Presorted standard u. S. Postage paid ortonville, mn permit no. 3 Sota Per Copy
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“Wo’okiye was’te qa wico zani o’wacin yuhapo” Page 12
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Y e Y api - www.earthskyweb.com/sota.htm - Anpetu Iyamni - Oct. 3, 2018 initiative and then it got changed back.” “So if we need to go back to looking at salaries and those types of adjustments, I’m all in favor of it. “ “One thing I’m proud of, I said I would never cash out leave or FICA or take a bonus. Happy with the salary I’m making. And that’s the answer to that question.” Ella: “I believe that whole issue needs to be revisited.” “You know since that time six years have passed, and you know you hear complaints about it all the time, why is the Council and Executives cashing out that 240 … so yeah I think it is ... something that can be revisited, you know ‘cause since that time resolutions or motions have been made and if that’s what the people want, then I’m in support of that.” Floyd: “… Old Agency DCA … As a part of the solution we gave every DCA chairman the language. So we all wanted to change it to the same language and you could never get the districts to agree.” “Absolutely would not agree. “ “Some wanted to increase their Councilman’s salary up to $85,000. Some wanted to decrease it down to $40,000. So what did we do about it? Nothing we can do. We tried!” “I even suggested every district have their own legislative policy. You district members voted….” “If they feel that your Councilmen is worth $80,000 and that’s what you want to give them, give it to him. They couldn’t agree on that either.” “So they’re, like I said ... they had to follow something. They went back to the old policy.” “They had to follow something. Otherwise, it’s ....” “I got interviewed by the FBI about three months ago on this particular situation, and they had asked about the leave, asked about the FICA, and I told them. ‘It’s an open book.’ I said.” “The legislative policy is out there. Everybody knows what a Councilmen makes.” “Whether they cash out their leave, that’s up to the individual, but everybody knows the potential that they can make. If they cash out all their 240 hours, they get their FICA and their salary.” “Everybody knows what that is. It’s not anything new. It’s not any ... nobody’s hiding anything.” “That’s what I explained to them.” “Took about a half hour and I think they still somewhat disagreed.” “I’m not going to throw any former Council people under the bus when you have somebody that’s in the hospital for a month, and they still cash out 240 hours.,” “Hey, that’s on them, you know? If they never get re-elected, that’s on them ... the individual.” “But we have to follow something and right now the current legislative policy is ... states that we get the FICA, get the 240. Mike knows this.” “When we got in Council together back in the day, they cut everything in half.” “They used to get 480 hours. We cut all that down.:” “We cut bonuses out. “People were getting three, four bonuses from being on different boards and working for the Tribe.” “We cut all that out.” “You get one $500 Christmas bonus by everyone else, no matter how many entities you work for or you support that you sat on, so we addressed all that.” “It used to be higher. It really did.” Danielle: “As a previous employee of Tribe I don’t agree with our Council and Executives cashing out their leave.” “I never agreed with that because as an employee we work hard for those accrued hours and so I don’t agree with that.” “I think that does need to be changed but like Mike ... like they said previously, it needs to be brought up to your district. The Exec candidates forum Continued from Page 11 FICA, like they said it’s going to be fixed here, so ... but I don’t agree with when we get elected to these positions that it should be ... you’re there to provide a service to the people. You’re there to be there and be the voice for the people. Not be sitting there trying to benefit yourself and your own pocket for your own family.” “I mean I’ve learned how to make ends meet on bare minimum. I’m a struggling entrepreneur and I am making it. So with that being said, and being a previous employee, I think those need to be changed and revisited.” Eddie: “When me and the Chairman got on, I think this has been ... what it is it, four times, Dave? Four times and each time it’s been different.” “I know Vice-Chairman says that it has been cut, but I know also that when we got in it was ... the healthcare was also cut. That’s something that wasn’t provided to the Councilmen anymore or they need to pay just like an employee, but as for the issue, I’m willing to address it. I know it’s been an issue with the public all the time.” “It’s tough … when you get people saying, ‘All seven don’t have to do it, all seven need to do it.’” “But I’m only willing to address the issue as long as it’s there. If it takes four more times we’ll keep doing it again, but for when I was Old Agency Councilman I guess I was just wondering where that $90,000 luncheon was?” “I’m just kidding. I know myself I do use my leave. I don’t cash it all out.” “I think that is wrong, cashing 240 out when you know there’s times where you need to take (leave). I know there’s time when you need to take time off and I don’t agree with cashing out the 240 either.” Myrna: “In regards to Initiative One, I actually signed that petition and you know what, the elders went through a lot of time and effort to get that petition done, that initiative done, and get all the signatures, and I guess it hurt my feelings at that time when it went to Council then it was disregarded.” “And I guess it just goes back to the voice of the people.” “The voice of the people have spoken at that time and yet it was disregarded.” “So I think it’s just an example that you can do all that, make all that effort, and get all those signatures, and you still ... the Constitution was violated because they did not adopt that, what the elders wanted at that time, that legislative policy change.” “And as far as that goes, I guess in my mind being a salaried employee, I would think you wouldn’t get 240 hours to begin with because as a salaried employee you would be able to take your time off and still get paid….” Lisa: “I feel like the initiative, Initiative One, has gone by, but I feel like it could be revisited.” “When the people come together and put this together I think as Executives and as Council we need to acknowledge what the people want.” “So if the people were to come and say they wanted to revise the legislative policy, I would be in support of that.” “I don’t feel like the 240 should be afforded to us because we are salaried employees.” “I’m not sure how the healthcare has changed since then, but I feel like it should apply to us as it does Tribal personnel, that if you’re an employee you pay for your healthcare, so I think that should come out of pocket. So, I’d be open to what the people … want.” Martha: “We got tons of questions, but we’d like to give all of you a chance to give some final remarks this evening and I’ve got about five questions here that I would like you to address in your final remarks, okay? And then to let everybody else know on October 23rd, we will be having another candidates forum for the people who move forward after the primary. You can put that in your calendars. That’s a Tuesday, four weeks from now … October 23rd. “Okay, these are the questions you should listen to … address in your final remarks. “Do you support disenrolling sexual predators from the Tribe?” That’s one. “Do we have intellectual copyright now for medicinal plants?” Also, “what do we have regarding water with our aquifer?” Here’s another one. “What can the Tribe do to see that Dakota language or Dakota history exists in schools is ... there is no Dakota language and Dakota history … in schools so what can the Tribe do to get that implemented because we do have a lot of Native children in schools.” The next one is, “Why did the Tribe let off when Gilbert Robertson was buried on a Saturday?” I guess you should’ve asked that a long time ago.” [Crosstalk/noise in the audio.] Danielle: “I’m going to answer this question … What are some of the things we want to do with our aquifer … I serve on an EPAC committee, Environmental Protection Advisory Committee, and I believe that our aquifer … it’s so huge … the one by Veblen, and I know they’ve done research on it, and they had a geologist come in and they did do the research to make sure it wasn’t ... our water aquifer wasn’t being contaminated.” “There’s so much clay and everything else, the rocks and clay that filter any kind of water that comes through so that ... the aquifer is protected.” (Editor’s note: Our apology to Danielle, but that, as well as other information provided to OEP and the Tribe by Riverside Dairy, is misleading. There are variegated strips of both rock/clay as well as sand throughout that watershed, so contamination can and does filter down to pose a threat to the quality of the Veblen Aquifer. No, the aquifer is not protected. [SWO Mni Wiconi.]) aquifer ... I think one of the things is we could use it with our own water bottling company. I know right now, I mean, everywhere you look, we’re purchasing water.” “Another thing that we could do is use that source, that resource for our own reservation, within our own reservation boundaries, it’s a possibility ‘cause right now we run on rural water. There’s a lot of different things that we can do as a Tribe with our aquifer and right now we’re not doing anything with it.” “I just wanted to let you guys all know that it is a really good water source … with a filtering system that automatically has, that Mother Earth gave it.” “That water will always be protected.” “For economic development, is maybe considering our own water bottling company.” Ella: “One of the questions concerned intellectual property rights on our medicinal plants.” “And I don’t know if I can refer to THPO or Tamara … I know at one time the Tribal Historic Preservation Office was working with a lawyer to work on the protection of our medicinal plants and medicines along with our sites ….”
“The Big Coulee District was at one time working on a tea project, trying to obtain a patent for that tea.”
“I do believe that it’s important, that we need to protect those resources that we have to ensure that they’re not over- harvested, not only by non-natives, but even our own Tribal members.” “The second thing I wanted to answer was about our aquifer.” “Never in the selling of our lands did we give up our water rights, our underground water rights.”
“And I don’t know that at any point that we really enforced that or exercised the right to our underground water, but I think that we’ll definitely need some help with that, you know having an attorney that has experience in federal law, enforcing … our rights … how the Winter’s Doctrine is going to work in our favor when it comes to access to water … making our reservation viable and livable.” Ella also brought up “… the Keystone pipeline … (how) it is affecting us. And what are we doing to protect ourselves?” “A lot of it goes back to federal law and having an understanding of that and ensuring that our leadership has an understanding … also our Tribe, our Tribal members. Because our Tribal members are the ones that are making some of these decisions.” “I think we need better communication with our population.” “The decisions that are being made, a lot of times we don’t have information prior to decisions being made.” “I think we really need to work on communications. The Sota, the radio station (aren’t) the only thing. A lot of people are utilizing social media … and are changing with the times to reach our Tribal membership.” Eddie: “The question was taking decisions back to the districts, before they’re made by Tribal Council.” “In all reality if that was true I think everybody would do that.” “But there’s sometimes you have to make decisions on behalf of your districts.” “From being a former Councilman, on behalf of your district without being able to take information back. I think it would be ideal for every Council member to want to take their information back so they know how to vote and make sure they’re voting correctly.” “But at the same time, that’s why you voted them in there. They’re your voice, and sometimes the decisions have to be made in a timely manner. They don’t have time to take it back to district. They might miss out on grants, they might miss out of a few things. But at the same time I think every Councilperson would love to take them back to your districts to get approval, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen.” Michael: “I don’t remember all five questions, but I’m going to try to give some final comments.” “I think that when there are financial issues or expenditures that are over and beyond the budget that Council approves that those should be taken back to the communities for input.” “I think you really need to create a formal process for budgeting and live by it.” me on some of these issues is that they really should be questions that are put to the voters and get input from them.” “They don’t necessarily have to be referendums or initiatives. But just survey type things that go out to the General Council, so you have input to how the people feel overall on them.” “One of the things I want to say in closing is that as I look down the table here at the candidates. “I know each and every one of them in a different way and in a good way.” “We’re not adversaries up here.” “We’re all trying to provide you with the perspectives that we have.” “And that I believe that we’re trying to better our Dakota society.” “And I think of them each in a positive way.” “And I hope you know that if I offend any one of them, I apologize. ‘Cause I know you’re trying your best.”
“And I want to thank you for the opportunity to be at this public forum that the elderly have put out for us. And I hope all of us live a good life and better our families and our communities by our behaviors and or ways.” Dave: I’m gonna tackle probably the most challenging question of the five that hasn’t been addressed yet.” “Would you support dis- enrolling a sexual predator.” “And I hope for those of you that I don’t have your support yet that this be a testament of myself not being afraid to challenge an issue, or to answer an issue that is very challenging.” “You know, I know for a fact, not from experience, but from visiting with people that it’s unfortunate the ones that violated or abused, first of all it’s a very sad thing. It’s unfortunate.” “And although I’ve been very critical of some of the actions of our people for many things, drugs. I don’t hate anybody. I might dislike what actions they’ve taken or some things they did, but I don’t harbor hate. I really don’t.” “People like the Taliban, those kind of people I could see hating, and I have hated. They’re very cruel people that they don’t care what type of religion in, if you don’t believe in Islam, they will behead you.” “So I do know what hate is, but I don’t hate the actions. I don’t hate the people, I dislike the action. But I have close friends, I’m not, again, I’m just answering the question because it’s a very tough question.” “The other ones are easy.” “I have friends that were dating girls that were a year or two younger than them. They were high school sweethearts. And he turns 18. And he’s still dating a 17 year old he’s been dating since he was 14 and 15. And all of a sudden he’s being, they get into a fight, the family goes after him. And now he’s a convicted felon for violating a minor.” “When nobody said anything for all those years he was with her … there’s a couple of my close friends out there that are like that. And they carry that conviction with them.” “So, that’s really unfortunate.” “The question was would you support dis-enrolling a sexual predator.” “For those that have committed serious violations against an innocent person, again, I’m not speaking from experience, but just from visiting with people, some of these people that are committing, we talked about historical trauma, there’s also trauma that has happened to them. And so it’s a learned behavior that wasn’t addressed when they were young. That it was okay for priests and Catholic church to violate young boys and girls. Especially young boys.” “And so it’s a really difficult question to answer, and my answer is, it’s my answer, so I own it. Depending on the severity of what happened, if they are continuing to perpetrate, if they’re two, three time violators, I could see banishment being incorporated, and having that person be banished.” “But I believe, in Dakota (values). One of them is Wahopida.” “Again, I don’t condone the action. But having compassion. Maybe there’s been times I’ve seen healing between the violator and those that have been violated.” “So my answer to that, ‘cause it’s the most challenging question, and it hasn’t been answered yet is I would be in favor if it was a continued happening. If it’s happening continually.” “Intellectual copyright for plants, there is none at this time that I know of.” “I think there should be on … all those medicines.” “There should be an intellectual copyright.” “Why isn’t that happening? It’s important to own those medicines.” “But we’re dealing with meth right now. We’re dealing with meth, we’re dealing with heroin, we’ve got a lot of other bigger issues, and if any one person thinks they can come in and fix it, let me be a testament that you can’t. Because I thought I could, and I can’t. I can’t fix everything at once. We have a good team and we’re trying to do the best we can.” “Water code … we brought in Wes Martel. He’s in my opinion a water expert.” “We are working. We haven’t come back to the table in at least a couple months. But we have initiated the early stages, the early process of getting a water code.” “Brought him in, he had a four day visit with a lot of OEP, with a lot of people … there’s some people in this room that had participated in that discussion.” “We haven’t got back to getting the code. The process was initiated. That’s something we need to complete.” “Dakota language at the public schools, impact aid money, we can talk about that all day.” “I think our school board rep, which is Deb (Flute), she’s a member of our Tribe. I don’t know, is there any Tribal members on the public school board? Just Deb I think.” “We can get the message up to her. We can get Dr. Johnson, Education Department.” “Next time the Education comes in, it’s more of a Tribal Secretary duty, but Dakota language is important to me. It should be in the public schools, even if the Tribe’s got to pay for somebody to be in there.” “Why did the Tribe let off, get with Robertson from my office. There was some miscommunication.” “Not blaming the family, but there was a lot of people in my ear about what had happened.” “From my standpoint, I’m not blaming anybody, but there was some miscommunication from, not from the Executive side.” “District’s involved in big decision. I think there ought to be a general assembly. And this goes to Constitution.” “My final comments, this Tribe is growing at a fast rate.” “That number of 30% growth, which means our Tribal Constitution’s probably never going to get changed.” “A lot of things in that Constitution, the governing document of our Tribe, is never going to get changed unless we figure out a way to maybe go to the percentage of people that actually voted.” “If there’s 2,000 people that voted, I could see 50% being the mark that if you’re going to change the Constitution or anything in that Constitution, that should be the mark. It’s a reasonable mark.” “If we’re only getting an average of 2,000 people voting in elections based on the last number of people who actually voted, not the entire voting population. Which is close to 7,000 now. So you do the math, we’re not going to get to 30%. Very tough to get to 30%.” “Districts involved, again, it goes, my last comment here.” “I talk to people that say what about my voice. I work four to 12. I can’t go to district meetings. I work at Dakota Western, midnight to eight. I can’t go to district meetings. I’m getting out of bed, I’m supposed to be getting ready for work, I can’t go to district. So what about their voice? What about their voice?” “Therefore my solution to that, which has always been on big decisions like $30 million dollar loan from Shakopee, like Traverse District was opposed at the time, ‘cause we didn’t have enough information to make a good decision for our district.” “I brought that to Council, voted against the loan.” “But a handful of people supported their District Councilman, and the motion was passed.”
“I do agree that we have a beautiful admin building. We do have some challenges up there.” “But I would like to see input, good input, not just 30 or 40 people from districts going to a meeting and having it be a 15 to 16 vote whether we go get $30 million or not. So districts involved, yes. But there also needs to be more general council meetings.” Eddie: “I’ll start off with districts’ approval before any decision to make. I know I was sitting on Council that I would always take the issues made there, and I understand what the Chairman was saying about there’s only 20 people there, we need to find a way for other people … Yüklə 10,18 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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