PETITIONS

YEARS AGO A TRIBAL MEMBER BROUGHT AN ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL. HE ALLEGED THAT THE MEMBERS INVOLVED, HAD IN THE DOING OF BUSINESS FOR THE GOVERNMENT, DONE UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR.

WHILE THIS ETHICS INVESTIGATION WAS GOING ON, THE TRIBAL COUNCIL CREATED A NEW ETHICS ORDINANCE. I ASKED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL FOR A COPY OF THE ORDINANCE. HE TOLD ME WHEN I WOULD GET IT, I SHOULD READ IT, AND THAT I WOULD LIKE IT. WELL, I GOT IT AND AFTER READING IT DECIDED I DID NOT LIKE IT. I WITH SOME HELP, WROTE A PETITION AND GOT TWO OTHER TRIBAL MEMBERS WHO I REALLY LOOK UP TO SPONSOR IT WITH ME. IN THE PETITION WE WANTED THE ETHICS ORDINANCE CANCELED. WE GOT 38 SIGNATURES AND TURNED IT IN TO THE ELECTION COMMITTEE.

THE TRIBAL COUNCIL AND COUNCIL OF ELDERS WORKED ON A NEW ETHICS ORDNANCE TO REPLACE THE ORDINANCE THAT THE PETITION WANTED CANCELED.

WHEN THE NEW ORDINANCE WAS COMPLETED ONE OF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL IS ALLEGED TO HAVE SAID, THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. I THINK HE MAY HAVE MEANT, HE DID NOT WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER ORDINANCE WITH THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS, EVER AGAIN.

THE BALLOTS WERE WRITTEN FOR A VOTE ON THE ISSUE. FIVE DAYS BEFORE IT HAD TO BE VOTED ON BY THE TRIBE, THE TRIBAL COUNCIL RESCINDED THE ORDINANCE. AND PASSED THE NEW ORDINANCE. THE OTHER SPONSORS OF THE PETITION READ THE NEW ORDINANCE AND WERE OKAY WITH IT, SO WE NEVER PETITIONED AGAINST THE NEW ONE. AFTER RECENTLY LOOKING AT THE NEW ETHICS ORDINANCE, I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE PETITIONED AGAINST IT TOO.

THAT IS HOW A PETITION ALMOST CHANGED HISTORY IN THIS TRIBE. IT IS THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME, THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS TRIBE WERE GOING TO VOTE ON WHETHER THEY WANTED A LAW CANCELED. IT NEVER HAPPENED BUT IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THE PROCESS WORK. IT WAS GOOD TO GET RID OF IN MY OPINION A BAD ETHICS LAW.

THE MAJORITY OF THE TRIBE DO NOT WANT A GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY CENTER . THEY THINK THAT AT THIS TIME, IT IS NOT A WISE BUSINESS DECISION TO DO IT. MAYBE IT IS TIME FOR ANOTHER PETITION. WHAT DO YOU THINK?