HAPPY 2024
Just 10 more days before the membership meets with its Council to review the old years before moving into the new... then, it's ELECTION TIME.
It should be a fair understanding that the Tetlin membership elects its Council to govern, act on the best behalf of, and inform us as the tribal membership. However, apparently something has gotten lost in this understanding.
Over the years Tetlin’s governance has been taken away for membership involvement and majority rule. Council leaders are making decision without the knowledge and the consent of their tribe. Instead of acting on the best behalf of the tribe — our Council has been doing what they choose to do if they feel it is to their advantage.
Tetlin's Council is treating their tribal membership like they are GROWING MUSHROOMS; “Keeping us in the DARK (uninformed) and feeding us manure (lies)”.
The January 10, 2024 meeting begins a new year, a new beginning for the Native Village of Tetlin’s membership. It has been over 4 years since our last membership and elections meeting and soooooo much has happened.
As important as this meeting will be, all I have been hearing about is the election. However, without our knowing who has done what over the years is the TAIL WAGGING THE DOG .
How can we decide who should be leading us... if we don't have the truth of what they have done for US up to now?
The membership has important questions to be answered by the current Council. One question to be answered right now is — where is our January 10th AGENDA?
The meeting is just days away and we have no idea of what the plan is. Their responsibility is to inform the tribe.
Above all, BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, we need to know from the current board that they will be prepared to tell us, NO - SHOW US, the FINANCIAL STATUS of the Native Village of Tetlin. I don’t mean lip-service, I mean official DETAILED ITEMIZED FINANCIAL REPORTS from the Administration.
To this end, a written request will be forwarded to Tetlin's Tribal Administrator, Kristie Young-Charley who is charged with maintaining financial information for the Council and the tribe and Chief Michael Sam.
The tribe is entitled to know the status of at least, the following revenue...
Finally, is the question that has been present to Chief Sam and the Council before but has received no response...
Question: Since January 1, 2019, has KINROSS, CONTANGO, JEX (Brad Juneau) or any other Manh Choh associated business, employee, or agent made payment, compensation, or renumeration in any form (i. e. cash, gift, rental, lease, contract, employment, etc.) to CHIEF SAM or any officer/member of the Tetlin Village Council / Tetlin Tribal Council?
With these questions answered, the elections can be held with a clear understanding of who the tribe’s choice of candidates should be… those who have provided for the benefit of the Native Village of Tetlin over the years or is it time to call for NEW LEADERSHIP?
A leadership that knows their assignment is not to control its membership or to exclude our input, or conceal information from us. Our leadership should know they are appointed to govern in accordance to our laws and to include and inform the membership in tribal matters... and to work for the betterment of ALL tribal members, not just a few.
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