Seneca Cayuga General Council November 3, 2012

General Council – November 3, 2012 For those of you who missed the General Council today, it flexed their muscles and assumed its role as the Supreme governing body of the tribe. The purpose of this post is to report the outcome of the meeting. Please understand that this is not an official document. If there are errors it is do to my lack of understanding and not posted intentionally The meeting was called at the June 2012 General Council. The call for a meeting was read by Chief Howard and was approved by a majority of those voting. The number was more than the thirty needed to call a meeting. The first order of business was to elect a chairman pro tem, and a secretary, pro tem. This was necessary because officers of the tribe elected not to attend. The only member of the business committee present was Katie Birdsong. Those in attendance elected Raymond L. Rodgers as chairman, pro tem; and they elected Thomas Weidman as secretary pro tem. After calling the meeting to order, the General Council by Resolution voted to authorize a court reporter to transcribe today’s meeting and also authorized payment for said service. The same resolution authorized votes be recorded by secret ballot and authorized Linda Whitecrow, Wilma Alexander, Janice Quick, Gloria Bute, and Minnie Niblack to act as ballot counters. Resolutions were pre-printed a made available to those in attendance. This was a provision of the June 2012 General Council and made working with language and amendments easier to understand. The following resolutions were presented, voted on an approved. Moratorium On Land Acquisition Funds –General council placed a moratorium on the spending of any of the funds already in Land Acquisition Fund Account or depositing of any further funds it allotted for the Land Acquisition Fund out of the General Council General Welfare Fund. Any resolutions in conflict with this resolution are hereby rescinded, effective immediately. Funds will remain frozen until Policies and Procedures for Funds are presented and approved by General Council. Moratorium on Housing Funds – General Council placed a moratorium on the spending of any of the one-million dollars it allotted for the Tribal Housing Program. The Housing Director for the Tribe is hereby directed to produce policies and procedures for the Council’s consideration. A final document should be presented and voted on at the June 2013 General Council. Adoption of Grievance Procedures Ordinance Enactment Revised 2012. – This was confusing and I didn’t get a cleaned –up version. The new ordinance does not include a penalty clause for those removed from office by the committee. For further clarification you’ll have to wait for the official minutes. Certification of Election Results for Grievance and Claims Committees – The General Council recognizes the Business Committee’s Constitutional rights to set an election ordinance for Business Committee positions only, and the General Council also recognizes its right to oversee, conduct, and settle election disputes with regard to Grievance Committee positions and Claim Committee positions. By resolution the General Council (GC) certified the election results for Second Grievance Committee – Lisa Spano; Fourth Grievance Committee – Jerry Crow; Third Claims Committee – Lenora Sparks, and Fourth Claims Committee – Sallie Leaf. Jerry Crow shall serve as chairman of the Grievance committee. The election process of Grievance and Claims committee members is strickly reserved for General Council. The Business Committee has no authority over the election or removal of these tribal officials, effective immediately. Removal of Grievance Committee Member – By resolution, GC voted to remove Diane Baker from the Grievance Committee, effective, November 3, 2012. The GC of the tribe finds that Diane Baker chose not to recognize the GC decision to give jurisdiction to the Court of Indian Offenses and ensuing Court Orders. In further action on this issue, Calvin Cassady was nominated from the floor and was elected to fill the vacancy. The General Council also passed by resolution to ban the use of Geoffrey Standingbear and David Anderson immediately and appointed the fourth business committee person assisted by William Fischer to contract with any new legal counsel. The General Council voted on and approved a resolution the gives the Court of Indian Offenses jurisdiction to hear and settle governmental disputes including election disputes in all future cases. This will not include those disputes involving the Grievance Committee. By Resolution, the GC voted to terminate the contract of Jerry Barber, tobacco factory manager. The GC passed by resolution a measure that rescinds the salary/stipend of the Chief to include any fringe benefits afforded this position. He will be asked to surrender his tribal vehicle (s) as of Monday, November 5th. The claims committee is further directed to sell said vehicle (s) at fair market value and deposit the funds into the Children’s Clothing Fund. The Officers of the Business Committee were censored by the GC. This action, by resolution was do, in part, for their failure to provide necessary leadership for this General Council. The Chief was further censored for actions regarding the CFR court issues. Setting General Council and Business Committee Meeting – By resolution, the GC recognizes the right s of the chief to set meetings of the GC, and the business committee. The GC also recognizes its right to set its own Council meetings. The GC directs that the Chief and or Business must give not less than (14) days notice prior to call a General Council. The call must be published in 2 newspapers in the Tribe’s reservation area and posted on the Tribal Office Headquarter door. Also, every business committee member must receive not less than 72 hours prior written notice to the calling of business committee meetings, excepting their regular monthly meetings. Notice is to be given by the tribal secretary treasurer. Poll votes or attendance by phone or teleconference are strictly forbidden. In closing business, the GC set another GC meeting on January 19, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. It was also noted that the Chief has called a General Council for December 1st.