1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE 8 COMANCHE BUSINESS COMMITTEE 9 MONTHLY MEETING 10 AUGUST 15, 2009, 10:37 A.M. 11 COMANCHE NATION COMPLEX 12 LAWTON, OKLAHOMA 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 __________________________________________________ REPORTED BY: KELLY STOABS, CSR 23 DODSON REPORTING & ASSOCIATES 435 NORTH WALKER, SUITE 102 24 OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA 73102 (405) 235-1828 ~ (405) 235-1266 (FAX) 25 dcri@coxinet.net 2 1 A P P E A R A N C E S 2 3 COMANCHE NATION BUSINESS COMMITTEE MEMBERS: 4 Michael Burgess, Chairman 5 Richard Henson, Vice-Chairman 6 Robert Tippeconnie, Secretary-Treasurer 7 Edmond Mahseet, Committeeman #1 8 Lanny Asepermy, Committeeman #2 9 Darrell Kosechequetah, Committeeman #3 10 Clyde R. Narcomey, Committeeman #4 11 LEGAL COUNSEL: 12 William Norman, James Burson 13 Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker 14 15 16 17 * * * * * * 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 INDEX OF PROCEEDINGS 2 PAGE 3 Meeting called to order at 10:37 a.m. 6 4 Roll call. 6 5 Motion passed to amend agenda. 8 6 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 9 115-09/Enrollment/List No. 795 Ineligible. 7 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 13 8 116-09/Enrollment/List No. 796 Ineligible. 9 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 14 117-09/Enrollment/List No. 797 Ineligible. 10 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 15 11 118-09/Enrollment/List No. 798 Eligible. 12 Mr. Nelson proposes idea of Office 19 of Registry. 13 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 21 14 119-09/Resolution to Refinance Mortgages. 15 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 27 120-09/Transportation/Resolution to 16 Amend Resolution 89-09. 17 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 28 121-09/Resolution Approving Acquisition, 18 Part of Neithpahbitty Allotment near Elgin, Oklahoma. 19 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 40 20 122-09/Resolution Authorizing retirement Plan and Amendment of Trustees. 21 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 41 22 123-09/Resolution to Approve Submission of US Dept. Of Housing and Urban Development for 23 Indian Community Development Block Grant. 24 Resolution Number 124-09/I-Care Program. 44 No motion. 25 4 1 INDEX OF PROCEEDINGS (continued) 2 PAGE 3 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 54 125-09/Comanche Nation Tribal Princess. 4 Motion passed to approve Resolution Number 61 5 126-09/Health Care Analyst. 6 Resolution Number 127-09/Employee 83 and/or Department Transfer, tabled. 7 Resolution Number 128-09/Election Board 104 8 Compensation, tabled. 9 Motion passed to approve Resolution 117 Number 129-09/EPA Grant. 10 Motion passed for Chairman to attend Native 119 11 American Economic Development Conference. 12 Motion passed to Complete Interior 128 Walls of the Comanche Nation Gym. 13 Dr. McClung speaks on closing of bingo. 134 14 Jarvis Poahway/Comanche Parks & Recreation. 156 15 Eleanor McDaniel/Tribal Concerns. 160 16 John D. Wahnee. 177 17 Elders Council/Assisted Living Center 190 18 Francis Attocknie/Tribal Preference. 207 19 Firefighters. 212 20 Motion passed to go into executive session. 214 21 Executive session held from 3:09 p.m. 214 22 to 4:38 p.m. 23 Motion passed to come out of executive 214 session. 24 Motion passed to purchase property 214 25 of Winifred Polk. 5 1 INDEX OF PROCEEDINGS (continued) 2 PAGE 3 Motion passed for Erin Hutton to receive 218 $750 from the Charitable Funds for which 4 she will reimburse the Fund when she receives her per capita payment. 5 Motion passed to give Sonya Kopaddy $1000 221 6 out of Charitable Funds or other because of her physical and financial circumstances. 7 Motion passed to give Skylar Mason $505.47 222 8 out of Charitable Funds for assistance with soccer team. 9 Motion passed to give Charrise Redbone/ 225 10 Red Road to Freedom $500 out of Charitable Funds for assistance with powwow. 11 Motion passed to have the Comanche Nation 237 12 College inspected for hazardous material and safety by a certified safety officer. 13 Motion passed to have TA direct that 238 14 a property inventory be taken at Comanche Nation College by procurement officer. 15 Motion passed to direct the TA to provide 240 16 Vice-Chairman a vehicle for official business. 17 Motion passed to go into executive 242 session. 18 Executive session held from 5:18 p.m. 242 19 to 6:08 p.m. 20 Motion passed to instruct Tribal Attorneys 242 to transmit settlement offer as discussed to 21 McCurtain's attorney. 22 Meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m. 243 23 Reporter's Certificate. 244 24 Secretary/Treasurer's Certificate. 245 25 6 1 (Meeting called to order at 2 10:37 a.m.) 3 MR. BURGESS: We'll call the meeting 4 to order at this time. 5 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Michael Burgess? 6 MR. BURGESS: Here. 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Richard Henson? 8 MR. HENSON: Here. 9 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Robert 10 Tippeconnie? Here. 11 Edmond Mahseet? 12 MR. MAHSEET: Here. 13 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Lanny Asepermy? 14 MR. ASEPERMY: Here. 15 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Darrell 16 Kosechequetah? 17 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: Here. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Clyde Narcomey? 19 MR. NARCOMEY: Here. 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We have a quorum, 21 Mr. Chairman. 22 MR. BURGESS: We have a good agenda 23 again today. We have a gentleman that's going to 24 go to a medical meeting that he has to go to. And 25 I want us to conclude this meeting before he 7 1 leaves, by the time he leaves, by the time he has 2 to leave, and that's going be about 3 o'clock. 3 Now, I apologize -- I apologize that 4 I didn't see to it that we didn't have enough 5 water and coffee and things this morning. I was 6 pretty busy, so I'm taking that. But next 7 meeting, we'll have those munchies out here for 8 everybody. We'll try to break around 12:00, take 9 a smoke break, water break, lunch break from 12:00 10 to 12:30. Okay? I know a lot of you might want 11 to go in and out and get things those for our 12 diabetics who need something. I apologize, again, 13 that I didn't see to it that that was done, but we 14 will have it again next month. We'll have those 15 munchies here for y'all. I know it's necessary. 16 So I'm going to ask all of you, get 17 to the point and we'll go on. We've got things to 18 do. I do not personally, and these guys as well 19 have agreed, that we don't want to have a 20 continuation, a recess and continuation. There's 21 a lot of things, a lot of business coming to us, 22 and we're going to keep moving on. We've agreed 23 to do business as quickly and as best we can and 24 keep y'all informed. 25 So with that, we're going to go into 8 1 our first order of business here. 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Chairman? 3 MR. BURGESS: Yes. 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I want to amend the 5 agenda to add three items. I'd like to add a 6 motion, which will be for travel of the Chairman, 7 and a resolution which was brought to us for a 8 grant from the EPA. That will be 129-09. It'll 9 be EPA Grant, if you'll add it. It will be Number 10 16 in the resolutions, Item 16. And then in 11 executive session, I'd like to add Winifred Pope. 12 Ms. Pope will visit with us in executive session. 13 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Do I hear a 14 motion, or second I should say? 15 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: Second. 16 MR. BURGESS: Second's been made by 17 Darrell Kosechequetah. All those in favor signify 18 by saying "aye." 19 (Aye.) 20 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed? No 21 opposition. Motion has carried. 22 Any questions or concerns on the 23 minutes of the last meeting, gentlemen? These are 24 the minutes of July 11th. 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman? 9 1 MR. BURGESS: Yes. 2 MR. ASEPERMY: I'd like to come back 3 to that toward the end of the meeting. Give me a 4 chance to look at those. 5 MR. BURGESS: Okay. We'll move on to 6 the resolutions. All right. We'll come back to 7 the minutes at the conclusion of our resolutions 8 for new and old business. 9 Item Number 1, Resolution 115-09, 10 Enrollment List Number 795. These are 11 applications for membership, again, ladies and 12 gentlemen. By our constitution, these people have 13 shown that they did not have enough blood to be 14 enrolled in the Comanche Nation. Questions? 15 Discussions? 16 MRS. HENDRIX: Chairman, I have a 17 question. The enrollment director we have now put 18 200 or so people into a non-identity status in 19 their life. I'm getting ready to have another 20 granddaughter at any time. Her brother is on the 21 roll, but her mom was taken off by some of the 22 Board here. What is going to happen? Because we 23 know she has perjured and lied on 200 people. How 24 do we know the list she's presenting to you every 25 month is a correct list, and that these 10 1 applications have been thoroughly gone through and 2 have been proven? 3 Because the American policy says, 4 "The base roll is a list of original members, 5 tribal members, as designated in the tribal 6 constitution or the other documents specified in 7 enrollment criteria. Future members usually must 8 be able to trace descendancy from a parent named 9 on base roll." 10 I'm on the base roll. That's why you 11 can't take me off. Only the Secretary of Interior 12 can take me off. Her mother and -- is on the base 13 roll, the grandfather is on the base roll, the 14 great-grandfather is an original allottee. I 15 don't want to have the application held for six 16 months and then told she doesn't qualify. And if 17 she can take me off when I'm on the base roll, and 18 my daughter who's on the base roll, and then lie 19 about what the Caddo said, then this is a concern 20 that all these people need to take into 21 consideration right now, because they're having 22 children, they've had people disenrolled in their 23 families. 24 Okay, if she's -- there's 200 people 25 that have had their lives ruined by perjury and 11 1 lies. Some, maybe, are legal, but our 2 constitution doesn't say you can do it. So that's 3 what I'm saying. We have to do something about 4 our enrollment director, because you're taking her 5 word for it, and I've already proven clear to 6 Supreme Court that she lied. 7 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Mrs. Hendrix, 8 clearly you have a point. At this time, we're 9 talking about a resolution. I do not believe any 10 of these people on here are -- as far as I know, 11 the last name of the person whose grandchild 12 you're discussing, if you want to reveal that, 13 or -- 14 MRS. HENDRIX: No, she hasn't been 15 born yet. She's just due any day. That's what I 16 am saying. 17 MR. BURGESS: Hold on. Hold on 18 MRS. HENDRIX: Okay. 19 MR. BURGESS: Your issue is a 20 constitutional question. And it goes -- no, your 21 issue is a constitutional membership question, so 22 please bring that in paper and document it to the 23 CBC. 24 MRS. HENDRIX: No. 25 MR. BURGESS: Well, I'm asking you. 12 1 And if you don't want to, that's your choice. 2 MRS. HENDRIX: Okay. 3 MR. BURGESS: But I'm asking you -- 4 we want to get with this agenda. And I do not 5 like to have continuation meeting after 6 continuation meeting. 7 MRS. HENDRIX: Yeah, I understand. 8 MR. BURGESS: And so bring that in 9 writing. Because if you can go back to the point 10 that the great-great-grandfather was an original 11 allottee, then you have a basis. But until 12 this -- just hold that discussion, let us get 13 through our agenda. Bring that in writing. We'll 14 take it back and investigate and deal with it 15 then, after the grandchild is born, please. 16 MRS. HENDRIX: Okay. Well, that's 17 what I'm saying, though. 18 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 19 MRS. HENDRIX: Are you going to keep 20 this person -- it's about this person in there. 21 MR. BURGESS: I'm not going to 22 discuss that. That's a personnel issue. That's 23 outside the scope of this meeting at this time. 24 MRS. HENDRIX: Well, I just didn't 25 want her ruining more lives. 13 1 MR. BURGESS: I understand your pain 2 and -- but I -- 3 MRS. HENDRIX: Well, not only mine. 4 MR. BURGESS: I need to get on with 5 this meeting. I want us to go forward, please. 6 Thank you. 7 MR. NARCOMEY: I make a motion to 8 approve Resolution 115-09. 9 MR. BURGESS: Motion's been made by 10 Mr. Narcomey. Second? 11 MR. HENSON: I'll second it. 12 MR. BURGESS: Mr. Henson has seconded 13 it. Call for the question. All those in favor 14 say "aye." 15 (Aye.) 16 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed? 17 Motion has passed. 18 Resolution Number 116-09, please, 19 gentlemen. Enrollment List No. 796, again 20 Ineligible. 21 MR. NARCOMEY: I make a motion to 22 approve that resolution, Mr. Chairman. 23 MR. BURGESS: Motion made, ladies and 24 gentlemen. 25 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: I second. 14 1 MR. BURGESS: And a second by 2 Mr. Kosechequetah. All those in favor please say 3 "aye." 4 (Aye.) 5 MR. BURGESS: Any opposition? Motion 6 passes. 7 Resolution Number 117-09. Again, a 8 list of the ineligible. A dual enrollment, or has 9 not been, should say, enrolled in another tribe 10 currently. Motion to approve? 11 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: I make that 12 motion, Mr. Chairman. 13 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 14 MRS. HENDRIX: Do y'all review this 15 as a CBC? 16 MR. BURGESS: We've reviewed them. 17 MRS. HENDRIX: The applications? 18 MR. BURGESS: Not the applications, 19 no. 20 MRS. HENDRIX: Okay. So no one's -- 21 MR. BURGESS: We have trust status -- 22 we have trust in our individual until such time, 23 and that's a different question again. That's a 24 personnel question. 25 MRS. HENDRIX: Just making sure. 15 1 MR. BURGESS: Second, please? 2 MR. HENSON: Second. 3 MR. BURGESS: Second by Mr. Henson on 4 Number 3. All those in favor please say "aye." 5 (Aye.) 6 MR. BURGESS: Opposed? Motion 7 carries. 8 Item Number 4, Resolution Number 9 118-09. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a list 10 here, again, of quite a few people. I am not 11 going to read that. It's three pages long. And 12 as I said, we are on a tight timeline. This is a 13 list of those who are acceptable. I will, 14 however, have this book available, if you want to 15 ask me after the meeting about a certain 16 individual or family relative. I'll be happy to 17 tell you after the meeting, please. Thank you. 18 MR. WHITEWOLF: Mr. Chairman? 19 MR. BURGESS: Yes. 20 MR. WHITEWOLF: Listening to 21 Mrs. Hendrix' information, how can y'all take 22 someone's word for it that is suspected to -- 23 evaluations. Because y'all are going to not 24 allow -- or y'all are going to allow, but, 25 apparently, there's no -- I don't feel any 16 1 confidence in this person that's doing the 2 investigating for y'all. How can y'all rule on 3 somebody else if that question remains, if you 4 haven't solved that question? There is a 5 question. 6 MR. BURGESS: Do you have that quote 7 down? 8 MRS. HENDRIX: And there is 9 litigation against her, so that would make a big 10 question. 11 MR. WHITEWOLF: Yes. 12 MR. BURGESS: All right. Thank you. 13 Again, we're going into a personnel issue. 14 MS. WHITEWOLF: That's not personnel, 15 that's happening now. That is happening now. 16 MR. BURGESS: If I make a statement 17 now, then I infringe upon that employee's right to 18 a fair and unbiased discussion. 19 MR. WHITEWOLF: It's not so much the 20 certain employee, I'm telling you the quality that 21 this department has exhibited doesn't have my 22 confidence. 23 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 24 MR. WHITEWOLF: And, apparently, some 25 other people. So how can y'all take her -- how 17 1 can you take her evaluations? 2 MR. BURGESS: As the Chairman, I'm 3 going to speak on behalf of us here, that is not 4 an issue that I can -- we cannot openly discuss 5 how we can do that. We are trusting in our Tribal 6 Administrator and the person that was employed in 7 that position that has been there a while. Now, 8 we're displaying that trust. But at the same 9 time, we cannot infringe upon the civil right to 10 due process. You may question it, you have the 11 right to question it, you have the privilege to 12 bring that up. 13 I'm hindered, I'm restricted by law 14 not to discuss even my personal opinion. So at 15 this point in time, that's what I'm asking. The 16 note is recorded, it's an issue, a discussion that 17 we need to talk about with our Tribal 18 Administrator and how we want to discuss this in 19 private, in executive session. And at a later 20 time, I can issue a statement for you. 21 MRS. HENDRIX: Well, I think what 22 Roderick and I are saying, it's not so much the 23 person. You've got one person that looks at it 24 that makes a decision. We've proved that person 25 isn't reliable, but is there anybody that -- 18 1 MR. BURGESS: You're also bringing in 2 the process. 3 MRS. HENDRIX: Is there a paper 4 trail? Is there a paper trail? 5 MR. BURGESS: You're also bringing in 6 the process of that and that's what you're 7 asking. 8 MRS. HENDRIX: Process, is there a 9 process? 10 MR. BURGESS: So we have been imbued 11 with the trust of this individual. And until the 12 time that we can prove that individual is not 13 doing it properly or the process is not being 14 followed properly. Therefore, I can't make a 15 conclusion or statement to you now, other than let 16 us take it under advisement, let us review it, and 17 we'll come back to you and report on that subject 18 at a different time. 19 Because the TA is involved. This 20 individual is under the supervision of the Tribal 21 Administrator. And it's not fair of me or this 22 body to make a general statement to a question 23 that you're bringing. I can't do that. 24 MR. WHITEWOLF: But it's not fair for 25 those people that are asking to get on the roll 19 1 that may be they're going to be chopped -- not 2 even considered for the roll. And maybe some of 3 them may be eligible. That's not fair. 4 MR. BURGESS: That's true. I'm not 5 going to argue about that. It's a discussion I 6 can't get into until I research that. 7 MR. NELSON: Mr. Chairman, if I might 8 interject. Mr. Whitewolf, Mrs. Hendrix, you know, 9 we have enrollment, which is a line item. It is a 10 constitutional program. It's voted by the Supreme 11 Governing Body. I will bring a recommendation to 12 your elected leaders here of an Office of 13 Registry. Now, Office of Registry, a lot of 14 tribes adopt it. It's their first point of 15 contact of our people bringing their people on. 16 That way you have kind of like a check and 17 balance. 18 But until we, the people, vote on 19 such a thing, you know, it's got to be brought 20 forward. Every program we have started with an 21 idea, then it got funded. Then, of course, they 22 get gaming dollars. But we're stuck with what we 23 got. We're doing the best with what we got. 24 MRS. HENDRIX: Don't we get federal 25 moneys for enrollment, too? 20 1 MR. BURGESS: Hang on, gentlemen, 2 ladies, please. Again, that's a process question 3 and we're going to take that at a different time. 4 So what we want to do is go forward, pass this 5 resolution to get this other business done. 6 There's people -- other business has to go on. I 7 understand your questions. And we're going to get 8 this document, your questions into a document 9 format and bring it before us at a separate 10 meeting. And then we'll work with the TA to 11 follow that process and come back to y'all. Thank 12 you. 13 MR. NARCOMEY: I make a motion to 14 approve Resolution Number 118-09, Mr. Chairman. 15 MR. BURGESS: Thank you, 16 Mr. Narcomey. 17 MR. HENSON: I second. 18 MR. BURGESS: A second by Mr. Henson 19 over here. All those in favor please say "aye." 20 (Aye.) 21 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed? 22 Motion passes. 23 Just a bit of information. We have 24 now 40 new enrollees. We're averaging 45 a 25 month. That brings us currently to 14,483 21 1 members, just for your general information. 2 We have a resolution here, Number 3 119-09. This resolution is to assist Housing. 4 Basically, Housing is to be allowed to use the 5 tribal gaming funds that's been transferred from 6 government over to Housing to assist those people 7 who are needing assistance with refinancing 8 mortgages. The people who are going through 9 Housing need assistance financially. This 10 resolution allows Housing to utilize that money to 11 help members with refinancing costs, if necessary. 12 MR. HENSON: Mr. Chairman, I make a 13 motion to accept the Resolution 119-09. 14 MR. BURGESS: Motion is made by 15 Mr. Henson here to approve. 16 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, I have a 17 question on this. Is Sallie -- Sallie, would you 18 stand up, please? This resolution basically says 19 that because the Nation provides housing 20 construction funds, the moneys that we've gave 21 y'all, gaming moneys, is the 2009 moneys on the 22 Indian -- on the Housing -- Indian Housing Plan 23 for '09 or is it not? Is it incorporated with the 24 '09 Indian Housing Plan or is it separate? 25 MRS. TONIPS: Yes, it will be for 22 1 '09. 2 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, we're on the '09 3 now. 4 MRS. TONIPS: Right. 5 MR. ASEPERMY: But was it included in 6 the '09 plan? I don't think it was, or was it? 7 MRS. TONIPS: It will be. I mean, it 8 was if it's submitted. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, if it was, then 10 we're supposed to stick with that Indian Housing 11 Plan, right? 12 MRS. TONIPS: Yes. 13 MR. ASEPERMY: And if we stick with 14 the Indian Housing Plan, this would be a finding 15 that we're not using tribal monies for what we 16 said we were going to use them for. Now, if it's 17 not on the Indian Housing Plan, we can do this. 18 That's what I'm asking you, is it or is it no it? 19 MRS. TONIPS: It is on 2009, but 20 we're doing that at y'all's request. 21 MR. BURGESS: And then you submit a 22 modification? You can modify? 23 MRS. TONIPS: When we do the APR, we 24 would submit that. 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Right. Has that been 23 1 done yet? 2 MRS. TONIPS: No, because we still 3 have not received '09. 4 MR. BURGESS: '09 funding? 5 MRS. TONIPS: No. We hope it's any 6 day. 7 MR. BURGESS: Okay. So then when you 8 receive, you can modify? 9 MRS. TONIPS: Right. 10 MR. BURGESS: And this resolution 11 helps you to modify that area of funding to assist 12 those people who are eligible? 13 MRS. TONIPS: Yes. 14 MR. ASEPERMY: Are you allowed to 15 amend the Indian Housing Plan for '09, or to 16 modify it? 17 MRS. TONIPS: Once it's approved. 18 MR. ASEPERMY: Has it not been 19 approved already? Oh, that's the one that's up 20 there. 21 MRS. TONIPS: Yes. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. 23 MR. BURGESS: And what is that total 24 funding you're receiving? 25 MRS. TONIPS: I'm sorry, I don't have 24 1 the exact amount with me. 2 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 3 MRS. TONIPS: I want to say 2.1 4 million. 5 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, initially, 6 Mr. Chairman, the General Council, by ballot, 7 approved 750,000 with a 30 percent cut on that, so 8 roughly around $580,000. 9 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 10 MRS. TONIPS: For those who are 11 approved. 12 MR. BURGESS: Yes, for those that are 13 -- wait, wait. For those who are what? 14 MRS. TONIPS: For those who are 15 approved. 16 MR. BURGESS: Who meet eligibility? 17 MRS. TONIPS: Yes, who are eligible. 18 MR. BURGESS: Right. And that's just 19 mortgages? 20 MRS. TONIPS: Correct, mortgages 21 only. 22 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I just want to say, 23 with the balance of the construction money, 24 because I know some were expended earlier, so this 25 would be with the balance, whatever you have as a 25 1 balance? 2 MRS. TONIPS: Currently there's 3 80,000 left. 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Okay. So in that 5 balance? 6 MRS. TONIPS: Yes. 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Okay. 8 MR. ASEPERMY: Aren't you drawing 9 down '09 monies now? 10 MRS. TONIPS: Yes. 11 MR. ASEPERMY: You said you weren't. 12 You are drawing down the '09 monies? 13 MRS. TONIPS: Not the IHP money. But 14 from the tribe, we are receiving that. 15 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. 16 MR. TIPPECONNIE: That's got the 89 17 -- or the 80 balance. 18 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. I believe they 19 have a balance of -- 20 MR. BURGESS: Approximately 89, 21 somewhere around there. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: $80,816.16. So the 23 money is available for refinancing from the 24 Nation? 25 MRS. TONIPS: Yes, yes. 26 1 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. 2 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Mr. Chairman, 3 am I hearing right, that 30 percent of the Housing 4 budget was cut? 5 MR. BURGESS: It was across the 6 board, sir, the gaming money. 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Not the Housing. 8 MR. BURGESS: Tribal gaming money was 9 reduced by 30 percent. 10 MR. HENSON: In all programs. 11 MR. TIPPECONNIE: The gaming dollar. 12 Not the dollar that they get from HUD and other 13 places. 14 MR. BURGESS: However, Housing did 15 get a cut, correct, in '09? Housing's budget by 16 HUD has been reduced. 17 MRS. TONIPS: Starting in April. 18 Starting in April. 19 MR. BURGESS: Starting this past 20 April or next? 21 MRS. TONIPS: This past April. 22 MR. BURGESS: This past April, 23 Housing's HUD money has been reduced as well. 24 All right. I need a motion to 25 approve, gentlemen. 27 1 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Henson made the 2 motion, you need a second motion. 3 MR. BURGESS: Second? I'll second. 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: You'll second? 5 MR. BURGESS: I'll second. All those 6 in favor of the motion, please say "aye." 7 (Aye.) 8 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, 9 please say "nay." Motion passes. 10 Resolution Number 120-09. This is a 11 motion to amend Resolution 89-09. This is the 638 12 construction contract with BIA. This is for the 13 replacement of wooden structure bridge. It's a 14 technical program. This authorizes the 15 Transportation Department to apply stimulus monies 16 and enter into a 638 contract with the BIA to 17 replace an outdated bridge with new and safer 18 concrete structured beam bridge. 19 MR. NARCOMEY: Mr. Chairman, is this 20 going to cost the tribe any money? 21 MR. BURGESS: Technically, no. 22 MR. NARCOMEY: I'll make the motion 23 to approve. 24 MR. BURGESS: All right. 25 Mr. Narcomey made the motion, gentlemen. A 28 1 second, please? 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I might mention a 3 comment that this motion was passed before, but we 4 had the wrong -- you can see it replacing the 5 number there. The 14105, it was 140 -- we had a 6 mistype. 7 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 8 MR. HENSON: I'll second it. 9 MR. BURGESS: Second by Mr. Henson. 10 All those in favor, please say "aye." 11 (Aye.) 12 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, 13 please signify. Hearing none, no opposition, 14 motion passes. 15 Now, Resolution Number 121-09. This 16 resolution is for us to proceed with negotiations 17 on the purchase of the land over here at the 18 corner of -- is that Macintosh Road and the 19 highway? 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. 21 MR. BURGESS: To enter into 22 negotiations. This is to complete our previous 23 offer of purchase from the Rowell property for the 24 Comanche Spur. 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, I would 29 1 like to -- on the "Now, therefore it be resolved," 2 on the second page, "Be it further resolved that 3 the Chairman of Comanche Nation is authorized to 4 act on behalf of the Comanche Nation to execute," 5 et cetera, I would like to amend that to read, "Be 6 it further resolved that the Comanche Business 7 Committee." 8 MR. BURGESS: Oh, okay. He has that 9 old one. 10 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We have the new 11 one, it's corrected. If you'll read your black 12 book. 13 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. 14 MR. BURGESS: It will say "the 15 Comanche Nation Business Committee." 16 MR. ASEPERMY: All right. 17 MR. BURGESS: Which is perfectly fine 18 with me. 19 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. 20 MR. WHITEWOLF: Mike, are you going 21 to buy some more land? 22 MR. BURGESS: If we do -- we've had 23 people calling us, but we haven't made offers to 24 them. 25 MR. WHITEWOLF: When you say 30 1 Rowell -- 2 MR. BURGESS: Oh, this is the Spur 3 property. When we first thought we had an 4 acquisition going, the paperwork and the 5 documentation was never transferred to the BIA. 6 Therefore, we're coming back to say that the 7 Comanche Nation has a resolution approving our 8 pursuit and purchase, technically. We're just 9 doing the technical part of it here. We have this 10 resolution in place. It says now we are 11 negotiating with and that Rowell property is now 12 up for discussion with us and us only. It hadn't 13 been done since we started up over there. 14 MR. WHITEWOLF: The land that the 15 Spur Casino is on, are you talking about that 16 land? 17 MR. BURGESS: Yes. 18 MR. HENSON: Yes. 19 MR. WHITEWOLF: It's not in our 20 name? 21 MR. BURGESS: It's not in our name. 22 And we have to go through this and then he can 23 turn around and submit his paperwork. We didn't 24 do this back when they started it. 25 MR. WHITEWOLF: Why in the world do 31 1 we have lawyers that can't see this is done? 2 Incompetence. 3 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 4 MRS. HENDRIX: Are we going to have 5 to pay Rowell again? 6 MR. BURGESS: There was never a 7 discussion on the final price. We gave them money 8 that was earnest money. His paperwork was never 9 filed with the BIA, so now we're negotiating that 10 purchase price. Basically, this allows us to 11 continue the negotiation. 12 MR. WHITEWOLF: They gave him earnest 13 money? 14 MR. BURGESS: That's the best way I 15 could understand it. Just letting you know that's 16 how -- 17 MRS. WHITEWOLF: And he accepted that 18 all these years? He accepted that earnest money 19 all these years? 20 MR. BURGESS: How many years -- 21 whatever it is, we're now negotiating the final 22 sale price. They just now got their paperwork on 23 BIA, our insistence, our working with them, "Hey, 24 get it in there." Now they're coming back to us 25 saying, "We need this resolution." They want to 32 1 go forward, so we're negotiating. Yes, just now. 2 MR. WHITEWOLF: What kind of price? 3 MRS. HENDRIX: If I'm not mistaken, 4 the earnest money was $80,000. That's a lot of 5 earnest money. 6 MR. BURGESS: Well, see, we don't 7 even know that. We've got a different figure. 8 MRS. HENDRIX: I've got that down. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: Tell them the truth. 10 Tell them what happened. 11 MRS. HENDRIX: Even the statements by 12 the attorneys that they're negotiating that in 13 trust. 14 MR. ASEPERMY: In 2003, there was a 15 contract that our Chairman, at the time, 16 Mr. Wauqua, negotiated with the Rowell family, and 17 they paid him $180,000 for four acres. It was 18 never put in our name. Mr. Rowell has offered, 19 and he has acknowledged receipt of this payment, 20 but he will not -- am I going to say too much 21 because of the litigation? 22 MR. HENSON: Yes. 23 MR. WHITEWOLF: Well, we have a right 24 to know. 25 MR. BURSON: You're probably pretty 33 1 clear, what you've already said. 2 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. Can I say what 3 happened? That we did pay them that amount and we 4 were never given a deed to this property and that 5 he acknowledges payment of $180,000. And that he 6 wants to sell an additional 4.85 acres. If we buy 7 that, he said, "I will give you title to the 8 entire 8.85 acres." 9 MR. WHITEWOLF: That's extortion. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, you can -- yeah, 11 he's got us over a barrel. Yeah, he does. Yep. 12 MRS. GALLEGOS: What does he want for 13 the additional four-and-a-half acres? 14 MR. HENSON: Let me say something, 15 there's other options. He thinks, at this time, 16 he has us over a barrel, but we've got other 17 options to go to. So the CBC is working on this 18 right now. I feel just like you do. I am not 19 wanting to go out there and pay no extra money for 20 no extra stuff. My opinion is, before I'll do 21 that, I'll move the whole damn thing somewhere 22 else. But I'm just trying to tell you that we're 23 looking at it, we're trying to do negotiations. 24 We're looking at the best things that we got 25 available. Right now, that casino is making us 34 1 some money. 2 MR. ASEPERMY: We had a one-page 3 contract. 4 MR. BURGESS: Listen, now listen up. 5 MR. ASEPERMY: And this was brought 6 to our attention and this was negotiated, not by 7 Hobbs, Straus Dean & Walker. They're the ones who 8 made us aware of it. 9 MR. WHITEWOLF: They don't do 10 anything. 11 MR. ASEPERMY: They're the ones that 12 have legally advised us that that was a -- that 13 was a -- it was a shoddy deal, a bad deal. It was 14 a bad deal. The CBC at the time gave the 15 authority to the Chairman. And we just talked 16 about it, the authority to -- you know, we just 17 talked about this resolution a while ago, the 18 authority to negotiate the land deal. The CBC by 19 resolution gave that authority to the sitting 20 Chairman. 21 That's why, if you read these 22 resolutions on our land deals, we put the body of 23 the CBC on all other land purchases. It doesn't 24 fall on one person's lap. Yeah, it's screwed up. 25 Yeah, he took our money. And, yeah, he didn't 35 1 give us the deed to that land. And, yeah, "You 2 take this other 4.85 acres and I'll give you the 3 deed." That's kind of the situation that we're 4 in. But at the same time, since we don't have 5 title to that property, so he can get us for 6 trespassing, he can get us for some other things 7 you had mentioned. 8 MR. BURSON: Damages. 9 MR. BURGESS: Damages. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: It's a bad situation. 11 It was done in a bad way. The authority was given 12 to a Chairman by the CBC to negotiate on his own. 13 And I'm sorry that happened. We stopped that. It 14 doesn't happen anymore. Instead of one person, 15 you've got a body of seven. And we hope that 16 stuff like that doesn't happen in the future. It 17 hasn't happened on any trust land purchases that 18 we've done in the last two years, at least. 19 MRS. HENDRIX: We had the same 20 attorneys, then? 21 MR. ASEPERMY: And -- no, we did 22 not. And like Mr. Henson said, you know, if we 23 think that this guy is messing over us, yeah, pack 24 it up. Let's go somewhere else. We've got land 25 that we've been offered right close by here. 36 1 MR. BURGESS: It sounds like y'all 2 are in agreement with that. I want us to move 3 on. 4 MR. ASEPERMY: Yeah. 5 MR. BURGESS: I'm sorry, 6 Mr. Asepermy. And, Deborah, the first deal was 7 done outside the scope of this legal contract, it 8 was done without notification, just done on 9 one-to-one person basis. 10 MRS. HENDRIX: I mean, but when it 11 was turned over to attorneys, because -- I do have 12 documentation where it was turned over to the 13 attorneys to be turned into trust in our name back 14 then, and paid at 80,000, why did they not do 15 anything then? 16 MR. BURGESS: That was the 17 situation. BIA couldn't do a dang thing because 18 he did not turn the paperwork in to the BIA. He 19 was supposed to turn this paperwork in. I want to 20 leave it at that. He didn't do his responsibility 21 and now trying to get us over a barrel. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: The BIA has not put 23 any of our Numunuu land into trust over the last 24 five or six years. 25 MRS. HENDRIX: Why? 37 1 MR. ASEPERMY: Why? Because we've 2 done what we are supposed to do. They haven't -- 3 you know, you can shake your head all you want, 4 but this is the way it is. We have done what we 5 are supposed to do, they haven't. They come back 6 and they say, "Well, you need this." We give them 7 that. "You need this." We give them that. They 8 haven't turned any Indian land into trust in the 9 last five or six years. 10 MR. BURGESS: Right. We don't know 11 if it's just us or -- 12 MR. ASEPERMY: So don't point your 13 finger at us, or don't point your finger at the 14 attorneys, or our land management guy, 15 Mr. Codopony. We've done what we're supposed to 16 do. We need to get -- they need to get off their 17 butts up there in Anadarko. 18 MR. BURGESS: We're not the only 19 tribe that has been faced with this. I went to 20 two meetings. This is a discussion that the Eight 21 Tribes have talked about. BIA is not pushing on 22 our behalf over here on the west side. And so 23 we're having this discussion go on, and that's why 24 I think some changes may or may not be going on in 25 Washington, D.C. They've gotten wind of us 38 1 pushing. Our tribes, we're all pushing. 2 MRS. HENDRIX: Well, I just know 3 someone on the CBC can't read, so I just wanted to 4 make it clear. 5 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Let us move 6 forward. A motion is on the floor. A motion was 7 made by Clyde on this one. Second? 8 MR. NARCOMEY: No, I didn't make the 9 motion on this last land deal. 10 MR. BURGESS: Well, call for the 11 motion. 12 MR. ASEPERMY: I make a motion to 13 approve. 14 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Pardon? Who 15 seconded it? 16 MR. HENSON: I second it. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Who made the 18 motion? 19 MR. ASEPERMY: I did. 20 MR. BURGESS: Lanny. 21 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Okay. 22 MR. BURGESS: A motion has been made 23 and a second. All those in favor, please say 24 "aye." 25 (Aye.) 39 1 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, 2 please say "no." 3 MR. NARCOMEY: No. 4 MR. ASEPERMY: And Mr. Whitewolf, 5 just to add to this, this resolution does not say 6 that we're going to buy this land. It says that 7 we will start the process. Just like if you sold 8 any of your land, the process has to start at the 9 BIA. This was not done in 2003. It was -- BIA 10 was completely bypassed on this. It was one of 11 those sweetheart deals, or whatever you -- cupcake 12 deals, whatever you want to call it. 13 We are trying to prevent that from 14 happening by going and using the right procedures, 15 and we have on all our land acquisitions I know of 16 in the last two years. We've taken that authority 17 for the Chairman alone to negotiate so we don't 18 have anymore -- 19 MR. BURGESS: Sweetheart deals. 20 MR. ASEPERMY: Sweetheart deals. 21 MR. BURGESS: I'm not sweet. 22 MR. WHITEWOLF: That's a classic 23 example, don't prepay. Don't pay in advance. 24 MR. ASEPERMY: We're not paying in 25 advance. We've stopped it. 40 1 MR. HENSON: Let me say something 2 right now. We are here, and I, myself, is here 3 representing the tribe. There's been a lot of 4 things gone on in the past, but I'm not one that's 5 going to throw the tribe's money away. I can 6 guarantee you that. Before we do anything that's 7 going to have to be legal, there's going to be a 8 legal process done, and we're not going to spend 9 no exorbitant money of the tribe's. And you can 10 pass that on to anybody you want, Because that is 11 my opinion right now. If it gets over to the 12 Rowells, I don't care. That's what's going to 13 happen with me. 14 MR. BURGESS: Moving to Item Number 15 8, Resolution 122-09. This is authorizing our 16 retirement plan and amendment of trustees. This 17 is taking some names off of individuals on the 18 retirement plan and putting new individuals on 19 there, particularly those of us who are just 20 recently seated on the CBC. So I need a motion to 21 approve. 22 MR. NARCOMEY: I make a motion, 23 Mr. Chairman. 24 MR. BURGESS: Mr. Narcomey says, 25 "Yes, approve." Second, please. 41 1 MR. ASEPERMY: Second, Mr. Chairman. 2 MR. BURGESS: Mr. Asepermy has made 3 the second. All those in favor, please say 4 "aye." 5 (Aye.) 6 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, 7 please say "nay." Motion carries, Secretary/ 8 Treasurer. 9 The next item is a resolution, Number 10 9, Resolution 123-09. This is to approve the 11 Submission of US Department of Housing and Urban 12 Development for Indian Community Development Block 13 Grant, otherwise called the ICDBG, on behalf of 14 the Nation to achieve $800,000 to build a new 15 facility here on the north end here of our complex 16 to house federal programs. So we want to start 17 building new buildings and get away from our, who 18 said it -- well, our trailer look, the best we 19 can. So this is what our pursuit will be 20 throughout all of our funding sources. 21 MR. NARCOMEY: It's going to be a 22 grant for that amount, $800,000? 23 MR. BURGESS: If we get the grant, it 24 will be $800,000. 25 MR. NARCOMEY: So we're just 42 1 submitting a proposal? 2 MR. BURGESS: Yes, a proposal. 3 Proposal for this money. 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We're just 5 submitting a grant for approval. 6 MR. BURGESS: From HUD. 7 MR. HENSON: I make the motion to 8 approve. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: I have one other 10 question. I would assume, and I would hope in the 11 future, part of our duties as a Business Committee 12 is that we approve all contracts. This hasn't 13 been done in the past. Now, does this resolution 14 cover us, Robert? 15 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Pardon? 16 MR. ASEPERMY: If this is approved, a 17 contract will be made and has to be approved by 18 the sitting CBC, correct? Okay. And this hasn't 19 been done with all our contracts. That's why we 20 get in trouble sometimes. 21 MR. TIPPECONNIE: This is a contract 22 that we'll have with the, you know, the federal 23 agency in this respect, you know, HUD. So HUD 24 spells out the parameters of what we have to do 25 and we sign off on it. 43 1 MR. BURGESS: Yeah, the resolution. 2 MR. ASEPERMY: If we do get this 3 money and it's $800,000, everyone knows that we've 4 outgrown this current complex. So this would 5 be -- I believe the Chairman has already tasked 6 Fred Codynah with a preliminary plan for an 7 expansion of our current complex. 8 MR. BURGESS: And just on that note, 9 ladies and gentlemen, we sat down, and the CBC 10 knows that we still need more room out here, so 11 we'll be -- we will pursue other federal moneys to 12 build and update our structures around here. 13 Just letting you know that our oldest 14 two structures, the wiring is ancient, the air 15 conditioning comes to the floor. We have to plan 16 those things in, so we'll be seeking all kinds of 17 grants. And these resolutions that we pass 18 approve us to go for those grants, contracts and 19 proposals in that manner. So this is a matter of 20 business that we have to let y'all know and do 21 it. And it has to be done out here in public with 22 all of you here. So thank you very much. 23 The motion has been made by 24 Mr. Asepermy, second by Mr. Henson. All those in 25 favor, please say "aye." 44 1 (Aye.) 2 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, say 3 "nay." Motion carried. 4 We're up to Item Number 10, ladies 5 and gentlemen, Resolution 124-09. This is a 6 resolution to approve a contract of services with 7 a program called I-CARE. We had Mr. Elton 8 Yellowfish here previously. I might say, he's 9 been here several times before the CBC in the past 10 demonstrating the program called I-CARE. It can 11 perform outpatient counseling and services for 12 people who are suffering with addiction of 13 chemicals or alcohol. Is there any discussion, 14 CBC? 15 MR. ASEPERMY: I do. 16 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 17 MR. WHITEWOLF: Doesn't the tribe 18 have an alcoholic program? 19 MR. BURGESS: We do have a program 20 called Substance Abuse. It's federally-funded 21 from HHS. It initially started out to assist 22 youth and juveniles who have a problem. 23 MR. WHITEWOLF: Well, isn't this a 24 duplication of programs? 25 MR. MAHSEET: They do have an after- 45 1 care program from Substance Abuse. They do have 2 that program for those who want to come in and 3 enter into their program as far as substance 4 abuse, they have an after-care program. Is anyone 5 there from Substance Abuse? 6 MR. RAMOS: My name is Don Ramos. I 7 have the policies and procedures of our program 8 here. If anybody would like to ask questions 9 about what we do provide, I'd be happy to share 10 with them. 11 MR. HENSON: I've read it already. 12 We're very familiar with it. 13 MR. NELSON: Mr. Chairman, I was 14 charged to bring forth the feasibility in 15 September, and I don't know why this resolution is 16 on the agenda. With this feasibility, the 17 director, who is Mr. Wahkinny, they're going to 18 come forward and exactly give everybody a 19 PowerPoint presentation of what exactly they do. 20 Your CBC was given the policies and procedures. 21 But I've also been charged to look at 22 a methadone group. Now, this group, I don't know 23 who they are, but they came forward with this and 24 the CBC charged me to give a feasibility on it. 25 I've got a three-page feasibility. I'll bring it 46 1 forward to the people, but it's not my decision, 2 it is the CBC. 3 MR. BURGESS: That's why that's 4 here. As Mr. Asepermy is stating, that any 5 contracts come to the CBC and offer it. That's 6 why it's on the agenda. I want to hear from the 7 CBC, if y'all -- 8 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, I agree with 9 Mr. Whitewolf. I think this is a duplication. If 10 you look at our Substance Abuse Program, according 11 to their latest report, they have 106 active 12 clients, 108 scheduled counseling appointments, 13 and it goes on and on. And I would hope that 14 these monthly reports are available for the 15 people. 16 And when we look at Mr. Yellowfish's 17 proposal -- and he has been up here. You know, he 18 came up and presented those to General Council 19 before I was on the CBC. He's presented it to the 20 CBC before I was on the CBC, and he's presented it 21 two other times. I agree with Mr. Whitewolf on 22 this, that this is a duplication. 23 The thing about Mr. Yellowfish's 24 program, if you read what he is proposing, he does 25 not have to account to the Comanche Nation for 47 1 that $200,000. And I'm not going to let that 2 happen. They account for their moneys to the 3 Tribal Administrator -- 4 MR. RAMOS: Yes, we do. 5 MR. ASEPERMY: -- and Finley & Cook 6 on how you spend your moneys. The way I read this 7 resolution, Mr. Chairman, and no disrespect to 8 Elton, it's like a duplication. And we need to 9 resolve it or solve it today, because he's been 10 put out on a limb for at least three years. 11 MR. HENSON: Let me say this: In the 12 past, on the records that I've seen, when stuff 13 like this is presented to the council or tribe, 14 usually they just jump on it. That's not the way 15 to operate a program, any kind of program. If we 16 get something like this that somebody wants to do, 17 and we decide as a council here -- or CBC members 18 decides that, yeah, we need to look into that, 19 then it should be advertised, not given to one 20 person. 21 This application that Mr. Yellowfish 22 has given us has no track record, nothing at all, 23 so we don't know what we're going to get into. If 24 we decide this program -- and like he said, we 25 already got a program that covers the area that 48 1 he's talking about, and it would be a duplication 2 of programs. But if we decide to expand this 3 area, of course we want to go out and we want to 4 seek the best possible thing that we could do for 5 the tribe. So that's in question. 6 MR. ASEPERMY: And the only other 7 question I have for you folks down there, that 8 Mr. Yellowfish offers, is they have a tracking 9 system for clients that complete the program up to 10 12 months. Do you track your clients who 11 successfully complete the program for any -- or do 12 you just say, well, you've done -- you know, you 13 fall off the wagon, call us? Or what do you do at 14 the end when they finish? 15 MR. RAMOS: Like I say, my name is 16 Don Ramos. I'm from the Tippeconnie family. But 17 I've been in recovery and in the Lawton community 18 for over 11 years. A lot of people in here, some 19 people know me, they know what my past record is. 20 I'm a recovering addict. And I've been in this 21 program, Substance Abuse Program, two years as an 22 After-care Coordinator. 23 I take recovery very seriously. I 24 may not keep track with every one that has been 25 through our program. But if you was to ask me 49 1 about a certain individual, providing I don't 2 breach their confidentiality, I could tell you 3 where they're probably at in the recovery today, 4 or if there are still participating in the 5 recovery. I like to think that we have 100 6 percent success rate, but we don't. We have some 7 recidivism, people going back out. But hopefully 8 we can help prevent them from going back out and 9 using. 10 We are constantly in the process of 11 going through training. I just finished training 12 this past week to become a credentialed Recovery 13 Support Specialist. What this does is hopefully 14 eventually will get us within the state guidelines 15 to be reimbursable for our services. My boss, Ron 16 Wahkinny, Director, is constantly seeking out 17 education, working on his master's degree in this 18 field of counseling. We have a relationship built 19 up with probation and parole in Lawton, district 20 attorney's offices around Caddo County, Cotton 21 County, and Comanche County. 22 I may not have the degrees, but I 23 have the experience of what it's like to be a drug 24 addict facing recovery and facing the stresses 25 that come along with that. You know, I have some 50 1 clients that have, you know, in the two years that 2 I've been around, that are still being successful 3 in their recovery. Like I said, I wish we could 4 say I have 100 percent recovery rate, but I 5 don't. But I will seek out and do everything I 6 can for the clients that walk through the door and 7 give you an update on where they are six months to 8 a year after they finish. 9 You know, but I only can go two years 10 from being in the program, in the Substance Abuse 11 Program. As far as recovery in the community, I'm 12 involved with the majority of all the 12-step 13 fellowships in the community. We also have a 14 program that we conduct in our offices now that is 15 doing good. You know, we're open to any 16 suggestions, any help that we can; people that 17 have experienced recovery their self coming in and 18 sharing with us. 19 MR. BURGESS: Thank you very much, 20 Don. I know that somebody might have a comment. 21 You can always talk to Donny at the 22 program, or the TA is here. 23 MR. NELSON: I've got one thing to 24 add. 25 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 51 1 MR. NELSON: Ronnie Dale and 2 Mr. Ramos and Ms. Murrow, it's a three-party staff 3 down there. They've worked really, really hard. 4 They've actually cleaned up a few fact findings, 5 and they were just awarded $209,000 from the 6 federal government. Now, that's good work. Now, 7 I have to advocate for my directors. But at the 8 same time, this question lies with the CBC at this 9 time. 10 MR. BURGESS: Well, there is a 11 process here that has been bypassed, ladies and 12 gentlemen. If we really wanted an outside entity 13 to do this type of work for us, because we passed 14 a purchase requisitions and orders previously, it 15 would have to be a request for a proposal-type 16 thing. And this is a direct request here. And as 17 Mr. Nelson has stated, there was another 18 organization, methadone-type. 19 So if we go to that, whatever the 20 decision of the body is here, because all of you 21 know I'm directly related to Mr. Yellowfish. I 22 have no opinion, I'm going to lay it on the table 23 here. CBC members, it's up to you all. You're 24 going to vote this down or you're going to table 25 it again and then go back through the RFP process. 52 1 That's your decision. 2 MR. HENSON: I make a motion not to 3 accept it. 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Chairman, I'd 5 like to make one comment to the CBC. And that is, 6 Mr. Yellowfish has brought this forward, as you 7 mentioned, many times to us. And he asked that it 8 be on this agenda, because he'd like to have a yes 9 vote or a no. 10 MR. BURGESS: Gentlemen, you heard 11 that. A motion has been made to say no on this. 12 Yes, Mr. Burson? 13 MR. BURSON: I believe the technical 14 way to handle that is to seek a motion to approve 15 it from your CBC. If you get a second, then 16 consider it, and then either vote it up, approve 17 it; or if you get too many negative votes, then 18 it's denied. But if you're failing to get a 19 motion or a second -- and a second to go forward, 20 then it's died and you've acted on it. 21 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Then let me 22 retract. 23 MR. ASEPERMY: So if you don't get 24 a -- 25 MR. BURGESS: Motion to approve. 53 1 MR. ASEPERMY: Then if you don't get 2 a second it dies, right? 3 MR. BURSON: Right. A motion and a 4 second, it dies for lack of -- 5 MR. ASEPERMY: And if you don't even 6 get a motion, it dies? 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. 8 MR. BURSON: Yes. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. Can you restate 10 that, Mike? 11 MR. BURGESS: Call for a motion to 12 approve. Second time, call for a motion to 13 approve. Third time, call for a motion. No 14 motion, the issue is off the table. 15 But, at this time, Mr. Nelson, when 16 you do find information from that second or third 17 party and then there's better discussion as to 18 what this wants to do, we'll follow an RFP 19 process. Okay? 20 MR. NELSON: Sure. 21 MR. BURGESS: And then that, again, 22 is a contract to show that we, the CBC, will have 23 to approve. Is that fair, gentlemen? 24 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, I would 25 also, out of courtesy, have our Secretary/ 54 1 Treasurer notify, either telephonically or in 2 writing, Mr. Yellowfish that this was presented to 3 the CBC, there was no motion, no second, and that 4 this is a dead fish, over, done. 5 MR. BURGESS: Moot. 6 Thank you. Okay. Come to Item 7 Number 11 on the agenda. This is Resolution 8 125-09. This is in regards to the resolution of 9 the Comanche Nation Tribal Princess. We had some 10 discussion last time and there was a meeting 11 held. The issue really was about our, what is it, 12 director, fair director that's selected at the 13 Indian Expo in Anadarko, and the following 14 responsibilities of change-over of the director, 15 their duties, and how our princess is elected. 16 At that meeting, there were several 17 members of our Princess Sorority who were of the 18 favor to rescind this motion and to let the 19 election of our fair director to continue at the 20 American Indian Expo; and that the ensuing or the 21 following selection of a princess is to go back to 22 the old way, either being appointed or elected at 23 a designated place and time, which in the past had 24 been in -- correct me if I'm wrong, in April? 25 Princess Sorority? Had been in April the 55 1 following year. 2 And the fair director at the American 3 Indian Expo took over, is it January, elected in 4 August, and they took duties in January of the 5 following year. Is that the way the fair director 6 runs? 7 MR. ASEPERMY: Yes. 8 MR. BURGESS: Right? 9 MRS. GALLEGOS: Yes. 10 MR. BURGESS: And so the 11 recommendation had been from the majority of that 12 meeting that we go back to doing that system. 13 That meant that we had to rescind this 14 resolution. And that's what was recommended. 15 Gentlemen? 16 MR. HENSON: I'll make a motion to 17 accept. 18 MR. BURGESS: A call for the motion 19 has been made by Mr. Henson here to accept to 20 rescind this Resolution 125-09. 21 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: Second. 22 MR. BURGESS: Second being made by 23 Darrell Kosechequetah. Darrell, do you spell your 24 name with a Y? 25 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: Two Rs, two Ls. 56 1 MR. BURGESS: A motion has been made 2 and second. 3 MR. ASEPERMY: Can I make a comment 4 on this particular resolution? We're rescinding 5 the resolution that the CBC became involved with 6 the princess, Aurilla. And during our little 7 discussion there, as a former tribal director, I 8 believe you stated to us that why are we muddling 9 into that business. And your recommendation was 10 to carry it on as it was without our involvement. 11 I believe that was what you told us, correct? And 12 I believe this was a consensus, also, of the 13 representative from the Princess Sorority. Am I 14 right, Aurilla? 15 MS. CRAIG: My recommendation on 16 that, I asked why was the CBC involved in it. 17 MR. ASEPERMY: Yes. 18 MS. CRAIG: And the answer was 19 because of the monetary help that you have given 20 them. But my question was, referring back to the 21 exposition, if we are going to be represented in 22 the American Exposition as a tribe, and as has 23 been in the past, it's always been, as you stated, 24 in rescinding the resolution, that the election 25 would be there at the exposition like the other 57 1 tribes do. And because we did have a Comanche 2 Nation Fair, it was moved down here. 3 Now, why that was done, I don't 4 know. But the very first princess that we had to 5 represent the fair was when we were at Craterville 6 Park; and that was not to represent the tribe, 7 that was to represent the fair. However, when 8 they moved it down here to represent the tribe, it 9 was also to represent the fair, is my 10 understanding. So that's where the confusion came 11 in, and I don't believe that a lot of people 12 understand that. 13 MR. ASEPERMY: Do we have anybody 14 from the Princess Sorority? I thought I saw one 15 of them. But, basically, you told us to butt out 16 of the business of the princess, and I agreed with 17 you. Although, what did you tell me the other 18 day? We don't always agree? 19 MS. CRAIG: I don't always agree with 20 you, but I do love you. 21 MR. BURGESS: Ladies and gentlemen, 22 that's essentially it. We're going to go back to 23 where the princess election will be held or the 24 selection will be held in April. So our current 25 princess will serve throughout that time. That 58 1 was the understanding we had. The current 2 princess will serve through next April when the 3 election is held, or however it's going to be 4 conducted. 5 MRS. HENDRIX: The fair has a 6 director down in Anadarko for the Indian Fair. 7 How do we select our director for the fair here? 8 MR. BURGESS: Well, they submitted -- 9 the American Indian Expo has now articles of 10 incorporation. They're now nonprofit, so they've 11 submitted to us, and it's detailed in their 12 constitution how that voting is done. It's just 13 the same way it's been done. 14 MRS. HENDRIX: No, I mean, how do we 15 pick our director -- 16 MR. BURGESS: We have to go over 17 there and vote at the Indian Expo, what is it, the 18 first Monday? 19 MRS. HENDRIX: I'm talking about the 20 Comanche Nation Fair. 21 MR. BURGESS: Oh, there is no fair 22 director for the Comanche Nation Fair as you 23 understand it over there. The fair is managed, 24 conducted here. There is no fair director other 25 than the committee that we set. 59 1 MRS. HENDRIX: The committee here is 2 in charge of the fair here? 3 MR. BURGESS: Of the fair, yes. 4 MRS. HENDRIX: Oh, okay. That's what 5 I was asking. 6 MR. BURGESS: Like I said, there is 7 no director here, other than we vote by 8 committee. 9 MRS. HENDRIX: Right. 10 MR. BURGESS: And we go forward from 11 there. 12 MRS. HENDRIX: Oh, okay. I thought 13 we had a fair director here that had a committee. 14 MR. BURGESS: Yes. 15 MRS. GALLEGOS: So the current tribal 16 director will continue her term? 17 MR. BURGESS: Yes, because the 18 election is for two years, is it not? 19 MR. ASEPERMY: Three. 20 MR. BURGESS: Three? 21 MRS. GALLEGOS: Three years. 22 MR. BURGESS: Three years. 23 MR. ASEPERMY: And we do pay the 24 Comanche Nation Princess a stipend, an annual 25 stipend of $3,000, at the rate of 250 a month, 60 1 Robert, if I'm not mistaken. And, also, the 2 Comanche Nation Director a stipend of $3,000 at 3 the same rate. This is to help defray costs for 4 travel commitment. And the Comanche Nation 5 Princess is gone every weekend and she is our 6 ambassador. So that's, I guess, why they wanted 7 the CBC involvement. 8 It was not our decision, it was your 9 decision to approve this money for those two. If 10 you look on the ballot, you vote yes or no, 11 Comanche Tribal Princess, Comanche Tribal Director 12 in the amounts of $3,000. It was on the ballot 13 and they both passed by an overwhelming majority 14 by the people. 15 MRS. HENDRIX: Did you put her back 16 on the roll so she could be our princess? Because 17 she was the one that was disenrolled. 18 MR. ASEPERMY: You know what -- 19 MR. BURGESS: I believe that it calls 20 for being a descent and you're not required to be 21 a member of the Tribe. That's why she's still the 22 princess. 23 MRS. HENDRIX: Descendancy. 24 MR. BURGESS: Yeah. 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Some people can't 61 1 read, Debbie. 2 MRS. HENDRIX: Oh, I know, because 3 you can't read -- 4 MR. BURGESS: Hey, let's calm down. 5 I do want -- I do need an approval of a motion to 6 approve here. 7 MR. ASEPERMY: I believe you have it 8 from Bunky and have a second from Darrell. 9 MR. BURGESS: I've got a second from 10 Darrell. Mr. Henson, he's in the room. We're 11 going to call for the question here. All those in 12 favor, say "aye." This is the motion to rescind 13 Resolution 125-09. 14 (Aye.) 15 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed? 16 Motion carries. 17 MRS. HENDRIX: I want that part of 18 the record where he said that. 19 MR. BURGESS: Thank you, Lanny. I 20 appreciate you for going along with that. 21 Resolution 126-09/Health Care 22 Analyst. Ladies and gentlemen, we're doing 23 something here that needs to be done, that had 24 been in the lowest stages of planning prior to my 25 coming in. And what we're going to do is 62 1 consolidate our health programs and call it a 2 health department. But what we need is some 3 technical expertise on the medical side, and as 4 well as on the informational side of Indian 5 Service. So the Committee has decided to reach 6 out and talk to Dr. Edwin Chappabitty. 7 This is designating him as our 8 Comanche Nation Health Analyst. He's going to be 9 our technician. It's not a position of 10 employment -- are you with us, Dr. Chappabitty? 11 It's not a position of employment, per se, but he 12 will represent us, giving us technical information 13 and guidance about our programs and helping us to 14 seek funding to match what we're doing with all of 15 our health programs. 16 If you look at our current budget, 17 we're putting approximately $900,000 into health 18 care for our people. That constitutes a real 19 health department program. So we want to carry 20 through with that. When we carry through with 21 that, Dr. Chappabitty will be our technician, 22 technically explain things to us on the medical 23 side, and with grant writing, that we can match 24 some of that funds. With a health department, we 25 can probably go to other funding agencies for a 63 1 new building just for medical care. 2 MR. NARCOMEY: If I understand, 3 Mr. Chappabitty has donated his time free of 4 charge, correct? 5 MR. BURGESS: That's what he told 6 us. But at the same time, if he's going to 7 represent us, we will probably pay for travel, 8 rooms and meals. That's only fair. No, it's only 9 fair. 10 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Will we ever 11 get anything done with Dr. Chappabitty? 12 MR. BURGESS: What he's going to do 13 is open the door and explain the medical and 14 technical side to us. And we're already getting 15 something done. He's got meetings established 16 with us with Dr. Roubideaux here in Oklahoma City. 17 And he's not going to be everywhere all the time, 18 but he's going to help us with our evaluation and 19 seeking the funds. And because he's not on the 20 best terms with Commission Corps, we need somebody 21 with inside knowledge. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: I will read part of an 23 excerpt of a letter that Dr. Chappabitty sent to 24 the Chairman. It says, "As a Tribal medical 25 director, I will coordinate Comanche Nation Health 64 1 Rehab activities with you and the Business 2 Committee. I will be a liaison with agencies of 3 the federal government, state government, colleges 4 and universities, local health agencies and other 5 tribes. I will assist individual tribal members 6 seeking health care. I will work to improve 7 existing tribal health programs, as well as plan, 8 develop and design cultural health programs." 9 Nowhere in his letter that he sent to 10 the Chairman does it say he will be an employee. 11 And in talking with Dr. Chappabitty, he will not 12 be a salaried employee. And, Mike, if you don't 13 mind, Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry, would you read the 14 last, the "Therefore be it resolved" for the 15 record? 16 MR. BURGESS: Yes. Then I'll come to 17 you, Vincent. 18 The last says, "Therefore be it 19 resolved that Dr. Edwin Chappabitty will provide 20 advice to the Comanche Nation as a Comanche Health 21 Analyst to seek health opportunities for Comanche 22 Nation." 23 MR. HENSON: I want to add something. 24 MR. WHITEWOLF: I only have one thing 25 about that. That technician, that's kind of 65 1 demeaning for someone of Dr. Chappabitty's 2 accomplishments. He's a full-fledged doctor. 3 He's a registered, however -- 4 MR. BURGESS: Well, that's why we're 5 calling him the Comanche Nation Health Analyst 6 right now, because he's not an employee and he's 7 not the health director. So we're giving him this 8 title, and this will open the doors for him to be 9 representing us. 10 MR. WHITEWOLF: How about Chief 11 Medical Director or something? 12 MR. BURGESS: Hang on a second. 13 MR. WHITEWOLF: I'm just talking 14 about -- 15 MR. BURGESS: That's fine. I like 16 hearing that. Vincent and then Benal. Vincent 17 you had a statement? 18 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yeah, I had a 19 question. You know, the Indian Hospital, I don't 20 understand why you -- the members of the CBC, 21 don't take more interest in the Seven Tribes' 22 Committee down at the Indian Hospital. I got 23 friends down there that are doctors and they told 24 me that we're giving medicines to our people that 25 are 30 years old. And when people go down there 66 1 with an infection, or a clinic, it's not allowed 2 to give them no antibiotics no more than two days. 3 And they said these patients need antibiotics for 4 at least five days. 5 And they said that the pharmacy needs 6 to be open till at least midnight, because they 7 have no way to get medicine. And we're about 8 eight doctors short. We got two doctors, and one 9 at a time working in the emergency room. And 10 people are going down there having to sit a half a 11 night to see a doctor. And I don't understand why 12 you members of the Seven Tribes' Health Board, it 13 seems to me, are more interested in gaming money 14 than the health care of our people. 15 Well, they got $3 million here about 16 six months ago, the Indian Hospital did. Now, I 17 don't know where it went. But a person down there 18 that knows a lot about the hospital told me she 19 wasn't supposed to say anything, but that they 20 were expecting $3 million to upgrade our 21 hospital. Now, here a while back, Senator Cole 22 was down here to inspect our hospital and there 23 was no tribal representatives down there. The 24 only one there was Lupe Goodday. 25 And he asked them, "Where's the rest 67 1 of the board?" "I don't know." "How come you 2 haven't got a report on this hospital?" And they 3 said, "Well, we haven't had a meeting." He said, 4 "Well, you're here. Why don't you give me a 5 report." I mean, y'all can grin about it up 6 there, but it ain't funny. You're laughing about 7 the health care. 8 MR. BURGESS: No, we're not laughing 9 about it. The current information -- we just 10 attended a meeting two days ago. 11 MR. HENSON: With Senator Cole. 12 MR. BURGESS: I've attended the last 13 two meetings. And Senator Cole was there and we 14 greeted him, we talked with him, and laid out some 15 of the issues and concerns, so hang on. Benal? 16 MS. MASON: My question is: Did you 17 ask Dr. Chappabitty or did he come to you? And 18 not only that, I am one of those that got 19 medications. I was told from a pharmacist in town 20 that those are obsolete. They've been put out a 21 long time ago and we're using them. 22 MR. BURGESS: Okay. On that 23 medication point, you're right. We brought this 24 up to Congressman Cole, and I did this on my trip 25 to D.C., and I did it to IHS. I brought the same 68 1 question forward: Why are we using outdated meds? 2 They're surprised to hear that we got outdated 3 meds. But I'm not surprised that they're acting 4 surprised because of the way the ordinary cases 5 and how long they've been sitting in there. 6 And with the effort in Iraq and 7 Afghanistan, our Indian Health Service is getting 8 the shaft, because they take a lot of our doctors 9 who are Commission Corps medical personnel, our 10 medical personnel, going to the war effort. And 11 with them goes the money that pays them. So we 12 brought up this issue with Congressman Cole, I 13 brought it up on the table with IHS leadership, 14 and we're going to bring it on the table on the 15 19th with Dr. Roubideaux, those same issues. 16 And I'm not laughing, because you 17 weren't aware that we just attended the last two 18 meetings with him. Yeah, and so we did. And I'm 19 not making light of it, but you're right, some of 20 them don't know how to ask the questions there. 21 And they're not getting the same information that 22 you would bring to me or Benal that you would tell 23 me by some of their staff. Other tribes' 24 leadership are just not up. And that's why we 25 have Dr. Chappabitty. 69 1 He sits there with me and I 2 appreciate it. He can explain some of the 3 technical jargon when it comes out, and he's well 4 aware of the shortcomings of the administration 5 and leadership. I never had him as a doctor. I 6 did get some medications from him and they worked, 7 antibiotics for an infection; my sinuses, my ears, 8 but that's all I know. I don't know his medical 9 records, but his knowledge of IHS is highly 10 important. 11 MS. MASON: You didn't answer my 12 question. You didn't answer my question. 13 MR. BURGESS: How did it come about? 14 MS. MASON: Yes. Did you ask him or 15 did he ask this body? 16 MR. BURGESS: I asked of him and it 17 was asked of him previously by the prior Chairman. 18 And I feel it's a good thing, the CBC agrees that 19 we need this knowledge and expertise that is no 20 longer there. And he's willing to help us to 21 achieve our goals for better health care for our 22 people and all Indian people. 23 Hang on, statement here. 24 MR. HENSON: I might inform y'all 25 that since Mike and I's been on the board, we have 70 1 been at every one of those meetings over there. 2 Mike is on the board there, I'm not, but I'm 3 learning. I went over there and I previously sat 4 on the Oklahoma City Indian Health Board, and I 5 know a lot about what's happening as far as the 6 administration goes of the clinic. I've also been 7 there for years and years, and I know what you're 8 saying, because that same thing has happened to me 9 during the years I was growing up. 10 But let me tell you this: They 11 are --not only Mike's newly-elected there. With 12 Dr. Chappabitty volunteering his service, you've 13 got to remember one thing, he has been around and 14 he has a lot of connections in Washington, D.C. 15 that we could use, and he's going to be a very 16 valuable tool to get what we want. And there are 17 other newly-elected people on that board that is 18 just as concerned as Mike is. So they're taking 19 on a direction of helping the Indian people, more 20 direction than I've ever seen before. So just to 21 assure you, these things are being looked into. 22 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Why don't you 23 hire an administrator that takes the Indian people 24 more into consideration? 25 MR. BURGESS: Over there? 71 1 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Such as Randy 2 Curry, who was administrator for Memorial 3 Hospital. He said, "I'm willing to go work for 4 the Indian Hospital." And Randy Curry knows all 5 the politics. Let me tell you this, the facts of 6 life: You send a bunch of Indians to Washington, 7 D.C, all of you gentlemen go up there looking for 8 help, and when you walk down that aisle and them 9 white people see you, they're going to say, "Well, 10 here's a bunch of Indians looking for another 11 handout." 12 But you send a non-Indian up there 13 that has political pull, and those politicians see 14 him -- say, for instance, Randy Curry, they see 15 Randy and they know him, they greet him in the 16 hall and say, "Mr. Curry, what are you doing here 17 in Washington?" "Well, I have a little problem in 18 Lawton with the Indian Hospital, looking for some 19 help." And they're going to help him. Because 20 we, as Indian people, the government don't give a 21 damn about us. If you people were sitting up 22 there, don't care about your people, we have 23 nowhere else to go. That's why we're in the shape 24 we're in. 25 MR. BURGESS: All right. 72 1 Mrs. Redbone, you have a question? 2 MRS. REDBONE: Yes, on this Dr. Edwin 3 Chappabitty, you say he's going to be a Health 4 Care Analyst and you're going to combine different 5 programs and he is going to analyze? 6 MR. BURGESS: We already have our 7 programs. He's going to help us with the analysis 8 of funding, pinpoint areas that we may need to do 9 things to rename, redesign, whatever we're doing 10 currently. 11 MRS. REDBONE: Can you identify those 12 health care programs? 13 MR. BURGESS: Yes. 14 MRS. REDBONE: Diabetes, Injury 15 Prevention. 16 MR. BURGESS: Well, whatever we have 17 on our budget, all of those that are health care 18 related, including Substance Abuse. 19 MRS. REDBONE: And he's going to help 20 find grants for these programs and analyze? 21 MR. BURGESS: Well, what happens is, 22 he's representing us and helping us in meetings 23 when we get into the technical areas. 24 MRS. REDBONE: Okay. And also, if he 25 knows all this about health care reform, will he 73 1 be able to assist us in getting insurance for our 2 children, which as they are wanting -- having it 3 now nationwide, the CHIP program? 4 MR. BURGESS: That's why he's called 5 an analyst, to look at that review and tell us 6 what we need to do. 7 MRS. REDBONE: That way, we won't be 8 able -- we won't be getting old medicines, we will 9 be getting new medicine. 10 MR. BURGESS: Right. 11 MRS. REDBONE: And as lobbyists, if 12 that was me in Washington, D.C, I would be there 13 saying, "You give me what you owe me," not asking 14 for handouts. 15 MR. BURGESS: Well, that's a 16 statement. And then we sit over here and we tell 17 them about their responsibility based on the 18 treaties, the treaty law. And that's brought up 19 when I sat there and talked to Dr. Roubideaux's 20 representatives. All eight, nine of them, they 21 heard it and they understood it. 22 One problem that they thought they I 23 had was I did not have other tribal leaders with 24 me. And I relayed that to the board, I relayed it 25 to the Eight Tribes', and they all understand 74 1 that, that we are all pushing for the same thing, 2 our hospital to be continued, doctors to be 3 brought in, Indian doctors, we demanded on that. 4 And that that hospital be full -- I'm using the 5 word "fully-functioning," a full-service hospital, 6 with everything it's supposed to have. No longer 7 using contract health care to send our people out, 8 because it can't cover the costs that we are 9 absorbing, that we need. 10 MRS. REDBONE: That was my next 11 question. 12 MR. BURGESS: Right. Some of these 13 issues we're already approaching and saying them. 14 And I may be the only chairman telling you what 15 we've said yet. 16 MR. ASEPERMY: I will add, the 17 program -- the health services program, ma'am, 18 they include the Care Givers, Diabetes, the 19 Fitness Center, New Pathways, the Optometry 20 Clinic, the Prescription Assistance, the Substance 21 Abuse and the Community Representative. 22 And Vincent, for your information, 23 Mike made his first trip to Washington, D.C. And 24 you're right, when we go up and down the hallways, 25 I don't know what those politicians think when 75 1 they see an Indian. They have been most receptive 2 toward me. But to sidetrack from what his 3 official business was up there, he visited the 4 Indian Health Services. He was told that they 5 were glad to see him because we've never had a 6 Comanche come up there before. He also visited 7 with Congressman Cole. 8 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I'm aware of 9 that. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. So I don't know 11 how you put it. Is his foot in the door? Has he 12 made contact? Yes and yes. And I don't really 13 agree with you when you say we walk the hallways 14 and they say, "That's another Indian looking for a 15 handout." I have not seen it, and I've walked 16 those hallways five or six times. I've always 17 been treated good, I've always been given respect, 18 but it goes both ways. 19 MR. NELSON: Mr. Chairman? 20 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Mr. Chairman, 21 real quickly. Being Native American, we have 22 trusted our lives to white people. I want Native 23 Americans to take control of our lives. I'm 24 sorry. I want an Indian to be up there. 25 MR. BURGESS: Thank you. Yes, 76 1 Mr. Nelson? 2 MR. NELSON: The list that 3 Mr. Asepermy read from, in your next Comanche 4 Nation Newsletter, you're going to see that the 5 CBC voted on -- when was it, six months ago -- six 6 months ago, a consolidation effort of all the 7 programs to better serve our people. 8 Now, Vincent, I agree with you. The 9 reason our IHS care over there, when you've got 10 tribes that have 53330-seconds of Indian blood and 11 people go, all their Indian blood leaves. That's 12 our problem. Been there before one time. That's 13 the problem. 14 And you'll see with this -- you know, 15 I had to combine two editions, folks, August and 16 September. We called it "Comanche Nation 17 Edition." We kind of had to do that. But all 18 this information will be there for everybody to 19 see; and, hopefully, he can bring all the 20 questions back about it. So, you know, it is 21 transition, it really is. 22 MR. WHITEWOLF: Mike, you said eight 23 tribes. Would you give me a list of those eight 24 tribes? 25 MR. BURGESS: Well, the former name 77 1 was the Seven Tribes' Consortium, so now the 2 Cheyenne Arapaho is saying they're two tribes, so 3 that makes eight. 4 MR. ASEPERMY: We are the only Indian 5 Health Care -- we are the only hospital that is 6 under the Indian Health Care. All the other ones, 7 all the other ones in the state have been 8 contracted out, mostly to the Civilized Tribes. 9 We don't have another Indian Health Care Hospital 10 in the State of Oklahoma except the one in Lawton. 11 MR. WHITEWOLF: What are the other 12 tribes, Chickasaw, Cherokee? 13 MR. ASEPERMY: Chickasaw, I know they 14 have one in Talihina; you've got the Cherokees, 15 you've got the Choctaws. They have taken those, 16 they've contracted them. They have the big, the 17 big, the big money, I guess. 18 MR. BURGESS: All right. Motion to 19 approve? 20 MR. ASEPERMY: I would like to see 21 this. This has been an eyesore for us. We have a 22 representative down here that represents the 23 Nation and Bunky has joined him. You know, when 24 you talk about Dr. Chappabitty, whether you 25 personally like him or dislike him, it doesn't 78 1 matter. He has offered a service with some -- 2 you've got to have some expertise if you're a 3 medical doctor. He has offered a service to the 4 Nation free of charge. If he cannot provide that 5 service, then maybe we need to get somebody 6 like what's his name. Randy Curry? 7 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Randy Curry. 8 MR. ASEPERMY: Randy Curry. 9 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: He's the one 10 that built Memorial Hospital. 11 MR. BURGESS: Thank you, Lanny. 12 Motion to approve, please. Hang on, Debbie. 13 Motion to approve has been made by Mr. Narcomey. 14 MRS. HENDRIX: I have one comment 15 before you approve, because I e-mail Cole and 16 Coburn and they e-mail me back. You don't have to 17 go walk the halls. I get e-mails from them and 18 they tell -- they're talking about business. I 19 can get the e-mails to everybody here. It would 20 be more productive, I would think, if every one 21 here e-mailed them and told them about our health 22 problems and they got e-mails. Because when I 23 e-mail them, they e-mail me back and answer. 24 MR. BURGESS: What you need to do -- 25 hang on. We've get a motion on the floor made by 79 1 Mr. Narcomey to approve. I need a second. Thank 2 you for your comment. 3 MR. ASEPERMY: Second. 4 MR. BURGESS: Second by 5 Mr. Asepermy. 6 MRS. HENDRIX: I'm just saying it's 7 not that difficult to get with them. 8 MR. BURGESS: You're right, but at 9 the same time -- motion by Mr. Narcomey. All 10 those in favor to approve, say "aye." 11 (Aye.) 12 MR. BURGESS: Any opposed? Any nay? 13 Having no opposition, the motion passes. 14 There is a new law coming out. And I 15 have an e-mail prepared to go out to people 16 encouraging them to send it to those congressmen 17 who are the head of that body, that subcommittee 18 for that legislation. We need to get on that 19 quick. So if you want to go back to that, 20 Deborah, send a letter out to everybody on your 21 list to please have them send it in to those 22 Congress people who are a head of that committee 23 to approve that. 24 MRS. HENDRIX: Well, it's so much 25 quicker e-mailing them. 80 1 MR. BURGESS: Well, it is, but -- 2 MRS. HENDRIX: They e-mail back and 3 you've got a copy. 4 MR. BURGESS: At the same time, every 5 politician's just like a car salesman, he wants to 6 see who he's selling to and get dialogue. Because 7 personal touch is more important -- just as 8 important as e-mail, you can read it and then go 9 on. So when you sit there and make the emphasis 10 to these people, as I did, they understand we're 11 serious about it. 12 MR. HENSON: Let me tell you, I mean, 13 when you e-mail one of them guys, you don't get 14 him, you get one of his staff. They're the ones 15 that e-mail you back. If you don't go up there 16 personally and talk to the congressmen and get in 17 there to see them, you're not going to get 18 anything done. Their staff will just work on it. 19 So it's real important when you go up to 20 Washington to see the people, that congressman or 21 the senator. 22 MRS. HENDRIX: That's true to a 23 point, Bunky, but I've actually talked to them on 24 the phone, personally, and the Department of 25 Justice, personally, so it's easier. 81 1 MR. BURGESS: Thank you. We're 2 almost at time for a break. We've just got one 3 other resolution here to approve, Number 127-09. 4 And this is internal. 5 MR. ASEPERMY: What did we do on -- 6 we didn't bring it to a vote. 7 MR. BURGESS: It passed. 8 MR. ASEPERMY: Oh, did that pass? 9 MR. BURGESS: Yes. On the health 10 analyst? Yes, it passed. 11 MR. NORMAN: There's been some 12 request for clarification on what's meant in the 13 therefore clause, the reference to Comanche 14 Nation, is that the CBC is going to be responsible 15 for that, the Tribal Administrator, or -- 16 MR. BURGESS: That would be the CBC, 17 because he's not an employee. 18 MR. NELSON: Could it be made to read 19 as such? Because that's such an ambiguous 20 statement. Comanche Nation. 21 MR. BURGESS: Well, the Comanche 22 Nation was the CBC then. 23 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We should go back 24 and ask if they want to amend that. 25 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Mr. Narcomey, do 82 1 you want to amend the motion? 2 MR. NARCOMEY: It's okay with me. 3 MR. BURGESS: We amend this 4 resolution to state that he's reporting to the 5 Comanche Business Committee 6 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. 7 MR. BURGESS: Because he's a health 8 analyst and non-employee. But he will be 9 coordinating a lot of information. So Mr. TA, 10 you'll be involved in a lot of meetings with him. 11 MR. NELSON: He's not going to become 12 my boss, is he? 13 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, I think he needs 14 some sort of description of -- Robert, I think he 15 needs to -- you have some sort of a responsibility 16 clause? 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yeah, get a PD. 18 MR. ASEPERMY: He can't go over to 19 Diabetes and say I want you to do this, this or 20 that. You know, recommendations. He's not 21 allowed to implement anything or change any of the 22 programs. 23 MR. HENSON: I think he understands 24 that. 25 MR. BURGESS: Well, it's better we 83 1 put it in writing. 2 MR. HENSON: But he does need a 3 position description. 4 MR. BURGESS: And then all 5 recommendations come to us to approve, with the 6 TA's involvement. 7 This Resolution Number 127-09, the 8 intake statement is that it's going to allow -- 9 those employees that are being transferred or 10 departments that are being transferred from one 11 wing of the government to another, that they're 12 going be allowed to carry their accrued vacation 13 and sick leave to the new wing. 14 What it means is that there's a 15 program in one area and that the CBC has decided 16 to move that program over to this other area and 17 the organizational chart, that those employees are 18 going to be brought in at the base rate of pay, 19 whatever they're receiving, all of their accrued 20 vacation and sick leave will go with them, and the 21 new department will accept all of that and 22 continue that payment to them. 23 Let me give you an example. Sometime 24 in '05 or '06, we transferred the Numunu Turetu 25 from the Housing over here to the tribe's 84 1 program. All those employees were brought over 2 with vacation, sick leave and current rate of 3 pay. And they were being paid by tribal money 4 anyway. We were given $200,000 at that time for 5 Housing to manage that program. So those 6 employees were brought over understanding they 7 were losing nothing. They didn't lose vacation, 8 they didn't lose sick leave, they kept their same 9 rate of pay. Because it was tribal money that was 10 paying them anyway. So they went from one 11 program, Housing, they went to another program 12 over at the tribe. And it was our money doing it, 13 so that's why we accepted it that way. 14 So we have another program that might 15 be transferred here. Those employees, because 16 they accrued vacation and sick leave and their 17 rate of pay, it goes over in total to the other 18 department. We've done it once. There was a 19 precedent set. And so if we do it again, we want 20 to protect those employees' rights. 21 You're number two. All right. 22 Delphine, you had a statement. 23 MS. NELSON: In transferring someone 24 over to Economic Development, since each of those 25 entities are run like private businesses, and they 85 1 must meet their payroll by the services or the 2 goods which they provide to the Nation or to the 3 community, if they do not have or do not make 4 their payroll, it is supplemented. So will the 5 CBC authorize that amount of leave money to be 6 held in an escrow account in case that employee 7 decides that they will resign and take that leave 8 with them? Or since that person has been paid a 9 certain amount of leave, is this going to be an 10 amendment to the personnel policies of the 11 Nation? 12 Personnel policies of the Nation says 13 when you transfer or leave or resign or terminate, 14 that you are only paid for 109 hours of leave. 15 Now, will that act -- 104. Will that act as an 16 amendment to the personnel policies? Will that 17 amount, if it's in excess of 104 hours, be held in 18 an escrow account in case that person decides when 19 they are being transferred, they resign? How are 20 they going to be paid? 21 MR. BURGESS: This statement is 22 outside the scope of your question. And that is 23 for departmental program, not the employee 24 itself. But you can come to us and we have to 25 work that out with the TA. I mean, the TA and 86 1 personnel and with our Secretary/Treasurer, 2 because it impacts the budget, so we can't say yes 3 or no today. That has to be investigated and then 4 a report back. Now, we have to adjust the budget, 5 we know that. 6 But this protects those employees who 7 might be concerned they're going to lose 8 everything, just a nominal 104 hours or 108 hours, 9 and they've got 200 or 300. But -- and also to 10 answer you, there's a development on the new 11 policies and procedures that will take this into 12 account. That's being addressed. Thank you. 13 Yes, Dan? Last question. 14 MR. BIGBEE: Is this going to include 15 the health insurance and other life insurance that 16 tribal employees are eligible for at this point? 17 Is that going to carry over as well as the hours? 18 MR. BURGESS: Well, currently, the 19 tribe's health care, medical benefits, we're all 20 under the same umbrella with the one company. And 21 that even though you're working at gaming, or 22 you're getting benefits over there under this 23 umbrella -- and those are now in negotiation. Do 24 you want to say anything about this? 25 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yeah, Mr. Chairman, 87 1 I'd like to say that we're underway with a new 2 human resource policy, which is formally called 3 personnel policy. We're hoping to bring that to 4 the CBC for approval September 1. And that's 5 about completed, but it's still in review. And 6 what I suggest is that we hold this in abeyance, 7 we hold this until we finish that policy and see 8 how it fits under that policy. 9 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Does that 10 include all nontribal members, too. I mean, you 11 know, all non-Native American employees that are 12 on our employment, does that include them? 13 Because I've heard -- 14 MR. TIPPECONNIE: It's for tribal 15 employees. 16 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Tribal 17 employees. But non-Tribal employees are not 18 included? 19 MR. BURGESS: All employees. 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: All employees that 21 are in -- 22 MR. HENSON: It's tribal employees. 23 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Because I've 24 heard rumors. 25 MR. TIPPECONNIE: In the tribal 88 1 government programs. 2 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I've heard 3 rumors that some of our health benefits have been 4 cut to non-Tribal employees and they're having to 5 pay out-of-pocket for their own to keep the same 6 health care. 7 MR. ASEPERMY: This includes all 8 tribal employees, whether you're Numunu or not, 9 whether you're a different tribe or a different -- 10 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: At one point, 11 we didn't have any health care or anything, no 12 retirement plans for our employees or nothing. 13 MR. NELSON: Hey, Mike, that's a 14 falsehood, that's a rumor. 15 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: That's why I 16 said, you know, I heard a rumor. 17 MR. NELSON: There's 100 percent 18 health care for employees here, 100 percent. 19 MR. TIPPECONNIE: 100 percent health 20 care. 21 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes, but I'm 22 just saying, you know, I've heard rumors. This is 23 from employees from the tribe. 24 MR. TIPPECONNIE: No, no. 25 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: And I'm not 89 1 going to name names and stuff. 2 MR. HENSON: Excuse me. We have a 3 lot of rumors running around like that. If you 4 want the exact truth, go to the CBC. Rumors don't 5 count anymore. 6 One thing I want to add to that, we 7 are paying for all the health insurance of every 8 tribal employee. And we're paying currently, and 9 we're paying over almost $500 for a plan each 10 month for every employee. Employees are getting 11 paid regular money. And if they had to go out and 12 buy their insurance, they would pay $500 more or 13 somewhere near that amount just to have insurance 14 outside. But the employees -- 15 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: See, in 2002, 16 2003, I used to be the EMS coordinator. That's 17 why I was asking for that one point. All we had 18 was a 401, and that was an option. We didn't have 19 any kind of health program at all or retirement 20 program for our employees. So that's why I 21 addressed it. But I want to thank you for giving 22 me my time. 23 MR. HENSON: Yeah, thank you. 24 MR. TIPPECONNIE: All employees have 25 health insurance. 90 1 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Even if 2 they're Tivo or not? 3 MR. TIPPECONNIE: If they're 4 employees. 5 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Non-Comanches, 6 Tivo, you pay them all? 7 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Why would they 8 even be on the payroll if you've got to pay extra? 9 MR. HENSON: Let me see if I can 10 straighten this out. This is not paying any extra 11 money for anything. This includes every Tribal 12 employee, every person, black, red, white, yellow, 13 or whatever. If they work for us, we pay for 14 their health insurance, except part-time CBC. 15 Yeah, CBC don't get it. You guys won't let us 16 have insurance. But, anyway, that's another 17 point. But everybody, we pay for the insurance. 18 And one thing that I wanted to add a 19 while ago, we get -- everybody that works for us 20 gets paid by the hour or salary. The money that 21 we pay out usually is not added to -- or they 22 don't think of the benefit they're getting from 23 that. They're actually getting paid a lot more 24 money than they're making, because we're paying 25 the health insurance on them. So everybody that 91 1 thinks about their salary, you think that if you 2 had to pay that extra $500 a month. You better be 3 really liking that we pay it, because that's just 4 like getting a raise. 5 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Rod, last 6 question, last statement. 7 MR. WHITEWOLF: For our General 8 Council, September 19th, I'd like to request that 9 Economic Development bring a list of what they pay 10 out, and I'd like to have a list, accounting of 11 how much money they've taken in. 12 MR. BURGESS: You want a balance 13 sheet? 14 MR. WHITEWOLF: Yes. 15 MR. BURGESS: Okay. We do have -- 16 the plan is to have those divisions of the tribe, 17 you know, here, those divisions to make 18 presentations on the 19th. 19 MR. WHITEWOLF: And also gaming. 20 We'd like to know more about gaming. 21 MR. BURGESS: They'll have the same 22 profit and loss statement for everybody to see. 23 MR. WHITEWOLF: I'd like to have a 24 list of their salaries, too. 25 MR. HENSON: That's another story. 92 1 MR. BURGESS: That's a big question. 2 That's a big legality. 3 MR. WHITEWOLF: Hey, we're paying for 4 it. 5 MR. BURGESS: Well, that's right, but 6 if I'm incorrect here, Mr. Attorney, that's a 7 privacy act issue that we're not supposed to 8 display in public. 9 MR. WHITEWOLF: A pay scale is no 10 military secret. 11 MR. BURGESS: A pay scale is fine, 12 but -- if they have a pay scale, yes. It's 13 privacy for me to say what it is. If they want to 14 do it, they can do it. I'm not going to do it. 15 I've already said that. I'm not going to stand up 16 here and tell someone -- 17 MRS. HENDRIX: Our present policies 18 state that when you advertise, you advertise what 19 the salary is. 20 MR. BURGESS: Yes, that's right, 21 salary range. It doesn't have to say exactly what 22 it is. 23 MRS. HENDRIX: No, it does say for 24 you to state the salary. 25 MR. BURGESS: Which is our 93 1 advertisement; is that right? 2 MRS. HENDRIX: In the policy. 3 MR. BURGESS: Is that right, Mr. TA? 4 MR. NELSON: Just keep in mind, your 5 P&P policies that you've been referring to is 6 1983. Everything from 1983 -- they didn't have 7 sexual harassment in there. I mean, there's so 8 many things that we bypass. That's why Robert and 9 I really worked hard on this to address all these 10 questions we have. What's on the table now, I 11 really feel it needs to be tabled. 12 To answer your question, 13 Mr. Whitewolf, you know, what you're going to see 14 is a two-month edition is really an outline of all 15 the services to the people, but it will also show 16 you what the CBC has encompassed, which is 17 there -- which is gaming, economic Development. 18 So, you know, it's a guide. A lot of 19 us, we -- you know, a man will die from a lack of 20 knowledge and our Father in Heaven says this. I'm 21 not going to go biblical on you, but the thing is, 22 we're trying to bring this to make our people 23 knowledgeable of all these services we have. And, 24 you know, we owe it to you. We cannot even be 25 here without you. We justify this because of 94 1 you. So this is a plan that we're bringing 2 forward. I hope you guys do see this. 3 MR. WHITEWOLF: Mr. Nelson, all I 4 want to know is how much bang we're getting for 5 our buck. 6 MR. NELSON: I hear you. 7 MR. BURGESS: All right. That will 8 come to you. Motion to approve this Resolution 9 Number 127-09? 10 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I table the 127-09. 11 MR. BURGESS: Table it till September 12 meeting? Second to table? 13 MR. HENSON: I'll second. 14 MR. BURGESS: Second by Mr. Henson to 15 table. All those in favor say "aye." 16 (Aye.) 17 MR. BURGESS: Bob wanted to do this 18 last one, Lanny, Election Board Compensation. 19 Let's recess. It's 12:00. Ladies and gentlemen, 20 motion to recess here for 15, 30 minutes. 21 MR. ASEPERMY: 12:45. 22 (Break held). 23 MR. BURGESS: There have been a lot 24 of questions in the past about our internal 25 accounting systems. And so many of you know, 95 1 we've been paying Finley & Cook to do all of that 2 accounting work and to work with us on our systems 3 internally. What we mean is, the accounting 4 system and the responsibilities for checks and 5 balance that's going on. And so Finley & Cook has 6 been doing this for quite some time. They walked 7 us through several audits. 8 I think we made the general 9 announcement last week, last meeting, that we have 10 an unqualified -- am I saying it correct? It's an 11 aside, whatever the top opinion could be, our 12 auditors, Joseph Eve & Company, gave us that 13 opinion. Now, that's for the year 2008. We have 14 been qualified the highest level we could get. 15 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Highest level 16 of good or bad? 17 MR. BURGESS: Good, good. A. Not an 18 A +, but an A. And so our audit for '08 is set in 19 stage that a lot of the -- we're calling them red 20 flags, on our funding for various funding sources, 21 the majority of it being BIA. The BIA funding was 22 all withheld because of unquestioned audits, or no 23 response to some of the audits from '04 up to 24 '07. And I'm very proud, this CBC worked hard, 25 very hard, at working with Finley & Cook. And 96 1 thank you, Gene. Gene Pekah was the TA at the 2 time we initiated that contract to this get done. 3 So this most recent audit of '08 4 gives us an A in our audits on part of it. Now, 5 we've responded to some of these things that we 6 had. And they like what we're putting in place in 7 the new audit that's coming out that will be 8 started here very shortly. And those issues will 9 be answered for this upcoming '09 year. And so 10 next year, we should be at A +, because Finley & 11 Cook is also working with that. And we haven't -- 12 we still got Joseph Eve under contract. 13 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We're seeking 14 another one. 15 MR. BURGESS: We'll be looking for 16 another one, auditor. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Auditor. 18 MR. BURGESS: But they're eligible to 19 apply. So this coming year, with Finley & Cook's 20 work, and the dedication by this CBC and current 21 staff to answer a lot of those questions, we -- 22 In fact, BIA just -- we answered a 23 question audit. They wanted to disallow $500,000 24 in costs. We responded with information they 25 needed and documentation that showed that they 97 1 shouldn't do that. And they sent us a letter here 2 recently, or there's a letter coming down, that 3 will remove that disallowed cost. We don't have 4 to reimburse anything. Our staff came up and gave 5 them all the responses they needed, so we are 6 getting rid of these red flags. 7 Thomas had just said something to me 8 about that. I told him, "Well, what we got in the 9 works now, we're getting very clean." Our 10 accounting systems are really looking good because 11 of Finley & Cook. 12 And Finley & Cook knows that they're 13 not staying with us forever, ladies and 14 gentlemen. They won't be at our doorstep every 15 day. We are going to have to assume that. But 16 the things that are developing with our current 17 CBC, and in the past members who are still with 18 us, those things are going to look very good for 19 '10. Gabby just mentioned that the tribe is in a 20 position if we could get rid of red flags, which 21 we are, that we'll soon be in a position to go for 22 a bonding act if we wanted to. 23 And what the tribes did on the east 24 side of the state, they went out and did a debt 25 bond, took on the rebuilding of those hospitals, 98 1 and turned around and more or less contracted with 2 IHS to recoup their debt to pay that cost debt 3 back to the tribe. So what it means is, we could 4 go out, borrow the money, build that hospital, and 5 IHS turns around and pay us for that hospital so 6 we could pay our debt down. So there's 7 opportunities out there. 8 Once we get these remaining red flags 9 done, the tribe's going to look -- and have a real 10 good position financially to take on bonds or even 11 to go out and seek, if we needed to, if we want 12 to, seek loans. But those loans are all going to 13 be beyond the amount of $3 million. So we're 14 going to be letting you all know what's out there, 15 and we'll find out what we can, inside of six, 16 seven months, and tell you how we stand and what 17 we think we can do and come back to y'all. 18 Because you, the General Council, 19 have a limit on us to do any business dealings at 20 $3,000,001. Okay. And we're not going to do 21 business -- as Lanny said, we're not going to do 22 business here with just one person. It's all of 23 us in agreement and we'll lay it on the table here 24 for you all. So that's one of the stages I want 25 to set for you all for the upcoming spring. So 99 1 you're not going to be having anything sprung on 2 you, you're going to be aware of what we're trying 3 to commit to, you're going to understand why we're 4 trying to commit to that with financial analysis 5 and projections. And then we're going to ask 6 y'all to help us to help you. 7 That's basically what we're trying to 8 do. And we're not going to hide anything from 9 you. It's not our desire to hide anything, 10 because you're responsible as much as we are. And 11 we're just trying to bring you this business news. 12 So that's in the future, just wanted to let you 13 know about our accounting. People ask about that 14 and what they've done about it. Soon coming out 15 from underneath the holdbacks, the withholding of 16 funding to us, based on this good work of Finley & 17 Cook. So with that, ladies and gentlemen -- 18 MR. ASEPERMY: I'd like to add 19 something on that. 20 MR. BURGESS: Sure. 21 MR. ASEPERMY: In June of '07 or '05, 22 '06 and '07 audits were not done. The '05, the 23 '06, the '07, and now the '08 audits are all 24 complete. The '05, '06, and '07 audits, there's 25 four categories; qualified, unqualified -- I can't 100 1 remember what they are. But if you come out with 2 a good audit, you get an A, then a B, and then a 3 D, and then an F. 4 In '05, '06 and '07, we got F's. 5 Finley & Cook took over our financial operations 6 in March of '07. We pay them about $800,000 a 7 year. We have done a feasibility study. In order 8 for the Nation to take over our finances, it would 9 require 14 employees at the cost of $2 million. 10 Add it up. This last audit was an A, in part, and 11 it's becoming -- we're becoming more accountable 12 to the penny or to the dollar. 13 When Finley & Cook provides us a 14 report the fourth Thursday of the month, you can 15 read that report. And it is down to the dollar on 16 what each of the 83 accounts that we have on what 17 we've spent. And thanks to Mr. Nelson, the CBC 18 has access to a portal to Finley & Cook where we 19 can key in, we can pull any expenditure report 20 from any program to see if there's any 21 irregularities on our spending. 22 We are trying to account for our 23 money as best we can. And Finley & Cook, in my 24 opinion, and thank you again, Mr. Pekah, has done 25 a great job for us. But like the Chairman said, 101 1 they may not be around forever. There's going to 2 be a transition. Maybe one of these days, it will 3 be after I'm gone, but, hopefully, it's a good 4 move. We are trying our best. 5 And I'm going to tell y'all -- you 6 know, my wife says, "Why don't you talk when you 7 get up there? Why don't you respond?" Well, I'm 8 responding today. And I'm going to tell y'all not 9 the rumor, but the fact. We are accounting for 10 our money. We are accounting for them with our 11 program moneys, we're accounting for them with our 12 gaming dollars down to the penny. And we're doing 13 the best we can to make sure that our Nation is 14 taken care of individually. 15 You know, you can believe some of the 16 stuff that you read on the Internet. I don't read 17 it because it's a bunch of bull to me. But rumors 18 are the destruction of countries. Don't believe 19 everything that you read. Don't believe 20 everything that you hear. And why people start 21 rumors, I have no idea. We are trying our best. 22 Our audits are complete. We're up to 23 date. The '09 will start immediately after the 24 fiscal year, like it's supposed to. We're trying 25 to run this Nation as best we can. 102 1 MR. WHITEWOLF: What's the tribe's 2 policy on credit cards? 3 MR. BURGESS: Hang on, let's come 4 back in session. 5 MR. HENSON: Let me say one thing 6 before we go through that. To break it down in 7 laymen's terms on Finley & Cook, I know y'all 8 don't understand, but Finley & Cook means a lot. 9 Because what it basically means is that when you 10 go into a high category, a high risk, you can't 11 apply for grants, and BIA can take all the money 12 back on 638 programs. 638 programs is money that 13 we get from the government to run our programs. 14 If we get into high risk, they could take that 15 money. They don't have to give it to us. They 16 could take over the programs that they want to. 17 The other moneys, the gaming moneys, 18 they can't touch. We still got that moneys, but 19 we've been spending it like candy, like we got all 20 kinds of money, and we don't. So what basically 21 Lanny is telling you is that the CBC, right now, 22 is getting a hand on everything. We're not going 23 to let your money be spent on just anything. 24 We're getting a hand on it and it's going to 25 work. It may take a little bit to do it, but it's 103 1 happening. 2 MR. ASEPERMY: Part of that process 3 was already in place with the current sitting 4 CBC. The cohesiveness of this unit or this 5 committee is as good as I've seen in the two years 6 that I've been on the committee. I will say 7 that. We argue and we fight, don't we? 8 MR. BURGESS: We argue. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: But we come to a 10 consensus and we come to the consensus for the 11 good of the Nation. We will never satisfy 100 12 percent of you. As long as we satisfy 51 percent 13 of you, we have satisfied a majority. 14 MR. BURGESS: Yes. Thank you, Lanny. 15 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: What was the 16 reason for the F in those three years? 17 MR. ASEPERMY: Tell them the truth. 18 The CBC, the sitting CBC didn't do their job. 19 MR. BURGESS: That's a very simple 20 part of it. 21 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Does that 22 include the casinos' taxes? 23 MR. ASEPERMY: You talking about the 24 audits? 25 MR. HENSON: No, they've got separate 104 1 audits. 2 MR. BURGESS: They're over here on 3 this side, and over there their management did 4 what they did. So it's done, its operations have 5 been audited, we found the statements, responses 6 were made from the Tribal side to the audit 7 questions, and now we've put in place -- our 8 responses means we're going to do A, B and C, and 9 we're now going to do A, B and C. Prior to this 10 time, up to that point, they didn't do A, B and C 11 as they said they were going to do. And it just 12 builds up, builds up. 13 At this time, we're going to come 14 back into session. I need a motion to approve to 15 come into session. 16 MR. HENSON: I'll make that motion. 17 MR. ASEPERMY: Second. 18 MR. BURGESS: Motion made by 19 Mr. Henson, second by Mr. Asepermy. 20 Now, Resolution Number 128-09 on our 21 agenda is Item Number 14. 22 MR. HENSON: I want to make a motion 23 we table that. 24 MR. BURGESS: You want to make a 25 motion to table? 105 1 MR. HENSON: Yeah. 2 MR. BURGESS: Motion made to table. 3 Do I hear a second. Motion to table? Motion 4 failing. Discussion? 5 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, I don't 6 think we should table this. We met with the 7 Chairman of the Election Board on July the 23rd, 8 17 days ago. We presented what we felt was fair 9 compensation for the Election Board. He was 10 supposed to respond to us with his recommendation 11 on the 13th of July. I have not seen a 12 recommendation, and therefore I think we need to 13 go on with this. 14 And the reason I think we need to go 15 on with this recommendation or this resolution is 16 that the Election Board in one year in stipends, 17 in stipends for meetings, General Council, 18 primaries, run-off, monthly meetings, CBC 19 meetings, special meetings, ordinance meetings, 20 spent $135,000. With this compensation in place, 21 that number will be reduced to $14,000. That's 22 $121,000 less than what we spent in the previous 23 year. So I make a motion that -- Mr. Chairman, if 24 you don't mind -- 25 MR. BURGESS: I do want to respond 106 1 for a discussion point. 2 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. 3 MR. BURGESS: Prior to this, they 4 were -- they are working on a revised ordinance. 5 In their ordinance, they are following some of the 6 suggestions that I wanted to see as well, in 7 operations, and how they were going to design the 8 whole future. And in the ordinance, they want to 9 create the staggered positions. So there's some 10 finite things that would help them in their 11 organization and structure. 12 And I've also expressed to you the 13 big concern about budget. And I've directed the 14 Chairman that any time we pass a budget, you 15 people, our constituents pass a budget for the 16 Election Board, that doesn't mean they spend that 17 money. Because there's some items that happened 18 to us in the past that we have to plan for in the 19 future. Those items are a recall meeting, a 20 Special General Council like we're doing now. 21 And the need to plan that doesn't 22 mean if you have $100,000 and you say, "It's 23 extra, we better spend it." No. It means you've 24 got to keep that in there as a reserve. It's got 25 to be built up. You've got to keep that. Because 107 1 we ran into that problem in one year with a couple 2 of special meetings and recalls, and they were 3 overbudgeted by $135,000 or whatever, and then, 4 boom, we had to pay it from something else. 5 It came from the general fund, and 6 the other programs were shorted, because, by law, 7 our constitution says that had to be done. But 8 we're trying to -- as Lanny is telling y'all, 9 we're working on a plan to plan these things 10 better. That's what we want to do. And that's my 11 only interjection here. I understand it's got a 12 lot of history, concern, discussion, cost 13 factors. But I think as coming in new -- and I 14 know how they work. Eddie and I both know how 15 they -- they're trying to do the right thing, they 16 want to do the right thing. 17 And I know that this has been on the 18 table. The only concern I have is reading this 19 ordinance, it says "Pre-election or emergency 20 meetings." You've got this set, which is a good 21 idea, Lanny, but I've got a question on that 22 language. Because pre-election, they do come in 23 and they get instructed. And then we're going to 24 have a whole new slate. And I think we need to 25 change that slate where we need to stagger that, 108 1 so we need to build that into the whole 2 ordinance. 3 So when that ordinance is passed, 4 your comments can be incorporated. These dollar 5 amounts, I think, can be incorporated in that. 6 Because they have ideas, too, and I said, "You 7 better come in with these similar type" -- 8 MR. ASEPERMY: Did we not give them a 9 deadline of August the 13th to present their 10 recommendations? 11 MR. BURGESS: Well, remember, they 12 were going to be here August 1st, but he couldn't 13 be here for this one. And the 13th, they didn't 14 get a chance to go -- we had those two funerals. 15 MR. ASEPERMY: Did y'all meet with 16 them on the 14th? 17 MR. BURGESS: We were all involved 18 with funerals. That's what I told him. If you 19 can't get that to us today, that you better -- 20 MR. ASEPERMY: Here's a concern. 21 MR. HENSON: Let me say something, 22 Lanny, before -- I asked to table this because of 23 the language that's in here. It don't mean I 24 don't disagree with it. I do agree with what's 25 going on here. But some of the language that's in 109 1 here I don't agree with, and that's why I asked to 2 table it, so we can go back and really put the 3 right language in this. And that's the only 4 reason. This has to be done. It must be done. 5 But the -- it must be done in the right language. 6 MR. ASEPERMY: You've shown me what 7 language that you disagree with. But as we sit 8 and take no action on this, we have paid the 9 Election Board, since the 23rd of July, $3,000 for 10 one meeting and $3,000 more for a second meeting, 11 between July the 22nd -- or July the 23rd and 12 today's meeting. What's going on? Are we having 13 an election? $6,000. 14 MR. BURGESS: I agree with that, 15 Lanny. 16 MR. ASEPERMY: So Mr. Chairman and 17 Mr. Vice-Chairman -- 18 MR. WHITEWOLF: Well, I think that -- 19 why do we have absentee ballots handled by 20 Albuquerque? I mean, you talk about being cost 21 conscience. 22 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Thank you. We 23 have another comment from the back. 24 MR. ASEPERMY: We're looking -- that 25 is a good possibility. 110 1 MR. BURGESS: Yes, Gwen? 2 MS. KERCHEE: I heard somebody say 3 about the absentee ballots and everything. We 4 want to do that. We want to have our own 5 database. But there's a lot -- we're trying to 6 get that ordinance rewritten, because it's an old, 7 antiquated ordinance, and we want to use our own 8 language. But when you get a policy, a draft of a 9 policy that is written by somebody that doesn't 10 even know how you work and everything -- so we're 11 trying to do that ourselves. And if y'all have 12 questions, you know, I'm there, you know. 13 This last election, it was a good 14 election. I mean, from the previous elections, 15 yeah, we had return ballots of maybe 200-and- 16 something. But this last election, we only had 17 maybe about 12 ballots that came back. It was me 18 that did it. I'm the one that stayed over hours, 19 I'm the one that made sure that they got to New 20 Mexico. And that's hard, you know. And if we had 21 our own database where we wouldn't have to depend 22 on anybody else and take care of our own, I think 23 it would be great. 24 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Whitewolf, I think 25 I misunderstood your question there. But I will 111 1 say this about the Election Board: I think they 2 do a great job, I really do. I think they've run 3 a fair election. I think the last three elections 4 we had have been pretty much flawless, when you 5 compare it to the May of '07 election when over 6 200-and-something absentee ballots came in after- 7 the-fact. You know, that could have changed some 8 of us sitting up here from sitting up here. But 9 they've ironed them out, they've done a good job, 10 but -- 11 MR. BURGESS: Vincent, you have a 12 statement? 13 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes, please. 14 Thank you. As Lanny says, you know, that's a lot 15 of money for our Election Board. And if 16 Mr. Henson is against it, well, why don't y'all 17 just put the money there, but lower their -- lower 18 what they get, their stipend? 19 MR. BURGESS: That's exactly what 20 Lanny's doing, put technical language in here. 21 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: And those 22 absentee ballots coming all the way from 23 Albuquerque, that don't make no sense to nobody. 24 They should be coming here. 25 MR. HENSON: Let me say one thing: 112 1 I'm not against it. I didn't say I was against 2 it. I said that the language -- 3 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: It seems 4 you're against everything. 5 MR. HENSON: The language needs to be 6 changed in here to correct some of this stuff. 7 There's some questions that could be asked from 8 this. And that language that I want to put in 9 there, there's not going to be any questions about 10 it. All I'm saying is there needs to be a change 11 of language. 12 MR. ASEPERMY: I will say this: 13 There is on the fifth "whereas," that the language 14 that is presented on this resolution, he brought 15 it to my attention and Mr. Mahseet's, and I'll 16 assume to the rest of y'all, it does need to be 17 reworded. And the purpose of this resolution is 18 for the compensation to be fair to what they do 19 do. Okay. We spent $135,000 in one year. This 20 would lower their stipend to about $14,000. 21 That's quite a difference, it's quite a savings. 22 MR. BURGESS: Thank you, Vincent. 23 Thank you, Lanny. 24 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Why are our 25 absentee requests coming from New Mexico? And my 113 1 first question is, if we have a secretary that 2 works here every day, why do we need one when we 3 only have voting at certain times? 4 MR. BURGESS: Okay, that's another 5 discussion. An explanation can be that that was 6 instituted previously -- 7 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: But doesn't 8 that involve our money, our Election Board money? 9 MR. BURGESS: Everything was being 10 consistently handled, and that's what Lanny said. 11 That was a suggestion from this body hired 12 previously and everything went a whole lot 13 smoother -- 14 MR. ASEPERMY: The secretary was 15 hired so we would not have Election Board members 16 coming in and drawing an office duty stipend of 17 $100. She was put in there so we'd have a 24/7 -- 18 people do call. She was put in there to prevent 19 the office duties. And it has to a degree, but 20 not always. You come in there -- if I'm on the 21 Election Board -- you know, I tell you, this is 22 how it works: I come in, I'm on the Election 23 Board, I come in, I sign a little piece of paper. 24 I don't put the time down that I got there and I 25 don't put the time down that I leave, do they? 114 1 MS. KERCHEE: Not some times, but I 2 demand it of them. 3 MR. ASEPERMY: Not sometimes, but 4 they don't do it always, do they? There's 75 5 bucks right then. 6 MS. KERCHEE: That's the 7 Chairman's -- 8 MR. ASEPERMY: You can stay one 9 minute and you've got your 75 bucks. Is that 10 right? I don't think it's right. 11 MR. BURGESS: We've got to move on, 12 guys, because it's -- 13 MR. HENSON: We have a motion. 14 MR. BURGESS: We have a motion on the 15 table. 16 MR. ASEPERMY: I will agree with the 17 tabling because of the language of the 18 resolution. And I would like for Mr. Vice- 19 Chairman and Mr. Secretary to -- let's get it 20 right. 21 MR. BURGESS: So what we're going to 22 do then, a suggestion, what we have to do is make 23 a motion to approve. Having no motion -- 24 MR. HENSON: Motion to table. 25 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Motion's on the 115 1 floor to table. Second? Second? 2 MR. ASEPERMY: I'll second it. I'll 3 second it with the presumption that at our next 4 meeting, that the language -- or the resolution 5 will be correct in the language for presentation. 6 MRS. HENDRIX: Chairman, since the 7 Election Board is elected by the people at General 8 Council, the budget is approved by the people at 9 General Council, shouldn't this be a General 10 Council issue? Because the budget has already 11 been approved for '09. 12 MR. BURGESS: That's a good 13 statement, but actually the constitution gives the 14 responsibility in the ordinance to the CBC. The 15 people elect the Election Board and set the 16 budget. And so we're trying to keep them within 17 budget, to keep them flowing smoothly. And you 18 heard me -- you heard the example, that the plan 19 should always be reserved for any special meetings 20 or any special called General Council. Prior to 21 this time, that hasn't been done, and we're trying 22 to institute that plan, and the Election Board 23 will follow that plan. 24 MRS. HENDRIX: Okay. I would 25 suggest, if you're going to do that -- I heard 116 1 y'all say you pulled $30,000 from other programs. 2 Isn't that going against the people's wishes, 3 because the people have already voted on the 4 budget? 5 MR. BURGESS: I'm saying that was 6 done when you had the general fund black hole and 7 everybody was reduced 30 percent. That's a 8 different issue. We have a motion on the floor. 9 We have a second. Call for the question. I'm 10 sorry, Debbie, we've got to -- 11 MRS. HENDRIX: I still think it needs 12 to be the people's decision, not y'all's. 13 MR. BURGESS: Call for the question. 14 All those in favor, please say "aye." 15 (Aye.) 16 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, 17 please say "nay." 18 MRS. HENDRIX: And if we're dropping 19 the stipend on the Election Board, why can't we 20 stop the 500 for the gaming? 21 MR. BURGESS: Another question for 22 another day. 23 MRS. HENDRIX: I mean, stop the money 24 on all the council -- I mean, stipend. 25 MR. BURGESS: On our agenda, we have 117 1 a -- yes, we have a resolution that comes to us 2 for another grant, gentlemen. We just got it 3 picked up yesterday. And we have time here. Let 4 me read it for you all. This is the "whereas" 5 part. 6 "Comanche Business Committee sees the 7 critical need to conduct training, education or 8 outreach projects, that seek to reduce exposure to 9 indoor air contaminants, specifically targeting 10 indoor asthma triggers within the Comanche Nation 11 population; and, 12 "Whereas, the United States 13 Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) has 14 funds available from 25,000 to a maximum of 15 $300,000 per year for up to four years to 16 accomplish this. 17 "Whereas, the Chairman or his 18 designee is the official representative of the 19 Comanche Nation and is authorized to negotiate and 20 approve contracts and any amendments to such." 21 Do we want to change that language? 22 MR. ASEPERMY: Yes. 23 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. 24 MR. BURGESS: We'll strike that 25 language and say Comanche Nation. 118 1 MR. ASEPERMY: Or the Comanche 2 Business Committee. 3 MR. BURGESS: Yes. And there 4 continuing, "Now therefore be it resolved that the 5 Comanche Business Committee hereby approves a 6 submission of a grant application to the U.S. 7 Department of Environmental Protection Agency for 8 an environmental protection indoor pollutant 9 grant. 10 "Be it further resolved that the 11 Comanche Business Committee acting for and on 12 behalf of the Comanche Nation does hereby 13 authorize this resolution for such intent." 14 Any questions, discussion? 15 MR. ASEPERMY: And that's Resolution 16 129-09. I don't have a copy of it. 17 MR. HENSON: I don't either. 18 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, is that 19 129-09? 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, 129-09. 21 MR. BURGESS: Can I write it on 22 here? 23 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, write it on 24 here. 25 MR. BURGESS: We're going to change 119 1 the language so it should say EPA, not the entire 2 United States Department. We made the correction 3 on this original. 4 All right. A motion to approve? 5 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I make the motion. 6 MR. HENSON: I'll second that. 7 MR. BURGESS: Motion's been made by 8 Mr. Tippeconnie to approve, seconded by Mr. Henson 9 here. All those in favor, please say "aye." 10 (Aye.) 11 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, 12 please say "nay." Motion approved. 13 Is there one more motion? 14 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, there's one 15 more motion. 16 MR. BURGESS: We have some motions 17 here. I'll let Mr. Tippeconnie read those. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: This motion is -- I 19 made this motion to approve the attendance of the 20 Comanche Nation Chairman, Mr. Michael Burgess, to 21 attend The Third Annual Native American Economic 22 Development Conference, September 16th through 23 18th, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nevada. 24 MR. BURGESS: Is somebody else going? 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Economic Development? 120 1 Dates? 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Do you want to go? 3 I'll amend my motion to add the Vice-Chair, 4 Mr. Henson, as well. 5 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: Why didn't we 6 discuss this before? 7 (Discussion held off record.) 8 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Well, the reason 9 it's important to approve it, because it's best to 10 make the arrangements early. It's cost effective 11 to do it early. 12 MR. WHITEWOLF: What kind of program 13 is that? 14 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Economic 15 Development. 16 MR. WHITEWOLF: But what does it 17 entail? 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: It entails a lot of 19 opportunities expressed to tribes. It's the third 20 national one they've done for American Indian 21 tribes and Indian people. And it conveys -- 22 there's an array of people that present things. 23 MR. HENSON: There's a possibility of 24 more economic development for the tribe is the 25 only reason why I'm going. 121 1 MR. TIPPECONNIE: They throw out 2 opportunities, they throw out all kinds of things, 3 financing, businesses, just an array of things to 4 convey to the tribal leaders to look into. Then 5 there's a lot of individuals that come there that 6 would like to get in business with tribes. So 7 they're on the floor, they're in the subject 8 areas, they're in topics. So it's really a nice 9 session for those Indian tribes that are really 10 moving out in economic development. 11 MR. ASEPERMY: I will say this: On 12 our travel before -- 13 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, banks, finance 14 companies are there as well. 15 MR. WHITEWOLF: I would like to 16 question, you know, we always have our 17 committeemen going on trips for, you know, for 18 promotion, but we never hear the results. 19 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. Let me address 20 that, Mr. Whitewolf, and that's the same question 21 that I was just going to address. Okay. Some of 22 us who have gone on trips, we come back -- I've 23 asked a former Business Committee, "Well, what 24 went on at the Higher Education thing in Hawaii?" 25 "Oh, hell, the weather was great, enjoyed it." 122 1 Didn't tell me what it was about. 2 And I mentioned to this to our 3 Chairman, our current Chairman. I said, "If 4 you're going to D.C.," and he did make a trip to 5 D.C., "will you please give us a debriefing when 6 you come back?" Now, whether this debriefing will 7 include the people -- and if you notice in our 8 newspaper finally, we have our Chairman and our 9 Tribal Administrator giving monthly reports. Now, 10 what they put in that report is their business. 11 But I would hope it is something to inform the 12 people as to the state of the Nation. 13 Now, Mr. Burgess has told me what he 14 did in D.C., and I have never received that, or 15 very seldom received it from any of us who have 16 traveled. When I went on a trip, I brought 17 photographs -- 18 MRS. HENDRIX: Had you been here last 19 meeting -- 20 MR. ASEPERMY: Excuse me. I said 21 excuse me, Mrs. Hendrix, please. 22 Okay. I brought pictures back, I 23 brought the agenda, I brought my notes, and I 24 presented it to the CBC. And I'm hoping that when 25 we do travel, that it is a good thing for us and 123 1 that it is going to be beneficial to the Nation. 2 Okay? And Mr. Burgess has, on his first trip, has 3 given at least me and`-- and I don't know about 4 the rest of y'all -- a report of his activities in 5 Washington, D.C. 6 In the past, the CBC never -- if 7 somebody wanted to go, they just went. They just 8 went. We're not doing that anymore. If I want to 9 go somewhere, and if they say no, then I'm not 10 going to go. If I think that this trip is going 11 to beneficial, and I think this trip will be 12 beneficial, maybe it'll help us in some small 13 way. And he is our chief, he is our chairman, he 14 is our representative, and I couldn't think of a 15 better person to send for this trip. 16 So the motion, has it been -- I make 17 a motion that we approve this travel. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I made the motion. 19 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay, second. 20 MR. BURGESS: You second? We need to 21 finish this and I have a statement. 22 All those in favor, please say 23 "aye." 24 (Aye.) 25 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, 124 1 please say so. Motion passes. 2 Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Henson was 3 reminding me to let y'all know that we're going to 4 start establishing community meetings. So if you 5 have further questions about my travel, about 6 reporting, like you're saying Roderick. 7 MR. WHITEWOLF: I was just curious. 8 MR. HENSON: It needs to done, 9 Roderick. It needs to be done. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: It's a good point. 11 MR. BURGESS: It's a very good point. 12 MR. HENSON: I'll remind you a 13 thousand times, you own a multi-million dollar 14 business, and whoever does business for you needs 15 to tell you what's going on. I mean, this is a 16 have-to. I mean, you should demand this. 17 MR. WHITEWOLF: Well, that was the 18 context which I was -- 19 MR. HENSON: Yeah, I'm sure. 20 MR. BURGESS: I prefer to just ask. 21 That's great. 22 MR. TIPPECONNIE: That was good, 23 yeah. 24 MR. HENSON: One thing I want to 25 assure you of, if we start spending any of your 125 1 money, it's going to be to make more money for the 2 tribe. That's my point. We can't sit here -- I 3 can't stress to you, you own a multi-million 4 dollar business. The people you set up here is 5 running that business for you, so you've got to 6 think about who you want running that business. 7 You can't just sit down and throw everybody up 8 there anymore, because you're worth multi- 9 million -- over 99 million a year is what you're 10 worth, if you want the truth. 11 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: You say we own 12 a multi-million dollar business, but why don't 13 y'all -- why have we never got reports on how much 14 money that the casino in Lawton, the casino at 15 Spur, and Walters, anywhere, Red River? We have 16 never got a report. 17 MR. HENSON: We get that on a monthly 18 basis. 19 MR. ASEPERMY: It has been in the 20 Comanche Nation News. It was presented at General 21 Council. I can't remember the edition of the 22 Comanche Nation News. You had two pages from the 23 Gaming Board of each casino's revenues, expendi- 24 tures -- or, let's see, revenues, expenditures, 25 expenses and the net income. It was a two-page 126 1 spread. That is circulated to 3500 Comanches and 2 4000 others. It was presented in a slide show, if 3 I'm not mistaken. Or am I mistaken? Was it 4 presented at General Council? And you're right, I 5 remember going to a General Council and they'd put 6 a slide up there and say, all right, we made $12 7 million, and that was the end of the thing. 8 Now, we're going to call for a 9 Special General Council meeting. And this General 10 Council meeting, this is in the works with the 11 Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and Mr. Narcomey; and 12 I was very reluctant to agree with it, but I do 13 agree with it. We are going to update you folks 14 on gaming, we're going to update you on Finley & 15 Cook, we're going to update you on the Gaming 16 Commission, Economic Development, possible 17 constitution changes and resolutions. We're going 18 to tell you like it is. We haven't done a very 19 good job of doing that in the past. But, by god, 20 y'all deserve to know. 21 MR. BURGESS: So now you understand 22 why this resolution on the Election Board, if we 23 have anything that has to be counted, it will be 24 minimal if we have to, but it's generally 25 information we're going to give you, so there's no 127 1 election going on. But we, as a body, feel 2 responsible to let you know now, we're all open 3 with you all, and give you these updates that you 4 desire. 5 We have the agenda here, we finished 6 our last motion, our resolution items. We're 7 going to go forward. Deborah, what's the 8 concern? 9 MRS. HENDRIX: I apologize for 10 interrupting you, Lanny. But had you been here 11 last week, you would have been presented with a 12 report from our Chairman from his Washington trip 13 that detailed who he saw, where he went, what he 14 got, what was said and everything. And it was 15 very enlightening to the people and we enjoyed 16 it. 17 Also, I'd like to give the Chairman a 18 document on our land status. He was talking about 19 Rowell a while ago. There's supposed to be a 20 contract that was signed by Wallace Coffey on 21 January 31, 2003, a sale of contract. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, we have 23 an agenda here. We need to follow it. 24 MRS. HENDRIX: I'm just giving it to 25 him. I'm just giving it to him. 128 1 MR. ASEPERMY: I do not like 2 interruptions. 3 MRS. HENDRIX: Excuse me. 4 MR. ASEPERMY: No, excuse me. 5 MRS. GALLEGOS: I think you forgot 6 motion 15. 7 MR. BURGESS: We're coming to that 8 now. Motion 15 is about our gymnasium down here, 9 to approve transfer of moneys, $30,000 more or 10 less, to finish up the interior of the gymnasium. 11 We're using our own staff and spending our time on 12 it. The contractor was not able to complete the 13 job the way we wanted, how he wanted and when we 14 wanted. 15 MR. ASEPERMY: Tell them why. Tell 16 them why the contractor wasn't able to do it. 17 Tell them the truth. Because we had a shoddy 18 contract. We had a shoddy contract that was 19 signed by one of our officials who is no longer 20 working for the Nation, and it did not include the 21 completion of the inside of that gymnasium. And 22 we spent a whole lot of money to include cost 23 overrun. 24 MR. BURGESS: Mr. Nelson, do you have 25 any comment about this? He's handling the 129 1 contract. And it came through his office in 2 error, but now he's finishing it up. 3 MR. NELSON: You guys, bottom line, 4 they were bad contracts. It was just bad 5 contracts. Big contracts need to be signed by the 6 CBC. These were one-page contracts. We had three 7 new buildings come up and a big renovation. Even 8 contractual work we did at the museum, these were 9 major cost overruns. No modification made to the 10 original contract. 11 MR. ASEPERMY: And I will say this: 12 I will take my blame for this happening, along 13 with six other people, or six other people on this 14 Committee. Because none of us -- as part of our 15 constitutional responsibilities is contracts. It 16 got by seven of us without us asking, because we 17 trusted somebody and they lied to us. 18 And I guarantee you this, and I will 19 promise you this: There will never be another 20 contract that we don't review. And, you know, I'm 21 man enough to sit up here and tell you that I 22 screwed up, if they'll tell you the same thing, 23 and we did overlook this. We did not do what we 24 were supposed to do by constitution. Willie has 25 come up with a solution that will probably save us 130 1 a bunch of money. 2 MR. NELSON: Which one? 3 MR. ASEPERMY: So on that motion -- 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: This motion. 5 MR. ASEPERMY: I make a motion that 6 we approve this motion, Mr. Chairman. 7 MR. BURGESS: A motion's been made to 8 approve. 9 MR. HENSON: I'll second. 10 MR. BURGESS: Second by Mr. Henson. 11 Ms. Ruth? 12 MS. TOAHTY: I was going to ask you, 13 weren't the lawyers consulted about this 14 contract? 15 MR. BURGESS: No, they were not. 16 MS. TOAHTY: Well, what are they here 17 for? 18 MR. ASEPERMY: If you don't know 19 about it, how are you supposed to do something 20 about it? 21 MR. BURGESS: They were not informed 22 about it. 23 MR. HENSON: It was done in closet. 24 MRS. GALLEGOS: But the CBC knew what 25 was going on. You saw what was going on. 131 1 MR. BURGESS: They weren't aware of 2 that contract until after that TA left office and 3 the contractor started approaching one of the 4 members here. Then they started looking at the 5 contract. 6 MRS. GALLEGOS: But you saw the 7 building. 8 MR. BURGESS: They had faith and 9 trust -- 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Sandra, I just said it 11 got by seven of us. I just admitted it. We 12 screwed up. 13 MR. NELSON: The one thing is, I am 14 so tired of our Nation going after witch hunts. 15 Let's go forward. They're here, the buildings are 16 here. 17 MR. BURGESS: Okay, thank you. 18 MR. NELSON: Let's take that -- 19 MR. BURGESS: We have a motion on the 20 floor, it's been seconded. Call for the 21 question. All those in favor signify by saying 22 "aye." 23 (Aye.) 24 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, same 25 sign. All those abstain, same sign. Motion 132 1 passes. 2 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I was just 3 going to add to what Lanny said. He was not aware 4 of what happened in the past with the building and 5 everything. But I myself have sat here several 6 times and questioned about the TA's involvement in 7 different things. The questions were never 8 properly answered, so I just sat back and 9 listened. But you men worked with him day to 10 day. Some of you weren't on there, some were. 11 You knew exactly what was going on, because the 12 people out here come to several of you and told 13 you this is happening. Why can't something be 14 done about the TA? Well, now look. We're paying 15 for something that went wrong. Shame on us for 16 not listening. 17 MR. ASEPERMY: If we had this done, 18 we would pay for it anyway. And, yes, I would 19 assume that all the members of the CBC did visit 20 with our Tribal Administrator. He showed me the 21 blueprint, he showed me the costs. Did I say, 22 "Well, where's the contract?" No, I didn't. I 23 didn't, so I was at fault. 24 MR. BURGESS: And I'm going to stop 25 us right here. I'm going to stop us right here on 133 1 this, because someone else is going to ask the 2 question of A, B or C. And because we may be 3 facing litigation on this, so I'm not going to 4 discuss this anymore. There's a possibility of 5 litigation. We need to defend ourselves, so at 6 this point in time, any questions, any cost 7 overruns has to be quiet. 8 MRS. GALLEGOS: I'm not asking about 9 the past. I just want to know now. Now you have 10 a new plan. You said the employees are doing the 11 labor? 12 MR. BURGESS: The Capital Improvement 13 Program. They're doing the interior right now. 14 MRS. GALLEGOS: And the cost is going 15 to be what? 16 MR. BURGESS: More or less $30,000. 17 MR. NELSON: It's a controlled cost 18 there, Mrs. Gallegos, and employment. We don't 19 want to furlough any more people, so it's a good 20 thing, it's a good thing. 21 MRS. GALLEGOS: I just wanted to know 22 where it was coming. 23 MR. BURGESS: We're going to move 24 into new and old business. 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, I don't 134 1 know if this is proper. I would like to make 2 three motions. They're very simple motions. 3 MR. BURGESS: Do you have them 4 written down for us? 5 MRS. HENDRIX: You have an agenda. 6 MR. BURGESS: Are they in regards 7 to -- 8 MR. ASEPERMY: They're in regards to 9 a hazardous material in one of our buildings and 10 an inventory and a vehicle. You want to wait 11 till -- 12 MR. BURGESS: She has a statement on 13 behalf of several people. 14 MR. ASEPERMY: I can bring it back 15 up. 16 MR. BURGESS: We're going to just 17 amend a little bit. Mrs. Jacquetta McClung is 18 going to have the floor. She's speaking on behalf 19 of several individuals, tribal and nontribal 20 members in the community here, about bingo. 21 DR. MCCLUNG: I want to thank you, 22 Mr. Chairman and Committee, for allowing me to 23 come up here to speak on behalf of some of the 24 employees and the patrons of the bingo operation. 25 And I'm just going to repeat some stuff that I 135 1 know you already know, but that are dear to our 2 hearts. 3 Over 20 years ago you know that the 4 bingo gave birth to all gaming operations that 5 we're into now. And during those intervening 6 years, they have made money. Not a lot of money, 7 but at one point I was over bingo and I was just 8 impressed on how much we could make. 9 And so during that time, I remember 10 paying off all of their debts, and putting aside 11 the first set of moneys that went to the Elder, 12 the first Elder payment, which was about $150. So 13 from that little bingo operation in that little 14 building out there, I made enough money out of 15 that to do that first start of the Elder payment 16 and to pay off the debts that they had at the 17 time. So I know it can make money, even though 18 the word is that we're closing bingo because it 19 doesn't make money. 20 Well, it might not make money because 21 of a lot of reasons. It could be because we don't 22 have good management. It could be because we're 23 not doing the right promotions. It could be 24 because we're not good to the customers. But all 25 those could-bes are for us to think about. 136 1 I know that Bingo Country makes 2 money, and they don't have near the wonderfulness 3 we have. They have $6000 worth of electricity 4 cost and they make money. So I'm thinking: What 5 is the problem? Is it our management? What is 6 it? We can evaluate that. 7 Here's the thing I want to address, 8 is that if we're having losses and they're going 9 to just wipe us all out and put us in a trailer 10 because we're old grandmas, I don't think that's 11 what it was. I remember when Mr. Tahhahwah made 12 the resolution that the casino operation had to 13 stay open. And that resolution is still in 14 effect, so we should never have closed it to begin 15 with. So that resolution was in effect. 16 And he made the statement that has 17 always stuck with me. We don't do much for our 18 people, if we're grandmas, we don't do much for 19 the Elders, and so it makes money, it keeps it 20 alive, even if it breaks even. Like food don't 21 make money either, as you well know. It loses 22 money, it loses a whole lot more money than you 23 say bingo loses. But he said we don't do much for 24 them, and we need something for them. Just like 25 swimming don't make any money over there now. We 137 1 do that for your youth. We do things for 2 everyone. 3 So we made the resolution, it was 4 passed by General Council, it is still in effect, 5 so there's no reason why bingo should be closed, 6 absolutely. 7 (Applause.) 8 DR. MCCLUNG: And there's something 9 else about those operations. I am an accountant 10 by trade. But one thing I've always been 11 preaching is the south machines are dead when 12 we're not there. They're not. 13 Now, this is an unscientific survey, 14 but we spend on average at least $50 a night above 15 what we play at bingo. And they can tell you, 16 those people run in and out playing before and 17 after. Those machines are singing. We're 18 listening over there to which one's hitting, you 19 know, so we can run out there and play it, too. 20 Those machines sing when we're there. 21 And I had asked one time of our lofty 22 accounting people, why don't you determine what 23 they make when we're not there. They don't make 24 nothing. You go in there, that place is dead. 25 When we're there, we make it. So therefore, if we 138 1 could take what we know that they're making in the 2 machines when we're there, that's our money. 3 That's bingo's money. 4 And I know if we spent an average of 5 $50 dollars, unscientific survey, if there's only 6 100 people there, that's $5,000 a night we're 7 making. And if you allocate that, like you 8 allocate all them other expenses to us, allocate 9 that, that's way more than any loss that you're 10 saying. We don't lose money in bingo. There's no 11 way. Because even if we break even on what's 12 coming and what's going out that night, we're 13 making it over on that other side. We're making 14 it over on that other side, because we know we 15 lose our money there. 16 And we're not just old people, we're 17 retired. We're smart, we can still dob. They 18 want to put us in a little old double-wide 19 trailer. You remember those old bingo cards they 20 used to have when you slide that thing over the 21 numbers? They probably want us to have those old 22 bingo cards where you slide the number over there 23 and put us in a trailer out there. We'll rock 24 when the wind is blowing. 25 No. The resolution and the people 139 1 said this place is supposed to be open, and you 2 better get it open by September 1. Not forever. 3 That's what they're supposed to do and that's what 4 you should do. Now, here's why I'm telling you. 5 Why I'm telling you, I commend you on a good 6 meeting, I commend you on the good things you're 7 doing. It's wonderful. I enjoy coming. I quit 8 coming, you know, because I just hated it. But I 9 enjoyed the meeting today. 10 Here's the thing that I noticed, is 11 that you've lost your authority and your power 12 over gaming. Now, that's a -- 13 (Applause.) 14 DR. MCCLUNG: And I'm going to tell 15 you something. Here's why it's critical to me as 16 a Comanche. We don't look to them for the things 17 that they're doing terrible, we look to you, 18 because we elected you. And you know what? You 19 have absolutely no power over there. You have no 20 authority. Those commissions, those boards, they 21 have all the say-so. Get rid of them. You used 22 to run it. 23 (Applause.) 24 DR. MCCLUNG: And you should have the 25 final say-so, not some commission. I know who has 140 1 the highest power. It's not you. I read the 2 latest ordinance that you did. Not you did, you 3 approved. I read it. But I'm telling you, get it 4 back, because we look to you for that gaming 5 operation. That's where most of our money -- we 6 look to you. 7 If you think bingo is losing money, 8 and Real Country over there gets 55 people, they 9 have two sessions a day, and they make money. You 10 get rid of the management of the casino that's not 11 making any money, you get rid of the Board that's 12 not overseeing things. 13 (Applause.) 14 DR. MCCLUNG: If you do that, then 15 the whole operation -- they want bingo to be the 16 scapegoat for their losses. Bingo's not the 17 scapegoat; bingo gave them birth. We're going to 18 still be there. We're going to still help them. 19 You know, most of us haven't even been there. We 20 haven't thrown away another $50 a night. We don't 21 even go over there anymore, and that place is 22 dead. 23 You know, I said they should have 24 looked at Sam's. Sam's kept everything open while 25 they've added a new addition. Everything was 141 1 open, everything. They managed to keep it all. I 2 said they should have just looked at little old 3 Sam's down there, that operation. And they said, 4 okay, we're going to move these machines here, 5 we're going to move bingo, but we're going to keep 6 everything open. But did they do it? No. Just 7 come and announce we're closing bingo, we're 8 shutting bingo down, and that is not what should 9 be done. 10 It's your responsibility. We elected 11 you, we can unelect you, so get bingo open. And 12 these people that have been working, quit thinking 13 you're going to put them in housekeeping. Put 14 that bingo board up on the wall, get those 15 machines out of there, and we don't want no 16 trailer. If you have to push us in a little 17 corner, that's all right. We'll squeeze 18 together. We'll lose weight or something. You 19 know, but I'm saying please consider opening this 20 by September 1 and putting those people back to 21 work. 22 And, again, I just thank you for 23 listening to me. 24 (Applause.) 25 MR. BURGESS: I think we had a young 142 1 lady in the back that wanted to address. 2 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: You know, she 3 said it all and she said it very well. But, you 4 know, there's a couple of things in this whole 5 issue that I personally thought was really in bad 6 taste by somebody, I'm not sure, probably the 7 National Gaming Board. 8 You know, they had a meeting with the 9 employees, some of the ones that worked there, the 10 Gaming Board, and some of you guys, and they did 11 not even have the sympathy or compassion to say 12 our manager, her grandma died, her brother died. 13 They had a meeting on the day of the funeral and 14 would not even postpone it in consideration for 15 this lady right here. What input could she have 16 given to this meeting? And there was nobody that 17 had the audacity to say we should not have this 18 meeting. I mean, maybe it was your decision, I 19 don't know. 20 But they let some little old lady, I 21 saw her here earlier -- thank goodness she might 22 have went home, I might have had to point my 23 finger at her, come in and say that -- they said 24 we're having this meeting. Bingo's axed, that's 25 it. No discussion, let's go home. You know, I 143 1 think that was very poor taste. 2 And I'd like to say, I enjoy bingo. 3 I'm a professional educator, I have been for 4 years, and, you know, it's the only enjoyment I 5 have. I don't golf, I don't travel, I don't do 6 anything. I enjoy -- I don't drink, I don't 7 smoke. I'm just like you, Bunky. You know, I'm 8 educated. I've been all over, but I enjoy coming 9 home to do this with my friends, with my mother 10 and dad, who's 90 years old. You know, that's the 11 only outing that my dad has and that he truly 12 enjoys. And you guys are trying to take this away 13 from our elder people that really and truly enjoy 14 it. You know, we're not Las Vegas people. We 15 don't have to go to these great big old casinos. 16 But I thought -- I just want you guys 17 to reconsider, you know, your authority in the 18 whole picture. You know, it may not be your total 19 decision, and I don't think it's the Gaming 20 Board's either. I think it lies with the people. 21 And if we have to take it back to the people to 22 vote like we did before, the resolution is already 23 there and it's standing. We haven't seen anything 24 that says it's not standing. And I just think 25 that we need to -- like she said, September 1st, 144 1 open the doors and see what happens. Everybody 2 deserves a second chance 3 MR. BURGESS: We made a consensus 4 decision. It was based on the financing that is 5 going on. We were assured by gaming management 6 that we're going to earn approximately $2 million 7 in three months by utilizing that space. We also 8 knew that you would have concerns. We're also 9 aware of the resolution about bingo. 10 So our statement to them is that 11 bingo is going to be suspended pending further 12 study in its financial profitability. And we also 13 said that all the bingo employees would be 14 reassigned and would have other positions and 15 their current salary, all their leave reinstated. 16 If they were on vacation or sick leave, that's 17 reinstated. 18 We also left the bingo board telling 19 them, when we hear from the community, when we 20 hear from the public, and we come back and tell 21 you to put bingo back in because they told us 22 that, you're going to put bingo back in? And they 23 said yes. 24 Now, we're coming to you with 25 information. We're going to come to you later at 145 1 General Council with this whole concept of what 2 our Nation needs to do for Economic Development 3 for income to the tribe to provide the things you 4 all ask us to provide. And that's from what, 5 Willie, gasoline to emergency payments on propane, 6 fixing your water line, putting a new roof on your 7 home. 8 And I have to commend those tribes 9 back east side that take all their income and 10 don't give per cap, but fix all these things for 11 ages and priorities that they have. And we want 12 to do that. And you know what? I want to do that 13 for you, and I also don't want you to lose per 14 cap. We're not going to, and we know that. 15 So we're going to come to you with 16 this information. We're going to lay it out for 17 you and then we're going to ask you to help us. 18 What we're going to ask you for is for permission 19 to go forward and take on debt, whether it's 20 bonds, a loan, or find other avenues to create 21 funds that we can invest in activities that add 22 to, add to the programs and add to the per cap. 23 We're not here for ourselves. That's 24 the first thing I'm happy to hear. Not one of 25 these guys have said, well, what can I get or what 146 1 can I do? Not to me. They haven't heard it from 2 me. 3 I told them I don't want to be going 4 to Las Vegas, I might get in trouble. Y'all might 5 not like that. I tried to send him, I tried to 6 send him. They said, no, we're married, you go. 7 Go figure. 8 But I want us to move on. We can't 9 get bingo by September 1st, but what we're going 10 to do is set up a separate bingo hall and we're 11 going to give you a plan for further development. 12 DR. MCCLUNG: No, no. We love being 13 right there where we can run in and out. And I'm 14 going to tell you something, gentlemen -- 15 (Several inaudible conversations 16 taking place at the same time.) 17 MR. BURGESS: Wasn't that our 18 question? 19 DR. MCCLUNG: We don't want no 20 separate building. Just open it up, put that sign 21 back up there and open the thing up. 22 MR. BURGESS: We're talking about 23 plans, we're looking at the funding for -- 24 DR. MCCLUNG: We're not going to vote 25 for any $3 million if you don't put us back in our 147 1 hole. That's all I got to say. 2 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I'd like to 3 say something about that. They're wanting to -- 4 y'all are wanting to close the bingo hall. 5 MR. BURGESS: Not permanently. 6 (Several inaudible conversations 7 taking place at the same time.) 8 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Now, y'all 9 want to put more machines in there so you can make 10 more money. Now, we can't make money with the 11 machines we got in there. 12 (Applause.) 13 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: And the Fort 14 Sill Apaches are beating us to death. Why? Why? 15 Because they have a better gaming board and a 16 better gaming commission that knows how to run a 17 business. And we're paying -- we're paying our 18 CFO $225,000 a year, and y'all are wanting to 19 close a little old casino. Why don't you knock 20 his wages down? 21 MR. HENSON: Let me address that. 22 MRS. GALLEGOS: You've got a Comanche 23 sitting on Fort Sill's gaming board. 24 MR. HENSON: Can I address your 25 concerns? The Gaming Board came to us and said, 148 1 look, this is what we want to do. They presented 2 to us figures that said this is what bingo brings 3 in, and this is what could be that we have as far 4 as money's concerned. 5 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: And you 6 believed them. 7 DR. MCCLUNG: And you believed them. 8 MR. HENSON: Wait a minute. Let me 9 finish here. We did not give a consent. We 10 didn't do anything. Because I felt like, just 11 like the rest of them does, this is not us. We 12 cannot make that decision because it was brought 13 before the Board that they keep it open. So this 14 is probably going to be part of the general 15 meeting. And what it boils down to is what your 16 decision is going to make, when it's brought up on 17 the General Council is, are you going to accept 18 the figures they gave or do you want your bingo? 19 It's going to be a money factor, and you're the 20 one that's going to make that decision, not us. 21 They just presented it to us. 22 DR. MCCLUNG: We're supposed to be 23 open anyway, so we don't even need figures. We 24 have a resolution that says the Council says it 25 must be open. 149 1 MR. HENSON: My point exactly. 2 That's why I'm saying it's not up to us to make. 3 DR. MCCLUNG: And if you didn't 4 approve it, then what are they doing going over 5 there closing it? I still say put that bingo sign 6 back up, put that thing back up and let's get 7 started. Then we'll vote for your economic 8 development. 9 MR. HENSON: I agree with you. It 10 should be done. It's something that y'all wanted 11 and y'all voted for, and it's got to be done, 12 unless you change your mind. Anyway, all I wanted 13 to say is it was presented to the CBC. The CBC 14 did not make any decision on it because it's not 15 our place because you passed a motion on it. 16 DR. MCCLUNG: And I'll tell you, 17 Mr. Sharrod, if he's here, he can manipulate those 18 numbers any way he wants to, and that's exactly 19 what he's done. 20 MR. HENSON: Wait, one more. When 21 they brought those figures to us, I asked him was 22 there any consideration in the money that was made 23 at the casino. Because when they went on breaks 24 or when it was over, how much money did the casino 25 make? And he said, oh, we didn't put that in. 150 1 DR. MCCLUNG: That's right. 2 MR. HENSON: But let me tell you 3 this -- 4 DR. MCCLUNG: Get rid of him. 5 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Him and Glass. 6 MR. ASEPERMY: Ms. McClung, 7 Jacquetta, this is what was presented to us. 8 These are the numbers. They did a one-year survey 9 on our bingo. The average attendance for four 10 nights a week -- is it four or five? How many 11 nights are they open? 12 MR. BURGESS: Five. 13 MR. ASEPERMY: The average attendance 14 was 136 people. There are nine employees, you 15 have payouts. They lost $173,000 plus in one 16 year. If you put 136 machines, which is the 17 capability of that area, as a minimum, at the bare 18 minimum, the net profit after the revenues or 19 after the expenses is taken out of our revenues 20 will be $2.1 million in one year, not three 21 months. 22 Now, I disagree with another thing 23 you said. You said we don't help our Elders. We 24 give you $1,000 a year. Is that help? You know 25 what? I appreciate it. I got my first one. And, 151 1 by god -- 2 DR. MCCLUNG: And I'm the one who 3 made the first 150 to start it, so I had a direct 4 hand in that. 5 MR. ASEPERMY: I will say this: You 6 bashed our Gaming Board, you bashed our Chief 7 Executive Officer. In June of '07, we did not 8 know what our revenues or expenditures or our net 9 profit was, and we did not know that until October 10 the 1st, after we appointed Jim Patterson and 11 Daphne Ticeahkie. Sharrod was hired in 12 September. I don't agree with his salary, and I 13 don't know if it is that much. 14 MR. WHITEWOLF: Then you're remiss if 15 you don't know how much he makes. 16 MR. ASEPERMY: There's a 17 confidentiality about that. Okay? Now, we have 18 it accounted for to the penny. Well, how do you 19 know they just threw numbers on there? Well, you 20 know what? You have bank statements, you have 21 money in the vaults, and if we took the time -- 22 and I'm not going to take the time to go to the 23 bank, although it's presented to us, to count that 24 cash or the cash in the vault. They were 25 entrusted by us and appointed by us to do that, 152 1 just like you were on the Gaming Board, also, if 2 I'm not mistaken, from November to February, 3 right? We never got nothing from you as a body. 4 DR. MCCLUNG: I'm the one that was 5 fighting them to get it. I'm the one that was 6 fighting them to get it, and that's the reason I'm 7 not on the Board. Okay? So, therefore, I'm glad 8 you finally got it, because we fought them to get 9 it and couldn't get it. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: We have it now. We 11 have revenues, expenditures, net profits. No 12 matter what people may say about the Nation being 13 broke, whatever our net profit is, you're going to 14 share 40 percent of it as an Elder and as a Nation 15 member if you're 61 or younger. It's not going to 16 change. Right now we are on track. We are 1.5 17 percent less in net profit than last year, 1.5 18 percent. 19 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: That's not 20 bingo's fault. 21 DR. MCCLUNG: That's not bingo's 22 fault. And, Mr. Asepermy, let me tell you 23 something. 24 MR. ASEPERMY: No, I'm not saying 25 it's bingo's fault. I agree with you. It was a 153 1 hard thing to think about. Are we messing over 2 our Elders by not allowing them to play bingo? 3 Are we being mean and cruel? Do we think more 4 about money than we think about your 5 entertainment? I don't know. 6 DR. MCCLUNG: Let me tell you 7 something: Those machines didn't make money when 8 they were on this side. They had that bar over 9 there that could have held probably 50 machines, 10 and it didn't make one dine. 11 Here's what I'm saying: They could 12 have already done that, reconfigured that whole 13 thing to put those machines in there and see if 14 they made money. But they're right, they didn't 15 make the money beforehand, so they probably won't 16 do it again. But they could have reconfigured 17 it. And they even took another foot-and-a-half 18 out. That's all right. You know, but they could 19 have done that. It could have been accomplished 20 and the other still could have been in place. 21 That's what I'm saying. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, I'll say this -- 23 MR. BURGESS: I'm back to the agenda. 24 MR. ASEPERMY: When you get to the 25 bottom line of our casino operations, we are 1.1 154 1 percent behind. And if you want to know what 1 2 percent of $35 million is, it's less than $300,000 3 from last year. We have a recession, we have the 4 Kiowas, we have the Apaches. Do they do a better 5 job than us? I don't know. 6 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes. 7 MR. BURGESS: Well, come to ours. 8 MR. ASEPERMY: Come to ours and look 9 at what we're finally doing. It should have been 10 done four years ago. It should have been done 11 five years ago, or six or whatever. And I respect 12 what you're saying. And we have -- we must have a 13 crowd of bingo players here, you know. 14 DR. MCCLUNG: But the point I'm going 15 to make, you could have done what you did with the 16 136 machines and still had bingo. 17 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: The last point 18 I want to make is, you know, we put a lot of good 19 faith in Sharrod, his accountability, and what 20 he's done since then. But if Sharrod had taken 21 care of things here whenever he should have been 22 taking care of them, would we be paying that huge 23 amount, 1-point-something million tax, IRS tax? 24 Whatever he was supposed to have done, you know, 25 with it. 155 1 MR. BURGESS: Thank you. 2 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: That's all I 3 have to say. 4 MR. BURGESS: Thomas, this is the 5 last one. Come on, Gabby. 6 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: We can expand the 7 casino to house bingo, I don't know what it's 8 going to cost, but a million. I'm just guessing. 9 I don't know how long it will take. But that was 10 the plan, I don't know, a couple of years ago when 11 they -- Economic Development bought a torn tent 12 for -- 13 MR. BURGESS: Let me say this -- we 14 went looking for that tent. But listen, folks, we 15 are talking about plans and development over at 16 Comanche Nation Games. We're talking about plans 17 and development at Red River Casino, so we're not 18 going to discuss that today. Just letting you 19 know that September 1's kind of tight on us. 20 Because I'm looking at -- just to let 21 you know, my impression is that we're going to 22 have 5 to 10,000 extra Comanches coming around 23 here that last, that third week of September. And 24 for those that want to play bingo, we may not have 25 it up. We may not be able to do something real 156 1 quick. But, by god, I hope that they all go down 2 to the casino and play. 3 DR. MCCLUNG: No. 4 MR. BURGESS: So we're going to move 5 into our next item on the agenda. We're in old 6 and new business. We're going to move on. We 7 have to. We've already heard from Mr. David 8 Tonemah and Mr. John Harrington. 9 Mr. Jarvis Poahway, Comanche Parks & 10 Recreation. Have you got a concept, Jarvis? 11 MRS. HENDRIX: What happened to 12 Harrington? 13 MR. BURGESS: He presented to us last 14 time and he's going to have a separate meeting 15 with us. 16 The last time Mr. Tonemah talked 17 about that Native Health. He did a presentation 18 to us and we listened to him, but it's nothing to 19 vote on. Okay, Jarvis, you have the floor. 20 MR. POAHWAY: Okay, this is on the 21 proposal I wrote for the Comanche Parks & 22 Recreation. It's the Jack Dodd property that was 23 bought out there. And what we were wanting to do 24 was to utilize that west part of the creek over 25 there -- I mean on the east side of the creek over 157 1 there for a camp for our children, a place for 2 reunions. It's going to take a little bit of 3 construction to put that thing together, but 4 that's what we're looking at. 5 And I don't have -- I had a 6 presentation, but I was going to ask the Board if 7 I could come back next week -- I mean, next -- to 8 the next meeting and have that full presentation 9 with me. 10 MR. TIPPECONNIE: September 5th? 11 MR. POAHWAY: And that way -- but 12 I'll have to gain permission to go out on the 13 property, because it's not -- but it's a good deal 14 for our children. It's an excellent place. We 15 own part of the mountains, part of the Wichita 16 Mountains. And at the bottom of the mountains out 17 there, there's a lot of things that we can do. 18 There's so much property out there that could be 19 utilized. But I'm asking the Comanche Tribe to 20 try to set it aside for the time being for our 21 youth and see how it goes. If it doesn't go real 22 well for the first two or three years, then, you 23 know, scratch it. 24 MR. BURGESS: All right. You'll come 25 back next month with formal paperwork, 158 1 explanation? 2 MR. POAHWAY: Yes, a presentation. 3 MR. BURGESS: My question: You just 4 want to utilize that without tribal money? It all 5 boils down to money, so -- 6 MR. POAHWAY: Well, yeah, I've 7 studied a -- grant writer, a couple of grant 8 writers that thought that it would be a good -- 9 one of them is with the National Wildlife Service 10 out here in the mountains. And this summer I was 11 able to go out and spend a lot of time with their 12 children that they bring out to see what kind of 13 activities they had. And so they said that they 14 would help us in any way that they could in grants 15 or anything, you know, the money to do this with. 16 But if we go primitive, all we need is tepees or 17 something, you know, like that. Or build -- we 18 can build huts or whatever. It doesn't make any 19 difference. It would be a camp for children. 20 MR. BURGESS: Thank you. Look 21 forward to that. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Burgess, may I add 23 on that, on our land acquisitions we purchase? 24 MR. BURGESS: You had a motion? 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Now? 159 1 MR. BURGESS: Is that one of them, 2 the land acquisitions? 3 MR. ASEPERMY: No, I was just going 4 to make a comment on what Jarvis said. We 5 purchased this 360 acre tract under the assumption 6 that we would do something with it. We've had 7 this tract for approximately a year-and-a-half. 8 This is his second presentation. 9 When are we going to start doing 10 something with the land that we purchased? You 11 know, I've heard, well, we're going to build 12 houses on it. Well, we haven't built a single 13 house on land that we've purchased since I've been 14 on the Committee. We haven't done anything with 15 any land that we've purchased in the last two 16 years. 17 So Jarvis has come up with an ideal 18 twice now. You know, we sent our kids -- what's 19 the name of that place in the Wichita Mountains? 20 Have y'all been to the Dodd property? It's 21 beautiful. It's got a running creek. It's got -- 22 it's got potential for hiking trails, potential 23 for campsites. It's potential -- all kind of 24 potential. But we sit. What I would like to see 25 from Jarvis is a solid proposal. And you've 160 1 turned in one already, I know, Jarvis. Another 2 one, with a cost factor added to that, and what 3 would it take to do this, this, this, and that. 4 You know what I'm saying? 5 MR. POAHWAY: I'm working on that 6 right now. I'm working on a cost analysis for 7 buildings. You know, we're not going to need any 8 electricity out there very much. I mean, 9 electric, yes, but not -- we're trying to go 10 primitive. 11 MR. ASEPERMY: Solid proposal, that's 12 what I recommend. 13 MR. BURGESS: All right, Jarvis. We 14 want that in writing and your estimates next 15 meeting, please. And call the office or bring in 16 a statement so we can get you on the agenda 17 permanently -- I mean fixed. 18 Next person, Item Number 4 is 19 Ms. Eleanor McDaniel. 20 MS. MCDANIEL: Anyway, I had written 21 a letter requesting some information on the 22 college, and I have some questions on the 23 responses and some of the things that you have out 24 there on the Web site concerning the college. 25 So first of all, standard of 161 1 accreditation requires that we have partnerships, 2 so that's just one of the steps that we have to 3 take in order to become accredited as a Comanche 4 Nation College. And one of the questions I had 5 asked is do we have any existing Memorandums of 6 Understanding, and your response to me was that we 7 didn't have any. Okay. 8 So we don't have any Memorandums of 9 Understanding, but if you take a look at the 10 Comanche Nation College Web site, it discusses 11 some of the partnerships. One is Texas Tech 12 University. Supposedly we had a partnership with 13 them. And those colleges that were taken -- those 14 courses that were taken there were supposedly -- 15 the credits were supposed to be transferable, and 16 that we -- the students could have dual enrollment 17 or -- but all those credits that they take with 18 Texas Tech University was supposedly transferrable 19 credits. 20 Also, with Southwest Oklahoma State 21 University was the same thing. This is on the 22 Comanche Nation College. And then also with 23 University of Oklahoma. Cameron University, 24 also. They're talking about the college operating 25 as an educational partner to Cameron for 162 1 transferability of credits. This is on the Web 2 site. We have dual enrollment with Comanche 3 Nation College/Cameron University. It also 4 mentioned CLEET training at the Comanche Nation 5 College, and then it talks about distance 6 learning, and that's with Southwest Oklahoma State 7 University. Supposedly we've got a satellite 8 school, or did have. And then Texas Tech, dual 9 enrollment, credits of transferability. 10 It also mentions financial aid that's 11 offered, also scholarships are offered, degrees 12 are offered. 13 MR. BURGESS: Ms. McDaniel, I know 14 that you've got a question, a lengthy letter that 15 has several items on it, about 20 something or 16 more. Are you intending to go line item by line 17 item? 18 MS. MCDANIEL: No, I have got a few 19 more things. This is what I saw on the Web site. 20 And you -- and the one question that I'm trying to 21 get at is that it states that we don't have any 22 Memorandums of Understanding. That was what you 23 had sent, that was your response to me. 24 MR. BURGESS: Oh, me? 25 MS. MCDANIEL: Yes, in the letter. 163 1 MR. TIPPECONNIE: The college. 2 MS. MCDANIEL: Or the college's 3 response. Anyway, in this letter I was told we 4 have no Memorandums of Understanding. So you've 5 got all this information on the Web site, so is 6 there any truth to that, whatever's on the Web 7 site? I mean, there's a whole lot of stuff it's 8 offering. But if we don't have any Memorandums of 9 Understanding with anybody, then how can they say 10 that all these credits, students can get all these 11 credits and -- 12 MR. BURGESS: Mr. Gene Pekah from 13 Comanche College is here. Do you want to respond, 14 Gene? 15 MR. PEKAH: Yes. In 2005, there was 16 a Memorandum of Understanding with Cameron. And 17 since then, even before then, through working with 18 Cameron, we've helped over 2000 students that went 19 on to get associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, 20 master's degrees. So once they have taken the 21 college credit courses at the college, then those 22 transfer. 23 Typically, an MOU is four years. So 24 this one that we have right now that will be 25 established for this year is with the attorneys. 164 1 So through Dr. Lopez' guidance, and she is -- 2 there are no memorandums through her admini- 3 stration. This one is in the works. It will be 4 looked at by the attorneys for -- supposed higher 5 regents and then our attorneys, also. So once we 6 go through the accreditation process -- and I do 7 have some good news on the accreditation process. 8 A big step that we made this week was 9 with the interview with North Central Accredi- 10 tation for Higher Learning. And out of 12 areas 11 that they were looking at, seven of those we got a 12 very good in. So with that, we are well ahead of 13 all the colleges, tribal colleges in Oklahoma, 14 moving towards accreditation. 15 Now, that is a process. It is a 16 process in academia that has to include rigor. If 17 you were to go to and work on a college degree, 18 then there's expectations with that college 19 degree; roughly 128 hours for a bachelor's 20 degree. But we're a two-year institution. So to 21 make a long story short, we are in the process and 22 moving forward with accreditation. 23 MR. BURGESS: Let me ask you: So we 24 do have an understanding with Cameron that the 25 students attend now -- 165 1 MR. PEKAH: Until that is renewed 2 with the new one, we're working off the old one. 3 MR. BURGESS: So we're still 4 covered. The students are still getting credit? 5 MR. PEKAH: The students still get 6 college credit, except for maybe the indigenous 7 classes that haven't gone through the process. 8 And we've worked with the vice-president over 9 academic affairs to get those things. So we 10 always have these classes that we're working on to 11 get through that process. 12 And as of last Friday, we have 145 13 students that are attending class at Comanche 14 Nation College. 15 MR. ASEPERMY: How many are Numunu? 16 MR. PEKAH: That is just new and 17 entering students. Now, I don't know that, but 18 there's a lot. 19 Then we have our CLEET classes, which 20 we started up 14. We are going to work on some 21 others with report writing, another 50; and our 22 nurses, of course, eight students. So we have 23 roughly around 174, 175. 24 MS. MCDANIEL: So you have 175 25 students? 166 1 MR. PEKAH: We have 145 coming in 2 new, students and freshman this semester. 3 MS. MCDANIEL: So they all receive -- 4 so you receive funding for that, all those people? 5 MR. PEKAH: No, we don't. 6 MS. MCDANIEL: You don't get any 7 funding? 8 MR. PEKAH: In the old MOU, we did, 9 from Cameron. That's one of the things we want. 10 We are trying to get those dollars until we're 11 accredited. Then we're looking at areas for Title 12 IV, which would be -- include the financial aid. 13 MR. ASEPERMY: Cameron does not pay 14 us for those students that attend or Cameron- 15 enrolled students who takes classes at the 16 Nation. Okay? Cameron does not pay us. 17 MR. PEKAH: They come back for the 18 professors, the adjuncts, so there is some money 19 that comes in, but we want more. Through this 20 MOU, we're going to up that so that we can get 21 more dollars coming back. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: Cameron doesn't give 23 us jack. They don't pay for any tuition, fees, 24 parking. And I hope you folks don't -- 25 MR. PEKAH: They have in the past, 167 1 and we want to renew that. 2 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, they haven't in 3 the last two years I've been on the council. 4 MR. PEKAH: They've given some for 5 the adjuncts. 6 MR. ASEPERMY: And I hope that you're 7 not going to charge our Comanches or any other 8 students that go to this college. You were 9 talking about them charging another tuition, 10 another fee. They are given a choice at Cameron 11 when they enroll to take the class at Cameron or 12 to take it at the Nation. Now, if a student 13 completes that course at the Nation, Cameron 14 will -- it's just like them going to Cameron 15 except they're off campus taking the class. 16 And you talk about our indigenous 17 classes, our language or whatever. You know 18 what? A person can go in there and take that 19 class and nobody will recognize that on a 20 transcript. 21 MR. PEKAH: Oh, yes, they do. 22 Cameron recognizes it. 23 MR. ASEPERMY: Who? 24 MR. PEKAH: Comanche Language I, II 25 and III. 168 1 MR. ASEPERMY: They do? 2 MR. PEKAH: Yes. 3 MR. ASEPERMY: When did they start 4 recognizing it? 5 MR. PEKAH: Probably in the last 6 year-and-half. You have to pay the tuition. 7 MS. MCDANIEL: You say you offer 8 financial aid and scholarships. What degrees does 9 the college offer? 10 MR. PEKAH: This is one thing that 11 came up in the accreditation, is that we have to 12 offer degrees. So what's logically some of the 13 degrees that we can offer? American Indian 14 Studies, maybe more of a generalized liberal arts 15 degree, associate's degree. 16 MS. MCDANIEL: Well, what you have 17 listed -- 18 MR. PEKAH: So we will do that. 19 MS. MCDANIEL: What you have listed 20 on your Web site is that you offer an associate 21 art degree, and the college offers an associate 22 science degree, an Associate of Applied Science 23 degree, an Associate of General Studies degree. 24 Then you've got programs of the study, and it's 25 just a long list. I mean, is there any real truth 169 1 to this? Because I don't see much of it going on. 2 MR. PEKAH: Yes, there is. 3 MR. BURGESS: Eleanor, you've had 10 4 minutes, we have a long agenda, and I think this 5 is discussion that needs to go before the College 6 Council, and I'd like to take it there. 7 MS. MCDANIEL: Well, I need to 8 finish. 9 MR. PEKAH: I just want to add that 10 we are going to have community meetings. We want 11 to meet with the CBC and we want to report to the 12 membership of the Nation on our progress towards 13 accreditation. 14 MR. BURGESS: You're going to be on 15 the agenda. Can you get people, someone here for 16 the 19th? One of your council chairpersons, I 17 guess? General Council for September 19th, for a 18 PowerPoint? But I know you want to meet with us 19 earlier, Gene. Go ahead and talk to Dr. Lopez, 20 call us Monday and look for a date to sit down 21 with the CBC. 22 MR. PEKAH: All right. 23 MS. MCDANIEL: It's my floor, I 24 think, not Gene's 25 MR. BURGESS: I know it is, but I'm 170 1 going to let him respond. That's the proper venue 2 first, and then come to us. And I understand what 3 you want to know and how to get there. 4 MS. MCDANIEL: I had a couple of 5 other things I wanted to know, since I've taken 6 the time to come. Also, too, not only everything 7 that's on the Web site, you know, I wanted to know 8 if there was any truth to that, but also what 9 other grants are we looking for, you know. You 10 don't have to answer anything, but other than 11 Department of Labor -- 12 MR. BURGESS: Again, Eleanor, there 13 are other grants out there that they have to 14 pursue, and they can do that when they get their 15 letter, or they get their accreditation process. 16 They know this, and they're headed there in the 17 right direction. 18 MS. MCDANIEL: Well, there's so many 19 things I have questions about, especially the 20 College Council, the stipend. I was reading in 21 the charter that they're given a $500 stipend, but 22 then those -- in the response to your letter you 23 also included travel, hotel, and all this other 24 stuff. And in the charter it states that this 25 $500 is supposed to cover it all. But you not 171 1 only give them a stipend, but you also pay for 2 their airfare, their hotel and their mileage, 3 also. 4 MR. BURGESS: And that's the things 5 we've been studying and looking at, and we're 6 working with them to reduce all of that. And 7 currently the Council is not accepting any 8 stipends. Some of them have been traveling on 9 their own, you just don't hear it, and I hear that 10 from their meeting. And that's what I've 11 encouraged them to do, and they're looking at 12 their budget to find ways to work within a more 13 acceptable budget to the community. We're trying 14 to get there. We know that everybody's observant. 15 I'm just asking you now, that we have an agenda, 16 about 15 more items to get through. 17 MS. MCDANIEL: And everybody's had 18 their time, so I -- 19 MR. BURGESS: Well, everybody's had 20 time. We gave a lot of time to one person 21 representing a lot of people. You're representing 22 a lot of people. I think they had about 20 23 minutes. You've got 10 going on 15 24 MS. MCDANIEL: Okay. 25 MR. BURGESS: And then I'm going to 172 1 cut you off. 2 MS. MCDANIEL: Conflict of interest. 3 We have the president's husband, isn't he working 4 there? 5 MR. BURGESS: I don't know. 6 MS. MCDANIEL: What? 7 MR. BURGESS: I don't know. I'm not 8 employed there, I don't know. Go on. What's your 9 next concern? 10 MS. MCDANIEL: And then it's in the 11 charter also, I read that there's a place for a 12 conflict of interest so that if there's any people 13 that have any relation to one another and are in 14 involved in these contracts, you know, it's a 15 conflict of interest. So what I'm saying is, we 16 have a president and her husband is working as a 17 contract employee. We also have a secretary/ 18 treasurer who signs checks for the college and 19 also signs checks for stipends, travel and per 20 diem, and those Council members are on the board. 21 MR. BURGESS: Again, I'm going to 22 remind you, and I'm going to go to the agenda here 23 to the next person, those are things that you need 24 to take to the College Council. And Mr. Pekah, 25 again, check with Dr. Lopez to establish a meeting 173 1 with the CBC. I thank you, Eleanor. I told you I 2 would cut you off. 3 MR. WHITEWOLF: Maybe she could get 4 an agenda item on the General Council. 5 MR. BURGESS: Maybe. But thank you 6 very much. I think she needs to talk with the 7 College Council first. Well, I mean, everybody 8 knows about this already, but let's give the 9 Council a chance to respond. 10 MR. WHITEWOLF: It's interesting. 11 MR. BURGESS: It is, but we've got an 12 agenda here. That's another avenue or another 13 agenda. 14 MS. MCDANIEL: Well, I had asked for 15 time and I still haven't gotten to my point. 16 MR. BURGESS: Make your point. 17 What's your point? 18 MS. MCDANIEL: So the college is 19 still in operation, it's going to continue to 20 run? 21 MR. BURGESS: It was funded, yes. 22 MS. MCDANIEL: So we're -- so what I 23 am asking here, is that in 2008, I had a program 24 that was established there. It's called the 25 Cultural Studies Program. So I am asking that I 174 1 be given a room to house my little program. 2 MR. BURGESS: Go to the Council. 3 That's their decision. They're responsible for 4 the building and the activities in it. 5 MS. MCDANIEL: Well, I've already 6 asked for it once and, you know, it just didn't 7 happen, so -- 8 MR. ASEPERMY: She was snubbed. 9 MS. MCDANIEL: I was snubbed, and 10 Dr. Lopez said that Eleanor McDaniel will never 11 step foot in this college. 12 MR. BURGESS: She told you that? 13 MS. MCDANIEL: Yes. 14 MR. BURGESS: Well, her supervisors 15 are the College Council, and we'll take it there. 16 MS. MCDANIEL: That's the other 17 thing. They need to be replaced because they're 18 old. They've been in there since 2002. 19 MR. BURGESS: I will say this about 20 that College Council, ladies and gentlemen. As a 21 lot of you know -- and Jacquetta, I'm sorry, your 22 sister's name? Sandra, you mentioned to Bunky 23 about the education, the knowledge and experience 24 that you've all gathered around the country and 25 around the world. I believe every individual on 175 1 that Council, other than one and myself, have a 2 PhD or master's or higher, I should say it that 3 way. And several of them are noted in their 4 fields of study and education. And it does help 5 the college to have that kind of professional 6 degrees, qualifications behind people on that 7 body. 8 Now, I know there's a lot of 9 discussion about relieving them and getting other 10 people. But those qualifications say a whole lot 11 in the field of education. It stands a lot when 12 non-Indians look at the college and see that we 13 have these qualifications of that leadership. I'm 14 not saying they all have to be there, but it's 15 good to have all that kind of qualifications when 16 this college is going to stand up and seek the 17 funds that it needs to live on its own. We've 18 talked with the college, and the college knows 19 it's under the gun. They've been funded for this 20 year. And we stand by what you're saying and what 21 you're doing. That's what you've asked us to do. 22 DR. MCCLUNG: And those qualifi- 23 cations are required by that board and your staff 24 for accreditation. 25 MR. BURGESS: And that board, let me 176 1 remind you, we've heard from Mr. Asepermy and a 2 few others, that board put their trust in an 3 individual that was brought in who gave them a 4 very good snow job on items. And they found a lot 5 of things that some of us, when I was staff, were 6 trying to tell them that simply were not the way 7 it was presented. Now they know that. I've heard 8 it personally. So they do have this one year and 9 they're working diligently. I'm not going to take 10 anymore statements. I'm not going to receive 11 anymore. We have another gentleman that's going 12 to present his position. 13 MS. NOWELL: I wanted to respond to 14 what Mr. Asepermy said, if I could. 15 MR. BURGESS: You have one minute, 16 please. 17 MS. NOWELL: I'm only going to 18 respond. Just a clarification, if I could. My 19 name is Carlotta Nowell. I run the Practical 20 Nursing Program. I just want to clarify something 21 for you. Your question was: How many students do 22 pay the school tuition? There's only one group of 23 students that pay tuition, and that's the 24 practical nursing students. Our budget was cut. 25 MR. BURGESS: That goes directly to 177 1 the college. 2 MS. NOWELL: We were just shorted 3 $23,000 this week by the college. So we are the 4 only students of the college, but we are also the 5 only ones that are paying into the college. Thank 6 you. 7 MR. BURGESS: Thank you. Next? 8 We're moving to Mr. John Wahnee. I'm sorry, we've 9 got to go on. Mr. Wahnee, come forward. You've 10 got five minutes, sir. 11 MR. WAHNEE: Good afternoon, members 12 of the Comanche tribe, Business Committee. I had 13 the honor of serving the Comanche Housing 14 Authority for about seven months. I really gave 15 it my best effort every day possible. 16 When I was hired by the Board of 17 Commissioners, who are sitting here, they said, 18 "Mr. Wahnee, you're going to run into some serious 19 issues. You're going to run into some illegal 20 issues. You're going to run into problems with 21 the employees at the Housing Authority. They come 22 when they want to, they go when they want to, 23 they're never here. We want you to get on top of 24 this. We want you to straighten this up." 25 Well, I listened to what the Board of 178 1 Commissioners told me to do. And when I started 2 correcting the employees, when I started having 3 them do what they're supposed to do, I was 4 terminated, because I, I guess, was corrective. I 5 thought that's what supervisors were supposed to 6 do. I don't know. 7 Under the issue of unsatisfactory 8 performance, I've given the Council a detailed 9 written summary report, which I'm not going to 10 make everything known to the public. I'm going to 11 show members of this Committee respect that they 12 didn't show me by working behind my back. Like I 13 -- I'm not going to go there. I'm not going to be 14 unprofessional like they were. They know who they 15 are. Two of them, they know who they are. 16 But all I can tell you is, I did the 17 best I could for you. And the bottom line on it 18 is, is that you have 55 pages of findings at the 19 Housing Authority. That means that someone 20 violated 55 line items of issues, federal 21 policies, state policies, and not one of them was 22 issued unsatisfactory performance. But I got 23 unsatisfactory performance because I was 24 correcting employees. Now can somebody explain 25 that to me? Mrs. Tonips, can you explain that to 179 1 me? 2 You've been on the board seven 3 years. All of that corruption has gone on under 4 your administration. You've allowed it to go on. 5 You need to go. You to need go, too. 6 And so I'm just telling you, as 7 members of our Comanche tribe, Committee, I'm 8 saying this to you. Please listen to me. There 9 is corruption at the Housing Authority. There's 10 misuse of federal funds at the Housing Authority, 11 violations of federal regulations at the Housing 12 Authority, violations of state statutes going on 13 at the Housing Authority; nepotism, Sallie Tonips 14 and her niece, Sally Hill. Sally Hill needs to 15 go. 16 MR. BURGESS: Mr. Wahnee, you're 17 going into a gray area when you mention names. 18 You can mention positions, you don't need to 19 mention names. 20 MR. WAHNEE: Well, I'm sorry. But 21 the bottom line on it is, I'm going to tell you, 22 Chairman, I'm very upset because I've tried my 23 best to do what I could for our Comanche people. 24 And I tried to help our Elders every way I could, 25 but sometimes the Board of Commissioners wouldn't 180 1 let me. Sally Hill; I got 32 e-mails a day from 2 her trying to run the Housing Authority from her 3 office as a secretary. 4 MR. BURGESS: I think you've got the 5 names mixed up. 6 MR. WAHNEE: Sallie Tonips. 7 MR. BURGESS: I'm reminding you, try 8 to speak in general terms. 9 MR. WAHNEE: All I can tell you, 10 Committee, I've given you a detailed summary 11 report of the violations that have been committed 12 against me, reprisal actions that were committed 13 against me, even by tribal officials. I'll deal 14 with them individually and privately. 15 But all I'm trying to ask the 16 Business Committee, I just want to say this to 17 you: You are the supervisors of these committees, 18 and if you allow these committees to continue the 19 way you're allowing them to continue, shame on the 20 CBC. Because you've got a lot of corruption going 21 on, you've got a lot of illegal activities going 22 on, you got nepotism going on. And when I tried 23 to follow the policies, I did not violate one 24 policy, I was let go, unsatisfactory. You all 25 know who I am. Thirty-two years I gave the 181 1 federal government. 2 3 MRS. HILL: Mr. Burgess, may I speak 4 on that? 5 MR. WAHNEE: Honorable, honorable. 6 MRS. HILL: You don't tell me to 7 hush. 8 MR. WAHNEE: Thirty-two years. I'm 9 sorry, but after 32 years with the federal 10 government, I come into an environment like 11 this -- 12 MR. BURGESS: Sally Hill, Sally Hill, 13 come up here, come on this side. Come stand over 14 here. 15 MR. WAHNEE: Oh, come on up here and 16 cry. You're going to cry. 17 MR. BURGESS: Excuse me, sir. 18 MR. WAHNEE: That's what she did last 19 time. 20 MRS. HILL: That is Housing property. 21 That is Housing property. 22 MR. WAHNEE: She's fired more people 23 in one week. 24 MRS. HILL: He has Housing property. 25 MR. WAHNEE: That's how she is. 182 1 MRS. HILL: Oh, you want to say 2 that's how I am? 3 MR. WAHNEE: Unprofessional. 4 MR. BURGESS: Calm down. You have 5 five minutes. 6 MR. WAHNEE: I'm through. 7 MR. BURGESS: She wants to say 8 something. Thank you very much. 9 MR. WAHNEE: I gave y'all my report. 10 MR. BURGESS: Calm down. Sally, came 11 down. And I'm going to say this, Sally. He 12 mentioned names, he mentioned items, and ideas. 13 Don't you go anywhere near a statement that will 14 be involved in a court of law. 15 MRS. HILL: No, he stated -- he 16 stated for the record that he never violated 17 any -- 18 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Now -- I 19 understand. Don't make a statement about anything 20 that y'all have -- whatever is done, I don't know 21 what was done, how it was said. Don't make any 22 statement. Mr. Wahnee, Mr. Wahnee sit down. No 23 batement here. 24 MRS. HILL: I will see you in court. 25 MR. BURGESS: Mr. Wahnee, no baiting 183 1 here. 2 MRS. TONIPS: The only thing I would 3 like to say is according to our nepotism policy, 4 that the relationship he refers to, my cousin's 5 daughter, that relationship is not in our nepotism 6 policy. 7 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 8 MRS. TONIPS: Aunts, uncles are not 9 listed in there. 10 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I've got the 11 employee policy, nepotism favoritism. 12 MR. BURGESS: All right, Mike. Thank 13 you. Now, it's a hot issue. Mr. Wahnee, you 14 wanted to express yourself and make a statement, 15 and you did. I'm sorry, Sally, I don't want you 16 to be involved in any lawsuit, not before this 17 public body here. I know you're angry and mad, 18 but I cannot allow you to make any statement or 19 rebuttal, because anything that goes on in a court 20 of law is out here in the open. 21 So I apologize to you, I know you're 22 mad, but I think anything -- any reprisal will 23 come to this body again or anybody on here, so 24 because of the -- if there is a lawsuit filed. I 25 just saw that paperwork. And so that's why it's 184 1 being copied and handed to the attorneys. Thank 2 you. Sally, just go on home, please. Calm down. 3 Your mom is ill. Okay? Yes, Sallie Tonips. 4 MRS. TONIPS: I did have a couple of 5 people mention that Edward does have one of our 6 Housing documents or something. 7 MR. BURGESS: How pertinent is it to 8 -- is it a public knowledge document or is it a 9 private document? 10 MRS. TONIPS: I don't know. 11 MR. ESCHITI: It's policies that was 12 given to us upon employment. 13 MR. BURGESS: Okay. That's fine, 14 Sallie. He can retain it. 15 MRS. TONIPS: Okay. 16 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Mike, can I 17 say something? 18 MR. BURGESS: Go ahead, Ben. 19 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: You know me, 20 Mike. I worked with the discretionary a while 21 back. You know, the program was terminated with 22 me and Willie Nelson ran it, and then me and 23 Anthony Monahsey ran it. Okay. 24 I went out and got an item for an 25 elder. Okay? I got an item for them, a 185 1 refrigerator. Mrs. Tonips over here, I took a 2 check down here for her to sign. She goes, "Why 3 did you get her such an expensive item?" I said, 4 "I didn't get her an expensive item, I got her a 5 quality item." And she said, "Why did you get her 6 a three-year warranty?" I said, "Well, to keep 7 her from coming back again." 8 You know, what's the deal there, you 9 know? What the Housing needs is somebody that 10 cares in there. These board members don't care. 11 Clorainda does. Sallie threw that check to 12 Clorainda to sign. Clorainda said, "Yeah, I'll 13 sign it." You know, and it's been bothering me 14 all this time since -- even though I'm gone from 15 there, still. You need somebody in there that 16 cares about our people. That's how I feel. 17 But we need to do something about it. 18 I'm gone from there, you know, but, still, I just 19 had to say that because I care for people. That 20 was my job to go in there and help, and that's 21 what happened. That's one thing that's been 22 bothering me all this time since I've been gone 23 from there. One thing, and she did it. 24 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Thank you. 25 MRS. HENDRIX: Who's the other 186 1 commissioners? 2 MR. BURGESS: Excuse me, Deborah. 3 There's other Commissioners here you can ask. 4 Ladies and gentlemen, we do have an agenda. I 5 know tempers have flared, emotions are high. 6 Mr. Wahnee, if there's anything else you want to 7 talk to us about, you come to us as a body, not 8 now. 9 MR. WAHNEE: I want to thank y'all 10 for allowing me to come and speak. Thank you very 11 much. I respect you for that. 12 MR. BURGESS: Thank you. 13 MR. WHITEWOLF: Mr. Chairman, as the 14 Chief of Police -- you are the Chief of Police, 15 right? 16 MR. BURGESS: Well, over Vernon, yes, 17 we are. 18 MR. WHITEWOLF: Our Chief of Police 19 comes to you, but you're where the buck stops, 20 right? 21 MR. BURGESS: Yes. 22 MR. WHITEWOLF: Now, as I heard the 23 report, he talked about corruption. So now it's 24 on your back to adjudicate this -- 25 MR. BURGESS: Yes, there are 187 1 allegations. 2 MR. WHITEWOLF: -- to the proper 3 authorities. 4 MR. BURGESS: And that means that we 5 have to sit down and talk to those parties that 6 might be mentioned. 7 MR. WHITEWOLF: Not only the parties, 8 but if you find any suspicion, it's your duty -- 9 MR. BURGESS: And there are audits 10 that are taking place, there are findings and 11 audits that are taking place that will bring that 12 out. But we'll go through the procedures and 13 policies -- 14 MR. WHITEWOLF: No, but I'm trying to 15 tell you it's more serious than that. 16 MR. BURGESS: I understand that. 17 MR. WHITEWOLF: Your position. 18 MR. BURGESS: I understand. And, 19 Roderick, for your information, documentation 20 handed is making allegations to several of us 21 personally, so I can't say anymore. 22 MR. WHITEWOLF: I'm not worried about 23 allegations. 24 MRS. TONIPS: The check that he 25 referred to before he slunk out, whatever -- 188 1 anyway, it was over $1000 for one refrigerator. 2 How many tribal members could we have helped? 3 Checks we're signing right now are for $200 to 4 $300. And, yes, they're not top-of-the-line ice 5 makers, but we are using -- 6 MR. BURGESS: That's your policies, 7 that's your Board of Commission policies. That's 8 where you're going to deal with that, not over 9 here. 10 MRS. TONIPS: Anyway, that was one 11 refrigerator. 12 MR. BURGESS: We appoint y'all to 13 take care of that business. There's five of you 14 that's supposed to come to that agreement to set 15 those policies and standards. And sometimes you 16 need to listen to the staffing and what goes on. 17 I'm just saying that. Your recommendations should 18 come from the staff to you all. That's your 19 business, and you should be open to that. Okay? 20 That's what you're supposed to take care of. 21 That's why you're appointed. 22 I have an agenda here. We have an 23 agenda we have to follow, gentlemen. 24 MS. TSATOKE: Mr. Chairman, I would 25 like to say something right fast. You know, we're 189 1 appointed by you guys to serve on the Comanche 2 Housing. And when I was asked to do this, I 3 didn't just jump and say, yes, I want to do this. 4 Because when I got on there, I wanted to think 5 that I could help my Comanche people in some way. 6 I don't get -- we don't get big 7 checks. We don't get like some of your others 8 do. And sometimes we're in there seven, eight -- 9 sometimes eight hours. And, yes, I have to say, 10 John David Wahnee did a good job, as far as taking 11 care of the things that happened before we got 12 there. Some of these things that you guys are 13 listening to are some things that happened way 14 back there when there were other commissioners and 15 other EDs. We have to abide by HUD, the rules of 16 the state. 17 It's not nothing personal. But the 18 steps that we had to take, believe me, I would not 19 make those decisions if I knew it had to 20 jeopardize myself. And that's why these decisions 21 were made. And I'm there to help the people, not 22 for my own glory or whatever. 23 MR. BURGESS: All right. 24 MS. TSATOKE: And neither are the 25 commissioners either. 190 1 MR. BURGESS: Thank you. We're 2 moving to Item Number 7, which is the Elders 3 Council. 4 MR. JOHNSON: Thank you, 5 Mr. Chairman. My name is Arthur Tommy Johnson, 6 and I'm the Vice-Chairman of the Elder Council. 7 And we're here today to try to get some answers as 8 to what happened to our money. I've heard all 9 afternoon how the General Council is the Supreme 10 Governing Body. They made a decision to build an 11 assisted living center. So they appropriated 12 money to the tune of $250,000 a year since '05. 13 '05, '06, '07, '08, and we've asked the CBC time 14 and time again exactly what happened to that 15 money. And the only answer we've got to date is 16 that we have -- and you correct me if I'm wrong. 17 We have one year's appropriation, right? 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We have two. We 19 have this year's and we have a previous year. 20 MR. JOHNSON: Okay, that's news. 21 MR. TIPPECONNIE: You have a previous 22 year that's in the bank, from a previous year. 23 MR. JOHNSON: Anyhow, we have a 24 resolution. I think it's 18-08, Number 18-08. 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Tommy, is that in that 191 1 package you presented us? 2 MR. JOHNSON: Yeah, it is. Well, 3 anyhow, we were wondering what happened to that 4 money. You say that General Council made a 5 decision for that money and it's gone. Most of 6 it's gone. So we're here today asking the CBC, 7 how are we supposed to build a nursing home or 8 assisted living center when all that -- most of 9 the money's gone? 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Tommy, I know that we 11 can account for your money from March of '07 12 forward. I know we can through Finley & Cook 13 based on documentation. Now, I can't tell you 14 that we can track it back to '05. I can't tell 15 you that for sure. 16 MRS. HENDRIX: I can. 17 MR. ASEPERMY: So I'm just saying 18 that is what we know for sure, from March of '07 19 forward. That includes your '08 funding and your 20 current year funding, this year and last year for 21 sure, right? 22 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. 23 MR. ASEPERMY: And we should be able 24 to track half of -- and I'll tell you the honest- 25 to-God truth. I don't know what Finley & Cook can 192 1 find out about what happened to your money in '05, 2 FY '06 or half of FY '07 because of a shoddy 3 financial deal here. 4 MS. HALL: Well, April 16th, 2005, we 5 were told -- be put in a -- 6 MR. JOHNSON: When was that? 7 MS. HALL: April 16th, 2005, during 8 General Council. We even have the minutes. 9 They're not in here, but we do have the minutes 10 that states that. And every time we would go to 11 the CBC -- maybe one or two, they would say that 12 they had the money. "You got the money. When you 13 build the nursing home, it's going to be paid 14 for. You got the 2.5 million," they said. 15 Okay. We got together and we got 16 that started. Tahhahwah gave us some money and I 17 think it was 60,000, and we done what we were 18 supposed to do. We done the survey, we done the 19 feasibility study, and we gave you a book of 20 everything that we done, how we were going to do 21 it. Then we were told that, no, there was no 22 money. But they put us off for three years, and 23 they sort of pacified us, you know. We got all 24 this stuff done. Then when we came to give them 25 the contract, no money. 193 1 MR. JOHNSON: The last word we got 2 was when Mr. Wauqua was the TA. And he wanted us 3 to build it and for it to be built in a certain 4 area. And he said, "Here's the plans, this is my 5 plans, you either take it or leave it." And we 6 said, "Well, we've done the survey, and the site 7 was picked at north of the Indian Hospital on 8 trust property." And we had an agreement with the 9 three tribes involved. They were all behind 10 them. Anyhow, we got bogged down because there 11 was no money. 12 MR. ASEPERMY: Tommy, did we actually 13 have a black and white agreement with the KCA? 14 MR. JOHNSON: We sure did. We went 15 to a meeting, we got -- 16 MR. ASEPERMY: Is that document 17 included in your packet? 18 MR. JOHNSON: No, not in here. 19 MS. HALL: No, not in here. 20 MR. JOHNSON: Because they gave us an 21 agreement. But at that time, they said they were 22 told that it had to go before the Kiowas. 23 MR. TIPPECONNIE: They had to vote on 24 it. 25 MR. JOHNSON: Uh-huh. 194 1 MS. HALL: Yeah. 2 MR. JOHNSON: Well, the Kiowas ruled 3 on it and said their KCA members had the authority 4 to change that business for them. They didn't 5 need to put it on the ballot. 6 MR. ASEPERMY: What about the 7 Apaches? 8 MS. HALL: Yes, the Apaches agreed to 9 it and the Comanches, we thought -- we hoped 10 agreed do it. The Kiowas had to take it to a 11 vote. And then when we gave the letter to the 12 Chairman, the Election Board made a statement that 13 it wasn't written in the proper order so it wasn't 14 put on the ballot. So that's when we found out we 15 didn't have any money. 16 MR. BURGESS: Okay. So in your 17 conclusion here, what is it you want us to do? 18 MR. JOHNSON: Well, in our 19 conclusion, you know, this has been voted on by 20 the General Council, that money's been 21 appropriated, line item, there's a resolution as 22 to what to do with it. I just think we need to 23 take some action, all of us. Get on the same 24 page, let's take some action. Heck, we're dying 25 off faster than, you know, we can get anything 195 1 going. 2 MS. HALL: Well, what I hear is that, 3 you know, everybody wants to help the Elders, you 4 know, we've got to take care of our Elders. But 5 then I hear today they done away with the bingo 6 that's for the Elders. Then we got the nursing 7 home. You're not even looking at the nursing home 8 for the Elders, so really you're not taking care 9 of the Elders. We have about, I can tell you, 10 10 people that have passed away that was waiting for 11 that nursing home to be built, 10 Comanches. 12 MR. ASEPERMY: We have 1300-plus 13 Comanches that are 62 or older, so that kind of 14 gives you a gage. 15 MS. HALL: Yes, and then some of 16 y'all are 62 and over, too. I mean, really, 17 you're an Elder. 18 MR. ASEPERMY: I'm just giving you a 19 figure, and it's 1300 or more. 20 MS. HALL: If one of you gets sick 21 and has a stroke, you're going to be at the 22 nursing home with the white people and you're not 23 going to have a place to go to. And, you know, 24 this is no laughing matter. We need the nursing 25 home more than we need anything else. 196 1 MR. ASEPERMY: Can I ask you a 2 question, y'all here? 3 MS. HALL: Yes. 4 MR. ASEPERMY: If this nursing home 5 becomes a reality, do all people -- do you 6 think -- are our people going to be provided the 7 care of a nursing home? Are they going to be 8 required to pay? 9 MR. JOHNSON: It's in the packet. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, yes or no? 11 MS. HALL: If you'd look at your 12 package that we gave you -- 13 MR. ASEPERMY: Are they going to be 14 required to pay through Medicare or Medicaid? 15 MS. HALL: Okay. If you had looked 16 at our package that we gave you, you will see that 17 we've gotten an insurance that's AARP approved. 18 MR. JOHNSON: Read your packet. All 19 these questions -- 20 MR. ASEPERMY: I have read and read 21 and read. 22 MS. HALL: No, you didn't. You 23 didn't read this one. 24 MR. BURGESS: Thank you. I want to 25 make a statement before y'all leave here. One of 197 1 the things I brought up, ladies and gentlemen, 2 with Indian Health Services, when I did make my 3 trip, was this very same item, that we are looking 4 at developing this assisted living, retirement 5 home, whatever we want to call it, and that the 6 passage of the new Healthcare Indian Improvement 7 Act, which is sponsored by Congressmen Rahall and 8 others, in that legislation, it will be allowed 9 that Medicare -- I think it was Medicare or the 10 other one. Medicaid would pay for the cost of 11 folks living in assisted living centers so we 12 wouldn't have to do a nursing home. 13 And the reason we wouldn't have to do 14 a nursing home was twofold. One, you'd have to 15 have 24-hour doctor's care on site. The second 16 was, a nursing home is the only thing Medicare or 17 Medicaid would approve. But with a new 18 legislation, it would change that. People living 19 at this assisted living center would be -- their 20 bills would be covered by the Medicare/Medicaid 21 program. So our Elders who didn't qualify or 22 people who weren't eligible for it could get their 23 payments covered. So it's not just our insurance, 24 and not just our tribal monies would be the only 25 thing they can access to help with the cost of 198 1 living there. 2 And the reason we want it where you 3 said, is that we're pushing to get the hospital to 4 be built up, would be a real hospital with 24-hour 5 doctors. We would look at an MOU with IHS to 6 provide that 24-hour doctor's care and 7 supervision. That's why we want to build it right 8 five foot from the fence line and have access to 9 the building from IHS, so we, our program, is not 10 paying for the doctor's care that's required for 11 those people there. So that why it's highly 12 important. 13 And Mr. Tippeconnie assures me and we 14 are telling you now, from this day forward, all 15 that money that's collected for this line item is 16 going to be there after such time we get this 17 developed and ready to break ground. 18 MR. JOHNSON: Let me get this 19 straight now. I hear y'all saying that all that 20 money that's been appropriated is not going to be 21 touched except for -- 22 MR. BURGESS: Yes, that's what it was 23 for. 24 MR. NELSON: Mr. Chairman, can I add 25 something? 199 1 MR. ASEPERMY: Mike, are you talking 2 back to '05? 3 MR. BURGESS: Now, this day forward, 4 this funding period forward we have to put it 5 there. 6 MR. ASEPERMY: We should have 7 accountability on '08 and '09. 8 MR. NELSON: Mr. Chairman, can I add 9 something? 10 MR. MAHSEET: I was just going to 11 say, since you're new to the KCA, that KCA came 12 back to us and told us that at the time -- about 13 the same time Donny came in, was that the fact 14 that the Kiowas said, "Well, why should we go with 15 Comanches? We can build our own. We can service 16 our own Kiowa people, because of the issues that 17 Comanches are going to have their own style of 18 living." 19 Kiowas are going to have their own 20 and the Apaches are going to have their own. So 21 the statement has been made that KCA okayed it. 22 They never okayed it, because it had to go back to 23 the Kiowas, or the Kiowas came back. And that's 24 what they told us. 25 MR. BURGESS: That's what they said? 200 1 MR. MAHSEET: Yeah. But they never 2 voted on it. So the issue is not with the 3 Comanches. And if it is, then maybe we should 4 look at our property. 5 MR. BURGESS: Our own -- 6 MR. MAHSEET: Well, at our own 7 facility and build our own property and we take 8 care of our own instead of involving KCA. 9 MR. BURGESS: And, see, that's 10 precisely the position we need to have. If it's 11 going to be our own facility, we have a right to 12 use that land and get it demarcated if we want to. 13 We can ask for that. 14 MR. MAHSEET: With their approval. 15 MR. BURGESS: Yeah, with approval. 16 And if they didn't want to approve it, then here 17 we go again. I would encourage -- and we want to 18 encourage the other tribes, let's work together. 19 If each one wants to have our own facility, fine. 20 But let's have it close to the hospital because of 21 the medical cost and the liability that comes with 22 the hospital. 23 MR. MAHSEET: That is KCA property. 24 That's why I'm saying we -- 25 MR. BURGESS: An option would be -- 201 1 you know, we need to have an option, a backup 2 plan, but, yes. 3 MR. NELSON: To add to you, Eddie, 4 the TA up there, they're under the understanding, 5 if this ever did go down, that you guys better 6 make some room for Kiowa people. See, that's 7 where it's at. You know, that's where it's at. 8 It's like a KCA effort. 9 MR. JOHNSON: I beg to differ with 10 you. We've talked to all those guys and 11 everybody's got old people that need help. That's 12 the first thing we're concerned about. Now, all 13 this Kiowa, Apache and whatever, it doesn't exist 14 but in some people's mind. But when you're 15 talking about old people, we all -- look around. 16 How many young people do you see here? And it's 17 the same way with the Kiowas. They have come to 18 us. Earl Dupont, his mother was in a nursing home 19 dying, and she asked, "When are those Comanches 20 going to get their assisted living home finished? 21 That's where I want to go." 22 MR. BURGESS: She didn't say a Kiowa- 23 owned or whatever. 24 MR. JOHNSON: No, Kiowa or whatever. 25 MR. BURGESS: Assisted living. 202 1 MR. JOHNSON: Just because that's -- 2 historically, we do fight among each other, but 3 some things, you know, we've got to work together. 4 MR. NELSON: To back up, Tommy, what 5 we discussed when you came to my office when I 6 first came into office, there was a plan where 7 Wauqua was going to build right by Southwestern 8 Hospital. Well, this plan is the same plan that 9 we had at the women's shelter built. The plans -- 10 I don't know. I don't know where it went, Tommy. 11 Forgive our Nation. I don't know where the plans 12 are. 13 At the same time, what you guys -- 14 you know, I will work with you as charged by the 15 CBC in the past. It's just whatever you're 16 talking about, Mike, and what we're going with 17 here. 18 MS. HALL: We want it built according 19 to Oklahoma standards, so that we have all these 20 Medicare and things -- you know, you can't just 21 throw a building up, a shelter here. 22 MR. NELSON: Statistically, there's 23 -- how many was it? 24 MR. JOHNSON: We're real adamant and 25 passionate about getting this done. 203 1 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: It's 33 2 Comanches enrolled members over the age of 90. It 3 was 33 until my grandma passed away this week. 4 MR. BURGESS: And then remember any 5 debilitating disease. 6 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Out of 14,000 7 members we have 32 left over the age of 90 who 8 should be viewed as a treasure. 9 MR. BURGESS: Okay. But you remember 10 now, any debilitating disease could take us on 11 past the age of 50. 12 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: At this point 13 in time, they are a priority, they should be a 14 priority. 15 MR. BURGESS: Okay. But at this 16 time, the money that we thought we were going to 17 have is not there, so we're trying to secure, one, 18 that the money is going to be put aside; two, 19 we're trying to secure that the site they want to 20 have is possible. If that's not possible, we have 21 to have Plan B. And then after that, we have to 22 make sure we got medical -- 23 MR. JOHNSON: I got one more thing. 24 Could you -- Mr. Tippeconnie, could you check into 25 that '05 and '06 and '07 and find out exactly what 204 1 happened to that money? 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I'll check into it. 3 MS. HALL: If you get a chance, you 4 CBC membership, read the packet that we gave you. 5 We've got everything in there, the meals, the 6 insurance, the -- even the cost of the living. 7 Everything is already there. 8 MR. BURGESS: And I know that y'all 9 went by the state guidelines and standards? 10 MS. HALL: Yes, we did. 11 MR. BURGESS: Ruth, one item, and 12 then Bunky you wanted to say something? Ruth, go 13 ahead. 14 MS TOAHTY: If we could be built over 15 by the hospital, there are a lot of family members 16 that cannot -- that go to the doctor at the 17 hospital. And if the nursing home was built 18 someplace else in town, these people may not even 19 have enough gas money or enough -- their cars 20 aren't working right to get across town to see 21 their family; whereas, there at the hospital, they 22 can see their family. They can walk right over 23 and visit their family. It's convenient for them 24 as well as for the Elders. 25 MR. BURGESS: All right. Bunky, you 205 1 wanted to say something? 2 MR. HENSON: Yeah, I just wanted to 3 say this: This isn't being put on the back 4 burner. Mike's been pushing for it. That was 5 part of the things he went to Washington, D.C. 6 for. We're looking for funds besides Comanche 7 Nation funds to do this, and we're looking to try 8 to put it in the best place. So it's not on the 9 back burner. And the ones that just came on, we 10 feel the same way. What happened to those funds? 11 But we can't do anything about what's been back 12 there, we can do about what's doing now. Okay? 13 And I just want to say one thing, one 14 other thing. How come you're wearing my shirt? 15 MS. HALL: When we planned it, we 16 planned it where it would be assisted living, but 17 then there would be a wing for dementia, and there 18 could be skilled nursing later on. We won't be 19 around, but, you know, it can be done. Just start 20 out with 30 units and then go on. 21 MR. HENSON: Good plan and agenda. 22 Thank you. 23 MRS. HENDRIX: Can I say something? 24 We have a lot D, 1601, 1603, 1605, 1607 Southwest 25 D Avenue in Lawton. Why can't we put the nursing 206 1 home there if it's -- we're always purchasing 2 property. That's my concern. And now we're going 3 to go with KCA. We have these whole lots. Why 4 can't we put there if it's ours? If this doesn't 5 take place or doesn't violate -- 6 MR. BURGESS: Go ahead. You need to 7 take that to the Elders Council, discuss that with 8 them, that's an option. Take that to them. 9 MS. HENDRIX: I just didn't know 10 whether y'all knew we had that lot. 11 MR. BURGESS: Yeah, we knew. But 12 take that to the Elders Council. Let that be an 13 option they want to present, work with them on 14 that. 15 We have Mr. Yeahquo. Is he here? 16 MR. ASEPERMY: No, he's not. 17 Basically, his name is Pershing Yeahquo. He has 18 got with the Wichitas, Delawares, WCDs, Wichitas, 19 Caddos, Delawares, Cheyennes, Arapahos, the 20 Kiowas, and the Apaches and us, eight tribes. He 21 is willing to donate some acreage of land between 22 Fort Cobb and Washita for a homeless veterans' 23 shelter, but he can't do this without the 24 assistance of these eight tribes. I told him to 25 make a presentation. He's not here. I know 207 1 you're not Mr. Yeahquo. Well, that's what he was 2 going to come here for and he's not here. 3 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Well, he can 4 call back if he wants to get on the next agenda. 5 We're trying to -- Eddie's got to get going and we 6 have three major items, maybe two items, that we 7 meet in executive session. We're looking at a 8 date, but there's one item that we do want to 9 listen to quickly. Eddie, do you want to stay for 10 that? 11 MR. MAHSEET: I'll stay. 12 MR. BURGESS: And the other item, 13 Mr. Tippeconnie, said he's willing do to these 14 Charitable Funds, so we can do that. The next 15 date we're talking about, if we have to reconvene, 16 is the 27th. But I don't want you to miss that 17 appointment. You can be late, but you can't miss 18 it. 19 MR. MAHSEET: Yeah, I can be about 30 20 minutes late. 21 MR. ATTOCKNIE: Now, I'd like to say 22 something, since this is the new and old 23 business. And as a tribal member, I think I 24 should have an opportunity to be heard. 25 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Your name for 208 1 the record? Your real name? 2 MR. ATTOCKNIE: Francis Attocknie, 3 III. I won't take much of you guys' time. Here 4 at the CBC meeting, my name is Francis Attocknie. 5 There's a whole history of my situation. 6 I work at Comanche Nation Casino. 7 I've worked there six-and-a-half years. 8 Throughout my time at Comanche Nation Casino, I 9 have attained a Bachelor's in Business 10 Administration. In May 2009, a job came up for 11 receiving clerk position, so I applied for this 12 position and I was denied, even though policy and 13 procedure have tribal preference. In my 14 particular situation, tribal preference was not 15 considered. 16 My situation has been ongoing as of 17 June 6th, 2009. I have read the Comanche Nation 18 Casino's personnel policy and procedure and 19 followed through with the chain of command. After 20 much effort on my part, I was given an opportunity 21 by the Comanche Gaming Commission Board of 22 Directors to start a mentorship program position 23 in the Human Resource Department at Comanche 24 Nation Casino in Lawton, Oklahoma. But as of this 25 past few days, August 11th, this mentorship 209 1 position was stopped, and the Comanche Nation 2 Gaming Commission Board of Directors can't seem to 3 agree about my status. 4 I feel that I am now a whistle blower 5 because I am taking affirmative action to report 6 violation of the law, regulations, standard or 7 ethical obligation. That's what I had to say. 8 That's all. 9 MR. HENSON: Let me say a little bit 10 about that. There has been -- the Gaming 11 Commission has -- when I was on the Gaming Board, 12 has developed a personnel policies, and that 13 policies are looked at for the Indian preference. 14 There are several things that I had written on 15 there that were -- in his case, Indian preference 16 was interpreted a different way, which it 17 shouldn't have. It just -- they interpreted it 18 the way they wanted to. 19 So we are -- we're on top of this 20 situation and we've got some meetings set up to 21 see what's going on. Also, at the same time, we 22 are getting our own human resource policies. 23 Indian preference is one of those that's going to 24 be established. And believe me, by the time we 25 get through with them, there's no way that 210 1 anybody's going to have the opportunity to bypass 2 it. It's going to be written in black and white. 3 And if I have my say-so, the same 4 thing's going to happen at the Gaming Commission. 5 This stuff has got to stop. They're finding every 6 which way to get around Indian preference. And I 7 can write it where it can't be, the CBC can write 8 it where it can't be. We've discussed this, and 9 we're looking into it and the CBC is going to do 10 something about it. 11 MR. ASEPERMY: I think this matter 12 here, a Gaming Board Director directed the Chief 13 Executive Officer to take appropriate action, 14 Mr. Attocknie, correct? 15 MR. ATTOCKNIE: Yes. 16 MR. HENSON: And that appropriate 17 action has not been taken as of this date. 18 MR. ATTOCKNIE: No, that was 19 direct -- 20 MR. ASEPERMY: It has not been taken? 21 MR. ATTOCKNIE: No, sir. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. I think that's 23 all we need to know, right? 24 MR. BURGESS: Correct. 25 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Can I add just 211 1 something to that? I'm with the Comanche Nation 2 Human Resource here at the complex. And 3 recently -- what's been happening in the past we 4 have no control over, but we've been really 5 pushing for Comanche Tribal preference. We 6 really -- we separate them first, they get total 7 preference. They get looked at before anybody 8 else does. 9 And we just did a quick report. Out 10 of 236 employees with the Comanche Nation, that's 11 permanent employees, we have 176 tribal enrolled 12 members, then we have 25 non-Comanche Native 13 Americans. And out of 236, we only have 25 non -- 14 well, other, which would include Caucasian. 15 MR. BURGESS: Hispanic and black. 16 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes. So as 17 for the Comanche Nation Tribal Government, we are 18 really, really pushing for tribal -- Indian 19 preference. 20 MR. NELSON: What Janet is saying is 21 that out of 39 tribes, we are at 73 percent. The 22 other 39 tribes, it's usually at around 20, 30. 23 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Actually, 24 74.6. 25 MR. NELSON: So we're doing good. 212 1 MR. HENSON: Let me assure you, this 2 is being looked into and it's going to be changed. 3 MR. BURGESS: Okay. Thank you very 4 much everyone. That is our new and old business 5 session. We have just a few items to do in 6 executive session. We'll come out of executive 7 session. We'll make the statement. Yes, Mike? 8 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I want to -- I 9 won't take much time. I'm with the fire 10 department, the firefighters. I just want to see 11 if I can set an appointment to discuss trying to 12 get the fire crew back. Because, as you know, 13 Mr. Lanny, Mike, and Mr. Bread, I have discussed 14 it with them in trying to get our crew back from 15 the BIA and go back to forestry. 16 Well, it's been brought up to me that 17 they were wanting to do a background check on us. 18 Well, we've already had two done, both by Secret 19 Service. Okay. One was in '98 when we were in 20 Florida. We got to go down and we were show dogs, 21 basically. We got to be on television with 22 President Clinton, we got to meet Vice-President 23 Gore. And then the second time they done it, we 24 were down in Texas, the shuttle recovery. Both 25 times, Special Service did background searches on 213 1 us. So I'd just like to bring that up. 2 Plus, we have -- I have about 30 or 3 40 veteran firefighters who are no longer with the 4 crew due to prior policy with the coordinator, 5 which is no longer with us. So we have ideas, we 6 want to bring back the crew from BIA, go back to 7 forestry and re-renovate it. At one time, we were 8 number one in the nation amongst Native American 9 firefighters for, I believe, five years. We stood 10 three years number three in the nation amongst 11 Native American firefighters. Okay? 12 But from what I understand, we're 13 either losing our program or having it merged with 14 others, I'm not sure. But I just wanted to have 15 it discussed, set up an appointment or something 16 on the side so we can discuss it. 17 MR. BURGESS: You can call Monday or 18 so and try to set up a time with myself and the 19 Secretary/Treasurer and the TA to bring out your 20 concerns. But that's not in the works to merge or 21 to separate out or to get rid of the firefighting 22 crew. 23 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes, sir. 24 MR. BURGESS: And I'm very proud of 25 the accomplishments they had. I know I was here 214 1 just a brief while that we did access or continued 2 to in that area. But I think we are concerned 3 about that. And we do have that contract in 4 place. 5 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes, sir. I 6 appreciate your time. Thank you. 7 MR. BURGESS: All right, Mike. Thank 8 you. 9 At this time, ladies and gentlemen, 10 we're going to have to have a motion to move into 11 executive session. I think the first person that 12 we're going to talk to is the family of -- and 13 we'll come to you next. So I need the motion. 14 MR. MAHSEET: So moved. 15 MR. BURGESS: Eddie has made the 16 motion, second by Bob here. 17 (Executive session held from 18 3:09 p.m. to 4:38 p.m.) 19 MR. BURGESS: Motion approved to come 20 out of executive session. Mr. Tippeconnie, take 21 over for us, please. 22 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Okay. We have 23 three motions to act upon. And I understand 24 Mr. Asepermy has three or has some more. The 25 first one we need to act on is the one to approve 215 1 the purchase of the property of Winifred Polk in 2 Lawton, which is fee land, five lots. 3 MR. BURGESS: To start the process, 4 the way I understand it, the way she's presenting 5 it, you were all here, is that it's relative to 6 what is due. She's in arrears on fines from the 7 City for not cutting the grass and to take care of 8 the property. 9 MR. HENSON: Have we had anybody go 10 down there and take a look at that property? 11 MR. BURGESS: EPA went down there and 12 took pictures for Environmental, and the house is 13 very dilapidated. She's in dire straights and 14 doesn't want to lose it to anybody but other 15 Indians. 16 MR. HENSON: How big is this 17 property? 18 MR. BURGESS: Five city lots. 19 MR. HENSON: But how big is the lots? 20 MR. BURGESS: Any idea? My lot is 21 approximately 90 by 110. 22 MR. HENSON: Are they all together? 23 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Contiguous, 24 contiguous. 25 MR. BURGESS: Yes. 216 1 MR. HENSON: I don't think there's 2 anyway we can lose money on that. I say buy it. 3 MR. BURGESS: Oh, you know where the 4 B3 is, then? In that neighborhood, right there, 5 right by there. 6 MR. HENSON: That's going to be all 7 redeveloped pretty quick. It's going to be worth 8 millions. 9 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Are we going to say 10 we purchase it at the appraised value? 11 MR. HENSON: Yes. 12 MR. ASEPERMY: Do we have to go 13 through the process of BIA? 14 MR. TIPPECONNIE: No, this is fee 15 land. 16 MR. ASEPERMY: Oh, okay. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We get it 18 appraised. 19 MR. ASEPERMY: 35,000, B-3. It's 20 right behind the developmental area. 21 MR. BURGESS: Two blocks over from 22 Jackson's, or one block. 23 MR. ASEPERMY: Is B-3 part of it? 24 MR. BURGESS: I'm not sure. The 25 picture didn't show it. 217 1 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Anyway, do you want 2 someone to make a motion? Do you want to purchase 3 it? 4 MR. HENSON: I'll make the motion. 5 MR. TIPPECONNIE: At 35,000? 6 MR. HENSON: 35,000, appraisal value. 7 MR. ASEPERMY: Is that appraisal? 8 MR. BURGESS: I think it's 35, she 9 showed me. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Do we have something 11 in black and white? 12 MR. BURGESS: Yes. She'll have it in 13 here Tuesday. 14 MR. ASEPERMY: Robert, can he change 15 his motion to 35,000, or if the appraisal is 16 less -- what if it's higher? 17 MR. BURGESS: Well, it's a private 18 sale. She wants a quick sale. 19 MR. ASEPERMY: How shall we word it? 20 MR. BURGESS: That's fine, at 21 appraisal value or at 35,000, or if appraisal is 22 less. Is that fine? 23 MR. HENSON: Yes, that's fine. 24 MR. ASEPERMY: Second it. 25 MR. BURGESS: Do you agree with that? 218 1 MR. HENSON: Yeah, I agree. 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: And you second it? 3 MR. ASEPERMY: Yeah. 4 MR. BURGESS: I heard her say 35. I 5 didn't have my glasses on. She might have said 6 31,400 or 31,500. And she had pictures. 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Let's call for the 8 question. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: Voice vote or do you 10 want a roll call? 11 MR. HENSON: No, voice. 12 MR. BURGESS: All those in favor, 13 please say "aye." 14 (Aye.) 15 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, say 16 "nay." The ayes have it. 17 MR. ASEPERMY: Any abstentions? 18 None. Okay. 19 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Okay. The second 20 is to approve for Erin Hutton the $500 from the 21 Charitable Funds for which she will reimburse the 22 fund when she receives her per capita payment. 23 And that won't be until she receives it, which 24 will be the end of September, perhaps, and that 25 she will execute a document. 219 1 MR. BURSON: Promissory note. 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Promissory note. 3 So it's conditioned that she execute that 4 document. Well, she doesn't turn 18. 5 MR. BURSON: Turns 18 on the 18th. 6 She signs it on the 18th, Tuesday. 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yeah, she can sign 8 it Tuesday, but she can't sign it prior. 9 MR. HENSON: You know, I don't mind 10 doing this, but I'm really concerned that it's 11 going to establish some kind of precedence and 12 we're going to have a lot of people coming in. How 13 can we get away from that? Is there some way? 14 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We have a 15 limitation -- we always have each case, which I 16 said, I get concerned when we start doing it in 17 the Charitable. The Charitable has a limitation 18 term there's very limited. 19 MR. HENSON: Okay. 20 MR. ASEPERMY: Did you set a monetary 21 amount? 22 MR. HENSON: 500. 23 MR. ASEPERMY: Robert, I'll make a 24 motion, but I think the monetary amount should be 25 750, because the request that you have is 1000, 220 1 correct? 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, she has to 3 fill out a W-9. All that money that comes 4 Charitable, and this will be income. 5 MR. NARCOMEY: Does she know? 6 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We'll let her know 7 that. There's a motion. Mr. Asepermy? 8 MR. ASEPERMY: Yes. 9 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Is there a second? 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Read the motion again. 11 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Approve providing 12 Erin Hutton the $500 from the -- you raised it to 13 750 -- from the Charitable Funds to be returned to 14 the Comanche Nation based upon a promissory note 15 that she will sign on Tuesday when she turns 18. 16 Is that okay with you? 17 MR. ASEPERMY: Yes. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Did you get that, 19 Kelly? Okay, there was a motion. There was no 20 second yet. 21 MR. BURGESS: Second. 22 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Call for the 23 question. 24 MR. BURGESS: Call for the question. 25 All those in favor, please say "aye." 221 1 (Aye.) 2 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, say 3 "nay." Any abstentions? Ayes have it. Motion's 4 carried. 5 MR. TIPPECONNIE: And the next one is 6 to approve for Sonya Kopaddy because of the 7 amputation and financial circumstance at the 8 moment. 9 You know, again, there's a question 10 that I need to work with the TA on this one, 11 really. The TA's not here, but the TA and I have 12 to work, because I think there's a way outside the 13 Charitable. There's a way that that can be 14 handled through Social Services. 15 MR. HENSON: That's what we've 16 discussed, there's other programs. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Anyway, it can be 18 conditioned that way. So the motion can be 19 approved to, you know, 1000 because of the 20 physical and financial circumstances of Sonya 21 Kopaddy, to be funded out of the Charitable or 22 other. 23 MR. BURGESS: Okay. I like that 24 motion, "or other." 25 MR. HENSON: Yes. And it's $1000? 222 1 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. 2 MR. HENSON: I'll make a motion we 3 accept that. 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: And, again, it's 5 for the physical and the financial, physical 6 disability and the financial. 7 MR. ASEPERMY: I second it. 8 MR. BURGESS: Second by 9 Mr. Asepermy. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: That's the motion 11 Robert just made. 12 MR. BURGESS: Oh, Robert made it? 13 MR. ASEPERMY: Yeah. 14 MR. HENSON: And I'll second it. 15 MR. BURGESS: Bunky seconded it. 16 MR. NARCOMEY: Has she received help 17 from the Social Services already? 18 MR. BURGESS: She's maxed out. 19 Ladies and gentlemen, we'll call for the 20 question. All those in favor, please say "aye." 21 (Aye.) 22 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, say 23 "nay." Any abstentions? The ayes have it. 24 Those are the three items. Kelly, we 25 apologize to you. Now, Benal, were you on the 223 1 agenda for anything? 2 MS. MASON: Yes. 3 MR. BURGESS: Which item? 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Hers is Charitable 5 Fund. 6 MR. BURGESS: These are not executive 7 session, so she has it in writing? 8 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: Yes, it's provided. 10 MR. BURGESS: Does everybody have a 11 copy? 12 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I think she handed 13 a copy to all of us. 14 MR. ASEPERMY: She did. 15 MR. BURGESS: She's submitting 16 something on behalf of her daughter. 17 MS. MASON: My granddaughter. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Her granddaughter, 19 Skylar Mason. 20 MS. MASON: Yes. 21 MR. TIPPECONNIE: And your request is 22 for 505.47? 23 MS. MASON: Yes. 24 MR. TIPPECONNIE: And that's to 25 assist her in her soccer? 224 1 MS. MASON: Yes. 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: And she's been 3 selected by the soccer club in Norman, you know? 4 MS. MASON: It's not a part of the 5 school, it's a private soccer team. 6 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Okay. And so this 7 is for -- the 505 is to participate in a 8 tournament in Phoenix? 9 MS. MASON: Yes, and all her -- the 10 gear that she has to have and the trips that they 11 make. 12 MR. TIPPECONNIE: And it will be the 13 total cost of the year need for the whole -- 14 MS. MASON: For the season. 15 MR. ASEPERMY: You deduct her income 16 from that, and it comes out -- the numbers are 17 right, Robert. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Pardon? 19 MR. ASEPERMY: The numbers are right, 20 the expenses do come up to 703.61, where it says 21 total expense on the bottom. 22 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Okay. 23 MR. NARCOMEY: I make a motion to 24 approve it. 25 MR. BURGESS: A motion has been made 225 1 to approve by Mr. Clyde Narcomey, the Charitable 2 Fund. 3 MR. ASEPERMY: Second. 4 MR. BURGESS: Second by 5 Mr. Asepermy. All those in favor, please say 6 "aye." 7 (Aye.) 8 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, all 9 those abstain. The ayes have it. 10 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We'll make it out 11 and mail it to -- 12 MS. MASON: Okay. Thank you. 13 MR. BURGESS: All right. 14 Mrs. Redbone, Charrise? 15 MS. REDBONE: My name is Charrise 16 Redbone. Also, the committee chair to Red Road to 17 Freedom. It's a Native American sobriety group. 18 It has an annual in October. And I came on last 19 year as their committeeman for powwows. They 20 mainly consist of urban Indians that are in 21 recovery there in Oklahoma City, Del City, Midwest 22 City. And they asked me to come aboard last year 23 to help them with their powwows. And I was able 24 to do that last year. 25 It was held at the LaQuinta Inn. And 226 1 the building, the facility that hosted the powwow 2 that evening was too small. We did a lot of PR 3 for it, and we had a lot of people come in that 4 wanted to be a part of it. And the reason being 5 is that a lot of these people that are in recovery 6 have no idea about their culture and who they 7 are. 8 So last year on the powwow committee, 9 I used people that are in recovery and people that 10 are also culturally oriented. So the staff that 11 you see on this powwow, again, is the same staff I 12 used for a benefit we had back in May at Red 13 Buffalo Hall in Carnegie. And that's why I'm here 14 today, to request help from the Comanche Nation. 15 Being in sobriety, we have a lot of 16 Native Americans that have practiced drugs and 17 alcohol and have no clue about their culture or 18 identity. And some people ask me, "Why don't you 19 have staff that are all in recovery?" I say, 20 "Well, I couldn't," because I needed a mixture of 21 people that have culture as well to help them 22 implement and show them our way that's in the 23 circle around the drums and all. 24 So when we went to Carnegie, they 25 really appreciated it over there. And we were 227 1 asked to come back. And at Carnegie, we had five 2 people join Red Road to Freedom. They weren't 3 personally in recovery, but they had family 4 members in recovery. That's why we're here, to 5 help. 6 As you well know, it's a war within 7 itself about drugs and alcohol and how it's 8 destroying our young people. And I've been in 9 recovery myself for the past eight years and been 10 working in this field for about that amount of 11 time. And I really enjoy myself working with this 12 powwow committee. 13 I didn't realize how much I was 14 Indian. Somebody said I was more Indian than they 15 are, because, you know, we -- helping these 16 ladies -- right now, there's an organization, the 17 host organization, there's about eight of them, 18 and we're helping them make shawls and helping 19 them bring their shawls for the annual in 20 October. 21 We meet every Sunday, first Sunday of 22 every month in Oklahoma City there where we have 23 our AA group. And as you can see right now, 24 Carron Yellowfish is Comanche, John Parker, who 25 was our event co-chair, is Comanche, myself, and 228 1 then Kimberly Simon, Kimberly Kaulay. We are all 2 four enrolled Comanche, but there were other 3 Native Americans as well that come from the 4 Chickasaws, Choctaws, you know, Intertribal there 5 in Oklahoma City. So I really would appreciate 6 y'all's support in helping us with this entity to 7 help spread the message, as it says. It's just 8 one of many sobriety groups. 9 The National, like it says in the 10 letters, they're coming to be with us, and this is 11 going to be the first time. They heard this was 12 such a big powwow last year that they want to come 13 and observe it. They have their own in 14 Albuquerque. I have yet to have the opportunity 15 to go be with them in Albuquerque up there, host. 16 MR. ASEPERMY: What's this event 17 going to cost overall? I know what you're asking 18 from the Nation, 19 MS. REDBONE: Yeah. 20 MR. ASEPERMY: And that seems like an 21 awful high amount. And if this encompasses other 22 nations within Oklahoma, what's -- this is all 23 gourd dance, right? 24 MS. REDBONE: Yes, all gourd. 25 MR. ASEPERMY: All gourd dance for -- 229 1 MS. REDBONE: Plus the supper. And 2 we're going to have exhibits. 3 MR. ASEPERMY: For one, two, three 4 days, and no contests? 5 MS. REDBONE: No contest. 6 MR. ASEPERMY: All gourd dance. How 7 much is this going to cost to do this thing? 8 MS. REDBONE: I would say 9 approximately around 3000. 10 MR. ASEPERMY: How much? 11 MS. REDBONE: About 3000. 12 MR. BURGESS: For the powwow or are 13 you guys doing the whole conference? 14 MS. REDBONE: Yeah, the whole 15 conference all together. 16 MR. BURGESS: Oh, you're asking the 17 whole conference? 18 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. What will it 19 cost to do the whole conference then? Are you 20 asking for assistance for the conference? 21 MS. REDBONE: No, for the powwow 22 only. 23 MR. ASEPERMY: You're asking 24 assistance for the powwow? 25 MS. REDBONE: Yes. 230 1 MR. ASEPERMY: And you're saying the 2 powwow will cost y'all, to pay head staff and et 3 cetera, et cetera, about 3000, but you're 4 requesting for 5000? 5 MS. REDBONE: Yes. Last year when I 6 did this, a lot of it came out-of-pocket. Like I 7 said, I was the only committee member at this 8 powwow, and I did two fund raisers. And I did a 9 lot of drawings throughout the dance. And towards 10 the dance, I got a couple of Pendletons that was 11 -- I asked, because they knew what the purpose was 12 of carrying the message to the alcoholics, that 13 they donated the Pendletons. And I did my raffles 14 with that. And they were drawn there at the 15 powwow. We sold tickets throughout the 16 conference, and this helped them with some prizes 17 and paying my staff. 18 MR. HENSON: Bob, is this something 19 that falls within the guidelines? 20 MR. ASEPERMY: The only question I 21 have, and I hope you don't -- don't take -- I 22 don't -- I hope I don't offend you. You're asking 23 for $5000, the powwow is going to cost 3000. Now, 24 I don't understand that. 25 MS. REDBONE: The reason, if need be, 231 1 if any excess of money would be available would 2 help me buy some food for our meal. Last year I 3 wasn't able to contribute in any fashion to the 4 meal. I was able to get some water for the drum, 5 you know, and that part. 6 But like I said, we had an 7 overabundance. The conference was held at the 8 LaQuinta Inn on I-35 and Meridian in Oklahoma 9 City. And, like, when the word got out, the 10 powwow started at 6:00 and people just started 11 coming in from all over Oklahoma City there, and 12 there was just -- 13 MR. HENSON: Is there other tribes 14 that are involved in this? 15 MR. ASEPERMY: Yeah, that was my 16 question. Go ahead. 17 MR. HENSON: Is there any other 18 tribes involved in this? 19 MS. REDBONE: Well, I'm the powwow 20 committee. I can go to the other tribes and ask 21 them. 22 MR. HENSON: Have you done that? 23 MS. REDBONE: No. 24 MR. HENSON: This covers a lot more 25 than just Comanches, it covers a lot of people, 232 1 right? 2 MS. REDBONE: Yeah. I didn't have on 3 here the Seminole Honor Guard. They were on there 4 last year. And then the Hasinai Society, they're 5 a group of young people, and they're going to be 6 our color guard. And the Riverside Indian School, 7 they also participate, because we reach out to the 8 young just as well who have a substance abuse 9 problem, and they are actually our greeters. 10 And this year, they're going to be a 11 part of this, but I wasn't able to give them 12 anything last year, and there was about 12 of them 13 that came. They stayed through the whole 14 conference there, and they went to the workshops 15 and all. These are the ones I'm trying to reach 16 this year that I wasn't able to reach last year. 17 MR. HENSON: I, for one, I think you 18 should take this to the other tribes, too. I 19 don't feel like it ought to be all Comanche. I 20 know you probably got other people that's on the 21 powwow, chair the powwow board or something. 22 MR. ASEPERMY: They're all Numunuu, 23 right there. 24 MR. HENSON: Oh, are they? 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Yeah. 233 1 MR. HENSON: But it's for everybody 2 that's in that program, right? 3 MS. REDBONE: Yeah. 4 MR. HENSON: I think -- if this falls 5 under our guidelines, I think we ought to give her 6 a little money. But the whole bunch, I don't 7 think we ought to handle the whole bang, because 8 there's other people involved in this. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: Do you think if you 10 solicited the Kiowas, for example, and you spoke 11 to the Kiowas -- is the C&As involved? 12 MS. REDBONE: Oh, yeah. 13 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay. And Chickasaws, 14 Choctaws, Seminoles, any of them east of the -- 15 MS. REDBONE: I can easily write the 16 letters to them, you know, give them the letters, 17 contact them. And like I said, the majority of 18 these people that come have all been in practice 19 alcoholism and they're in recovery right now. But 20 I can ask them if they would go back to their 21 tribes and ask. 22 MR. HENSON: I think you did a good 23 job on your presentation here, and since you're 24 the, what, chairman? 25 MS. REDBONE: Yeah, of the powwow 234 1 committee now, not the rest of it. 2 MR. HENSON: Well, what I'm saying 3 is, since you did a good job here, I think you 4 ought to go over there on your own and tell them, 5 because of the fact that all the tribes are in 6 this program, all the tribes are involved, not 7 just Comanche. And you would look for a part of 8 their funding to help this program. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: Because this does fit 10 the criteria, right, Mr. Tippeconnie? 11 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Well, I had a 12 thought here. And I don't know how difficult it 13 would be to do, but this is October? 14 MS. REDBONE: Yes, in one month. 15 MR. TIPPECONNIE: You know, coming up 16 in October, I think it would be smart if you could 17 approach those other tribes and see if they could 18 contribute and then come back. 19 MR. ASEPERMY: But that's just it, we 20 are not going to be meeting. We're going to meet 21 in September, and then our October meeting is 22 October the 3rd. What I would like to do is to go 23 ahead and fund her $500. And then, of course, 24 you're going to solicit, I would hope -- that's a 25 tenth of what you're asking, it's a sixth of what 235 1 it takes to run the powwow. 2 You know, if you go out and ask -- 3 and you say to the Kiowas, "The Comanches gave me 4 500. I'm asking the same for you." You go see 5 the C&As, "Yeah, the Kiowas and Comanches gave me 6 500, I'm asking that," you know. 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: That does help. 8 MR. ASEPERMY: And it does fit our 9 criteria and it's Charitable. I know it's a tenth 10 of what you're asking, but, dang, why should the 11 Comanches foot the whole bill? 12 MR. HENSON: We've got to be 13 careful. We're throwing the Comanche money 14 around. 15 MR. ASEPERMY: Well, I make a motion 16 that we approve her request in the amount of $500, 17 with the understanding, Ms. Redbone, that you will 18 provide receipts -- 19 MS. REDBONE: Oh, yeah. 20 MR. ASEPERMY: -- back to 21 Mr. Tippeconnie once this expense is expended. 22 That's my motion. 23 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 24 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I'm putting down 25 here you're approving a request for the Red Road 236 1 Powwow, right? 2 MS. REDBONE: Red Road to Freedom. 3 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Freedom Powwow in 4 the amount of $500. And that the chair, which 5 is -- I'll put your name down -- will provide 6 receipts for the expenditures totaling the 500. 7 MS. REDBONE: Okay. 8 MR. HENSON: This will give you some 9 ammunition to stand on when you go to the other 10 tribes. Just stand there and say, "You're going 11 to let the Comanches beat you?" 12 MR. ASEPERMY: Motion. 13 MR. BURGESS: Motion made by 14 Mr. Asepermy. Do I hear a second? 15 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: Second. 16 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Voice votes. All 17 in favor? 18 (Aye.) 19 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Opposed? Abstain? 20 MR. BURGESS: One aye. 21 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Okay. 22 MR. BURGESS: Please contact your 23 organizational head so they can give us a 24 letterhead or a Tax ID number or something. 25 MR. TIPPECONNIE: You have to give us 237 1 the address to which we would mail this. 2 MR. BURGESS: We're coming to Mr. and 3 Mrs. McCurtain, Charlotte. 4 MR. ASEPERMY: Can I make my three 5 motions? They're simple. My first motion is to 6 direct the Tribal Administrator to have a 7 certified safety -- or certified environmentalist 8 conduct a safety inspection for hazardous material 9 at the Comanche Nation College. And I'm saying 10 this because Robert Codopony said that the BIA 11 will not put that in trust because of lead-based 12 paint and hazardous material. We may, down the 13 road, if one of those employees -- and it's been 14 open for seven years, or if my daughter, who went 15 to class there, comes up with some sort of 16 illness, we're going to get socked to it. 17 So the motion is to have the Comanche 18 Nation College inspected for hazardous material 19 and safety by a certified safety officer. And we 20 do have one, and that's Mr. Villicana. That's the 21 motion. 22 MR. NARCOMEY: I'll second it. 23 MR. HENSON: I'll second it. 24 MR. NARCOMEY: Go ahead, I'll third 25 it. 238 1 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Direct the Tribal 2 Administrator to have a certified 3 environmentalist -- 4 MR. ASEPERMY: Or safety officer. 5 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yeah. Certified 6 individual to conduct a safety inspection for 7 hazardous materials at the Comanche Nation 8 College. 9 MR. ASEPERMY: Yes. Clyde's got a 10 second, Mr. Chairman. Call for the question. 11 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Who seconded it? 12 MR. ASEPERMY: Clyde. 13 MR. BURGESS: All those in favor, 14 please say "aye." 15 (Aye.) 16 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed? All 17 those abstain? Motion passes. 18 MR. ASEPERMY: All right. Second 19 motion, to have procurement conduct a 100 percent 20 real property inventory of the Comanche Nation 21 College. They are funded by us for the most 22 part. We don't -- they've been in operation for 23 over seven years and they should be accountable 24 for what they have. We have no records. The 25 motion is to direct the TA to have procurement 239 1 conduct a 100 percent real property inventory of 2 the Comanche Nation College. 3 MR. BURGESS: Let me ask, Lanny -- 4 MR. BURSON: You're saying real 5 property? 6 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yeah, that's a 7 different term. Real property is buildings. 8 MR. BURSON: Do you just mean a 9 property inventory? 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Okay, property then. 11 I'm sorry. Change that motion to "property." 12 MR. HENSON: And I'll second that. 13 MR. BURGESS: Motion's been made for 14 a property inventory at Comanche Nation College by 15 our procurement officer. 16 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Direct the TA to do 17 that. 18 MR. BURGESS: We're directing the TA 19 to do this? 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yeah. 21 MR. NARCOMEY: I'll second that 22 motion. 23 MR. BURGESS: Did Mr. Henson already 24 second? Yeah, we have a motion and a second down 25 here, Clyde. 240 1 MR. HENSON: I beat you that time, 2 Clyde. I didn't hear you. 3 MR. BURGESS: All those in favor, 4 please say "aye." 5 (Aye.) 6 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, say 7 "nay." All those abstain? Okay. Motion passes. 8 MR. ASEPERMY: My last motion is, 9 because we have the good blessing of having our 10 Secretary/Treasurer work for us almost full time, 11 and we have a good blessing of having a Vice- 12 Chairman drive from Noble on a daily basis at $250 13 month, that we direct the TA -- and we have five 14 vehicles that are what we call excess, that we 15 direct the TA to assign a vehicle to the Vice- 16 Chairman for official business. 17 MR. BURGESS: And Secretary/ 18 Treasurer? 19 MR. ASEPERMY: If the 20 Secretary/Treasurer wants. And I knew he was 21 going to say no. But he don't live in Noble, he 22 lives in Medicine Park. 23 MR. BURGESS: Okay. 24 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Meers. 25 MR. ASEPERMY: Oh, well, okay. 241 1 MR. TIPPECONNIE: It's a big 2 difference, Meers. 3 MR. ASEPERMY: So the motion will be, 4 I make a motion that we direct the TA to provide 5 the Vice-Chairman a vehicle for official business, 6 effective Monday. That's the motion. 7 MR. NARCOMEY: I second that motion. 8 MR. HENSON: Let me ask a question. 9 What are y'all defining as official business? 10 MR. ASEPERMY: Official business, 11 from your house to here and anywhere else in and 12 around. Not to B-3, official business. 13 MR. HENSON: Are you going to second 14 that? 15 MR. NARCOMEY: Yeah. 16 MR. BURGESS: A motion's been made by 17 Mr. Asepermy to direct the TA to provide a company 18 vehicle to our Vice-Chairman who will be 19 conducting and being involved in business on 20 behalf of the Comanche Nation. Motion made, 21 second by Clyde Narcomey. All those who approve, 22 say "aye." 23 (Aye.) 24 MR. BURGESS: All those opposed, say 25 "nay." All those abstain? I abstain. Henson and 242 1 I abstain, I believe. 2 MR. HENSON: Yes, I abstain because 3 that involves me. 4 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, I hate 5 to do this, and I know we're tired, but this lady 6 sitting over here was on the agenda, and we 7 overlooked it for executive session. She has been 8 waiting over here for 14 years. I think we owe 9 her the time to sit down and to listen to her 10 grievance in executive session. 11 MR. HENSON: Make a motion to go into 12 executive session. 13 MR. ASEPERMY: I make a motion to go 14 into executive session. 15 MR. HENSON: I'll second that. 16 MR. BURGESS: All those in favor say 17 "aye." 18 (Aye.) 19 MR. BURGESS: No opposition. 20 (Executive session held from 21 5:18 p.m. to 6:08 p.m.) 22 (Upon resuming open session at 23 6:08 p.m., Asepermy moved/second by Narcomey to 24 instruct Tribal Attorneys to transmit settlement 25 offer as discussed to McCurtain's attorney. Vote 243 1 was 4 for - 1 against (Henson) - 1 Abstain 2 (Tippeconnie).) 3 (Meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.) 4 5 6 * * * * * * 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 244 1 R E P O R T E R 'S C E R T I F I C A T E 2 3 STATE OF OKLAHOMA ) 4 ) 5 COUNTY OF OKLAHOMA ) 6 7 I, Kelly Stoabs, Certified Shorthand 8 Reporter for the State of Oklahoma, certify that 9 the above and foregoing meeting transcribed by me 10 is a true and correct transcript of the meeting; 11 that the meeting was held on August 15, 2009, in 12 the State of Oklahoma; that I am not an attorney 13 for nor a relative of any said parties, or 14 otherwise interested in the event of said action. 15 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set 16 my hand and seal of office on this the 3rd day of 17 September, 2009. 18 19 20 __________________________ Kelly Stoabs 21 Certified Shorthand Reporter for the State of Oklahoma 22 23 24 25 245 1 S E C R E T A R Y ' S C E R T I F I C A T E 2 3 I, Robert Tippeconnie, Secretary- 4 Treasurer of Comanche Nation Business Committee, 5 certify that the above is a true and correct 6 transcript of a meeting of CBC Members held at 7 10:37 a.m. on August 15, 2009, and that the 8 meeting was duly called and held in all respects 9 in accordance with the charters and bylaws of the 10 Comanche Nation and that a quorum was present. 11 I further certify that the votes and 12 resolutions of the CBC Members of Comanche Nation 13 at the meeting are operative and in full force and 14 effect and have not been annulled or modified by 15 any vote or resolution passed or adopted by the 16 CBC since that meeting. 17 18 19 Signed:_________________________ Date:____________ Robert Tippeconnie 20 Secretary-Treasurer 21 22 23 24 25