By Scott McKie B.P.
One Feather staff
Big Cove Rep. Teresa McCoy has filed a protest against Resolutions #1031 and #1032 which deal with the Tribal ABC Commission (TABCC). Both resolutions were passed on Sept. 30, the last official day of the 2007-09 Tribal Council. Rep. McCoy took office the week after they were passed.
The protest is scheduled to be heard on Friday, Oct. 30 according to the TOP Office. As of press time, a specific time for the protest had not been set.
In her protest she writes, “Bob Blankenship submitted Resolution #1031, on behalf of the TABCC, requesting $588,500 from the Tribal General Fund. This ‘loan’ would be used as start up funds to operate the TABCC. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians does not loan Tribal Funds to anyone. “
Rep. McCoy also states in her protest that she contacted Legal Council for the North Carolina State Alcohol Commission. “The state does not see the need for a Tribal ABC Board, and having one is purely a Tribal political issue,” she writes in her protest. “A Tribal ABC Board will never have the authority to issue an alcohol permit to anyone. Period.”
Blankenship said the TABCC would save their comments for the hearing on Friday, but he did relate that they submitted their budget to Tribal Council for approval as required in Ord. No. 903. “We got it to Council as soon as we had it developed after passing of Ord. 903 on Aug. 6, 2009.”
Four Council representatives voted against passage of Resolutions #1031 and #1032 including: Yellowhill Rep. David Wolfe, then Vice-Chairman Jim Owle (currently Chairman), then Chairman Mike Parker (currently Wolfetown Rep.), and then Wolfetown Rep. Susan Toineeta.
