NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
Cherokee Youth Center set for April completion
Construction for the new Cherokee Youth Center is on schedule with a ribbon cutting in less than three months.
Council tables proposed referendum question regarding term limits
Council tables proposed referendum question regarding term limits
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Staff
The idea of term limits for Tribal Council representatives of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) has been discussed for years. During the regular session on Thursday, Feb. 3, Tribal Council tabled Res. No. 50, which sought to clarify language in a referendum that was approved last year.
Council passed Res. No. 11 (2021), submitted by Robert Jumper, an EBCI tribal member voting in the Cherokee Co. – Snowbird township, unanimously on Oct. 11, 2021. Vice Chairman Albert Rose, Wolftown Rep. Bo Crowe, and Big Cove Rep. Teresa McCoy signed on as sponsors of the legislation that approved three referendum questions regarding term limits including:
1. Do you agree to change the terms of office prescribed in the Charter and Governing Document for Tribal Council members from 2 years to 4 years?
2. If you agree with Question 1, do you agree to amending the law to hold Tribal Council member terms of office to “staggered” with one Representative seat from each township being up for election every two years?
3. If you agree with Question 1, do you agree to limit the number of consecutive terms a Tribal Council member may serve to two terms?
Res. No. 50, submitted by the EBCI Board of Elections and Jumper, sought to clarify the questions as such:
1. Beginning in 2025, should Tribal Council terms be changed from two years to four years and result in the staggering of individual terms so that one seat in each community is up for election every two years?
2. Should Tribal Council representatives’ terms be limited so that a representative may not be elected to serve more than eight consecutive years in office excluding any time served by any representative as a result of a special election?
During Thursday’s session, Council originally passed Res. No. 50 by a margin of 10-2 with no discussion by Council representatives.
Jumper did state prior to the vote, “I do feel that they have fixed it so that it is a little more clear to the voter. I don’t have any issues, and I support the changes that they’ve made.”
Following the vote, Yellowhill Rep. David Wolfe, one of two representatives to vote against the legislation, said, “I was hoping that this question would have been taken back to the Constitution Committee. I know they’re working hard to try to present a Constitution, and they report every month at our community meetings on their progress and questions that come from other communities.”
He also questioned how the staggered terms would start. “Is everyone going to start from ground zero when you come in?”
Cherokee Co. – Snowbird Rep. Adam Wachacha agreed with Rep. Wolfe saying it needs to be determined how the staggered terms will work from the start. He noted, “When the Constitution Committee came in here, I had suggested that we try to create a smaller leaping off point. And, if this is coming from the Election Board, I felt like they (Constitution Committee) needed to be included too because that’s the intent of the Tribe is to move towards a Constitution.”
Painttown Rep. Tommye Saunooke, who also voted against the legislation, questioned the idea of term limits. “What if you have a chief that you don’t want to have a term limit? What if he’s the greatest chief we’ve ever had? Does that mean you can’t have him anymore?”
She added, “That concerns me. When you have good leaders, you want to keep the best I say… You really don’t want to lose good leadership. I don’t care how many terms they’ve been here. When our people decide they don’t want them here any longer, they’ll decide.”
Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed spoke to add clarity to the discussion. “To me, the point of this particular resolution was just to establish questions for a referendum to allow the people to express whether or not they wanted term limits and staggered limits for Council members. The staggered part, I think, is probably the more important piece because you could have a complete turnover of Council and lose all historic and institutional knowledge of the Council. That’s pretty dangerous.”
Chris Siewers, EBCI Office of the Attorney General, said the legislation was an effort to take the questions outlined in Res. No. 11 and change them to minimize the confusion as much as possible.
At that point in the discussion, Painttown Rep. Dike Sneed made a motion to bring Res. No. 50 back to the floor. “There’s really too many questions out here now.”
Rep. Wolfe seconded the motion, and it was brought back to the floor unanimously. He noted, “There’s just too many questions, and we’re going to be working on the Election Ordinance…so, I don’t want to get in too big a hurry and our people suffer the consequences of not knowing. I could not go to the Yellowhill Community Building and explain this right now.”
Rep. Sneed then made a motion to table the resolution which was done by a unanimous vote.
Big Cove Rep. Teresa McCoy commented after that vote, “I don’t have a problem tabling this, but my term limit is two years…you’ve already got term limits. So, what’s the problem? This is not rocket science. This is simple English, and I think we can work it out.”
At the moment, Res. No. 11 remains intact.
Furman University presents land acknowledgment to EBCI
Furman University formally acknowledged that the campus occupies land that once belonged to the Cherokee and other Indigenous people when a contingent from the university presented a framed land acknowledgment to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on Wednesday, Feb. 2.
ONE FEATHER PHOTOS
COMMUNITY ᏍᎦᏚᎩ
Veteran’s Corner: Jasper Thomas Garrett Jr.
Jasper Thomas Garrett Jr. sat in testing at United States Navy Boot Camp when he heard a familiar sound. It was something that he had learned from his father while growing up and was now about to change his life.
Cherokee information signs added at Lake Chatuge
In addition to sites along the Quanassee Path in Hayesville, people now have two more places to go to get information about the Cherokee and their communities, thanks to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) partnership with Clay County Communities Revitalization Association (CCCRA).
Cashwell wins $271K at WSOP Main Event at Harrah’s Cherokee
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort has officially wrapped up its August World Series of Poker Circuit event. Billy Cashwell, from Stedman, won the Main Event at Harrah’s Cherokee earning $271,234 and a circuit ring.
OPINIONS ᏃᎵᏍᎬᎢ
COMMENTARY: Tantrum or fighting back…
How would you folks at home feel if we had a tribal election and the obvious loser of that election went off on Twitter, and everywhere else, claiming that he won and whining that the election was stolen even though that particular election, due to previous attempts by outside actors and agitators, was the most secure in tribal history?
COMMENTARY: Why I’ll be taking the COVID-19 vaccine
If you asked me a few weeks ago whether I’d take the vaccine, I would probably say ‘yes, but not right now’.
SPEAKING OF FAITH: Fighting ‘Giants’ and winning
Read 1 Samuel 17:1-58 for the whole story of the battle David fought with Goliath. Memorize David’s fighting words, a 17-year-old, to his ‘giant’ in verses 45-48a (and it came to pass.)
SPORTS ᏍᎦᏚᎩ
FOOTBALL: Braves roll in big win over rival Swain
Cherokee (6-0) scored 45 unanswered points to top cross-county rival Swain Co. (2-4) on Friday, Sept. 29.
ON THE SIDELINES: Take a knee, don’t take a knee…just get on with it
Ok, I’ll bite. I’ve tried, in vain apparently, to avoid commenting on the one controversy that has completely taken over professional football – people taking a knee during playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” aka the national anthem.
FOOTBALL: Braves improve to 5-0 with big Homecoming win
Cherokee improved to 5-0 on the season with a big win on Homecoming Night.
OBITUARIES ᏧᏂᏲᎰᏒ
OBITUARY: Aria Reign Savage-Sneed
Aria Reign Savage-Sneed, of Cherokee, was born sleeping on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. She is the daughter of Alex Thigpen and Richard Sneed.
OBITUARY: Candace Denice Parker
Candace Denice Parker, age 29, of Bryson City, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 21, 2021.
OBITUARY: Timothy Lyle Pummer
Timothy Lyle Pummer, age 62, of Springfield, Mo., passed away Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield.
HAPPENINGS
Sequoyah Remembrance Day
Aug. 3 at the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum in Vonore, Tenn. Free admission to the Museum from 12-5pm. Allen Fugate will be demonstrating silversmithing along with other Cherokee artisans demonstrating their skills. The 1809 Cherokee Blacksmith shop will be up and...
Benefit Dinner for Julie Maney
July 28 at 11am at the Yellowhill Community Building. Proceeds will help with travel expenses. $8 for chicken, cabbage, potatoes, fatback, bean bread, and drink.
Food Stamps and Family & Children’s Medicaid
The Jackson and Swain County Departments of Social Services are once again taking applications at the BIA for Food Stamps and Family & Children’s Medicaid. Hours are Tuesdays from 7:30am – 4pm.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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