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The following is a Public Service Announcement from members of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors

Tribal/Community Members:

Tribal employees are held accountable every day through the established policies and procedures and the tribal chain of command. Prior to 2010, the Tribal infrastructure allowed the Tribal Chairperson/CEO to act in an employment capacity excluded from these provisions.

In 2010, The Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted a Secretarial Election Constitutional Amendment on behalf of Sault Tribe that was approved by Sault Tribe voters with 77 percent saying “yes” to the new language:

AMENDED CONSTITUTION: PAGE 2
“Amendment II, adopted and approved on April 7, 2010, amends Article II, Sec. 1, of the Bylaws in the Constitution by removing the duties as the chief executive officer from the Tribal Chairperson.”

In 2012, the Board of Directors established a Limited Delegation of Authority to the Chairperson. This Limited Delegation included that: “All actions taken by the Chairperson pursuant to this delegated authority shall be subject to the authority of the Board of Directors and the Board may review, approve, modify, or rescind any such action.”

On Nov. 28, 2016, the Tribal Chairperson placed Rescinding Resolution 2012-146 (Limited Delegation of Authority to the Chairperson) on the meeting agenda. This item was tabled until the Dec. 13, 2016, meeting.

At the Dec. 13, 2016, meeting the agenda item initiated by the Chairperson was approved by the Board of Directors 10-2. The Board of Directors adopted (10-2) a follow up Resolution delegating the day to day management of Tribal Governmental Operations to the Executive Director of the Tribe. The processes for daily operations will remain the same.

It is important that we recognize and appreciate all of the Tribes Team Members that continue to work hard for our government. All of our Tribal Employee’s will once again receive a COLA increase beginning on Jan. 1, 2017, (all subsequent years), and the Tribe has reinstituted a match for its 401(k) program. In addition, all of our development projects are still moving forward.

We understand that there are some that believe we are trying to strip the Chairperson of all powers. This is not true. The Chairperson is still Chairperson of the Tribe and represents the Tribe at the Local, State, and National level on behalf of the Tribe, and shall retain all the powers vested to the office within the Tribal Constitution.

Our ultimate goal has been (and is) to try to get more accountability within the Tribal government, adhere to the Tribe’s Constitutional requirements, and ensure long term prosperity of the Tribe.

Sincerely,

Director Causley
Director Chase
Director Gravelle
Director Hoffman
Director Hollowell
Director Massaway
Director McKelvie
Director McKerchie
Director McLeod
Director Morrow
Director Nelson
Director Sorenson

Members of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors