I know I have been slacking off in keeping the news flowing but my own life has been pretty busy. After months of trying to find a fulltime job in Sault Ste. Marie, including several resumes sent for open positions with the Sault Tribe, I finally landed a job....but not in the Soo or with the Sault Tribe.
I sent my resume via email on a Monday, got a call the next day to set up an interview the following Friday. On the Monday that followed, I received a call asking how soon I could start. I headed for my new job the following day and am currently working for a large nationwide company whose 'home-office' is located in the Western end of the U.P. In one week, my life changed...I've heard older ladies referring to their 'change of life' but I don't think this is what they were referring to.
Long hours as well as a longer commute than I am accustomed to and weekend return trips to pack up my apartment and place my belongings in storage for now, has left me little time for the extra curricular activities which include writing. Add to that, the lack of high speed internet has also limited my time spent writing. Oh how I miss my high speed internet. Until I find a place where I have the luxury of high speed internet, I am stuck with impatiently waiting for a signal to reach me through miles and miles of hills, trees and valleys. It's kind of like getting stuck driving behind a 90 year old who thinks everyone else is moving way too fast.
On the bright side, I get to stay with my youngest sister...my friend...my confidante, until I find a place closer to the city where I work. We get to catch up after years of only short visits shared with numerous family members.
I wanted to share with you some of the discussions that are taking place on a Facebook account called "Sault Tribe Guide" and will do so as soon as I get permission from other members to share their stories and opinions. The Sault Tribe Guide is all about change for the Sault Tribe. Things move a little slow at times with some of the most frequent participants occasionally spending too much time goofing off and having fun and other times arguing and insulting each other followed by apologies and make-up kisses.
One member posts his skillfully and artfully crafted music videos inspired by the antics of past and present Sault Tribe leaders while others get down to business and write the letters that are a call for action to correct the imbalances in the Sault Tribe governance.
So if you get bored and impatient waiting for me to provide you with more Sault Tribe news, get yourself a Facebook account, if you don't already have one, request membership in the 'Sault Tribe Guide' and learn what is really going on in your tribe. Don't expect to find the truth in the Sault Tribe paper. Although the pages are not glossy, the words are.
Hang in their folks...I'll be back!
Lynne Weaver
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
VOTERS BEWARE!
By RJanetos
You may think that you are registered to vote in any Sault Tribe election, only to find out, after it is too late, that you won't be getting a ballot.
You were denied a ballot because of a "mailing snafu".
You don't get to vote because you live outside the service areas and didn't re-register for each election...or some such nonsense.
You don't get to vote because your registration was lost somewhere along the line.
You don't get to vote because the election committee says that they don't have a good address for you although you haven't moved in twenty years.
Whatever the reason is for the inefficiency, negligence or lies...you are denied your right to vote.
The elections have been controlled by core family and Bouschor loyalist for decades. The Board of Directors are unwilling to provide a more reasonable opportunity for people to serve.....giving them complete control..
To combat this system, there needs to be a massive effort to not only register voters but to get official confirmation of their registration in a timely fashion. To accomplish this, volunteers will need to obtain registration materials and distribute them by mail and the internet. A system to follow up on the registration must be in place and a watch dog committee must be able to act swiftly when a error is reported. The election committee must acknowledge new registrants by official tribal mail.
Volunteers need to provide community collection points and certify by signature that a registered voter has authorized them to forward their ballot to the tribal ballot box. The volunteer need to maintain records of those ballots received.
If someone doesn't receive a ballot during the delivery period, and reports it, the tribe should contact that person and overnight a ballot...which they take to the collection point volunteer. The signatures collected by the volunteers will act as a means to prevent duplication.
This action is necessary because of the corrupt and/or negligent election process
In regular elections, you sign your name and receive a ballot when it is confirmed that you are registered.
Change the path of the tribe.
Do what you can to help.
You may think that you are registered to vote in any Sault Tribe election, only to find out, after it is too late, that you won't be getting a ballot.
You were denied a ballot because of a "mailing snafu".
You don't get to vote because you live outside the service areas and didn't re-register for each election...or some such nonsense.
You don't get to vote because your registration was lost somewhere along the line.
You don't get to vote because the election committee says that they don't have a good address for you although you haven't moved in twenty years.
Whatever the reason is for the inefficiency, negligence or lies...you are denied your right to vote.
The elections have been controlled by core family and Bouschor loyalist for decades. The Board of Directors are unwilling to provide a more reasonable opportunity for people to serve.....giving them complete control..
To combat this system, there needs to be a massive effort to not only register voters but to get official confirmation of their registration in a timely fashion. To accomplish this, volunteers will need to obtain registration materials and distribute them by mail and the internet. A system to follow up on the registration must be in place and a watch dog committee must be able to act swiftly when a error is reported. The election committee must acknowledge new registrants by official tribal mail.
Volunteers need to provide community collection points and certify by signature that a registered voter has authorized them to forward their ballot to the tribal ballot box. The volunteer need to maintain records of those ballots received.
If someone doesn't receive a ballot during the delivery period, and reports it, the tribe should contact that person and overnight a ballot...which they take to the collection point volunteer. The signatures collected by the volunteers will act as a means to prevent duplication.
This action is necessary because of the corrupt and/or negligent election process
In regular elections, you sign your name and receive a ballot when it is confirmed that you are registered.
Change the path of the tribe.
Do what you can to help.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
HOW TO BE A GOOD SAULT TRIBE MEMBER FOR DUMMIES
Originally published in the Cheboygan Tribune July 2009
By Lynne Weaver
Ten rules to being a good Sault Tribe member.
# One Never question authority.
This is by far the most important rule to becoming a faithful and obedient Sault Tribe member. Tribal Officials are the ultimate and final authority and not law enforcement as some may assume. Do not assume that as a voting member, you have the right to opinions that may question authority.
# Two Learn to nod yes effectively.
Move your head from its upright position directly downward until the chin touches the area located at the top of the breastbone. This movement signals your approval with whatever you are told by tribal officials.
# Three Ignore the tribal constitution.
This document was originally intended for approval by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the purpose of obtaining federal acknowledgement and can be amended by the Sault Tribe Board of Directors only, as needed.
# Four Believe everything you are told.
If tribal officials tell you that everything is hunky-dorey fine, you should believe it because they would never deceive tribal members unless it was absolutely necessary. The definition of “necessary” is at the discretion of the board and other tribal officials.
# Five Do not ask for tribal financial updates.
The financial position of the tribe is none of your business. The “don’t ask-don’t tell” rule is always in effect.
# Six Do not ask that the meetings be televised as before.
One of the benefits of having tribal members not living within meeting zones is that it is less complicated for tribal officials. If members can’t attend meetings, it is easier not to be held accountable. This is also easier for members come election time since a simple guess is all that is required to know who has worked in the best interest of the tribe.
# Seven Give back your Elder check if you received one.
The Board of Directors needs it to pay for unnecessary trips across the country to attend conferences that bring nothing of value back to the tribe.
# Eight Be happy that the board is not making any financial sacrifices for the tribe.
Someone has to benefit from all the money received from the land claims. Be happy that you don’t have the headaches associated with how to spend 67K a year for working a part-time job. Since members are not privy to such highly confidential information, apologies to all if the figure is higher now.
# Nine Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
If you have heard about the FBI investigations and the discovery of the endless can of worms, put your hand over your ears. If you were a witness to questionable activities by any tribal official, cover your eyes. Place your hand over your mouth if you feel tempted to tell anyone what you have heard or seen.
# Ten Drink the red koolaid as soon as the effects of the first nine rules begin to wear off.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
IT'S TIME TO SHAKE THINGS UP!
This from an Anonymous Poster.....
It IS time to start over. In my mind what better time? Things are already in the toilet. Keeping the status quo only insures the continued downward spiral that we are in. I mean did you check out the latest edition of the happy land paper? Unit reports that said absolutely nothing except that they all took another trip on our dime. I am very angry that they can travel all over the place and we are still working for peanuts,our properties are falling apart and we have ZERO leadership.
I work at the Shores and I can tell you that for a building that is what? 5 yrs old it is rapidly approaching dump status. Broken things are rarely fixed,the plumbing is a nightmare,carpets are filthy,can't keep houskeepers because they don't want to pay them anything..the list goes on ad nauseum. And I won't even start on the lakefront.And they are traveling around acting like everything is hunky dorey.
Well things are not hunky dorey, employee morale is at an all time low. Folks work for the tribe because they HAVE to..not because they want to. If there were other jobs in the area all GOOD employees would be gone.
I am a firm believer it is time to shake things up and not with some lame referendum or petition that they will just ignore. I mean shake things up!!!
This seems to be a growing trend among Sault Tribers...the idea that the only options to make the necessary changes are to be proactive in a way that suggests we mean business!
Lynne Weaver
It IS time to start over. In my mind what better time? Things are already in the toilet. Keeping the status quo only insures the continued downward spiral that we are in. I mean did you check out the latest edition of the happy land paper? Unit reports that said absolutely nothing except that they all took another trip on our dime. I am very angry that they can travel all over the place and we are still working for peanuts,our properties are falling apart and we have ZERO leadership.
I work at the Shores and I can tell you that for a building that is what? 5 yrs old it is rapidly approaching dump status. Broken things are rarely fixed,the plumbing is a nightmare,carpets are filthy,can't keep houskeepers because they don't want to pay them anything..the list goes on ad nauseum. And I won't even start on the lakefront.And they are traveling around acting like everything is hunky dorey.
Well things are not hunky dorey, employee morale is at an all time low. Folks work for the tribe because they HAVE to..not because they want to. If there were other jobs in the area all GOOD employees would be gone.
I am a firm believer it is time to shake things up and not with some lame referendum or petition that they will just ignore. I mean shake things up!!!
This seems to be a growing trend among Sault Tribers...the idea that the only options to make the necessary changes are to be proactive in a way that suggests we mean business!
Lynne Weaver
Saturday, July 30, 2011
SPREAD THE WORD
A database is being set up to gather the names of all those who did not receive a ballot in ANY of the last three - four Sault Tribe elections. If you received a ballot to vote in the primary but did not receive one to vote in the general election, or vice versa, we would like to know. If you have been registered to vote, have not moved or moved but notified the tribe of the change of address, please contact me at weave977@yahoo.com.
We also want to know if you have been denied benefits that you feel you were entitled to, without an understanding or reasonable explanation of why you were denied. Your participation is extremely important and your identity will be protected.
To join a group who intends to make some much needed changes within the Sault Tribe, there is a Facebook group called the Sault Tribe Guide, but it is not anonymous.
PASS THE WORD...the next election is less than a year away and it's time to turn the tables in our direction.
We also want to know if you have been denied benefits that you feel you were entitled to, without an understanding or reasonable explanation of why you were denied. Your participation is extremely important and your identity will be protected.
To join a group who intends to make some much needed changes within the Sault Tribe, there is a Facebook group called the Sault Tribe Guide, but it is not anonymous.
PASS THE WORD...the next election is less than a year away and it's time to turn the tables in our direction.
Friday, July 29, 2011
In response to a Soo Evening News article regarding the upcoming appointment of a replacement chairperson for the Sault Tribe, a reader wrote this and also sent it to me.
Former Chairman Aaron Payment would be a good choice. After all, the difference in votes for chairman were only a few suspicious hundred in McCoy's favor.
But I do have a sneaking suspicion that Benard would like to return as chairman...that would show all of those voters that dethroned, him for Aaron Payment,.that he still has the power. The Tonky Trump ego will have made full circle from shame to fame. A smarter move for Benard would be to wait for the appointment of his buddy and then take the CEO position that is vacant. Then, he is really back.
Native American Scholar, Martin Rhinehardt has stated that he will campaign against any Board member that prohibits the citizens from deciding who will fill the chairman's seat. You won't hear these politicians Causley, Abramson , McCoy, Pine or Bouschor play the race card and dispute that man.
It is sad to watch how a handful of the tribe's worst can dictate to the membership....over and over and over again.
Hopefully, this next election will be when the membership votes for a new path. The need to bring in the constitution that the present Board wants to ignore. It would make them accountable. That scares them.
Former Chairman Aaron Payment would be a good choice. After all, the difference in votes for chairman were only a few suspicious hundred in McCoy's favor.
But I do have a sneaking suspicion that Benard would like to return as chairman...that would show all of those voters that dethroned, him for Aaron Payment,.that he still has the power. The Tonky Trump ego will have made full circle from shame to fame. A smarter move for Benard would be to wait for the appointment of his buddy and then take the CEO position that is vacant. Then, he is really back.
Native American Scholar, Martin Rhinehardt has stated that he will campaign against any Board member that prohibits the citizens from deciding who will fill the chairman's seat. You won't hear these politicians Causley, Abramson , McCoy, Pine or Bouschor play the race card and dispute that man.
It is sad to watch how a handful of the tribe's worst can dictate to the membership....over and over and over again.
Hopefully, this next election will be when the membership votes for a new path. The need to bring in the constitution that the present Board wants to ignore. It would make them accountable. That scares them.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
SAULT TRIBE INTERNET GROUP ORIGINATOR PASSES ON
Gary John Bernard, 56, of 823 Wisconsin Ave., Gladstone, passed away Saturday, July 23, 2011, at the St. Francis Hospital, in Escanaba, following a brief illness. Gary was the founder of the Sault Tribe Group, an internet site that allowed tribal members to voice their opinions. Gary was the reason that so many of us became involved in Sault Tribe politics.Gary was born July 26, 1954, in Sault Ste. Marie, the son of John and Margaret (Fillippis) Bernard. He was raised in Sault Ste. Marie and was a 1972 graduate of the Sault Ste. Marie High School. Gary is survived by his wife of 37 years, Cheryl (Ford); his mother, Margaret, and his sons, Joshua Bernard, Ryan Bernard and Jason (Wendy) Bernard, all of Gladstone; daughter, Kristin (Matthew) Tuskan of Gladstone; brothers, Ronald (Jackie) Bernard of Sault Ste. Marie, Patrick Bernard of Sault Ste. Marie, Richard Bernard of Louisiana; sister, Nancy Watson of Grand Rapids, Mich.; granddaughters, Isabelle, Mary Lynn and Sage; father- and mother-in-law, Dwayne (Sonja) Ford of Gladstone; and honorary son, Philip Dausey of Rapid River.
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