Tribal Council Questions Grassroots (Crow Creek)
Posted by Hunkpati to DLN
Hau; I just received this this evenning, it's a 12 Questions from an Unsigned Tribal Council Supporters and the Answers by the Grassroots Leaders / Representitives.
It will show you how it is being played out there in Crow Creek, I'll be getting another one here soon, from the son of the Grassroots spokesperson, Mr. Vernon Ashely.
its a perfect example of the way the Tribal council responds to the people.
ANONYMOUS (UNSIGNED DOCUMENT)
RECEIVED FEBRUARY 12, 2003
ANSWER
1.
QUESTION: Let me get this straight. The Lakes of the Brave group is going to impeach the present tribal council. The same council we all voted for in the past election. The same council who won by majority vote because we all exercised our constitutional right and voted for them.
ANSWER: We will be more than happy to once again, help you get this straight. Lakes of the Brave, Inc. is not going to impeach the present tribal council -- the United States Congress will have that honor. You must remember that the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe is a Treaty Tribe and only the US Congress can take such action. And how conveniently we forget, but it was the money, alcohol and drugs that got the majority vote for the Tribal Council and Duane Big Eagle; and not exercising your constitutional right to vote.
2.
QUESTION: The Lakes of the Brave group is going to install an interim government. How? Who will authorize them to do that?
ANSWER: A redundant question - the US Congress will approve and authorize the tribal governance to be turned over to an Interim Tribal Governing Body consisting of educated, professionals in the fields of administration, finance, law -- with the consulting expertise of the University of South Dakota.
3.
QUESTION: The Lakes of the Brave is going to restore pride and integrity to our tribe. Excuse me, did I miss something here? Two of the Lakes of the Brave are convicted felons and the other two are always looking for handouts from the same tribal council they are trying to get rid of. Real role models.
ANSWER: Let the first one without sin cast the first stone. It isn't what mistakes you made in the past that you are judged, but what you learned from your mistakes; and the Lakes of the Brave Board Members are putting their lives on the line to make a difference for the future generations of the tribe. Lakes of the Brave members want the best school system for the children; they want employment opportunities and the best health care; they want to be able to offer opportunities for tribal members to leave the reservation and get the best post-secondary education and experience, and then to be able to return and use their education and training for their people. What does the tribe have to offer our youth who leave the reservation to seek an education and career, and then want to return to the reservation to serve their people?
4.
QUESTION: I for one am sick and tired of this group. I don't want Vern Ashley (or his family), who left this reservation years ago, telling me what to do. In his letter printed in the Argus Leader he runs us all down. He says we have lowered ourselves to the lowest level of life. He says we ought to have shame that only a handful of us have a high school education. He says we have lost our pride. He says we are offspring of a shiftless group of people who came later to this reservation. He says the shame rests with those elected to lead our tribe and he says we don't need the council. He says we need to wake up. Vern Ashley I am awake.
ANSWER: Since you were obviously out of the loop when Lakes of the Brave first began, let me refresh your memory. Because of Mr. Ashley's article €œKiktapo,€ the tribal members asked him to help them change the tribal government for all tribal peoples, and not just a few. A petition was signed by 407 enrolled tribal members of voting age which was exactly one-half of the eligible voters in the last election of May 2002. Since that time, even more have signed for membership in the Lakes of the Brave. This is the proof that the tribal peoples want a change in their Constitution and Bylaws, the election process, the Tribal Council, and the process by which all tribal programs are operated by the Tribal Council which benefits only the Council and their families.
As far as the €œonly a handful of us have a high school education€ - we have tried to get the resumes of the Tribal Council members and various tribal employees to verify credentials and all to no avail -- resumes don't exist in the tribal government. And as for being sick and tired of Lakes of the Brave, get used to it--because we are not going away. We are keeping a record of every infraction of the Constitution and Bylaws; i.e., having regular Tribal Council meetings; Council members attendance at such meetings; minutes not being available to tribal members until 4 to 5 months after the meetings; 99% of actions taken by the Tribal Council are taken at Special Meetings held off the reservation and/or away from the tribal office, of which meetings and/or agendas are not posted; monthly, quarterly, or any reports by departments have ever been made at tribal council meetings; to name a few.
5.
QUESTION: Sure we live in the poorest county in the United States. Because we are only 2,032 residents in one of the smallest counties in America. We don't qualify for big state bucks like bigger counties. Buffalo County relies on taxes and licensing for road maintenance and other county programs.
ANSWER: Having only 2,032 residents in Buffalo County is not the reason for being the poorest county in the nation. Millions of dollars are coming in to the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe each year and the majority of it is going out through a handful of pockets -- the Tribe gets their share of federal and state monies that counties don't get; in addition to $1.8 million in interest from infrastructure monies, hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Lode Star Casino; and the potential of income from the farm program, land leases, land and water resources, wind turbine project with General Electric, to name a few. But these potential monies are not or have not benefitted the people because of gross mismanagement by the Tribal Council. Why was the Dacotah Farm monies used as loans? Loans which were not paid back? Why is the majority of land leased to Tribal Councilmen (who earn base salaries of $50,000 to $55,000) for little or nothing and then sublease the land at a greater amount and pocket the difference. Millions of dollars have been borrowed over the years with the infrastructure interest monies used as collateral. Yet, the infrastructure monies were spent by the Council and the loans are still in arrears collecting interest.
6.
QUESTION: And yes, our tribe is deeply in debt, so is every other tribe in our state, the tribal leaders complain about it all the time, read the papers. Indians don't have many friends in Washington, D.C., why should they when they can't even stand united, who is to believe us? Indians basically vote Democrat and since the Republicans are the majority in the House, Indians and Indian programs are going to suffer even more. No, our enemy isn't Duane Big Eagle or this council; it's a combination of Indian issues, the American government's stand against those issues, living in a racist state, state and tribal government, oh the list goes on.
ANSWER: And why is every other tribe in the state deeply in debt -- gross mismanagement. The problems are the same -- co-mingling of funds which is against the law; lack of accountability -- the tribes don't do the paperwork, financial reports, quarterly reports, budgets. The monies tribes receive from the federal government must be spent in accordance with federal rules and regulations; just like grants and contracts -- these monies are not our own to spend as we please. For example, when you solicit monies to build a new school -- you used those monies to build a new school. This is not rocket science. And it doesn't even take half a brain to figure that one out.
And it isn't that Indians don't have friends in Washington, it's that Washington knows the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe's reputation of not being accountable, of not being responsible, of the Tribal Council's reputation of mismanagement, malfeasance of office, etc., etc., etc. But no, let's not take responsibility for our own actions, let's blame it on everyone and everything else that's wrong in this country. You have done that for so long, you believe it.
7.
QUESTION: Yes, we are in debt, no one person is to blame. We all know basically how we got there, but we voted this council in, let's stand behind them and work with them instead of always trying to point a finger and standing in the way of progress. I wonder if Lakes of the Brave would be so vindictive and go after their agenda so wholeheartedly if their candidate would have won. I doubt it.
ANSWER: You know the tribe is in debt, you know how the tribe got there, and you voted the same people in that got the tribe to where it is; and that's okay with you. Let's stand behind them no matter what. Let's all go into foreclosure together. And that's your definition of progress? You need to leave the reservation and go out into the real world and work for a living. You will not be able to get a $50,000 to $55,000 job with less than a high school education. You will not be able to get land for free, your house for free, new vehicles every couple of years for free.
8.
QUESTION: I think the consolidation loan plan is a good idea. It makes sense. Anyone with half a brain can figure that one out. Businesses do it all the time.
ANSWER: No one is saying the Consolidation Loan is a bad idea. What we are saying is that the Consolidation Loan, which was originally in the amount of $31 million, should not be placed in the hands of the Tribal Council. The monies should go directly to legitimate debts that the Tribe owes. The Tribal Council's history with millions of dollars in loans is that it goes for everything but what it was intended. The $31 million Consolidation Loan is the result of a series of bad loans all signed by Duane Big Eagle, all which is well documented. It is because of the consistent co-mingling of federal funds -- taking monies from programs with the intent of repaying the programs with the Consolidation Loan monies -- that the Tribal programs are in such dire straits now. Their funds were taken by the Tribal Council for other uses and without the Consolidation Loan, the Tribe is not able to pay them back. The fact is that the Consolidation Loan monies are not to be used to pay back program monies, they shouldn't have been taken in the first place.
9.
QUESTION: All we hear is bitch, bitch, and bitch from Lakes of the Brave; do they have a solid plan to get us out of debt? Lenders? Money in their own pockets? Their idea to overthrow our present council and setting up their own type of government for us is just plain laughable. We have our own educated people, there just needs to be cooperation between all reservation agencies and programs and less back-biting which Lakes of the Brave is not helping at all. We don't need your advice, we never asked for it.
ANSWER: Lakes of the Brave have consistently tried to obtain information from the Tribal Council on the tribe's finances and all to no avail. It doesn't take half a brain to realize that excess spending of $60,000 for Christmas bonuses; monthly assistance to Tribal Councilmembers of $1,500-2,800; $4.1 million for buying land when we can't even make the land we have productive for the tribe or tribal members; the $3 million Leimaster Ranch is leased to Tribal Council member Rocky Fallis for little or nothing; Tribal Councilmembers receive salaries of $50,000 to $55,000 plus hundreds of dollars for every Board meeting they attend and they are the Board Members for all Boards of tribal programs -- the School, the Lode Star Casino, the Housing Authority, the Dacotah Farm, the Tribal Court -- all this, plus new trucks/vehicles from Don's Ford for all Tribal Council members. There are multiple daily emergency drops at the Casino by the Tribal Council. The Tribal Council jumped the gun when they expected the Consolidation Loan of $31 million to be available to them soon after they took office. Their plan was to use the loan to pay back all the programs monies they misused, including the Casino. With the loan being held up because of the lawsuit filed on behalf of the tribal members by Lakes of the Brave in federal court, the Tribal Council doesn't have the monies to continue programs; thus, the emergency drops at the Casino. All this they are blaming on the Lakes of the Brave? We didn't misuse federal monies, we didn't co-mingle federal monies for our own personal use; and we didn't misuse program monies for our own personal use with the intent of repaying the programs with the Consolidation Loan monies. The Tribal Council did all this without the knowledge of the people, without the consent of the people, and without the approval of the federal agencies from which the monies were given. The Tribal Council has no one to blame but themselves. And last, but not least, obviously you didn't ask for our advice if you think all of the above is the routine business operations of the tribal government. It is the majority of the tribal members that asked for our advice and will continue to get it, backed by well-documented and signed records. The fact that the Lakes of the Brave Board of Directors will not be paid positions, and the Interim Governing Board of Directors will not be paid positions may all be foreign concepts to you; namely, because you are used to 4th grade and 8th grade educations earning $50,000 to $55,000. And as far as our proposed type of government, it will be a City Manager-type government with a Board of Directors as a policy-making entity and an Administrator who will administer all programs with Department Directors. All administrative positions will be required to have post-secondary and graduate level degrees. All job descriptions will include continuing education requirements; of which satellite courses will be coordinated with the University of South Dakota and SDSU located onsite. We must aspire to be the best that we can be -- and that is through education. That is what we should be teaching our youth - and what we should be as their role models.
10.
QUESTION: I don't want this group to speak for me. Vern Ashley and your two daughters, until you have lived among us, shared our ups and downs, laughed with us, cried with us, ate with us and attended our funerals, pow-wows and community functions, shared our concerns about education, the elderly and youth, family and plans for our future, till you have done that, you cannot speak for us or to us. Basically, shut up.
ANSWER: We obviously are not speaking for you if you condone what the Tribal Council has and is doing to the Tribe and tribal resources. We, however, are speaking for the tribal peoples who have signed up as members of Lakes of the Brave of which are a majority of the Tribe's eligible voters. And since you are directing your comments directly to the Ashley family: You have no idea what our family has suffered, the losses we have had; these tragedies happen all over the world, not just at Crow Creek, so don't flatter yourself as being all-knowing of heartache and hardship. As far as your concerns about education - you have solicited more monies in the name of a new school and what do you have to show for it, a condemned school. And your concerns for the elderly, the youth, and the future -- you give the elderly $20-30 a month in assistance, you give the elderly and youth a Christmas bonus of $100-$250 when the Tribal Council members receive $10,000 each. How is that for concern!!!! The elders homes are in disrepair while the HUD monies go for new homes and repairs, etc. for the Tribal Council members and their families. And the future -- that's what's so laughable. The tribal peoples incorporated Lakes of the Brave because their tribe and homelands are facing foreclosure of their resources--what a future, what a legacy the Tribal Councils have made for their people, for their relatives.
11.
QUESTION: And Vern, we have pride, we are educated, we are not the lowest of the low, we are poor, yes, but we make the best of it without your help and we still come from our proud forefathers. I don't know where you came from. We care about our reservation, that's why we continue to live here. And if worse comes to worse, no Vern, we will not "sit on a hill and cry".
ANSWER: It is inconceivable that you know where you came from if you don't know your ancestors of 4 to 5 generations ago -- and Vernon Ashley knows his ancestors and probably yours too, if in fact you are a member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe. And until you have lived 87 years; raised a family of 7 children -- with Bachelors and Masters degrees, members of the military branches of Army Air Corps, US Navy, US Army, and US Marine Corps; all of which have no alcohol, drug, or criminal record; both parents retired from the federal government with retirement, and all grandchildren attaining a college education. Until you have made these accomplishments, do you have the right to speak of us or to us. And if worse comes to worse, you will not have a hill to sit on and cry!!!!
12.
QUESTION: Lakes of the Brave, get a life. Better yet, get a job, you definitely don't have anything else to do.
ANSWER: Lakes of the Brave is not a job - it is commitment, dedication, volunteerism by Tribal peoples to return the control of their tribe back to the people. The Tribal Councils have used the tribal members to get tribal funds and then to build their own little kingdoms with the intent to expand their resources; all at the expense of our elders, our youth, our future generations. The Council members and their families run the tribal programs with no education or training; they have priority over all range units which they lease to non-Indians and pocket the monies; and when an inventory is done of all land, buildings, vehicles of the Tribal Council, we will find that all was bought and paid for with tribal funds intended for the people.
The Tribal Council's reign of deception, fraud, misuse of federal funds, and malfeasance of office is coming to an end. And when we find out who wrote the Unsigned Article, another lawsuit will be filed for libeling the name of Vernon Ashley. Last but not least, the Tribal Chairman is a member of the Tribal Council and will be treated as such. The Tribal Chairman has not been able to prove to us that he is in fact Indian, let alone an enrolled member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe. This too will come out in court. It is in violation of the Constitution and Bylaws for a white man to be Tribal Chairman of our tribe. But this too you have condoned for over 12 years. And as far as getting a job, tribal employees who are already employed were threatened with losing their jobs if they signed the petition for Lakes of the Brave. All tribal positions are controlled by the Tribal Council. The first line of the Tribe's Personnel Policies and Procedures states that all personnel issues are handled by the Tribal Council and all hiring and firing is done by the Tribal Council. There are no employment opportunities for tribal members who want to make their lives on the
reservation better, let alone want to ask any questions. Why do you think very few tribal members attend Tribal Council meetings? Because the people know they will not be listened to or helped; and if they do ask questions, they are blacklisted.
You need to get a life,
because your lifestyle as you know it will soon be over;
and the tribal peoples' lives will be changed for the better.
SIGNED BY:
___________________________________
DATE: _____________________
MENIA MANN, CHAIRWOMAN
LAKES OF THE BRAVE, INC.
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