Since the news of Joe McCoy's sudden announcement to resign as Chairman of the Sault Tribe, the response from citizens of the tribe overwhelmingly call for a Special Election. For proof, all one needs to do is read the comments on the various web-based news providers that ran the story, this blog and on Facebook.
As a result of a search of all available links to the story, I was able to compile a consensus from those who took the time to voice their opinions. Right or wrong, but definitely not indifferent, it appears that by an overwhelming majority the citizens want the return of Aaron Payment and also by an overwhelming majority, do NOT want Bernard Bouschor or Lana Causley appointed to hold the top position in our tribe.
It's clearer than a bell or in words written in gold across the sky, clearer than the water of Lake Superior and clearer than the bluest sky....citizens of the Sault Tribe do not want an appointed Chairperson, but they do want a Special Election. Some feel that since Payment was the runner-up in the last Chairman's election that he be approached to finish out McCoy's term.
Whether there is a Special Election or the runner-up from the last election is chosen, those are the only two options that represent the voices of the citizens of the Sault Tribe. A vote to do otherwise by any members of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors will surely seal their fate as not representing the will of the people and will therefore by ousted from their cushy little board seat as soon as their name comes up next to an oval that needs to filled out with blue or black ink. Are the directors listening? Can you hear us now!
12 comments:
So you think the majority of tribal citizens want AP. And you base that on some letters. Nice math. FUNNy numbers. Aaron had his chance and he blew it.
This is an opportunity for the tribe to go forward and improve its constitutional government...by implementing the new constitution that the citizens wrote themselves with the help of two constitutional lawyers in 2006. The tribe's economy needs to be improved as well... as it is being with the new casino proposal and its investments in Indian Energy. Tribal government, however is also a work in progress. People are needed on the board who have an intereste in improving the way it does your business for you. The present constitution is not working, your government isn't effective and, even should the proposed casino prosper, the internal struggles for control of the board will continue to take precedence over conducting your business in a fair and effective manner.
Certainly members don't want director Causley as the chair. She hasn't shown any interest in the new constitution nor has she studied constitutional government or public administration. Her background doesn't reflect an interest in developing your tribe into a real constitutional democracy. Instead you will have still more of the same...democracy once every four years when the politicians want your vote.
Director Bouchor is not a good choice either. People were reluctant to even applaud him at the swearing in ceremony of 2008. He thinks he's a chief and seems to be living in the past. A majority of you don't believe in him or believe he will do anything different than he did the last time...ruling as though he were a mafia don. You don't want corruption even if it means stability. Anyway you look at it it's not a good deal. The rest of the world is evolving into modern constitutional democracies and director Bouchour wants to take you the other way. You have every right to want your tribe to evolve into something better.
You have this opportunity to implement the new constitution. Please be careful and support a leader who will do it for you. Don't waste this opportunity. A constitutional committee of people like yourself met in 2005 and spent $400,000.00 on expenses and the help of two constitutional lawyers. Together they wrote a new citizen's constitution...get behind it and support it.
There's time for an advisory election on who will be your next chairman. In this writer's opinion, whether you like former chairman Aaron Payment or not, he has the best credentials and the most to offer you. If however there is not advisory election, it's important to note that the present constitution says nothing about having to be a board member to be appointed...
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
Of course they hear us, that is not the problem. They do not care what we say. They , in their very small minds, place themselves above us. They think that since they were elected that they can act as they think best, regardless of us. There is a misperception that they were elected to make the decisions on their own, outside of our input. Who on earth would want a subway sandwich maker as chair ?
There are many tribal members that are not calling for a Special Election, many are saying SAVE THE MONEY, let the Vice-Chair remain in her seat and wait for the next election which is less that a year away to put it to a vote. With the banter of nothing but mud slinging and negativity from Aaron Payment, there are not many that want to see him in any capacity of leadership for our tribe. There is not an "overwhelming majority" or tribal citizens that want Aaron Payment to return. BTW, please cease with the "subway sandwich maker" label you have hung around Ms. Causley's neck. She has been in a role of leadership for 7 years now, she is one Director that does attend financials and communication meetings, she does represent our people at the National level, and she is professional. I do not see her sending out vindictive half truths and outright lies over facebook or the internet as we are witness to Aaron Payment doing. Let's see if this makes the blog Lynne.
To the previous anonymous poster: I don't personally label Lana as a sandwich maker...don't need to since there are so many others willing to point out that a person that holds such a high position in our tribe lacks experience and education. Gee, ever wonder why we are in such a mess? Big deal that she has been in a role of leadership for the last 7 years. I wouldn't be pointing that out as a positive quality on her resume considering where we are right now. "For the last 7 years I have served on a board that consistently failed its membership." I don't think that's anything to brag about. Bin laden represented his people on a national level...another wasted point. Please ask her how she spent $800,000 in federal grants for the Mackinac Bands because according to the submissions, there seems to be a lack of proof that departments, offices, employees, and benefits actually existed. Where are and who are the 230+ people who received benefits? Just curious...does anyone remember when all of this existed?
I labeled Lana the Subway Sandwich maker and I think everyone in this tribe needs to know that she has no education, experience, or apparent intellectual ability to lead this tribe for one day much less a year. Just because she has been on the board does not mean she is now qualified to be on the board. Further, attending meetings does not somehow endow her with the intellectual capabilities of understanding what is happening in a meeting. The post I am responding to sounds like it may have been written by Hollowhead or Pinhead. If so please listen clearly, getting a degree in jewelry making and working as a poster maker does not qualify you as a board member. The real tradgedy for our tribe is that we continue to elect people based on popularity rather than ability. Just watch the Board at meetings. Most of them do not have a clue as to what is going on. We need competent, intelligent, educated and skilled Board members. Kick the fools to the curb.
Elections are held for a reason, to let the voice of the people be heard. To the blogger who said "why bother with the expense of a special election", I say where were your concerns about expenses when Bouschor was paying off all his cronies after he lost re-election? Even the most generous Corporations only give 1 week of pay for each year employed (as Severence pay). The amount of money Bouschor handed out was far above that standard.
Can you hear me now?
There are some serious issues in Lana's past that she needs to address and explain. For one, whatever happened to all that Mack Band money that she and her father got ? Why was she defending Fred so strongly when he apparently beat up or rather assaulted a tribal female employee. How about the many rampant rumors that she was sleeping with Fred, and then with Joe McCoy. Finally, there are those nagging allegations that when her daughter was running from the police for grand theft, that Lana was shielding her.Do we really want this type of person leading our tribe ? Haven't we had enough of this ?
Face it, Legs Lana is going to be chair, there will be no election, and someone loyal to the Board, not necessarily the people, will be appointed.
SOmeone sounds like AP.
Sat in BOD workshop, no election, they will a[[point
Lana Causley can't even write a unit report. Insiders say her reports are riddled with spelling errors and obvious grammatical mistakes. Lana tries to look good to all on the outside, but on the insider there is nothing. She does not even seek out to further her education because she is too busy shacking up with our former Chairman Joe McCoy. The reality is she really doesn’t know what she is doing. And if you think she does, then maybe your just as dumb as she is. She reminds me of those reality shows, she knows how to play the game...but after a while everyone figures out there is no substance, just a lot of manipulation and misinformation.
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