Face off for President of Northern Cheyenne

Face off for President of Northern Cheyenne  

 

 

By Clara Caufield,

 NSNT Correspondent

LAME DEER, Mont.  The results of the March 24, 2022 Reservation-wide Primary Election to fill the vacancy of the Tribal President’s seat at Northern Cheyenne were conclusive.  Current Acting Tribal President Serena Wetherwelt (also current Vice-President) gained the largest margin of votes with 406.  Previously ousted Tribal President, Donna Fisher came in second with 257 votes.  The remaining votes were scattered among the other four candidates, none approaching the margins of the top vote-getters.

The date for the General Election has not yet been posted by the Tribal Council but should be held with the next two months.

In an interesting and unprecedented move, on March 21, 2022 (two days before the Primary Election) the Tribal Council issued a 43-page statement to the Tribal Membership titled “Hetomestose” or “Truth”.  That letter was forwarded directly to this reporter by several Council members and is also posted on the Tribe’s website, cheyennenation.com.

It begins: the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight on various issues and respond officially to various allegations made by impeached former President Donna Fisher. In this letter directed to the tribal membership the following issues will be discussed and proven by official documentation. The majority of the Council feels it is important to speak directly to the membership on these allegations and issues.

The issues addressed in the letter are briefly summarized as follows:

Proposed Northern Cheyenne Food Bank: During the COVID pandemic, the tribal community identified a Food Bank as a priority.  During that time, the Tribe partnered with the Boy’s and Girl’s Club to provide food boxes and cleaning supplies, a temporary arrangement.  The Council then enacted a resolution and approved use of COVID monies to build a permanent Food Bank.   However, according to the Council, President Fisher has blocked this project, objecting a sole source construction contract.

Economic Assistance Payments to Agricultural Operators and Small Businesses:  The Tribal Council had approved $1,586,000 in COVID funds to assist cattle operators and small businesses to offset revenues lost due to the pandemic.  People’s Partners for Progress, a CDF administered the distribution of funds. According to the public report on use of these AARPA funds, President Donna Fisher received $6,000 in 2021.  The Council letter states that this is in violation of the Tribal Constitution which states that any Tribal Official shall not receive any gratuity, benefit or gratuity other than from the Tribe, neither shall they use any monies, personnel etc. for personal benefit.

Donna Fisher’s Personal Septic System:  In June, 2021, a payment of $8,127 was made to a vendor for work on Donna Fisher’s personal septic system, and then that check was signed by herself.  She also benefited another $200 dollars for septic system cleaning.

Excessive Personnel Costs and Hiring Policy Circumvented: The Council letter states that about one million of AARPA funds was used to fund five positions: Chief of Staff (256,679); Public Works Director (334,493); Sr. Program /Administrator (393,043; Community Navigator (163,886).  The Council states that the positions were not advertised, a selection process was not followed, there were no job descriptions, those personnel allowed to work remote and that the positions were filled by people related to or close personal friends of Fisher.

Excessive Payments for AARPA funds and sole source by President Fisher:  Fisher authorized and approved excessive payments to Kenetic Marketing for services such as a discovery session for Fisher’s PR and a photo shoot of Fisher. These bills have not been paid and turned over to collection agencies.  Furthermore, the Council points out that the Tribe has in-house staff capable of performing these services.

PL 93-638 Agricultural Contract:  The BIA has recently resumed part of the Tribe’s “Range Management” contract due to non-compliance.  Compliance for “638” contracts are assigned to the Tribal Presidents office.  This situation has caused no end of problems for the reservation agricultural producers who pay the lion’s share of the Tribe’s general fund revenues though grazing leases.

Annual Financial Audits:  The overall responsibility for Tribal audits lying with Tribal Administration.  The Northern Cheyenne Tribe is now delinquent on 2019 and 2020 audits. This has a serious impact on tribal programs.  Some programs at Northern Cheyenne are now limited on financial drawdowns or unable to request new funding as a result.  The current acting Administration is making this issue a top priority, the Council letter states.

The letter is signed by nine of the 10 Council members and includes much documentation, including resolutions, copies of payment vouchers, checks, etc.

Cheyenne politics have always been interesting and somewhat chaotic, but this brings things to a whole new level.  Stay tuned.  Surely there will be more developments worthy of reporting.

 

(Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

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