribal investment. Nor did they like the way the tribal budget was handled and they didn't hesitate to let their thoughts and feelings about it be known.
Company literature was handed out by Indian Engergy LLC and is available from, Mr. Boulley, the company's public relations consultant. Mr. Boulley also has the company's website address and other contact information available. The January issue of the government owned and edited newspaper also has information on the company and the tribe's proposed investment in it.
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
Pine writes:
Are you ok? Seriously, do you need to go see a doctor?
You have me concerned since you are referring to yourself as "Mr. Nanook".
Why are you referring to yourself as "Mr. Nanook"?
Why not tell the truth? Unless you are seriously ill and really do need to talk to a doctor.
Sincerely,
Debra-Ann Pine
What do you think Sault Tribe citizens? Is this the way an elected official acts in the best interest of the tribe? Is this the way a director should respond to a member of the unit she is supposed to represent?
7 comments:
Remove that witch from the board.Her interest is for herself, her mother who got a big piece of us and to protect that piece of **** Bouchor.
Her mother claimed to have a college degree but that's a lie. She didn't even go.
Debra Pine is a no nothing, sarcastic, arrogant , sleazy, fake. She should be removed. She presented herself as something she is not during the election to get votes, but she is far from anything cultural or traditional. She is among the worst type of phonies that exist.
Good for the tribal Elders, not long ago Bouchor would not have allowed that type comments to be spoken against a project that he backed. So even though we still have Board members that won't hear our words, we have come a long way and there is a light at the end to the tunnel. Baamaapii Negee
I was wondering what Mr. Forgrave means by "government owned and edited newspaper." Miigwech.
Well, like in the eastern block countries of the old Soviet Union and like in the Soviet Union itself, all of the newspaper were owned and edited by the government; it had the complete and final say about what was in the paper. the citizens of the country were'n allowed a voice. That's the way it is with our tribe. Thanks, Charles Forgrave
What part of Mr. Forgrave's characterization of the tribal paper did you have question about?
It is indeed owned by the tribal government. AND, it is controlled by the handful of Board directors. It doesn't allow for counter statements nor does it provide a public forum for those that would like to offer a different perspective.
Try offering something contrary to the Bouschor agenda.
This government isn't "for the people". It is for the greedy bastards that narrowly or suspiciously won a popularity contest.
Until the champions of this tribe...like Gravelle and Payment are able to get us the new constitution...nothing will change.
I am hopeful, however, that this stand against the greed "by referendum" will protect the tribe until real servants can be recognized and elected.
It's like when I asked the paper to correct Deb Pine's first Unit Report. She stated I supporter here when I did not. When the paper published the correction they basically made it sound like they had to get Deb's permission. Then allowed her the opportunity to respond to my correction. An opportunity I was not given to respond to her.
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