Sault Tribe Unit IV Directors Denise Chase’s and Tom Miller’s Friday, June 18, office hours from 5:30-7 p.m. have been canceled.

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - A regular meeting of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors will be held Tuesday, June 1, 2010, at the Kewadin Casino and Convention Center in Sault Ste. Marie beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be preceded by “Matters Raised by the Membership” from 5 to 6 p.m.

The board will consider the following resolutions: two Partial Waivers; Lease Cancellation; U.P. Area Agency on Aging grant application; Promise Neighborhoods Grant; 2010 ACF Early Learning Mentor Coaches; USDA-APHIS Grant Award; Budget Modifications for H.C.- Sub. Abuse/ Aftercare, H.C.- Contract Health, H.C.- Maintenance/ Improvement/ Capital Outlay, Nunns Creek-Rehab Hatchery, Walleye Pond, Efficiency Energy Audit, Law Enforcement, H.R.-Administration, Legal Special Projects and Tribal Operations Debt; Repealing Ch. 22: Conservation Committee; Establishing Ch. 22: Great Lakes Conservation Committee; and Establishing Ch. 24: Inland Conservation Committee.

Under new business, the board will discuss Relinquishments, a Committee Appointment and a Conservation Committee Request.

The board will discuss the topic “key employee” in closed session.

For more information, call Joanne or Tara at (906) 635-6050 or (800) 793-0660, ext. 26337 or 26338.

QPR stands for “Question, Persuade and Refer” - three simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. This QPR “Train the Trainer” program certifies you to teach QPR in your community. The course will be taught in St. Ignace on June 22, Sault Ste. Marie on June 23 and Newberry on June 24. To register or ask questions: stayproject@saulttribe.net or (906) 635-8629.

 Certified QPR Instructor Course

Sault Tribe comments on Congressman Stupak’s call to halt Greektown Casino Chapter 11 case pending land dispute resolution

The following statement is from Sault Tribe Chairman Joe McCoy. He comments on a letter from U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Michigan, to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of the Interior, key state and federal elected officials and others asking the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and the Michigan Gaming Control Board to postpone the Chapter 11 reorganization of Greektown Casino.

The Congressman said the Chapter 11 reorganization should not continue until the courts determine if part of the land on which Greektown Casino was built can be legally transferred to a new owner without Congressional approval.  The land in question is 0.76 acres at 1010 Beaubien and was acquired by the Sault Tribe in 1992, roughly eight years before Greektown Casino opened. Stupak is concerned that if there are restrictions on the land as a result of the Indian Non-Intercourse Act, 25 U.S.C. 177, title to the land can’t be conveyed to a new owner without Congressional approval. Stupak learned of the concerns about the land transfer during a meeting last weekend arranged by Sault Tribe Board Member D.J. Hoffman and attended by McCoy, Hoffman and other tribal leaders.

“Congressman Stupak agrees this raises a serious and valid concern that must be addressed by the courts before the Chapter 11 reorganization should continue. Under the law, the land in question was acquired by the Sault Tribe long before Greektown Casino was even built and it was conveyed by deed to the United States Department of the Interior on behalf of the tribe. We feel the only way that land can be conveyed to another owner is by an act of Congress. We are exploring all of our legal options and rights to protect tribal assets and our status as a sovereign,” said Sault Tribe Chairman Joe McCoy.

 June 9, 2010 Greektown Casino