Newsroom

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors’ Workshop Agenda for April 14, 2026, is the following:

Agenda: 9 a.m. JKL Fiduciary Committee Meeting; 10:15 a.m. Budgets (CLOSED); 10:30 a.m. Kewadin Audit Presentation (CLOSED); 11:45 (or upon conclusion of KGA Workshop) Kewadin Gaming Authority Meeting; 1:15 p.m. Proposed Government Organization Charts (CLOSED), General Counsel, Govt. CEO and CFO; 1:45 p.m. Government Executive Reports (CLOSED); 3:30 p.m. STI Annual Report (CLOSED).

The workshop is being held at the Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room. Tribal members may attend the workshop except for closed sessions or items, or attend by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —A Kewadin Casinos Gaming Authority meeting will be held at 11:45 a.m. (or upon conclusion of KGA workshop), April 14, 2026, at Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room, in person or by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. The link is available at the Sault Tribe website saulttribe.com under membership assistance for the meeting link. Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again.

On the agenda under Business is KGA Acceptance of 2025 Kewadin Casinos Audit and KGA Acceptance of 2025 Northern Casinos Audit - All Sites.

Agenda

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —There will be a JKL Fiduciary Committee Meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 9 a.m. in the Kewadin Casinos Whitefish Point Room.

On the agenda under School Reports is Malcolm High School, Sault Tribe Education, JKL Bahweting Anishnabe School and JKL High School Update.

Tribal members may attend the workshop except for closed sessions or items, or attend by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

Please see the attached Election Commission notice to hear an election complaint.

Notice of Hearing

The Board of Directors voted at its meeting on April 7, 2026, to terminate the employment agreement with Tribal Court Chief Judge Charles Palmer, effective immediately.

This decision was the result of unacceptable conduct from the bench and a series of court decisions that were contrary to the tribe’s sovereignty and could have diminished the tribe’s ability to properly defend its sovereign status going forward. The board determined that this conduct was in violation of the employment agreement entered between the tribe and Judge Palmer.

The board authorized the tribal chairman to execute necessary contracts, subject to board review, to find judges to handle the Tribal Court cases while they initiate a search for a new chief judge. The Board of Directors staff will work with Tribal Court staff to ensure there is as limited disruption to court services as possible.

Board Statement April 8, 2026

Feeding America West Michigan drive-thru mobile pantry, Thursday, April 9, at the Big Bear Arena, 2 Ice Circle Drive in Sault Ste. Marie. Distribution will begin at 4 p.m. and end at 6 p.m. or until all food has been given out.

Mobile Pantries are like farmers markets on wheels that provide groceries – including produce, protein, dairy, grains, and more – to anyone in need at no charge.

When coming to the distribution, turn onto Bahweting Drive (off of Shunk Road). Do not block driveways.

In order to pick up food for a household other than your own, you must have written permission with signature that includes: household name and address, how many people live in the household, how many are children, how many are senior citizens/elders and how many are veterans. Limit of two proxy pickups per vehicle for distribution.

To volunteer, email Elaine Clement at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Volunteers should start arriving at the Big Bear entrance at 2:30 p.m.

To find food resources near you visit https://www.feedwm.org/findfood/.

Flyer

The Sault Tribe Election Commission is holding its next regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, April 9, 2026. All meetings are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be held in the Whitefish Point Room at the Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie. Meetings of the Sault Tribe Election Commission are open to tribal members, in person or via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83451696095 as view-only attendees.

Agenda

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting April 7, 2026, beginning 5 p.m. at Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room, in person or via Zoom, https://zoom.us/j/83640619761.

“Membership Participation” will be held at 5 p.m. in person or by virtual attendance. The link is available at the Sault Tribe website saulttribe.com under membership assistance for the meeting link and Membership Form that must be completed. The deadline to submit a form is 1 p.m. on meeting day. The link is https://zoom.us/j/83640619761. Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again unless they have a matter for the board.

To attend the scheduled workshop, except for closed session or items, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again.

On the agenda under Resolutions is:
FY25 Year End Reconciliations/Modifications
FY25 ARPA Budgets
FY26 ARPA Budgets
Establish FY26 Aquatic Invasive Species Budget
Establish FY26 BIA Forestry Budget
Establish FY26 GLRI Coastal Initiative Budget
Establish FY26 2022 Tribal Victim Services Budget
Accept Grant/Est. FY26 2025 Victim Services Budget
Legal FY26 Budget Modification
Contract with Loyola University - Manoomin
2026 National Coastal Resilience Application
Accept Cybersecurity Grant Award
Accept AP Wireless Devices Grant Award
Health - Reappropriate 3rd Party Revenue
Governmental Emergency Conditions Policy
Housing Adopt Governmental Wage Grid
Moratorium Prohibiting AI Data Centers

Under New Business, the board will consider Disenrollment, Reaffirming 2024-118 – Protection of First Families, and Board Concerns.

Resolutions

Learn to make your own ribbon skirt!
May 2 & 3, 2026
Marquette Community Center, 204 Cherry Creek Rd., Marquette, MI 49855
Ages 16-plus, limited to 12 participants

The workshop will be led by our very own Chelsea and Rosemary! Participants will leave with their own ribbon skirt. To register, contact Stacie Chambers at (906) 379-8061 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Flyer

The Election Commission would like to notify Sault Tribe members that the 2026 Primary and General Election Ballots will look different than past election ballots. In the past, each unit received a ballot on different colored paper based on the registered unit. The 2026 Election will not have colored paper representing the five voting units; they instead will be white with certain sections of the ballot a different color distinguishing the different units.

The Election Commission understands this is a big change from the past elections, however, with upgrading the election software and hardware, this was a necessary change. We would like to assure the voters that there are multiple security measures that are placed on the ballots to hinder duplicating ballots. Any questions or concerns, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..