The Office of Tribal Operations (TOP) compiled and forwarded an up-to-date copy of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians banishment list to the One Feather in January.

They say voters are increasingly apathetic. However, across America they are pouring their time, energy, and money into helping.

This letter to the editor is in response to an article published in the Feb. 11 issue of the One Feather entitled “In God We Trust motto withdrawn in Council”.

In January 2016, Tribal Council passed a law (Resolution No. 87) that did away with verbatim written documentation of Council sessions as a matter of course. In other words, the exact words of the Council no longer had to be made into a written record and minutes of the sessions could be summarized.

A quick search on Indeed.com, an employment research website, for “Native American Tribal Council”, “Native American Tribal Chief” and “Native American Vice-Chief”, results in annual average salary information of $92,000, $132,000 and $76,000, respectively.

There has been quite a stir recently over the proper place of the Tribal Court. We have had front row seats via cable and live stream during Tribal Council sessions to the debate over the powers of the different branches of tribal government. Just what is a “branch” anyway?

I have never been a gloom and doom person. I do, however, believe that each of us would be crazy not to see the signs that our world, and in some cases, our local communities are becoming more dangerous places to be. Right?

It’s 2016 and if you’re reading this, congratulations, you survived the Christmas dinner and the New Year’s Eve parties. And…you’re back at work. And…you’re looking at your bank statement in disbelief because no way did you really spend that much money in a month.