PROJECT HORIZON MEETING

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WAIT A DAY OR TWO AND LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED, TO UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION. THAT IS THE CASE HERE.

WHEN THE TRIBAL COUNCIL ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE STOPPING CONSTRUCTION ON THE EARTH TOWER (HOTEL), IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE COUNCIL HAD DONE A VERY COURAGEOUS THING. IN MY OPINION, THE REALITY IS THAT THE INDENTURES OF THE PRESENT BOND HOLDERS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE MET. THE BOND HOLDERS THEN COULD HAVE COME FORWARD AND DEMANDED THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE BONDS OWED. IN OTHER WORDS IF THE NEW HOTEL DID NOT DO AS GOOD AS IT NEEDED TO, THE BOND HOLDERS COULD HAVE ASKED TO BE PAID OFF. THERE IS NO WAY, IN MY OPINION THAT THE TRIBE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. YES, THE TRIBAL COUNCIL DID DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT I DO NOT THINK THEY HAD ANY OTHER CHOICE. THE WAY I REMEMBER IT, EIGHT OF THE PRESENT COUNCIL VOTED TO BUILD THIS HOTEL. THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T WAS COUNCILOR HUTCHINS (WHO WAS NOT ON THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME).

ON REFLECTING ON THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE TRIBAL CHAIRMAN AND THE EDITOR OF FEATHER NEWS, I REALIZED TWO THINGS.

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

THE SECOND THING IS, I BELIEVE THE CHAIRMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT BROKENWING EDITORIALS AND THE FEATHER NEWS, WHEN HE CALLED US THE PRESS. THE WUSKUSO WAS THERE, TOO. SINCE HE CALLED US THE PRESS, WE THEREFORE MUST BE THE PRESS. SINCE THE WUSKUSO HAS PRESS PASSES, I FEEL THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE US (BROKENWING EDITIORIALS AND FEATHER NEWS), PRESS PASSES SO WE COULD DO OUR JOBS EVEN BETTER.

FELLOW TRIBAL MEMBERS, REFLECT ON WHAT WAS SAID AND THINK ABOUT THE FINANCIAL CONDITION THAT WE ARE NOW IN. CONSIDER WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FIX IT.