THE HURT SAGAMORE AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR

ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2008, MOMENTS AFTER THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CURSED AT THE EDITOR OF FEATHER NEWS, THE HURT SAGAMORE ASKED THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO WALK OVER TO THE GATE THAT LEADS TO THE POWER STATION BEHIND FORT HILL HOUSING. PLEASE LOOK AT PREVIOUS ARTICLE " THE SAGAMORE WHO FELL INTO THE ABYSS."

THE SAGAMORE ASKED THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS IF THEY COULD REMOVE SOME BUSHES AND UNDER BRUSH BY THE GATE. THE ELDER SAGAMORE SAID THAT IT WOULD PROTECT VEHICLES. HE SAID HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE MANHOLE COVERS (WHICH ARE ABOUT SIX INCHES TO ONE FOOT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.)

MAY I REMIND YOU THIS IS A 76 YEAR OLD TRIBAL MEMBER TENANT OF FORT HILL. THIS IS THE MAN WHO FELL DOWN IN TO THE HOLE THAT WAS COVERED BY BUSHES.

THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TOLD THE SAGAMORE, NO HE WAS NOT GOING TO DO THAT. THEY HAD CLEANED THE BRUSH AWAY BEFORE AND IT HAD GROWN BACK. THE DIRECTOR SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE THE MACHINE TO DO IT. THE SAGAMORE TOLD HIM OF A PUBLIC WORKS WORKER WHO OWNED THE MACHINE. THE DIRECTOR SAID HE WOULD NOT ASK TO USE IT OR RENT IT. THE DIRECTOR SAID HE DID NOT HAVE THE TIME NOR THE MEN TO DO IT. HE HAD OTHER THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE.

THERE ARE THREE PROBLEMS WITH THIS SITUATION. THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR SHOULD HAVE CARED ABOUT THE WISHES OF THE SAGAMORE WHO NOT ONLY WAS HURT THREE DAYS EARLIER BUT ALSO LIVES AT FORT HILL. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE SAGAMORE SIGNED A STATEMENT SAYING HE WOULD ONLY TALK TO LOUIS ZEIGLER AND IF HE WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO SEE THE HEAD OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WAS THIS SAGAMORE TO TALK TO OTHER WORKERS OR THE TENANTS OF FORT HILL. THE THIRD PROBLEM IS NOW AFTER THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS SAID NO, WHO IS THE SAGAMORE SUPPOSED TO TALK TO (BY ASKING THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, HE WAS AT THE SAME TIME TALKING TO HOUSING AUTHORITY ADMINISTRATOR.)

WHO DOES THE SAGAMORE APPEAL THIS UNJUST DECISION? HE HAS ALREADY TALKED TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. HE ALREADY TALKED TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. DOES HE NOW GO THE TRIBAL COUNCIL? THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ADMINISTRATOR BEING THE SAME PERSON MAY BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. IN THIS CASE IT SEEMS TO BE THAT WAY.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE SAFETY OF THE TENANTS OF FORT HILL ELDER HOUSING SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT. PUTTING A TWENTY FOOT LONG FENCE ON A RAVINE THAT IS PROBABLY BETWEEN 50 AND 100 FEET LONG IS LUDICROUS. TO THE TRIBAL COUNCIL. WHO IS MINDING THE STORE? WHO IS WATCHING OUT FOR THE INTEREST OF THE TENANTS OF FORT HILL?

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: THE HURT SAGAMORE IN THE ARTICLE "THE SAGAMORE FELL INTO THE ABYSS" WANTED THE READERS TO KNOW HE WAS SHOWING THE ENBANKMENT TO IRENE MILLER AND FRANK GAVAGIN. HE WANTED READERS TO KNOW THAT HE GRABBED A TREE WHILE SLIDING DOWN THE ENBANKMENT, THAT SAVED HIM FROM BEING HURT WORSE THAN HE WAS. HE IS THANKFUL FOR FRANK GAVAGIN FOR HELPING HIM GET OUT OF THE ABYSS.