W.C. Whitmeyer Committee Room (US Bank)
403 North Jackson Street
Salem, Missouri 65560
Present: Deputy Chief John Watson
Councilman Speaker Tim Spencer
Councilman Vice-Speaker James Ellis
Councilman Jeff Cover
Councilman Bill Sischo
Elders: Elmo Foster
Bea Foster
Poly Roark
Not Present: Chief Jerry Summers
1. Meeting called to order @ 10:30
2. Opening Prayer - Carlo Carlino
7. A) Out of order item - the Elders ask for Diane Carlino
to be approved for the Elder Board - roll vote taken, Councilman Tim Spencer
- yes, Councilman James Ellis - abstained, Councilman Jeff Cover - yes,
Councilman Bill Sischo - yes, vote passes. Elder Bea Foster issues the oath
of office (Elder Board) as part of the Western Cherokee people. Diane is
sworn in.
3. Reading of minutes from last meeting - Deputy Chief Watson ask to table
until next meeting due to minutes not been posted yet. All approve.
4. Accepting of resignation of Paul Drew - Bill Sischo motions to accept
Paul resignation and all positions he holds, Deputy Chief Watson states
that Chief Jerry Summers would like a roll vote, 2nd by Tim Spencer, roll
vote taken, all approve.
5. Old Business:
A) Enrollment/Photo ID cards - Laurie Spencer states that enrollment is
still coming in, but with the holidays it is a little slower. Councilman
Tim Spencer motioned to switch to photo IDs only instead of the paper cards,
some discussion, 2nd by Jeff Cover, roll call taken, all approve.
B) First Reading of Constitutional Amendment for Enrollment - Article VI
Tribal Membership, section 3 Application Procedures. Wording changed Committee
chair changed to Department Director.
C) Photo ID Cards/ Blood Quantum - Carlo Carlino ask if we are going to
set a Blood quantum or not? Laurie Spencer said we do not have a Blood quantum
limit. Carlo Carlino states that if you are Cherokee your Cherokee, you
dont stop being Cherokee just because your blood quantum is below a certain
level or number. Some Discussion on the blood quantum.
Deputy Chief Watson ask that if we do set a quantum or not
we need to state it in our constitution as well, council all agrees. Some
more Discussion - Carlo Carlino states that we need to set it today and
the right way so later on it wont be a problem or changed. Councilman Tim
Spencer motion to affirm
the policy of the Western Cherokee to not Document Blood Quantum on the
membership card, nor shall a specific quantum be a definitive measure of
tribal membership eligibility. All members shall be considered _____ by
the Western Cherokee. All Western Cherokee Law, Regulations & Directives
shall reflect same. (At the request of the
Chief the above was withdrawn and rewritten on 2/14/04 to)
To affirm the policy
of the Western Cherokee and too help promote and ensure equality of the
Western Cherokee people, "blood quantum" shall not be used as a measure
of being Western Cherokee on any document pertaining to a member nor shall
anything more than Western Cherokee lineage be required for Tribal membership.
All Western Cherokee laws, resolutions, regulations and directives shall
from this day fourth reflect the same.
Councilman Vice-Speaker calls for a small break, changed lunch break @11:30
Meeting called back to order @ 12:30
Councilman James Ellis reads the Blood Quantum issue. Councilman Spencer
motions to accept the issue, Councilman Sischo 2nd, Councilman Ellis ask
for discussion- some
Discussion from everyone present - Councilman Ellis calls for a roll vote,
Councilman Spencer, yes - Councilman Sischo, yes - Councilman Cover, yes
- Councilman Ellis, yes-
motion carries, vote passes.
Changing all cards over to Photo ID Cards - some discussion from all present
- Councilman Spencer motion to start using the Photo ID Cards instead of
the paper,
Councilman Cover 2nd, Councilman Ellis ask for any discussion - no discussion
- roll vote
A) Placing Tom Collins on Council - Tabled until next meeting due to Mr.
Collins not present.
B) Confirm continuation of tenure of Kelly Bernal for Council - Tabled until
next meeting.
C) Changing the Tribal P.O. Box for the chief in Poplar Bluff to the Henderson
address - Councilman Ellis ask if there is any discussion - some discussion
by all present- Councilman Sischo motion to close the P.O. Box in Poplar
Bluff and use the P.O. Box 260 in Salem for all Tribal mail - Councilman
Cover 2nd, Councilman Spencer, yes - Councilman Ellis, yes - motion carries-
vote passes.
D) Other new business - Councilman Ellis mentions that the City of Salem
would like us to participate in the 4th of July celebrations again and ask
everyone to think about it and we will discuss it at our next meeting.
7. Elders Comments - Elder Roark says she is happy to be here and hopefully
shell be able to make more meetings and spend time with us. The Elders
again welcome Diana
Carlino to the Elder board. Elder Carlino says how happy and honored to
be on the Elder board.
8. Comment by Council Members - Council members say how happy they are to
see Elder Roark and welcome Diana Carlino again to the Elder Board.
9) Comments by membership - Lancer Blair mention he would like to start
an activity day for craft so that anyone interested could learn some of
our crafts. Lancer also volunteers to head up the group.
10) Comments by the Chief & Deputy Chief - Deputy Chief mentions that he
has been talking with Rainbow.
11) Closing Prayer - waited until corporate meeting is over
Western Cherokee Business
Paul Drew resigned
1) Meeting called to order @ 2:00pm
2) Roll call taken: Present are listed above
3) #5 B - Out of order Paul Drews resignation from board roll vote take Watson, yes - Spencer, yes Ellis, yes Cover, yes Sischo, yes Laurie Spencer, yes vote carries.
4)
Old Business:
a. Renters/Liability Insurance for the Office James Ellis says he has had a hard time getting an accurate quote due to items in the office, so he is still researching it. Laurie Spencer offers to help him and they both will report at the next meeting.
b. Report on acquisition of property (if ready at this time) Tim Spencer mentions that the two properties the tribe owns are up for sale on the corporations web site. Phone poll was taken and roll vote to verify the vote by phone Summers, yes Watson, yes Spencer, yes Ellis, yes, - Cover, yes Sischo, yes Laurie Spencer, yes vote carries to place both pieces of property up for sale.
5) New Business:
a. Financial Report Laurie Spencer gives the report.
b. Resignation of Paul Drew from Corporate Board taken care of at beginning of the meeting.
c. Action to be taken on acquired properties see #4-B- above, properties are for sale.
d. Terminology of creating bank accounts so communities can work under the non-profit corporation Some discussion from all present Tim Spencer is asked to draft a charter and John Watson says we will table this matter until next meeting so that we can all read the draft, all agree.
e. Interest Free Loan from John Watson (up to $400.00) Laurie Spencer lets everyone know this is to help the tribe pay the closing cost on the property. This is just to verify the phone poll taken already and that so far John Watson has Loaned the tribe a total of $200.00, John Watson agrees roll vote taken Watson, abstains by phone prier to meeting Summers, yes Spencer, yes Ellis, yes Cover, yes Sischo, yes Laurie Spencer, yes vote carries.
f. Discussion on trusts for Western Cherokee members businesses John Watson says he will check with Mark Eads and report at the next meeting.
g. Group Health Insurance James Ellis suggest that we ask our sister bands to go in with us on group health insurance; everyone agrees that would be a great idea.
h. Change the Tribal Address from P.O. Box to 906 Henderson in Poplar Bluff This issue was Tribal and not corporate business so it was taken care of in the Tribal Council Meeting held this same day.
6) Any discussion from all present No discussion
COURT RULES IN FAVOR
OF SUMMERS, WATSON & WESTERN CHEROKEE 3 TIMES
As of this date the defendants and their associates have
not surrendered Western Cherokee Property as
stipulated in two court orders and supported in the Stipulation and Order.
What are the fundamental differences
between the thinking of the
Plaintiffs Jerry Summers, John Watson and the
Western Cherokee a Missouri Non-Profit and the
Defendants, Unincorporated Association claim and
filing with the court.
See the legal differences between being a
Organized Group Vs. Unincorporated Association.
Proof is in their filing with the court
Click Here to read
PDF file.
A court order did
state that Chief Jerry Summers and Vice Chief John Watson have been found to be the true
officials of the Western Cherokee. This should clearly show the
defendants
and associates were wrong in their take over attempt but they continue to
refuse to abide by the Court Order. By a court ordered election which the
defendants controlled they are now legally in control of the Western Cherokee
future. Many people believe this ordered election was due to a filing by
Timothy
Spencer which was a threat of upward of 100 men, women and children would die
defending the property if the judge held his ruling.
