1 1 2 3 4 5 6 COMANCHE NATION 7 ANNUAL GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING 8 APRIL 18, 2009, 1:29 P.M. 9 COMANCHE NATION COMPLEX GYM 10 11 12 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 INDEX OF PROCEEDINGS 2 PAGE 3 General Council Meeting called to 4 order at 1:29 p.m. 4 Invocation. 4 5 Nominations for office of Chairman. 4 6 Nominations for office of Vice Chairman. 6 7 Nominations for Tribal Administrator. 7 8 Mr. Yackeyonny raises constitutional 10 9 question of Clyde Narcomey running. 10 Mr. Yackeyonny raises question of 13 revised election ordinance. 11 Candidates nominated for position of 14 12 Tribal Administrator address General Council. 13 William Norman, Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, 26 14 Tribal Attorney, addresses General Council. 15 John Plata, Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, 27 Attorney, addresses General Council. 16 Motion made and seconded to ask question: 34 17 Shall we retain our attorneys or shall we advertise? 18 Ms. Whitefeather addresses General Council. 35 19 Willie Nelson voted in as new Tribal 56 20 Administrator. 21 Mr. Narcomey announces he will decline 56 nomination. 22 Ms. McDaniel addresses General Council. 58 23 Motion fails to advertise for a law firm. 68 24 Discussion of publishing per cap payments. 75 25 3 1 INDEX OF PROCEEDINGS (continued) 2 PAGE 3 Budget FY 2010 discussed. 76 4 Mr. Voelker addresses General Council on 87 NAGPRA and Historic Preservation. 5 Vote on Tribal Attorneys was to 89 6 retain Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker. 7 Mr. Orme addresses General Council 89 regarding Revolving Loan Program. 8 Vote to present the FY 2010 Budget 150 9 for a vote approved. 10 Ms. Whitefeather - Comanche Alliance/ 151 Disenrolled Members. 11 David Yeagley addresses General Council. 170 12 At 6:03 p.m., Enrollment states 173 13 there is no quorum. 6:04 14 General Council meeting adjourned at 173 p.m. 15 Reporter's Certificate. 174 16 Secretary/Treasurer's Certificate. 175 17 18 19 20 * * * * * * 21 22 23 24 25 4 1 (General Council Meeting called to 2 order at 1:29 p.m.) 3 MR. COFFEY: It's 1:29. According to 4 our constitution, we begin at 1:30. I'll call 5 upon James Patterson. Ladies and gentlemen, on 6 behalf of the Comanche Nation, our CBC up here 7 seated, I call our business to order. Mr. Jim 8 Patterson, if you would, please, give us our 9 invocation. 10 MR. PATTERSON: (Invocation.) 11 MR. COFFEY: Ladies and gentlemen, as 12 we go through these real quick, because there are 13 things on our agenda that we need to talk about; 14 the nursing home, the music program, and the 15 I-CARE program. So at this time, nominations are 16 open for office of Chairman of the Comanche 17 Nation. Do we have any nominations? Come 18 forward, please. 19 MR. WERYAVAH: I'd like to nominate 20 Ronald RedElk. 21 MR. COFFEY: Dennis Weryavah 22 nominated Ronald RedElk. 23 Yes? 24 MR. AHDOSY: Clyde Narcomey. 25 MS. CRAIG: Aurilla Craig. I 5 1 nominate Michael Burgess. 2 MR. COFFEY: Michael Burgess has been 3 nominated. 4 MS. PEAVEY: Maria Peavey, I nominate 5 Johnny Wauqua. 6 MS. ATTOCKNIE: I make a motion 7 nominations cease. 8 MR. COFFEY: A motion has been made 9 nominations cease; however, as always, we extend 10 everybody an opportunity to run. 11 If not, Ron RedElk has been 12 nominated, Clyde Narcomey has been nominated by 13 Eddie Ahdosy, Dennis Weryavah nominated Ron 14 RedElk, Eddie Ahdosy nominated Clyde Narcomey, 15 Aurilla Craig nominated Michael Burgess. Maria 16 Peavey nominated Johnny Wauqua. Any others? 17 MS. ISAAC: I second. 18 MR. COFFEY: A motion has been made 19 nominations cease and a second has been made by 20 Beverly Isaac. All those in favor that 21 nominations cease, raise your hand. How many of 22 you are out there? Cease nominations. 23 I hereby declare that a quorum is 24 present and a recommendation has been made that 25 nominations cease. 6 1 Office of Vice Chairman is now 2 vacant. We can have nominations come forward for 3 Vice Chairman position. 4 MR. TEHAUNO: I nominate the vice 5 chairman Dale Rhae Simmons. Dale Rhea Simmons. 6 MR. COFFEY: A nomination has been 7 made by Vernon Tehauno of Dale Rhae Simmons. 8 MS. FACTOR: My name is Ruth Factor 9 and I nominate Eleanor McDaniel for Vice Chairman. 10 MR. COFFEY: Ruth Factor nominated 11 Eleanor McDaniel for Vice Chairman. 12 Now, next? 13 MS. PEAVEY: Maria Peavey for Ed 14 Eschiti. 15 MR. COFFEY: Maria Peavey nominated 16 Ed Eschiti. 17 Yes? 18 MS. HADLEY: Geneva Hadley, I 19 nominate Ben F. Tahmahkera. 20 MR. COFFEY: Geneva Hadley nominates 21 Ben Tahmahkera. 22 Yes? 23 MS. TOAHTY: Ruth Toahty, and I want 24 to nominate Richard Bunky Henson. 25 MR. COFFEY: Ruth Toahty nominates 7 1 Richard Bunky Henson. 2 MS. CADDO: I want to nominate Sonja 3 Tahchawwickah. 4 MR. COFFEY: Sonja Tahchawwickah, and 5 your name is? 6 MS. CADDO: Sandra Caddo. 7 MR. COFFEY: Sandra Caddo. 8 MRS. GALLEGOS: I make a motion 9 nominations cease. 10 MS. ATTOCKNIE: I second it. 11 MR. COFFEY: For position of Vice 12 Chairman, Vernon Tehauno nominates Dale Rhea 13 Simmons, Geneva Hadley nominates Ben Tahmahkera, 14 Ruth Toahty nominates Richard Bunky Henson, Sandra 15 Caddo nominates Sonja Tahchawwickah. 16 And we had a motion made that 17 nominations cease. Do we have a second? Who made 18 that motion? Sandra Gallegos, second by Phyllis 19 Attocknie. All those in favor of nominations 20 ceasing, raise your hand. By virtue of Chairman's 21 position going forward, I declare that a motion 22 has carried. 23 Now we're accepting nominations for 24 Tribal Administrator position. Okay, Tribal 25 Administrator. And let me say this: If the 8 1 person is nominated and if they are here, we will 2 give them the floor so they can make some comments 3 on behalf of this position. This position is 4 vacant, and as of this day, it will be declared 5 open. But as of this day, when you make a 6 selection, that person will report to duty and 7 assume that role of Tribal Administrator. Do we 8 have any nominations? The floor is open. 9 MR. ATTOCKNIE: My name is Phyllis 10 Attocknie, and I present TO the General Council 11 the name of Willie Nelson to be hired, as our 12 constitution reads, as the Tribal Administrator. 13 MR. COFFEY: Nomination of Willie 14 Nelson has been made by Phyllis Attocknie. 15 MS. PEAVEY: Maria Peavey. I 16 nominate Gene Pekah. 17 MR. COFFEY: Gene Pekah has been 18 nominated by Maria Peavey. 19 Yes? 20 MS. GRAY: This is Geraldine Gray, 21 and I nominate Edward Eschiti. 22 MR. COFFEY: Just a minute, now. 23 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I know, Vice- 24 Chairman also. I don't know why they did that. 25 MR. COFFEY: Well, let's put it this 9 1 way: If Mr. Eschiti wins the nomination for 2 Tribal Administrator, that negates the position 3 for nomination of Vice Chairman. But he can make 4 a decision whether he wants to assume this 5 position or not. Mr. Eschiti, are you in the 6 audience? 7 Moving forward. Next, please? 8 MR. WAUQUA: Pratt Wauqua and I 9 nominate Sandra Toyekoyah. 10 MR. COFFEY: Pratt Wauqua nominates 11 Sandra Toyekoyah. Is that correct? 12 MR. WAUQUA: Right. 13 MR. COFFEY: Okay. Pratt Wauqua 14 nominates Sandra Toyekoyah. Do we have another 15 nomination? Any further nominations? Mr. Willie 16 Nelson has been nominated, Mr. Gene Pekah has been 17 nominated, Mr. Edward Eschiti has been nominated, 18 Sandra Toyekoyah has been nominated. 19 MR. YACKEYONNY: Mr. Chairman, move 20 that the nominations cease. 21 MR. COFFEY: A motion has been made 22 that nominations cease. 23 MR. ATTOCKNIE: I second that motion. 24 MR. COFFEY: Okay. Election Board 25 members, we have a motion on the floor that 10 1 nominations cease. Can you prepare the ballot 2 that each member will receive, on the ballot, 3 Number 1 will be Willie Nelson, Number 2 will be 4 Gene Pekah, Number 3, Edward Eschiti, and Number 5 4, Sandra Toyekoyah. So on these ballots, you 6 will have a ballot that says Number 1, Number 2, 7 Number 3 and Number 4, and then we'll give you a 8 ballot. We have machines over here, and once we 9 get everybody's vote, we will have a new Tribal 10 Administrator. 11 Yes, does this pertain to position of 12 TA? 13 MR. YACKEYONNY: Yes, it's pertaining 14 to the whole process, Mr. Chairman. The question 15 I have today, Mr. Chairman, is a constitutional 16 one; and also, our tribal law. There's two 17 questions. The first one is Mr. Clyde Narcomey 18 has been nominated for chairman. He is an 19 incumbent; and so, therefore, according to our 20 constitution, if he's been nominated, you must -- 21 he must either resign or decline the nomination. 22 And if he accepts the nomination, then we must 23 take nominations for his seat. 24 MR. COFFEY: Yes, he will have to 25 make that declaration. 11 1 MR. YACKEYONNY: Yeah, at this 2 meeting. 3 MR. COFFEY: At this meeting. And 4 he'll make that decision to the Election Board. 5 MR. YACKEYONNY: No, he'll make it to 6 us, because there's another question, 7 Mr. Chairman. We lack a court to go to. We have 8 a Children's Court, we have a CFR Court, but it 9 cannot be involved in our internal disputes. Now, 10 the other question that is arising is because 11 Mr. Narcomey is in his second term, he hasn't 12 completed his second term, and -- 13 MR. COFFEY: That's correct. 14 MR. YACKEYONNY: I would like this 15 body today, because we all need to know going into 16 this, so does Mr. Narcomey, is that if he accepts 17 this nomination and he has to resign, and then the 18 process that's outlined in our constitution says 19 that, you know, the Election Board looks at these 20 nominations and they'll say whether or not they're 21 certified, they pass the background check, and we 22 know he does because he sits among our elected 23 officials. Well, then it comes to y'all, because 24 y'all are the Business Committee, and the 25 constitution says that y'all are the ones that 12 1 determine the qualifications of officers. 2 Now, according to our tribal 3 attorneys, who seem to be running the Tribe, is 4 that it's up to y'all to say whether or not he is 5 termed out. But the constitution reads very 6 clearly in the English language that upon 7 completion of his second term, Mr. Chairman -- 8 MR. COFFEY: Yes, it does. 9 MR. YACKEYONNY: So he hasn't 10 completed his second term. So, therefore, he 11 would be eligible to run. And this is how tivos 12 in the tivo world and their things, this is how 13 they read as well. You know, sometimes in the 14 State of Oklahoma we have term governments, and 15 many tribes have term governments. But 16 Mr. Chairman, as soon as we vote on our Tribal 17 Administrator, I would like to bring back this 18 question to the floor, because I think this is a 19 constitutional decision, a constitutional issue 20 that we as a body should make in interpreting our 21 own constitution. The next thing -- that's the 22 first one. 23 MR. COFFEY: Well, just a minute. I 24 will have a point of order here. It says for the 25 portion of this section, any portion of a term 13 1 shall be considered as one term. If he resigns 2 his position to run for chairman, he's completed 3 two terms. He's not eligible to run in accordance 4 with this constitution. But I'm not going to 5 debate you. It's still up to Mr. Narcomey to make 6 that decision whether he wants to run or not. 7 MR. YACKEYONNY: No, Mr. Chairman, I 8 think it's a decision that we need, because we 9 have several different opinions on this. And 10 that's your opinion and my opinion, and that's why 11 I'm saying, as soon as we get back to point of 12 order -- 13 But my second question, Mr. Chairman 14 is, is several years ago this body directed the 15 Business Committee to enact a revised election 16 ordinance, and we did. And in that ordinance it 17 says that we are going to elect our Election Board 18 by districts, by precincts. And in that it says 19 their terms are one year, two years, three years, 20 with an alternate, and that was almost three, four 21 years ago, Mr. Chairman. 22 MR. COFFEY: They've got one more 23 year left on their term. 24 MR. YACKEYONNY: No, we have -- 25 they're staggered, Mr. Chairman. 14 1 MR. WELLS: That was rescinded. 2 MR. YACKEYONNY: We have never 3 elected our new Election Board. But y'all never 4 brought it to us as a courtesy: Tribal Council, 5 this is what we've done. 6 MR. COFFEY: Mr. Wells, we're not 7 hearing what your response is. But in the 8 meantime, that's out of order. I'd like to ask 9 Mr. Willie Nelson on the Tribal Administrator, 10 before we vote, would you come forward, please, 11 and make a presentation to the people, your 12 candidacy for Tribal Administrator. Mr. Gene 13 Pekah, come forward, Mr. Edward Eschiti, come 14 forward, and Mrs. Sandra Toyekoyah, come forward. 15 You will be given five minutes to make a 16 presentation to our people with regard to the 17 position you have been nominated for with regard 18 to Tribal Administrator. 19 MR. WELLS: All voters, if you've got 20 a blue band, if you'll line up here, here and 21 here, we'll start passing out the ballots. 22 MR. COFFEY: Let's wait until we get 23 these presentations. 24 MR. WELLS: Okay. 25 MR. COFFEY: All right. Because 15 1 we'll make too much noise in the shuffle. Okay. 2 Mr. Willie Nelson, you have been nominated first 3 by Phyllis Attocknie. You have the floor. 4 MR. NELSON: Good afternoon, my 5 Comanche family. We're all related. My name is 6 Willie Nelson, Sr. You know, I have never been a 7 career tribal employee, but I have worked in the 8 tivo world. I have managed over 100 employees, I 9 have met budgets, I have met their expectations. 10 My people, the memories, I have ran for office in 11 the past. And I appreciate it from all of you 12 that have voted for me. God bless you. 13 Because last year in our elections 14 was that we were progressing as a big casino, but 15 our accountability is not there. We have been 16 fined by the IRS $1 million, our attorneys got it 17 knocked down to 750,000. Now, past managers and 18 administrative people that have done that, we 19 cannot allow that to happen. We have lost our 20 federal dollars, Comanche people. 21 Back to the day, 1999, when Mr. Keith 22 Yackeyonny was the chairman, we probably worked on 23 a $1.2 million budget. Today we're asking for a 24 $40 million budget. This is all gaming dollars. 25 Understand this. Gaming dollars that is earmarked 16 1 for you, 40 percent, to go in per capita form. 2 Now it's coming to this complex at $40 million a 3 pop. 4 My job being as your Tribal 5 Administrator is to bring back compassion, bring 6 back cooperation, and bring back -- you are our 7 greatest customer, our enrolled Comanche people. 8 You are the customer. We're not here for 9 ourselves, we're here for you. Accountability 10 only comes with guidelines. What I'm going to set 11 up for our Nation is some guidelines. We've got 12 to have some checks and balances. It cannot be a 13 political arena. Thank you. 14 I passed this out to the audience. 15 It's about me. I want this to be our one-year 16 contract. Next year, when you come back here, you 17 hold me accountable for what I wrote down. 18 Because, Nation, we are a great Nation. We are a 19 Godly Nation, and that is one thing I want to 20 bring back to my Nation, is a Godly Nation, an 21 accountable Nation. 22 I cannot stand the fact that our 23 people, today, some are not eating today, some of 24 them don't even have a home today, some of them, 25 their bills are not being paid. When you get up 17 1 here to this complex, you are the customer, not 2 us. Remember that. God bless you, and God bless 3 the Comanche Nation. 4 MR. COFFEY: All right, Mr. Willie 5 Nelson. And now Mr. Gene Pekah, you might have to 6 take the microphone out of the holder and use it 7 the best you can. 8 MR. PEKAH: Thank you. You know, we, 9 as Comanche people, we come from a long line of 10 strong leaders. As of late, we've gone back to 11 our ancestors. Since the Medicine Bluff cases, 12 now the other tribes are talking about the 13 Comanche Nation. Now it's time to build our 14 infrastructure. I've done this. This will be my 15 third time. And each time, we make progress. We 16 have better for our people. 17 A lot of people have asked me why do 18 I keep putting myself in this situation. I do it 19 because I want better for our tribal members. You 20 deserve better. I want more for our children, our 21 children's children, and as our Elders say, those 22 that we will never see. 23 As your Tribal Administrator, I am 24 prepared to make the hard decisions. I've already 25 done that. I've already proven that I can do this 18 1 job. And those decisions that we make this day 2 forward is going to have to withstand time to make 3 it possible for generations to come to have a 4 tribal government that they can depend on. 5 As your Tribal Administrator in 1980, 6 I completely reorganized the Tribal government and 7 made it more efficient and more effective with the 8 help of our CBC during that time as your Tribal 9 Administrator. As your TA in 2006 and '07, I 10 built the path for our Nation to get out of a 11 financial mess. As your TA for the future, I will 12 build upon these initiatives. I started and I 13 want to build a generation of success for our 14 Tribe. 15 I am a product of our higher 16 education system. Our tribal government sent me 17 to school to do the very thing I'm doing now. So 18 I appreciate your support today, and I hope that 19 we can bring to you a more successful tribal 20 government. We're the 21st largest tribe in the 21 United States, and as the 21st largest tribe, we 22 need to have a better infrastructure, we need to 23 have something for the future. I have a 24 granddaughter that was born three weeks ago. I 25 want something for her children. Thank you for 19 1 your vote today. Thank you. 2 MR. COFFEY: All right, Mr. Gene 3 Pekah. Next we'll call upon Mr. Edward Eschiti. 4 Mr. Edward Eschiti? Mr. Edward Eschiti? 5 Now we'll go on to Sandra Toyekoyah. 6 Please come forward, please. Sandra Toyekoyah. 7 MS. TOYEKOYAH: Well, good morning or 8 good afternoon. My name is Sandra Louise 9 Komahcheet, whatever, and I come from a long -- 10 I'm half Comanche. My mother was Regina Lewis, my 11 grandmother was Mary Wauqua Tonips, my grandfather 12 was (inaudible) and the original allottee of my 13 family was -- I forgot that one. 14 I really don't even have -- I don't 15 have a speech made. I'm educated from Cameron 16 University. I've been to the University of 17 Oklahoma. I've worked on my master's in public 18 health at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma 19 City. I worked for Indian Health Service for 20 14-and-a-half years. I've worked for the Comanche 21 Nation off and on for 10 years, the last five 22 years of those have been in Elders Council. 23 I've never really been rich, but I've 24 had jobs where I made a lot of money and I've had 25 jobs where I made very little money and lived off 20 1 of biscuits and beans. So at 64 years of age, 2 I've done a lot of things and I know a lot of 3 things. But the thing I do know, that when we 4 come to this complex, we're filled with services 5 up here, services that a lot of us need, including 6 myself. 7 I've had to use some of these 8 services because I'm just like everybody, a lot of 9 other grandmothers. I'm a grandmother raising six 10 grandchildren, putting them through school so they 11 will become valuable people to our tribe someday. 12 But education I believe for our young 13 ones, our children, is just so, so invaluable. 14 They have to have that, and we need to support 15 them. 16 But as I said, I've used most of the 17 services up here, so I know when you come here 18 that, you know, most of us don't really want to. 19 I mean, we have a job, but sometimes you just 20 don't have the money, so you've got to humble 21 yourself to come to the complex and ask for some 22 help. 23 Well, I know, I've been there. And 24 I've been treated rude sometimes, and sometimes 25 I've been treated with respect, like I should. So 21 1 I don't -- one thing I can say is, I know I can do 2 the job. I'm educated in that way to do it, but I 3 also have a heart for people. I just want you to 4 know that that's what I would do. How they should 5 be treated with respect every minute they're on 6 the grounds here and that we would work together 7 with all of the CBC, the Chairman, work together 8 so we can do the best job possible for you. 9 There's a lot of members out there 10 that I didn't get to shake their hand. Forgive 11 me. I know all you, I love all of you, as a 12 matter of fact, I love all of you, you're my 13 family. I say thank you very much. 14 MR. COFFEY: All right. At this time 15 are you prepared to give instructions once again? 16 She took that microphone. 17 Election Board Chairman, Charles 18 Wells. And there are some of our Elders there 19 that are not able to -- can you -- all right. 20 Explain it for us. We have three candidates: 21 Willie Nelson, Gene Pekah and Sandra Toyekoyah. 22 MR. WELLS: And we have Election 23 Board members who will be passing out ballots and 24 a pencil. If you have a blue band on your hand, 25 they will give you a ballot. If you'll come up to 22 1 this machine here, this machine here, that machine 2 there, and cast your vote. All the older people 3 that cannot make it up, if you will raise your 4 hand, we'll come by and collect ballots in an 5 envelope. If you'll stay seated while we pass the 6 ballots out. 7 MR. COFFEY: You made a mistake by 8 telling them to line up. You said cheese 9 somewhere in there. Okay. Everybody will get a 10 ballot. And once you get a ballot, your hand will 11 be marked, I believe. 12 MR. WELLS: Their hand will be marked 13 as they pass through with a ballot. If the 14 machine rejects your ballot, turn your ballot 15 around and reinsert your ballot. If it does not 16 take it again, give us a holler and we'll help 17 you. 18 MR. COFFEY: Candidates for chairman 19 and vice-chairman, we want you to come over here 20 to the Election Board to fill out a form so you 21 can be given an authorization to do a background 22 check. Those of you that have been nominated for 23 chairman, those of you that have been nominated 24 for vice-chairman, come over here and sign this 25 waiver. 23 1 We're moving right along. We should 2 have an administrator just around the corner. 3 Ladies and gentlemen, can we have 4 order? Order. Election Board, those of you that 5 are taking names, how many Comanches have 6 registered for today? What was the total count 7 for today? 8 MR. WELLS: 450. 9 MR. COFFEY: 450? I can see over 600 10 Comanches here. 450, from what I've been told, 11 Comanches are present. Has everybody voted? 12 Going once -- all right. We've got some more 13 votes over here. Those of you that just come in, 14 you still have a chance to vote. We're voting on 15 the Tribal Administrator position. If you don't 16 have a ballot, come up here and get one. We're 17 voting on Candidate Number 1, which is Willie 18 Nelson; Candidate Number 2, which is Gene Pekah; 19 Candidate Number 3, Edward Eschiti; Candidate 20 Number 4, Sandra Toyekoyah. You vote for 1, 2, 3, 21 or 4. 22 And ladies and gentlemen, over here 23 on the west side they're bringing in some fruit. 24 We want to take care of our diabetic people. We 25 know it's kind of warm in here, but we have apples 24 1 and oranges and some bananas, so we're going to 2 try our best to share right here within our 3 audience, so bear with us. We know it's warm in 4 here. 5 But we've got to move on. The next 6 item on the agenda, our tribal attorneys. Our 7 total number for Comanche enrolled is 478 tribal 8 members. 478 Comanche people here today. 9 At this time, the next item on the 10 agenda is our tribal lawyers, Hobbs, Straus, Dean 11 & Walker, and then after this, right after this -- 12 just a minute. Charles? Right now we're going to 13 take a vote with regard to our tribal lawyers. 14 Get your people ready. This is the last call for 15 anybody that hasn't voted. Last call. We have 16 been given this note. Going once, going twice, 17 third call. Last call. Voting has ceased. All 18 right. 19 Ladies and gentlemen, on our cards 20 here it says tribal lawyers, Hobbs, Straus, Dean & 21 Walker. And they have information in there in the 22 corner. If you haven't seen it, it's available 23 for you. But we don't have additional candidates 24 for tribal attorneys. I'll introduce Mr. William 25 Norman, who has been our lead attorney. 25 1 And one of the things I want to say 2 is I had a meeting with Fort Sill not too long 3 ago, and Mr. John Plata and Mr. William Norman and 4 Mr. Kirke Kickingbird and Jim Burson. We won at 5 Medicine Bluff. And if it wasn't for the help of 6 our attorneys -- 7 But what I want to tell you, what we 8 did was -- excuse me. We stood up for our 9 ancestors. We stood up for those who could no 10 longer speak for themselves. And we were in that 11 court of law in Oklahoma City, in the United 12 States District Court. That's what we told them. 13 At one time, there was no Fort Sill, there was no 14 Lawton, there was no Oklahoma. The sacredness of 15 our people still exists over there. 16 So I'll make an announcement today, 17 on June the 15th, I think that's the Summer 18 Solstice, we want to have a ceremony right there 19 at the base of Medicine Bluff. And we will 20 provide food, and we will go up to the top of the 21 bluff and we will offer prayer. Then when we come 22 back down, we will have a chance to pray. Anybody 23 need healing, anybody need an uplift in your 24 spirit, that will be the time. Mr. Jimmy 25 Arteberry will coordinate this Medicine Bluff, I 26 1 guess, spiritual quest on June the 15th. 2 But I'd like to introduce Mr. William 3 Norman and Mr. John Plata. John Plata is with 4 Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker. He is a member of 5 the Comanche Nation. His dad is Nick Plata, on 6 our Election Board. And John works in Washington, 7 D.C. with Hobbs, Straus. William Norman.MR. 8 NORMAN: It's been our pleasure over the last 9 several years to be the tribal attorneys for the 10 Nation. Just for informational purposes, we 11 represent and assist the CBC in all the various 12 positions, boards, including any legal issues that 13 come along, and we help with defending the Nation 14 with respect to litigation in instances where we 15 need to go on the defensive on behalf of the 16 Nation, like Medicine Bluff. We handled that 17 litigation. I'm going to let John speak a little 18 bit to our qualifications, but I will call your 19 attention -- 20 Hopefully everybody got a copy of 21 this. We've listed our accomplishments over the 22 last year. I'm particularly proud of the last 23 year. We've been able to wind up some lingering 24 problems that bothered the Nation, some IRS 25 issues, some litigation issues. We wrapped those 27 1 up successfully. 2 We're 5 and 0 this year in litigation 3 on behalf of the Nation. We saved the Nation 4 $10.5 million with respect to IRS fines. And 5 we're most proud of the fact of what we've done 6 with respect to Medicine Bluff. 7 So we're grateful to you for putting 8 your trust in us to serve you, and I'll let John 9 speak. Thank you. 10 MR. PLATA: Hello, everybody. I'm 11 John Plata. I'm a member of the Comanche Nation. 12 I just want to give you a little bit of -- can 13 everybody hear me? I just want to talk about the 14 role of the tribal attorney here for the Comanche 15 Nation. Specifically the Comanche Nation and in 16 all tribes, people need accountability of legal 17 issues. Kind of develops that role outside of 18 what anybody thinks it should be. 19 So here at the Comanche Nation, 20 there's a tremendous amount of work generated 21 every day. Even when it's not, the amount of work 22 and the type of work generated at Comanche Nation 23 is very broad, and it requires a firm that has an 24 extremely broad level of expertise. And our 25 firm's main expertise, as the Chairman and as 28 1 William said also, is the protection of sacred 2 sites, taxation, education, housing, gaming, 3 finance, preservation and protection of natural 4 sources. 5 Another key role of the tribal 6 attorneys is to provide tribal leaders with 7 straightforward advice and straightforward 8 opinions based on the law and let them decide how 9 to move forward. A lot of times tribal attorneys 10 do not agree, and tribal leaders do not agree with 11 tribal attorneys, but I think that's one 12 indication you're getting an honest and 13 straightforward opinion, that we are not telling 14 the tribal leaders what they want to hear, we're 15 telling them what the law is, and then they decide 16 and move forward. 17 Another key role that's becoming more 18 and more important is that we have to make sure 19 tribal leaders understand the regional, state and 20 federal issues that are occurring that affect all 21 tribes, and how their decisions not only affect 22 your sovereign rights as a tribe, but how those 23 decisions affect the entire community of Indian 24 Country. 25 There should be three factors in 29 1 consideration when you're trying to think about 2 who should be your tribal attorneys. See who the 3 firm's clients are. Is it a firm that represents 4 only tribes, or do they represent mostly nontribal 5 clients and Indian law is at the side practice? 6 At Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, Indian law is our 7 only business. We've been doing this since the 8 early '80s, and that's all we do, Indian law. So 9 our expertise is deep and it covers a variety and 10 broad range of issues. 11 As a firm, we have a concrete base 12 and we have long lasting relationships with 13 tribes. Hobbs, Straus has and we have tribal 14 clients that have been with us since the 15 beginning, and that's a good testimonial to our 16 expertise and our flexibility to work with 17 tribes. 18 Many firms have been working in 19 Indian Country only after gaming. Hobbs, Straus 20 has worked in Indian Country for tribes to protect 21 sovereignty of tribes since before Indian gaming. 22 Here are some things to see: Can 23 the firm provide someone advice, tribal leaders, 24 if on any given day they are here, there's someone 25 on the west coast, someone on the east coast when 30 1 they're at different meetings. We can do that 2 with Comanche Nation and we have done that very 3 effectively. 4 And the last one, the third question 5 that I really encourage is are the attorneys 6 trained? Because a lot of these attorneys come 7 from a nontraditional legal education background. 8 And I'll tell you that our firm does that and does 9 it very well. Our office in Oklahoma City has 10 five attorneys who are Indian. Firm-wide, 30 11 percent of our attorneys are Indian. 12 I want to close -- hopefully what I 13 said here today helps you out making an informed 14 decision. I want to say I love to work for my 15 tribe. The reason that I chose to work for Hobbs, 16 Straus is because I can continue to work with my 17 tribe, and it's the most satisfying part of my 18 job. At times I wish I could do it from here in 19 Lawton, but I have to go where the work is. 20 Hopefully one day I'll be able to come back here 21 and continue to work with my Tribe in the future. 22 I just want to ask for your support today, and 23 thank you for your time. Thanks. 24 MS. ATTOCKNIE: My name is Phyllis 25 Attocknie. One of the statements that the 31 1 Chairman made was that to be presented to you, the 2 General Council, the Supreme Governing Body, is to 3 vote to have Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker to 4 remain as our attorneys. With each of the other 5 positions that are being voted on, our 6 chairmanship, our vice-chairmanship, our Tribal 7 Administrator, we're all given that opportunity to 8 choose. 9 I got a loud voice, but I got good 10 ears, too. My mother would differ. But I believe 11 that today, that we need -- because I don't know 12 if there's been an effort by our elected officials 13 to ask are there any other tribal attorneys, law 14 offices, that would even consider being our tribal 15 attorneys. All that I'm asking is that we be 16 given a choice, the opportunity to choose. If 17 that means voting today yes or no to the law firm 18 that we have, then I think we need to be given the 19 opportunity to vote on -- give us a choice to 20 advertise and see if there are other attorneys or 21 law firms that would want to work for the Comanche 22 Nation. 23 I believe today that the vote should 24 be yes or no, and a vote be taken, yes or no, to 25 hold an election for our tribal attorneys after we 32 1 have been given more information that other 2 attorneys that have an interest in representing 3 our Tribe. So I'm just leaving that up before 4 you, the General Council, if you might ponder 5 that, or think about it, and perhaps let's make 6 that kind of a decision. 7 MRS. HENDRIX: Make a motion. 8 MS. ATTOCKNIE: I make a motion that 9 we vote today, not so much to hire -- these guys 10 are good, but we need to be given that opportunity 11 to make choices, have a field of choices. I make 12 a motion now that we have it advertised, and law 13 firms that have a desire to present their 14 credentials and give it to us, this mighty, proud, 15 strong Comanche people, that opportunity. You're 16 given that opportunity in the other world. It 17 should be just as good for this world. Thank you. 18 MR. PATTERSON: Thank you, Phyllis. 19 My name is Jim Patterson. You've 20 heard from me once today, and this will probably 21 be the last time you'll hear from me. But the 22 question of the law firm -- how do I relate this? 23 It's like, perhaps, an oil field pipeline. You 24 put a lot of stuff in one end and it's a long time 25 before anything comes out the other end. It's not 33 1 like a light switch you can turn it on and off. 2 This law firm has represented us very 3 well, they have won cases for us, the Medicine 4 Bluff case. We were advised by a number of people 5 that we would not win that, that we would lose 6 because we were fighting the U.S. Government. 7 They won it for us. But more importantly than 8 what they have done for us in the past is what 9 they're doing for us in the future. 10 We have any number of ongoing 11 projects, both out at the government level and at 12 the business level, particularly with the gaming, 13 tax and other issues that we are in process of 14 doing a lot of things. And to not retain Hobbs, 15 Straus would be a terrible blow, because it would 16 take a long time for any other law firm to 17 acquaint themselves, acclimate themselves to what 18 is going on. A law firm is very important. And 19 if having the same firm over an extended period 20 time -- first of all, it's very cost effective. 21 If we were to not renew Hobbs, Straus 22 and employ another law firm, it would take that 23 firm probably six, eight months to even really 24 know what's going on. And that would be very 25 expensive at probably $500 an hour. So, 34 1 economically, it's to our benefit to keep Hobbs, 2 Straus. And from the work that they are doing, we 3 desperately need them. They are doing great 4 things for us we and need to retain them. 5 I don't know Robert's Rules of Order 6 very well. I don't know if we have a motion 7 because I never heard a second. So I would -- 8 MS. ISAAC: I second the motion. 9 MR. PATTERSON: Okay. There's a 10 motion on the floor and I understand a second. 11 But I plead with you, please reject that motion, 12 and let's retain Hobbs, Straus as our attorneys. 13 MRS. GALLEGOS: Chairman, you've got 14 a motion on the floor. 15 MR. COFFEY: We've got a motion on 16 the floor and I just heard that there was a second 17 to the motion. Beverly, did you second or it did 18 you? We'll put down Beverly Isaac seconded that. 19 Anyway, the question is, shall we retain our 20 attorneys or shall we advertise. That's the 21 question. 22 MRS. WHITEFEATHER: Advertise. 23 MR. COFFEY: So we can make that 24 decision. All right. Are you talking to this 25 issue, Glennetta? Are you talking to this 35 1 position? 2 MRS. WHITEFEATHER: I'm talking about 3 this position we're talking about right now, about 4 the lawyers. 5 MR. COFFEY: Okay. You've got the 6 floor. Introduce yourself. 7 MS. WHITEFEATHER: My name is 8 Glennetta Whitefeather. Some of you know me. But 9 how many believe that we are the Supreme Governing 10 Body? We are. We are the Supreme Governing Body. 11 MS. ISAAC: We're supposed to be. 12 MRS. WHITEFEATHER: That's right, 13 Beverly, we're supposed to be. But there are many 14 things that we don't even know about. They may 15 put us back. I say "they." This Committee, there 16 are things we find out and we say: When did that 17 happen? How did that happen? Purchasing of 18 land. When are they going to put these 19 enterprises on the land? Just wait a little bit 20 and we're going to start making some money. 21 Well, why are we living in poverty? 22 Why are we living the way we do? Our houses are 23 caving in, our Elders are sick. We've got so many 24 things going on that the attorneys know about. 25 The lawsuit that we paid how many millions of 36 1 dollars before and now we got an $8 million 2 lawsuit coming up. 3 And one of my main gripes right now 4 is each and every one of us has an issue. My 5 issue is what about these disenrolled members? 6 How did they advise the Committee as to disenroll 7 all these members and more every month? That's my 8 question. Because we got people that are 9 devastated. They have children and older folks 10 that have been removed from the roll that have 11 been on it for years, and they continue every 12 month to do it. 13 What was the recommendation of these 14 lawyers? I think it's time that we do look into 15 other avenues of finding lawyers that's for the 16 people, not for just this Committee or for 17 themselves. We find out -- we have to find out. 18 Things leak out, that's how we find out these 19 things. We don't even know where we stand. Don't 20 know, and then the next thing we now, oh, we owe 21 millions of dollars, we owe IRS. And then they 22 threaten our programs that service the people and 23 then they run out of money. 24 Well, what are these lawyers doing 25 about it? I don't know about y'all, but please, 37 1 people, really think serious about it. I think 2 it's time for change and it's time the people 3 stand up as one. We are the Supreme Governing 4 Body and there are powers in numbers. Let's do 5 something about it. Let's make a change. 6 MS. ISAAC: She's an employee. She 7 shouldn't been in politics. 8 MS. PEAVEY: I'm a member of the 9 Comanche Nation. I speak when I want to speak. 10 First of all, I'm against attempting 11 to remove these lawyers who have been working for 12 this Tribe and know every facet that is many 13 important things for this Tribe. Everything is 14 important. But, you know, you can't be switching 15 because -- I know everybody doesn't agree, but you 16 can't be switching and say just because you don't 17 like somebody that you're going to remove somebody 18 that has worked and is working for the Comanche 19 Nation. 20 We need to keep these people, the 21 Hobbs, Straus lawyers. They're a very good firm, 22 they know this Tribe, they've been here a long 23 time. And, no, we don't need to go looking and 24 trying to find somebody who has to be given months 25 and months and months of working with, because our 38 1 lawyers already know, already know. So we say 2 keep Hobbs, Straus. I disagree on this motion. 3 Keep Hobbs, Straus. 4 MR. COFFEY: Okay. Karen, then Rod, 5 Margaret. 6 MS. ISAAC: I have something to say. 7 MS. MONETATHCHI: I'm Karen 8 Monetathchi. I just want to get up before my 9 Comanche people and say we need to keep these 10 attorneys. They are very well spoken, they are 11 very attentive, they know what to do. They have 12 attended every one of the board meetings, they 13 have been in every case where they need to be, 14 where they can serve our Comanche people, and we 15 need to keep these people. 16 They are very intelligent. We got a 17 fancy lawyer. What other attorney firm that has 18 Comanche lawyers that is part of us working for 19 us? And we have another attorney that's Indian. 20 You don't think that he wants to work for the 21 Indian people? He might not be Comanche, but he 22 works for us. They attend every meeting, plus 23 they take time out of their private meetings to 24 attend these meetings. Yeah, they get paid for 25 it, but they are a part of this, the Comanche 39 1 Enterprise. I want to ask my Comanche people to 2 please retain our attorneys. Thank you. 3 MR. COFFEY: Rod, Margaret and Keith. 4 MR. WHITEWOLF: You know, I always 5 understood that competition was good, competition 6 brings -- and I don't want to do these people a 7 disservice. I mean, you know, I'd like to see how 8 much money we paid them this past year or a year 9 ago, last year or whatever. But the point is, all 10 we want is a time period to get some more people 11 interested and let's -- if they're the best, then 12 I'm sure we'll accept them, but there might be 13 someone else who is better. That's what I think 14 Phyllis was talking about. No big deal, it's just 15 competition. 16 MS. PILCHER: Good afternoon, Council 17 members. My name is Maggie Coffey Pilcher. I was 18 known by Margaret when I was little, but it's 19 Maggie now. I said the same thing last year that 20 I'm going to say right now. A yes vote for this 21 motion would leave the Tribe without an attorney, 22 and it's a dangerous situation to leave a 23 government in. 24 I currently am a government attorney 25 with the State of New Mexico, and we've got about 40 1 seven attorneys throughout the state. Now, the 2 Comanche Nation is a big Nation with a lot of 3 enterprises. It cannot afford to not have a 4 lawyer to call whenever they have a question to 5 answer, advice on what the law means, help them 6 make the best decision. 7 Now, some people may feel that the 8 firm is making decisions, but the firm is not 9 making the decisions. The firm looks up the law, 10 says this is what it says, here's what you can do 11 within the law, and it's up to the Business 12 Committee to decide which action to take. Now, 13 again, a yes vote for this motion would leave the 14 Tribe without an attorney. 15 Now, I think if you're upset with the 16 firm, go out and find another firm to come give us 17 a presentation at the next Council meeting. 18 MRS. GALLEGOS: That's what her 19 motion is. 20 MS. PILCHER: No, the motion would 21 leave us without a firm. Now, we need to 22 re-extend their contract another year, vote them 23 in, and if you're unhappy next year, bring some 24 other firms to make a presentation. It's like 25 coming to a potluck dinner without food and 41 1 complaining about the food on the table. You 2 should have brought your own dish. 3 MR. COFFEY: Keith? 4 MRS. WHITEFEATHER: We'll have the 5 same problem next time when we decide to change. 6 So if we keep them in another year, we'll still 7 have the same problem, so we might as well be 8 steps ahead and do it. 9 MR. COFFEY: Keith and then Willie. 10 MR. YACKEYONNY: Mr. Chairman, Tribal 11 Council Members, that's not what her motion said. 12 Her motion said that we will call a Special 13 Council Meeting and recruit. That doesn't mean 14 we're going to be without attorneys while they're 15 going out advertising. That doesn't mean that 16 we're getting rid of Hobbs, Straus Indian law 17 firm. It doesn't prohibit them from putting a bid 18 in that they will come back to vote. And I think 19 that's what we are saying, is we know that there's 20 other attorneys out there. And we've all talked 21 about -- Ms. Whitefeather said it, Mr. Whitewolf 22 has said it. 23 Our Tribe has grown. And like she 24 said, and I'm going to say it again, what I said 25 last year -- (inaudible.) We are so complex that 42 1 our attorneys cannot be all things to all people. 2 Because they represent the Tribal government, they 3 represent the Tribal Council, which is you guys. 4 The other thing is, they also represent our Gaming 5 Board of Directors, they also represent our Gaming 6 Commission, they also represent our Enterprise, 7 they also represent our Tax Commission. 8 However, there is going to be a time 9 that there will be a conflict; i.e., let's say 10 somebody goes up for the Gaming Commission and 11 there's a regulatory issue. But they're also 12 representing the Board, they're also representing 13 the Tribal Business Committee and the Tribal 14 Council. They actually becomes pitted against one 15 another. 16 And so, you know, most tribes who 17 have this division of the gaming operations, a 18 Gaming Commission and a Gaming Board, they have 19 separate attorneys to represent the interests of 20 those specific entities because their focuses are 21 different. What they're trying to do is 22 different. 23 Now, Oscar and Mr. Patterson are 24 going to stand up and say they're doing a great 25 job. They probably are doing a great job, but 43 1 there's going to be a time when there's going to 2 be a conflict. 3 And let's go back to what Phyllis' 4 motion says. It's not saying let's get rid of 5 them. She's saying let's have a choice, and 6 Business Committee, do a request for proposal. 7 Let's see if there's any qualified, legal 8 attorneys out there. Because there are. And 9 there's probably some that are a lot better. 10 And Phyllis, you know, her modesty, 11 she won't admit it. She beat Hobbs, Straus, Dean 12 & Walker, and she doesn't have a law degree. She 13 beat them in CFR court. Obviously they're not all 14 that great if Phyllis can beat them. 15 The Comanche people, it's not about 16 whether we like them or whether they're good to us 17 or whatever that is. It's about a choice. And 18 that's what it is, you know. If today we vote on 19 this motion and they fail, it doesn't mean that we 20 have to be mean to one another or dislike one 21 another. We go on as business as usual. But if 22 we win today, this motion, we vote -- we have an 23 opportunity to see if there's better legal counsel 24 out there. 25 And the other thing is, you know, 44 1 they already settled with CDST. They advised the 2 Tribe to settle with CDST for millions of dollars, 3 and now we're back again with CDST. You know, 4 Comanche people, sometimes, like the United States 5 of America said, it's time for a change, and they 6 got Obama. I think it's time that we look at 7 looking at different types of attorneys given the 8 Gaming Commission, given the Board, and given the 9 Enterprises, those Board of Directors, the 10 opportunity to say we'd like this attorney better 11 than this guy, then bring it to us for a vote. 12 But I think -- I think we're totally 13 misinterpreting Phyllis' motion. So today, 14 Comanche people, I will vote with Phyllis and I 15 would like for y'all to vote on her motion so that 16 we do have a choice. Choices are good. 17 MR. COFFEY: Willie Nelson and Oscar 18 Codopony. 19 MR. NELSON: Our attorneys, people, 20 Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, we do have a Native 21 American standing, Kiowa Tribe, Kirke Kickingbird, 22 our own Comanche member, Mr. Plata. 23 You know, Abraham Lincoln said it 24 best. He said, a lawyer's stock in trade is his 25 what? Is his time. We have all gotten this. Do 45 1 you see the figures of how much we paid the law 2 firm? Is there an overrun? We voted on the 3 budget for our lawyers last year, people. How 4 much is the overrun? 5 I know disclosure is hard for a lot 6 of programs to come to, but this standing vote and 7 what Ms. Attocknie approached us for should be out 8 for bid. Due to the fact we did not know Fort 9 Sill was wanting to build a training center there, 10 it just came up. It just came up. We fought the 11 case, we won the case. But once again, as 12 Mr. Yackeyonny said, we were sued. 13 When our casinos first opened up, we 14 were sued. Appeal process, I do not know, but my 15 attorney friend from the Sac and Fox Nation, he 16 told me that should have been appealed or we 17 wouldn't be open for a lawsuit today. 18 So, with that said, all I am asking, 19 please entertain this motion. I think the lawyers 20 have done a grand job, and it's not a political 21 situation here, people. It's apples and oranges. 22 Put it out to bid, but, please, we need 23 accountability. How much did we, the people, pay 24 them? That's all I got to say. 25 MR. COFFEY: Mr. Codopony? 46 1 MR. CODOPONY: I'm Oscar Codopony. 2 I'm Chairman of the Comanche Nation Gaming 3 Commission and formerly with the CBC. Over the 4 past four or five years, I've had the opportunity 5 to work closely with the attorneys of Hobbs, 6 Straus, Dean & Walker. And one of the things that 7 has been mentioned here today is the fact that 8 there is potential down the road of potential 9 conflict of interest. 10 In my examination of that, because as 11 my responsibility to you in the positions that 12 you've allowed me to serve in, we've had to take a 13 look at those. And in doing so, I have evaluated 14 other law firms should that potential arise. In 15 my personal opinion, and what I hope that you 16 choose today, is to sustain Hobbs, Straus, because 17 based upon their experience, their offices that 18 are located in various places. 19 And the Comanche Nation is a nation. 20 We have a relationship not only with the other 21 nations, with the other Indian nations in the 22 State of Oklahoma, but with the United States. 23 Hobbs, Straus maintains an office in 24 Washington, D.C. We have a voice there if we need 25 a voice there immediately. Some of the names that 47 1 were given to me years ago when I ran for CBC 2 about we need to consider this person or this 3 firm, were small firms, firms that did not have 4 the resources to address our needs. 5 You heard Mr. Yackeyonny mention a 6 while ago that we had grown, that our departments 7 and our needs have diversified. We have gaming 8 needs, we have governmental needs, we have needs 9 such as the situation at Fort Sill that keeps 10 getting mentioned. We have needs that arise with 11 KCA that are Indian law needs, and Hobbs, Straus 12 has the resources to address each of those. If we 13 choose not to support them today, we place 14 ourselves at risk. I hope you will support this 15 law firm. 16 MR. CHONEY: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 17 My name is Cloyce Choney. I'm a proud member of 18 the Numunuu Nation. I've been retired for a 19 little over a year from the National Indian Gaming 20 Commission. While I was with the Commission, 21 first as a Commissioner and subsequently as the 22 Vice-Chairman, I had numerous opportunities to 23 work with Hobbs, Straus, to sit in on a lot of 24 discussions. I sat in on some discussions with 25 Mr. Strauss, one of the founding partners, who 48 1 among all the people that I talked to in that 2 firm, and other firms, had a firm grasp of Indian 3 law, as well as gaming law. 4 By keeping Hobbs, Straus, we're going 5 to keep a tradition that they have established in 6 gaming law, as well as other issues. We have to 7 keep them. Number one, there are plenty of other 8 law firms out there. And as was said a few 9 minutes ago, there probably are some that's out 10 there that are even better. 11 Well, in my five years with the 12 Commission, I know thousands of law firms out 13 there, but a lot of these firms are jumping on the 14 Indian bandwagon to get into gaming law. Some of 15 them, and I dare say a majority of them, are not 16 very well. So if we open up the opportunities to 17 go out and look at some of these firms, we need to 18 be very, very careful on who we invite in here, 19 because they'll tell you anything. 20 Hobbs, Straus is one of the most 21 prestigious law firms in Washington, D.C. I would 22 stake my reputation on it. When I found out that 23 they were representing the Comanche Nation, I held 24 them to a higher standard, more so than the other 25 law firms, and they never disappointed me. 49 1 They have -- how many members do you 2 have, about 200? But they would have a total, I 3 would say, 200 nationwide. A lot of law firms 4 don't have a membership that large. We're 5 fortunate that we have members here that are 6 stationed here in Oklahoma City. A lot of law 7 firms don't. A lot of them stay in Seattle. A 8 lot of them stay in Washington, D.C. There are 9 others in Reno, Nevada. Places where they would 10 have to travel to and from here in order to 11 conduct Tribal business. We're lucky we have 12 people here already. 13 It has been said that we would be 14 without a law firm for up to eight months for them 15 to get acquainted with the Comanche people, 16 Comanche way, Comanche laws. It would take 17 longer. I would say a year-and-a-half, maybe two 18 years, for a new firm to get their feet on the 19 ground. So if we keep Hobbs, Straus, we're not 20 going to lose a step. They have done us an 21 outstanding job, as shown by their statistics. So 22 we need to keep Hobbs, Straus. Thank you. 23 MS. ISAAC: Good afternoon, my name 24 is Beverly Isaac. I'm a proud Comanche Tribal 25 member, also. I like each one of these people 50 1 from Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, but they're not 2 working for all of us and we are the ones that pay 3 them. We don't see them running -- we don't know 4 how much they make. They make a bunch of money. 5 They work for our CBC, individually. They work 6 for our CBC and keep getting them out of their 7 mess. Now, when we need assistance, we have no 8 place to go. They say you have to go, you have to 9 hire your own lawyer. 10 Well, I've never seen anybody work 11 for me personally. And I would like to know how 12 much our Tribe pays them right now, 13 Mr. Tippeconnie. How much did we make last year? 14 How much did they make last year? 15 MR. ASEPERMY: Beverly? We retain -- 16 they were paid for FY '08, $700,000. From October 17 1 of '08 to February 28th they were paid $404,000. 18 MS. ISAAC: Well, that sounds like a 19 lot of money, but I believe they made more than 20 that. The budget gives them -- and we hired a 21 couple of people. But look how many we pay every 22 time they come down here. I like each and every 23 one of these guys, but, you know, we don't see 24 it. They work for CBC. 25 The CBC, if they're giving them the 51 1 -- they tell us that they're giving them opinions 2 of what they should do. Then our CBC are not 3 listening to our lawyers, because they don't 4 listen, got us into a big mess. If it wasn't for 5 employees listening and doing their job, we 6 wouldn't have gotten into this mess. And if it 7 wasn't for the employees not doing this job, not 8 doing their jobs, the financial part -- 9 (inaudible.) 10 Okay. Now, if it wasn't for our 11 employees, some of them didn't do their jobs, so 12 we're in a big mess paying back the IRS. And if 13 it wasn't for employees, the CBC would have gotten 14 their message about Medicine Bluff. The 15 employees, there are a lot of employees that got 16 us into this mess. Our tribal lawyers have to get 17 us out. 18 We are the ones paying for it, 19 because it's coming out of the money that we get 20 from our economic stimulus. When are we going to 21 be able to spend our own stimulus money? We 22 haven't been able to do that in a long while. If 23 our lawyers are advising our CBC, then our CBC are 24 the ones that are making us a big mess. I'm 25 sorry, guys, but, you know, we need to see some of 52 1 that money ourselves. 2 We are the General Council, we are 3 the governing body, and we need to start taking 4 hold of what they're doing. Don't stay away, keep 5 coming every month to the CBC meeting. Thank you. 6 MR. ATTOCKNIE: I'm Richard 7 Attocknie. Phyllis is my sister, and I got folks 8 already sitting on both sides of this issue. All 9 I'm asking right now is don't talk about, think 10 about when you're voting for this as a personal 11 issue. It's an issue for our own sake, for our 12 own safety. It's an issue that concerns us all. 13 So, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to call for the 14 question. 15 MR. COFFEY: We've got one more 16 person who would like to speak. Cornell, 17 introduce yourself. Sorry Richard, I got your 18 name wrong. You got it right, Kelly? Richard 19 Attocknie? 20 MR. TAHDOOAHNIPPAH: Thank you, 21 Mr. Chairman. You know, I was just wondering why 22 our Tribe doesn't have an attorney general. My 23 name is Cornell Tahdooahnippah. I wonder why our 24 Tribe doesn't have an attorney general to look 25 after our interests. We wouldn't be having this 53 1 discussion every year. Not to mention the one 2 thing that concerns me is I have a very hard time 3 trusting a non-Comanche with our legal issues, 4 especially when it comes to money. I do not trust 5 white people. So we need an attorney general. 6 Thank you. 7 MR. COFFEY: Come on, Mr. Clark. 8 MR. CLARK: What we have here, we 9 have a failure to communicate. I don't care who 10 you pick, attorneys, they need to communicate with 11 us through a newsletter. If I'm being sued, I 12 want to know why and what they're doing about it. 13 We've got an award-winning newsletter here that 14 can keep us informed each step of the way. If it 15 costs so much money to retain them, you've got 16 children out here. Send them to college, let them 17 get a law degree and then come back and work for 18 us. 19 MR. COFFEY: Okay. Call for the 20 question has been made with regard to Mr. Richard 21 Attocknie, and the question is to advertise or not 22 advertise. I want to make it clear, that if we 23 advertise, that doesn't mean that Mr. -- our 24 attorneys will be able to, I guess, reapply. But 25 the issue is, do you want to advertise. And if 54 1 you say no, then we retain our attorneys. If you 2 vote yes, it means we will advertise. That's the 3 question. All right. Do you understand, 4 everybody? Okay. 5 MR. ASEPERMY: Mr. Chairman, from 6 what I understand, if we -- would you say that 7 mostly does that mean if we advertise, we will be 8 without legal representation? And when during 9 this advertising phase, how much time do we allow 10 this to happen; 60 days, 30 days, 90 days, a year? 11 MR. COFFEY: Very simple. We'll have 12 to call a General Council together because of the 13 constitution if this council makes a decision to 14 re-elect. But if the question fails, then we 15 retain our attorneys as it is. 16 MS. ATTOCKNIE: No, the attorneys 17 will still need to be voted on. The question is 18 to give this General Council the opportunity to 19 make a choice. If the General Council says no, 20 then the General Council again will have to vote 21 yes or no to retain them. 22 MR. COFFEY: Well, you're putting it 23 in two different issues. If the General Council 24 says no, then that means we're not going to 25 advertise. 55 1 MR. YACKEYONNY: But we still have to 2 certify them as our attorneys right here. 3 MR. COFFEY: Okay. We'll do that. 4 All right. Election Board, come forward. The 5 question is -- can you put them on the board? 6 Who's doing -- no, it's not a ballot, you'll raise 7 your hand. That will make it easier. Because if 8 it was a ballot, we'd be voting for somebody else, 9 or voting for somebody. 10 Okay. There it is right there. If 11 you vote yes, you want to advertise. If you vote 12 no, then this motion fails. Then after this 13 motion fails, I'll entertain a motion to retain 14 our current lawyers, Hobbs, Straus, Dean & 15 Walker. Okay? All right. Everybody understand 16 that? Anybody needs clarification? 17 Well, that's what I'm saying, but 18 they're saying that we have to have a motion to 19 retain our lawyers. Okay. All of those in favor 20 advertising for a new law firm, raise your hand or 21 stand up. 22 By the way, we have our results for 23 the Tribal Administrator up here. Right after 24 this issue, we'll get into our budget. All 25 right. You may be seated. All those that vote 56 1 no, vote no against advertising, raise your hand 2 or stand. Okay. You may be seated. 3 Okay. The vote for Tribal 4 Administrator, we have 486 -- no, it was more than 5 that. It says 586 registered names today, 584 6 voted in the Tribal Administrator position. 7 Willie Nelson obtained 65.7 percent of the vote, 8 Gene Pekah obtained 30.82 percent of the vote, 9 Edward Eschiti, 2.5 percent of the vote, Sandra 10 Toyekoyah, 2.5 percent of the vote. So our new 11 Tribal Administrator, Willie Nelson. 12 All right. The final, those of you 13 that abstain, you don't want to vote either way or 14 the other, raise your hand. Those of you that 15 abstain. 16 All right. Mr. Yackeyonny, the CBC, 17 you raised a constitutional issue with regard to 18 the nomination of Mr. Clyde Narcomey as a 19 candidate for chairman. Mr. Narcomey hasn't 20 completed his second term as Committeeman Number 21 4. Mr. Narcomey, do you want to -- 22 MR. NARCOMEY: My name is Clyde 23 Narcomey. I'm going to go ahead and decline the 24 nomination because it's -- I'm not doing it on my 25 own here. The CBC has voted against me 4 to 2 -- 57 1 4 to 1 for me to run. So it's not my decision, 2 it's the CBC's decision. But thanks for all your 3 support. But I'm still your committeeman for the 4 next two years. 5 MR. COFFEY: And let me make a 6 clarification, Mr. Yackeyonny, because this 7 decision was made that if he was a candidate for 8 office and he hasn't completed his office, but he 9 has, this is his second term. Then the Committee 10 felt like I was Chairman, then I could be eligible 11 for a nomination, too. So the CBC made the 12 decision and left it up to Clyde. So he's still 13 in the office of Committeeman Number 4, and he's 14 still got two more years on his term. 15 If you would, please turn to your 16 budget page, our 20 percent contribution. 17 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Excuse me. The vote 18 was whether or not to do this advertising. If 19 they vote it down, okay. If they vote yes, then 20 we go another round, but the vote still needs to 21 be taken. But the vote still needs to be taken 22 to -- 23 MR. COFFEY: We're not done yet. I'm 24 saying turn to your budget. You may get a chance 25 to look it over. In the meantime, we'll wait for 58 1 the outcome of this election. 2 So for clarification purposes on the 3 chairman position, Mr. Narcomey has said he will 4 not accept the nomination as candidate for 5 chairman. So Mr. Ron RedElk, Mr. Michael Burgess 6 and Johnny Wauqua, in that order. 7 In the order of vice-chairman, Dale 8 Rhea Simmons, Eleanor McDaniel, Edward Eschiti, 9 and Mr. Ben Tahmahkera has declined the 10 nomination, Mr. Richard "Bunky" Henson, Sonja 11 Tahchawwickah. So the order of vice-chairman, 12 Dale Rhea Simmons, Eleanor McDaniel, Edward 13 Eschiti, Bunky Henson and Sonja Tahchawwickah. 14 That's the way it will appear on our election 15 ballot. 16 MS. MCDANIEL: Mr. Chairman, my name 17 is Eleanor McDaniel, and I'm a proud Comanche and 18 I'd like to open up this discussion on our 19 budget. I respectfully address the Tribal 20 Council. $40 million is a whole lot of money. I 21 hate to see it be squandered, misused, and 22 misappropriated. So I, today, respectfully make a 23 motion and submit the following resolution. So I 24 need for you to listen real carefully, because I 25 think it's going to make a big difference in what 59 1 the Tribal Council does. 2 The Tribal Council is the Supreme 3 Governing Body, and we should have a direct say in 4 what happens to our moneys and how it is spent and 5 to protect it and safeguard it from any misuse. 6 So I would -- I ask for your full attention and to 7 listen carefully. I'm making a motion to submit 8 this resolution, submit it for a vote today. 9 Whereas, the Comanche Nation is a 10 federally recognized Indian Tribe with a 11 Constitution approved by the Secretary of the 12 Interior on January 9th, 1967; and 13 Whereas, the Constitution of the 14 Comanche Nation clearly provides that the Tribal 15 Council is the Supreme Governing Body of the 16 Comanche Nation, having the established power and 17 right in assembly. 18 That's where we are today. We have 19 assembled today to take care of some very 20 important business. And this constitution gives 21 us the power and the right of assembly to take 22 action and to determine for ourselves what is in 23 the best interest of the Comanche Nation and its 24 members. 25 And, whereas, the gaming revenue is 60 1 the primary source of our income for the Comanche 2 Nation, and therefore, in the best interest of the 3 Nation, to ensure for maximum generation of gaming 4 revenue and an optimal increase in per capita 5 payments; and 6 Whereas, an enormous amount of gaming 7 revenue has been allocated to the Comanche Nation 8 College with an empty promise of accreditation for 9 the past several years. It is therefore in the 10 best interest of the Nation that future funding be 11 safeguarded and protected from any fraud and 12 misuse; and 13 Whereas, the act to vote on the 14 Tribal budget, Tribal leadership and other 15 business affairs of the Nation is the most 16 important right of every member of the Comanche 17 Nation. It is therefore in the best interest of 18 the Nation to safeguard the fundamental right. 19 Therefore be it resolved, that in the 20 best interest of the Nation, the Comanche Tribal 21 Council shall hire a Gaming CEO with authority 22 over all gaming operations. The Gaming CEO will 23 be responsible for generating maximum gaming 24 revenue and optimal increase in our per capita 25 payments. The gaming CEO will publish and 61 1 disseminate a biannual report three weeks prior to 2 the annual General Council meeting and no later 3 than the first day of October of each year. The 4 Tribal Council shall remove Gaming CEO for neglect 5 of duty or conduct that has brought disrepute upon 6 the Comanche Nation. 7 In the best interest of the Nation, 8 Tribal Council shall hire the President of the 9 Comanche Nation College, who shall have authority 10 over the Comanche Nation College operations. The 11 Tribal Council shall remove the Comanche Nation 12 College President -- 13 MR. COFFEY: Eleanor, that doesn't 14 have anything to do with the budget. 15 MS. MCDANIEL: Yes, it does. 16 MR. COFFEY: No, it doesn't. 17 MS. MCDANIEL: Excuse me, sir, but in 18 our budget we have allocated $1,800,000 to our 19 college, and I understand that some of that money 20 is not being spent properly. The employees of the 21 Tribe are being fired left and right. So the 22 Tribal Council is -- 23 MR. COFFEY: Well, Eleanor, that 24 doesn't have -- you're trying to take 25 responsibility to hire the positions of president 62 1 and CEO. That doesn't have anything to do with 2 the budget. 3 MS. MCDANIEL: I have a resolution 4 and I would like to complete it and let the Tribal 5 Council hear it. And if it passes, it passes. If 6 somebody wants to discuss it, you can discuss it. 7 But I at least want to have the right to free 8 speech and be able to at least voice what I have 9 to say. I'm a member of this Tribe and I have a 10 right to say and voice my opinion, so may I 11 continue? 12 MR. COFFEY: I guess, go ahead. You 13 got the floor. 14 MS. MCDANIEL: Thank you. I thank 15 the floor. 16 In the best interest of the Nation, 17 the Tribal Council shall remove the Comanche 18 Nation College President for neglect of duty or 19 conduct that has brought disrepute upon the 20 Comanche Nation. In the best interest of the 21 Nation, the Tribal Council shall appoint -- 22 MR. COFFEY: Does everybody have a 23 copy of this resolution? Does everybody 24 understand what she's talking about? It doesn't 25 have anything to do with our budget. It has to do 63 1 with hire and to select. We're talking about the 2 budget and we have a final on this question. 3 MS. MCDANIEL: $40 million is a lot 4 of money, and that CEO is the one who is 5 responsible for making money for us. We have seen 6 this past year our per capita payment drop. That 7 should never have been allowed to happen. You 8 know, if we've got somebody in there responsible 9 for and looking out for our interests, we should 10 never lose our per capita payment. Our budget 11 today, with all the programs, have seen a cut. If 12 this does not apply to our budget, I don't know 13 what does. All programs are seeing a cut in their 14 moneys as compared to last year. 15 So in the best interest of the 16 Nation, the Tribal Council shall appoint, remove 17 the Election Board Chairman. The Election Board 18 Chairman shall have the authority to enforce 19 election ordinance and procedures with the 20 approval of the Business Committee. The Election 21 Board Chairman shall have the authority to 22 appoint, remove election board members, with the 23 approval of the Business Committee. 24 The current Election Board, if 25 approved today, shall be amended to reflect this 64 1 action. A meeting shall be called in 60 days of 2 this action to make initial selection of 3 candidates to fill this position of CEO, of 4 gaming, of -- 5 MR. COFFEY: Wait a minute, that's 6 going a little too far. It does not have anything 7 to do with our budget. Let's -- 8 MS. MCDANIEL: Our Election Board 9 receives 200 -- there is a line item. 10 MR. COFFEY: Those are talking about 11 personnel, Eleanor. It doesn't talk about our 12 budget. We're talking about hiring personnel or 13 removing personnel. That has to be a 14 constitutional issue. The constitution does not 15 say remove or hire anybody. It says the Tribal 16 Administrator, tribal attorneys. You're talking 17 about a constitutional election that has to be 18 placed. It has to be a secretarial election. If 19 you gave authority to the Tribe to hire -- 20 MS. MCDANIEL: We, in past 21 resolutions -- resolutions in the past -- I'm 22 not -- that will not change. 23 MR. YACKEYONNY: Point of order, 24 Mr. Chairman. We're supposed to be on the budget. 25 MR. COFFEY: Point of order, we need 65 1 to be on the budget. In the meantime, I cannot 2 continue that to go on, unless everybody has a 3 copy to see it. We have not seen it. I'm sorry, 4 Eleanor. 5 MS. MCDANIEL: Well, the motion has 6 been made and I would like to hear if anybody 7 would second it. And if not, then all right. 8 Okay, then I can let it go. 9 MR. COFFEY: That doesn't have any 10 order with regard to our budget. 11 MS. MCDANIEL: Everything that I said 12 here affects the budget. And the Constitution 13 says, our Comanche Nation Constitution says that 14 the Tribal Council is the Supreme Governing Body. 15 Now, if we are not the Supreme Governing Body, I 16 can't see how we cannot make a motion and we are 17 in assembly and have an opportunity. 18 MR. COFFEY: If you want this Council 19 to act on your decisions, you have to submit a 20 petition with over 200 names to this Business 21 Committee. And after that is completed -- wait, 22 wait. Wait, Eleanor. After that petition process 23 has been completed, if it's fulfilled, then we 24 send it to the Secretary of Interior for a 25 secretarial election. This body does not have 66 1 that authority to assume this possibility that 2 you're proposing. 3 MS. MCDANIEL: Well, this is a 4 resolution. This is not a petition. There's a 5 difference. And you have set precedence by 6 passing resolutions in this assembly. 7 MR. COFFEY: No, you have to change 8 the Constitution if you want the Tribal membership 9 to hire and fire these individuals. You have to 10 have a secretarial election. Eleanor, you know 11 that. You're smarter than that. Please, please, 12 please, Eleanor. 13 MS. MCDANIEL: No, it's -- there's a 14 resolution, and then there -- 15 MR. COFFEY: There's a petition, 16 yes. So what you want to do is the Tribal Council 17 to have responsibility to hire and fire like the 18 attorneys, and like tribal administrator, then you 19 have to have a secretarial election. You know 20 that, Eleanor. You know that. Please, I'm giving 21 you the benefit of the doubt. 22 MS. MCDANIEL: I'm also giving you 23 the benefit of the doubt, but I would like to 24 finish and if I -- you know. 25 MR. COFFEY: I think you are 67 1 finished, please. You may be seated. Sorry, 2 Eleanor. We got business to undertake. You got a 3 personnel issue that needs a secretarial issue. 4 MS. MCDANIEL: No, it's not a 5 personnel issue. I have made a motion to address 6 this Council and I am respectfully asking -- 7 MR. COFFEY: You did address this 8 Council, but your question to the Council requires 9 a secretarial election. 10 MS. MCDANIEL: This is a resolution. 11 There's a difference between a resolution and a 12 petition. You know, I respectfully request you 13 address this Tribal Council and I'm just asking to 14 finish. 15 MR. COFFEY: I think you are 16 finished. 17 MS. MCDANIEL: Well, I'm asking -- 18 wait a minute. I'm respectfully asking that I 19 continue to finish reading my resolution because I 20 think it's important. We have $40 million that's 21 at stake here. $40 million that can't serve -- 22 MR. COFFEY: Security, I think it's 23 time for us to go back to our agenda. Would you 24 come forward, please, and ask that she be 25 removed. 68 1 In the meantime, the tally on this 2 question up here to advertise for a firm, this 3 question losses 159 against the issue to 4 advertise, 99 for. So the motion losses. 5 Now I'll entertain a motion to retain 6 our Tribal Administrator -- the Tribal attorneys. 7 Do we have a motion on the floor to that effect? 8 MR. YACKEYONNY: Motion to retain our 9 tribal attorneys, Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, at 10 the cost of $500,000 according to our Tribal 11 budget. 12 MR. COFFEY: We have a motion to 13 retain our tribal attorneys. Do we have a second? 14 MRS. GALLEGOS: What was the rest of 15 the motion? 16 MR. COFFEY: Now you can make a 17 decision on the vote whether you want to put a cap 18 to that. This retain issue does not make that 19 issue. A motion has been made to retain our 20 attorneys and we have a second. 21 MR. CODOPONY: Point of order, 22 Mr. Chairman. Does the Constitution speak to a 23 cap? 24 MR. COFFEY: No. 25 MR. YACKEYONNY: No, but the budget 69 1 does. 2 MR. COFFEY: Then you have a right to 3 vote to pass the budget or not pass the budget. 4 That's the issue that you have to make a decision 5 on. Everybody will be entitled to a vote, the 6 ballots will go out, each line item. We have a 7 motion to retain our attorneys. Election Board, 8 will you come forward, please? Now, this motion, 9 can you put it on the board? 10 MR. YACKEYONNY: Can we have 11 discussion? 12 MR. COFFEY: Can you put that motion 13 that was made? The motion was made to retain the 14 attorneys. All right, folks. You can see that on 15 the floor. We're open for discussion. Motion has 16 been made and seconded. 17 MR. CODOPONY: Who seconded it? 18 MR. COFFEY: Who made that second, 19 Jim? Did you make that second? No, sir. Do we 20 have a -- I don't know. Gene Sovo back there. 21 Gene Sovo seconded it. All right. Discussion? 22 MR. CODOPONY: Discussion, 23 Mr. Chairman, on this matter of the cap. In 24 theory that sounds good, but do we know who's 25 going to sue us? If everybody would raise their 70 1 hand if they know somebody who's going to sue us 2 today and how many legal actions we're going to 3 have against us so we can budget for that, that 4 cap would be a good thing. We do not know what 5 actions are pending against the Nation. And as 6 big as we are and as far flung as our operations 7 are, we cannot be tied to this cap and adequately 8 defend ourselves should the need arise. 9 MR. YACKEYONNY: But they have been 10 our attorneys for the past seven years, and we 11 need to know how much they charge each year. And 12 we know that it's in excess of a million -- they 13 said $700,000, but we're not talking about how 14 much the gaming pays them, how much the Tax 15 Commission pays them and how much the Gaming Board 16 pays them. 17 The reason for this cap is -- it's 18 just a bigger issue than the cap. It's saying: 19 Come on, Business Committee, let's have a real 20 budget. If it costs us $1 million for the 21 attorneys, put it on the budget so we all know how 22 much we're paying the attorneys. Let's not hide 23 the cost. That's how much we're asking. We're 24 always saying let's be transparent. This is what 25 we'll do. We'll say, okay, attorneys, $500,000. 71 1 And another tribe, they do put a cap 2 on their attorneys, because they know if you 3 don't, it could get outrageous, like this firm 4 has. And if what y'all want is to retain them, 5 let's make them accountable. And if $500,000 is 6 not going to be enough to keep them, let's change 7 our budget to make them be transparent. 8 They have the figures for the past 10 9 years. Each year is over $500,000, and we know 10 it. Let's reveal to each and every one of us. 11 Because if these persons take that money for 12 attorney fees, then something else has to give. 13 It has to come from Social Services, it has to 14 come from the -- because you only have $40 15 million. You don't have extra more money. And 16 that's what I'm saying. 17 We're trying to make our Tribe 18 accountable and transparent. If $500,000 is not 19 enough, let's move it up to a million, and that's 20 what we vote on in the budget process. That's 21 what I'm trying to get you to think about, is the 22 budget process. Let's be transparent. Let's be 23 honest. 24 MR. COFFEY: You know what? Let me 25 tell you something here. I think there's a lot of 72 1 people that like to hear themselves talk. And 2 these very issues, they could come to me in my 3 office and let's talk, but, no, they want to have 4 an audience. 5 The question is, shall we retain our 6 attorneys. And Election Board, come forward. All 7 those in favor, you may raise your hand, or let's 8 make sure that we're going to retain Hobbs, 9 Straus. 10 MS. ISAAC: Mr. Chairman, we get 11 together once a year. You don't have to talk like 12 that to us. We can come to your office and we 13 often do. 14 MR. COFFEY: You're always welcome 15 and you're always at every CBC meeting. You have 16 an obligation. You voted for on the budget or 17 not. 18 MS. ISAAC: I know, but don't talk 19 down to us, because I don't like that. And I 20 don't know (inaudible) I respect you very much and 21 you know that. But, you know, we're here once a 22 year and we should have all day, but we don't. I 23 know we don't. 24 MR. COFFEY: Those very same issues, 25 you can come into the office and let's talk about 73 1 them. All right. Any more? John? 2 MR. PLATA: I just have one comment. 3 You know, I'm all for straight budget 4 distributions. You know, I think that's the best 5 thing you can have for the Tribe. Now, budgeting 6 is a separate question on you who you hire. The 7 constitution says you hire and then you decide on 8 the budget separately. 9 This is the situation that's going to 10 occur -- that I think is going to occur if you set 11 a cap on any kind of fees for any attorney that 12 you might hire. You're in the middle of a 13 litigation, you have a $500,000 cap, or whatever 14 cap you want to hit. What do you want us to do at 15 that point? You want us to not work anymore for 16 you? Do you want to -- you know, you're going to 17 be stuck at that point, because you're restrained 18 by a budget. 19 I agree that a budget is good, and 20 you can protect as much as you can, but sometimes 21 you cannot. If there's litigation arises, there 22 needs to be a fund or something set aside that 23 will continuously fund the legal expense. To set 24 a cap without a litigation fund, you're going to 25 have a problem down the road at some point. 74 1 MR. YACKEYONNY: Call for the 2 question. 3 MR. PATTERSON: Can I just say one 4 thing? 5 MR. COFFEY: Yeah, sure, Jim. 6 MR. PATTERSON: I promised you 7 wouldn't have to listen to me again today, but as 8 the Chairman said, some of us like to hear 9 ourselves talk. 10 Let me just conclude what he said by 11 saying this: I don't have the exact number off 12 the top of my head, but if I recall, fiscal year 13 that ended in '08, the four casinos generated 14 gross revenues of close to $900 million. Now, 15 that's gross. 16 We have the machine payout, salaries, 17 everything else out of it. When you look at the 18 attorneys' fees that we have paid, it is a very 19 small fractional percent of what they're helping 20 us protect. It's very difficult to budget an 21 exact amount for legal counsel. We don't know 22 what's going to happen tomorrow. 23 Thank you. 24 MR. COFFEY: All right. The issue 25 is, we retain our attorneys. Vote yes -- we have 75 1 a call for the question. All those in favor of 2 retaining our attorneys, stand or else hold your 3 hand up with your blue wristband. 4 I think what we need to do is get 5 through these things, because we've got a budget 6 issue, and there are some items on the agenda that 7 are very important. There's the nursing home, the 8 disenrollment issue, and the I-CARE program. So 9 before we lose our quorum, I want to get to those 10 issues, because they're very important. 11 MRS. HENDRIX: Can y'all explain to 12 the people how many times they've represented 13 y'all and not any of the people? 14 MR. COFFEY: All right. All those 15 that vote no to retain our attorneys, please raise 16 your hand or please stand. Okay, Election Board, 17 you're done. 18 All those that abstain? All those 19 that abstain, raise your hand, that don't have an 20 opinion one way or the other. 21 MS. BEAVER: This is Henrietta Good 22 Day Beaver. I've been drawing Social Security and 23 supplements, and every time Jolene puts this in 24 the newspaper, it is coming out less than what I 25 should get, so I do not think that this should be 76 1 in the paper anymore. And if there's anything 2 else, well, start paying my payment. Thank you. 3 MR. COFFEY: This is Henrietta. I 4 know her as Good Day. And she doesn't want her 5 per cap payment to be advertised in the paper, and 6 she's right. Because the community out there 7 already knows that it's been advertised, and 8 Social Security has hindered a lot of our Tribal 9 members by penalizing them, and they don't get 10 their checks for December and January, sometimes 11 they don't get back on until March. 12 So I don't know how you can correct 13 that. I think the best thing to do is just not 14 even let them know. Leave that part off. 15 20 percent funds: Chairman's salary, 16 $50,000; CBC Stipends, $21,000; Comanche Tribal 17 Princess, $3,000; Expo Fair Director, $3,000. 18 Yes, Lynn? 19 If not, we'll move down to the Tax 20 Supplement. 21 MS. WAUQUA: I have a question on the 22 CBC Stipends and the Tribal Princess (inaudible.) 23 MR. COFFEY: Salary for all members 24 of the Business Committee shall be $258 a month. 25 However, there is a provision that says we can 77 1 have a special meeting -- special meetings may be 2 called by the Tribal Chairman at his discretion, 3 provided that such special meetings do not exceed 4 a total of 12 meetings per calendar year. And 5 because of that and the special meetings, its time 6 constraints, that's the reason why it was moved up 7 to $21,000. 8 MRS. HENDRIX: The Constitution 9 doesn't say you're paid extra for it. 10 MR. COFFEY: Well, it says per 11 meeting. It says per meeting -- per month, right. 12 We'll have to make that change to 18,000 for the 13 ballot. 14 Tax Commission Supplement: Annual 15 Audit, $200,000; Burial Assistance, $252,000; 16 Child Support Services, $45,000; Comanche Indian 17 Veterans Association, $45,000; Comanche Tombstone 18 Project, $20,000; Complex Operations, $550,000; 19 Elections, $250,000; Indian Church Donations, 20 $60,000; Comanche Homecoming, $15,000; Outreach 21 Center-Anadarko, Outreach Center-Norman, Oklahoma, 22 $60,000 apiece; Social Services-Emergency 23 Assistance, $678,500; Comanche Language & Cultural 24 Preservation, $30,000. 25 Any questions or concerns on that? 78 1 Also, you will find in your packet KCA Operating 2 Budget. That should be $270,000 instead of 3 $250,000. 4 Comanche Nation Gaming Contribution 5 Funds, Revenue Allocation. Now, this is off the 6 Revenue Allocation Plan, off the RAP. That's what 7 was submitted to the National Indian Gaming 8 Commission and it was approved. 40 percent of all 9 the proceeds will go to the gaming contribution. 10 We anticipate that it will be $16 million. 40 11 percent of all our revenue: $16 million for Per 12 Capita Distribution; Elder Payment, $932,821. 13 I think there was a motion that it 14 should be $1 million; is that correct? And we'll 15 change that, Mr. Tippeconnie, to $1 million. That 16 was made back a long time ago, that we move from 17 $500 per year to $1 million a year. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Standing? 19 MR. COFFEY: Standing, yes. 20 Jacquetta made that motion. No, you made it to 21 $1,000 per Elder. 22 MS. ATTOCKNIE: I like the 1 million 23 per Elder. 24 MR. TIPPECONNIE: No, Phyllis. 25 MR. COFFEY: But back then they 79 1 anticipated it would be $1 million. 2 Economic Development: Now we're 3 going into Comanche Nation Gaming Contribution 4 Funds. And somebody made a comment to Eleanor 5 that $40 million is a lot of money. Six years ago 6 we had a budget of 8 million, and five years ago 7 it became 18 million, four years ago it became 29 8 million, three years ago it became 49 million, and 9 now look at how much it is that we vote on -- I 10 mean, 39 million. Today it's over $40 million. 11 Other tribes have watched us grow 12 because of the programs. The Kiowa people have 13 started to get back up on their feet. And the 14 Apaches and the Wichitas and Delaware, they're 15 doing good things for their tribes as a result of 16 gaming. But we're doing better. And I know it's 17 going to continue to be successful, because the 18 City of Lawton, they need us and they like us. 19 Economic Development, 25 percent of 20 the gaming revenue. That's in accordance to our 21 Resource Allocation Plan. Comanche Nation 22 Enterprises, Incorporated, $1,560,718; Economic 23 Development, $1,090,000; Funeral Home Burial 24 Assistance, $252,000; Housing Authority, $700,000; 25 Land Acquisitions, $3,170,293; Museum & Cultural 80 1 Center, $1,200,000; Native American Graves 2 Protection & Repatriation Act, $195,000; Private 3 Drives-Tinhorn & Gravel, $200,000; Revolving Loan 4 Program, $400,000; Tourism Center, $136,500; 5 Transit Program, $572,000; Tribal Historical 6 Preservation Program, $160,000; Workforce 7 Investment Agency, $425,000, for a total for 8 Economic Development, 25 percent, 10,061 -- no, 9 $10,061,511. 10 Anybody want to speak to that? Yes? 11 MS. WAUQUA: Mr. Chairman, I have 12 some issues on four line items that I don't 13 understand. To me, they're duplications. The 14 Museum & Cultural Center, I'm saying it's our new 15 museum. The NAGPRA, which is a separate program, 16 and I thought it was federally funded also, for 17 195,000; the Tribal Historical Preservation 18 program is somehow linked with the NAGPRA for, you 19 know, 160,000. And then the last issue I have is 20 the Revolving Loan because there's nothing in the 21 book about it, what it did last year, and who runs 22 it and what has it done. 23 MR. COFFEY: A question with regard 24 to the Museum & Cultural Center. Is Phyllis here? 25 MR. TIPPECONNIE: No, she's not here. 81 1 MR. COFFEY: Oh, she's not here? How 2 about NAGPRA? Bill, do you want to speak to 3 that? The Tribal Historic Preservation Program, 4 they're different, but maybe someone can give you 5 some information. 6 MS. ISAAC: Where are these 7 employees? 8 MR. WHITEWOLF: Mr. Chairman, I'd 9 like to speak. You know, the Fort Sill Apaches 10 have improved their facility down there, and you 11 go by there any time in the day and they're full. 12 And I'd like to put this as a motion. I'd like to 13 take half of that Economic Development and put it 14 towards renovating our casino so we can fix it, 15 and the next year the (inaudible). 16 And so I think -- and we hear people 17 talk. They'd rather go to the Fort Sill Apache, 18 because Comanche Nation Casino here is just -- 19 it's not up-to-date. So I'd like to -- like I 20 said, I'd like to make a motion to put half that 21 Economic Development to renovate our casino. 22 MR. COFFEY: Rod, our Business 23 Committee just authorized the Gaming Board to 24 utilize a renovation project here at the Lawton 25 casino, which will be first. You'll see a $3 82 1 million renovation just around the corner, because 2 we made an approval for them to proceed. And it 3 will look nice. You'll see a complete change with 4 the inside as well as outside of our current 5 casino. 6 And once that's completed, then it 7 will be the Red River. Also, we're working with 8 one of our Tribal members to bring a hotel to Red 9 River Casino. So we made plans. We understand 10 and we see that happening. 11 MR. WHITEWOLF: Well, where is the 12 money coming from for the hotel? 13 MR. COFFEY: Well, that's from a 14 Tribal member who will do the investment. That's 15 from Mr. Harrington. If he's present -- I don't 16 see him. But he submitted a proposal to the 17 Comanche Nation to build a hotel at the Red River 18 Casino. This presentation will be over $1 million 19 to the Comanche Nation. And this will be for 20 building of that hotel which will be for a period 21 of 10 years, after which time it will be conveyed 22 to the Comanche Nation. In addition to that, he 23 has indicated Comanche preference. 24 Now, what our Business Committee has 25 done and what our Housing Authority has done, 83 1 we're looking at landholdings that we have up into 2 the Red River area. And we're going to work with 3 the Housing Authority to build either apartment 4 complexes or duplexes or homes so some of our 5 Tribal members can work at the hotel at the Red 6 River Casino. So plans are already made. 7 And the budgets from the Gaming 8 Board, they have Capital Improvement. That's how 9 we're doing the capital improvements, because they 10 know they need to do renovations periodically. So 11 that's where it comes out of. It comes out of the 12 casino budget. 13 MR. WHITEWOLF: I would really 14 appreciate the information that they're talking 15 about now, but we out here, we never hear about 16 the long-range plans of the Tribe. So it sounds 17 good, but I don't think there's going to be 18 enough. I still think that you can work that 19 Economic Development money back into there 20 someplace. 21 MR. COFFEY: You're right, Rod. And 22 what we're going to request to our Gaming Board 23 and Gaming Commission is that they do a newsletter 24 on a monthly basis so they can keep us informed 25 about what activity is taking place. So this 84 1 hasn't been done in the past few years, but we 2 will recommend that it be continued. 3 Yes, Glennetta? 4 MRS. WHITEFEATHER: I've got 5 something that I -- well, not me but -- 6 MR. COFFEY: Is it in reference to 7 these four issues, the Museum & Cultural Center, 8 NAGPRA, and Revolving Loan, and Historic 9 Preservation Program? Those were the questions 10 that -- 11 MRS. WHITEFEATHER: Gaming. What I 12 want to know is how those of us -- where did that 13 big old bus come from? Who paid for it? Gaming? 14 We voted it down, didn't we? All right. 15 The thing about that is: Wallace, 16 you promised us here about two or three years ago 17 that none of the Numunuus would have to sit here 18 hot. The next year you said you would update this 19 gym with our Capital Improvement. Look at us. 20 We're hot. 21 You said next year it's not going to 22 be like that. I'm going to do this, I'm going to 23 do that. You're not going to be sitting here 24 sweating and everything. Well, what about that 25 bus? We could have done something about this 85 1 building. Isn't that Transportation dollars? A 2 lot of people get tired and sick just sitting 3 there thinking about it and they have to leave. 4 Well, I think something should be done about that, 5 about this gym, so we can have a decent place to 6 meet instead of buying a big bus that only a few 7 can utilize. 8 MR. COFFEY: Let me explain that, 9 because it does need clarification. Just this 10 past week, our CBC approved a Capital Improvement 11 program for the gymnasium. We're going to knock 12 out the west wall and move it that way, knock out 13 the east wall and make more room so we can have a 14 bigger space. 15 If you recall, several years ago I 16 brought to you a convention arena to be built 17 right next to the casino. And if we approved it, 18 it would be built by now. We could have events 19 for boxing, events for rodeos, events for 20 basketball games, events for movie releases. But 21 we didn't go that way. We went for a per capita 22 payment instead. So sometimes we lose, and that's 23 okay. We move forward. So this is what we've 24 got, and this is what we're going to have to deal 25 with. 86 1 And, by the way, our improvement 2 plans for an event center at the Lawton Casino has 3 been tabled because we need to do that renovation 4 project first. But there will be an event center 5 built here at the casino in Lawton before too 6 long. We know we need more space. 7 All right, Bill Voelker, did you want 8 to talk to NAGPRA? 9 And you wanted to talk about the 10 bus. Let me tell you, we've got vehicles out 11 there that probably only get about six, seven 12 miles to the gallon. And our Transit Program says 13 we need new vehicles, but we're not going to buy 14 vehicles, because we got these vehicles out here 15 and we can't get rid of them because of their 16 miles. They've got a lot of miles on them and 17 they use a lot of gas. So the upkeep on them is 18 that we need to have new vehicles. 19 So they came to us and they said a 20 lot of Tribal members, the church groups, the 21 Methodist Church group, the women's song group, 22 they use our vans. Now our vans are being 23 over utilized. Even Comanche Boy, when he boxes, 24 he asks to utilize a van so he can bring Tribal 25 members to be in support of him when he boxes. In 87 1 addition to that, there are people that travel 2 that want to use our vans, and so our vans are 3 being over utilized. 4 So this year, they said we're going 5 to buy a bus that can accommodate our Youth 6 Program, a bus that can accommodate our Elders, a 7 bus that can be useful to the Comanche Nation 8 overall. 9 In fact, we have that example of it 10 someplace, the new siding, the wrap up here. You 11 can see it up here, the wrap, on the left side. 12 This is the way the bus is going to be addressed. 13 And it says, "Comanches on the move." You'll see 14 warriors, and you'll see our women warriors. And 15 so I'm thinking that that bus might be out here 16 before the meeting is over. 17 Bill, did you want to address this 18 NAGPRA issue? 19 MR. VOELKER: To answer the question 20 about NAGPRA, Historic Preservation, I'm glad it 21 came up because that's an area that's always 22 confusing to our people. The programs are each 23 very unique and separate. 24 What is handled as NAGPRA issues, for 25 example, are the cases of human remains that are 88 1 either recently found, or cases where there are 2 Numunuu remains in the museums, other 3 collections. And the window is very small for 4 activity that takes place under NAGPRA. 5 Historic Preservation, let me use the 6 example of Medicine Bluff. It wasn't specifically 7 a NAGPRA. It specifically fell under the 8 responsibility of Historic Preservation. 9 The artifacts that we bring back, 10 we'll be doing more and more of. Many of them can 11 be claimed by the Tribe under the legal act such 12 as NAGPRA. If these artifacts are in a museum, 13 and they accept federal funding. So the overlap 14 is what the perception is with the museum work. 15 It will take NAGPRA action to bring these items 16 legally back, then they're turned over to the 17 museum. Hopefully there will be archival space to 18 accept. 19 So there's confusion from the Museum, 20 NAGPRA, Historic Preservation. These are very 21 unique and individual programs, but they overlap 22 on what the goals and objectives are. 23 MR. COFFEY: Tribal Historical 24 Preservation program, I'm going to turn the 25 microphone over to Mr. Robert Tippeconnie. He's 89 1 our Secretary/Treasurer, and he had hearings with 2 regard to budgets for each program or any entity 3 that wanted to utilize gaming funds. And I'll 4 give him that responsibility to go forward. If 5 you want to look at those line item budgets, 6 that's fine. 7 By the way, before we do that, the 8 question to retain our lawyers: For, 207; 9 against, 38; abstain, 6. So Hobbs, Straus, Dean & 10 Walker will continue as our attorneys for the next 11 12 months. Were there further questions about the 12 Museum, NAGPRA? If not, we'll move on. 13 MS. ATTOCKNIE: On the Revolving Loan 14 Program, is there some kind of report about it 15 that we could give out all (inaudible) last year, 16 what did we fund? 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Orme, are you 18 here? Would you -- would you address this, 19 please? Mr. Orme is the Chair of the Revolving 20 Loan Committee. It's a three-person committee. 21 MR. ORME: As Robert said, I'm 22 Chairman of the Revolving Loan Committee. My name 23 is David Orme and I am a member of the Tribe. 24 This past year, we created 10 credit 25 line loans. Those line loans totaled about 90 1 $525,000 to various individuals. These loans went 2 primarily to (inaudible) that were in operation. 3 In a couple of cases it was to start new a 4 business. So that actually was fiscal year of 5 2008 and the first part of 2009. 6 The initial loans were pretty large. 7 The loans that we could give out toward the end or 8 we granted toward the end, we reduced that loan 9 value to about 25,000 or $20,000 max. We felt 10 like we could help more people by doing that 11 versus the larger loans. 12 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Who works for that 13 program with you? 14 MR. ORME: Jo Vickers and Carol 15 Kahrahrah, and Donna Wahnee was the administrator 16 of the program. 17 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Isn't she the 18 Enrollment director? 19 MR. ORME: Yes, she is, she is the 20 Enrollment director. 21 MS. ATTOCKNIE: So she has two 22 positions? 23 MR. ORME: She had two 24 responsibilities, yes. 25 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Is she paid for both? 91 1 MR. ORME: Yes. 2 MS. ATTOCKNIE: She can't even do 3 Enrollment right and we're going to give her 4 another position? 5 MR. ORME: Let me answer the 6 question, please. We -- there were several 7 problems with the loan program, the way we started 8 out. We have worked with the CBC to modify the 9 program on several items. We're going to hire a 10 full-time loan officer that does nothing but look 11 at that program so we can provide better service 12 to the people that are making applications. We 13 need to provide more services. So we agreed -- in 14 fact, this past week, we agreed to modify that 15 program so we could hire a full-time director that 16 does nothing but administer the loan program. 17 Now, as far as different services we 18 provide, and also (inaudible.) 19 MRS. HENDRIX: So she's been double 20 dipping from the Tribe? Isn't that illegal? 21 MR. ORME: Well, I can increase 22 anybody's responsibilities. I can take a 23 person -- you can take Donna and make her the loan 24 officer and other responsibilities. And then you 25 have to -- but you have to provide support 92 1 services to help her do that. She can't do it by 2 herself, that's true. 3 MRS. HENDRIX: Well, she can't do 4 either one of them. 5 MR. ORME: That's a different issue. 6 MS. ATTOCKNIE: So Mrs. Wahnee is the 7 only other Tribal employee that assists you with 8 this Revolving Loan account? 9 MR. ORME: That's correct. No, she 10 had an assistant, also. 11 MS. ATTOCKNIE: So we've got two 12 employees that are working for two different 13 programs? 14 MR. ORME: That were administering 15 two programs, yes. 16 MS. ATTOCKNIE: And are being paid 17 for each program? 18 MRS. HENDRIX: And out of 450 19 Comanches here, you couldn't find anybody else? 20 MR. ORME: We are modifying that 21 program so that we have hired a full-time person. 22 This won't be a full-time person plus an 23 assistant, it will be one full-time person. 24 MRS. HENDRIX: Did you advertise? 25 MR. ORME: That was the way the 93 1 program was initiated. As we got into this, that 2 became clear that it didn't work. So we're making 3 the changes that we have to make the program work 4 better. 5 MRS. HENDRIX: But you didn't ever 6 advertise? We have policies. 7 MR. ORME: At that point, the 8 committee wasn't involved. The committee came 9 after she was appointed. 10 MRS. HENDRIX: Who appointed her? 11 MR. ORME: I think the important 12 thing is that we have recognized the deficiency in 13 the program. 14 MRS. HENDRIX: So the CBC is taking 15 over policies now? They're going to get into 16 personnel? 17 MR. ORME: We have recognized the 18 deficiencies in the program and we've made a 19 number of changes in the program, working with the 20 CBC to improve it. We're going to have a full- 21 time loan officer that does nothing but the 22 program. It will be advertised so that we get the 23 best possible candidate to fill that job. It will 24 be advertised. 25 MRS. HENDRIX: Well, that's been the 94 1 problem all along, everybody's placed on there, 2 double dipping (inaudible.) 3 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Orme, maybe we 4 can move on. 5 If you haven't heard what he said, 6 you know, the program, the director of that 7 program will be advertised. And it will be moved 8 from the office over here. It's going to be moved 9 over to an Economic Development area to where the 10 business will operate as a business. That 11 position will be advertised. 12 MRS. HENDRIX: Aren't you doing 13 everything backwards? 14 MR. TAHDOOAHNIPPAH: Cornell 15 Tahdooahnippah again. You know, these budget line 16 items are well and good. However, for me, maybe 17 it's just me, but I need more detail. I want to 18 know what the -- you know, how much are the 19 utilities? How much Comanche folks is that money 20 going to bury? You know, what are the salaries? 21 How much administrative cost do we have? There's 22 simply not enough detail in these things for us to 23 make intelligent decisions on. And that's all I 24 want. 25 You know, I want to know exactly, 95 1 because it's all in the details. You know, 2 Transportation, hey, that could mean anything, you 3 know, as far as I'm concerned. See, they can use 4 it for anything. But I want to know the details. 5 And as far as vehicles go, just lease them, we 6 don't have to buy them. 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: All right. Are 8 there any other comments on this section? 25 9 percent is not -- yes, Mr. Yackeyonny? 10 MR. YACKEYONNY: I just have a 11 question. Y'all kind of explained NAGPRA and 12 Tribal Historical Preservation. How does that tie 13 into Economic Development? What was the logic 14 there? 15 MR. TIPPECONNIE: That's a good -- 16 he's asking a question that -- the section is 17 Economic Development. He asked the question why 18 the NAGPRA or why Historic Preservation, is that 19 -- those two? 20 MR. YACKEYONNY: Yes, and Transit. I 21 mean -- 22 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. There are 23 some that have a relationship with economics. You 24 know, when we get into it, as you see there, 25 there's matters of Tourism, there's matters of 96 1 Historical Preservation. People do like to look 2 at those from the vantage that it is also an 3 attraction to people. So there are places in our 4 budget, and I feel we're going to get more 5 sophisticated, as to where they best fit in time. 6 So we have made some judgments, and 7 maybe they're on the edge there, Mr. Yackeyonny. 8 And in the future, I hear what you're saying, to 9 make it a little clearer to everyone, how it fits 10 into Economic Development. 11 MR. YACKEYONNY: The next question 12 is: Do we have a land acquisition policy for the 13 Tribe for this $3 million? 14 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We have begun 15 that. Mr. Yackeyonny has asked a question about 16 land acquisition, do we have a plan. We're 17 beginning a plan. We initiated some planning this 18 year. In the past, I don't think we had a very 19 good idea as to why we're purchasing lands. So 20 now we're putting those priorities together and 21 we're going to be purchasing land based upon 22 criteria and, you know, a purpose. So that's 23 being looked at and reviewed more critically by 24 all the CBC here. So that whole matter of 25 planning and the purpose is getting clear and 97 1 underway. 2 MS. ISAAC: Mr. Tippeconnie, we come 3 to a General Council once a year to make 4 decisions, and the people need to be informed of 5 these positions. We have three language programs 6 that are supposed to be in one place, and we voted 7 on that about two years ago. They're supposed to 8 combine and be in one location, which I think was 9 the Comanche College. Even that's not done. 10 They're scattered all over the place. And one has 11 about maybe six people that they cater to. 12 And, you know, whatever decisions we 13 make here at the General Council, we need to 14 follow these decisions. You guys need to look 15 into those language programs, make sure that 16 they're doing their job. There's three of them. 17 They're supposed to be one in one spot. We voted 18 on that. 19 MR. TIPPECONNIE: You voted on it 20 yourself? 21 MS. ISAAC: We voted on it at this 22 General Council I think the year before last, and 23 they still haven't combined the programs, and it 24 keeps going on. We keep getting -- we're growing 25 and we need to start following -- we need to start 98 1 following what we vote on here. Let's start. And 2 I don't know where Mr. Orme's program came from, 3 but he needs to start hiring Comanches. Comanches 4 need to work. 5 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Thank you, Beverly, 6 for both comments. I know we have separation of 7 language, and each of them have some specific way 8 they're approaching the Tribal members and the 9 language efforts that each are undertaking. I 10 wasn't fully aware of the matter that we, by 11 resolution or by action of the General Council, 12 are to consolidate them. I'll look into that. 13 MS. ATTOCKNIE: If you find out that 14 it's so, I believe that you, specifically, should 15 enforce the centralization of anything dealing 16 with our language. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Ms. Attocknie made 18 a comment. If we see that, indeed, the action of 19 the General Council is a standing action, as the 20 Secretary/Treasurer, and the one that has the 21 responsibility to present our budget to you, bring 22 that together. That's the point you're making? 23 Thank you. 24 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: My name is Tom 25 Narcomey. I have some questions. Okay. I have 99 1 some questions on -- my name is Tom Narcomey. I 2 have some questions here. Can you hear me? 3 Okay. We owe the IRS 775,000 for 4 failure to report 1099s. And I didn't know -- I 5 was wondering where that comes out -- it said it 6 would be on the budget or not. And then we're 7 getting sued -- well, that, too. But we owe IRS I 8 think 5 million, I'm just guessing, for W-2G 9 forms, I believe, for not issuing gambling 10 winnings. But I guess we'll try to talk that down 11 to a million or so, that's negotiations. But I 12 guess that would be -- would that be in the budget 13 or would that be gaming expense? 14 And then the overruns for the 15 attorneys, shouldn't that come out of our Rainy 16 Day Fund for 3 million? Well, I don't guess we 17 have one, but I think it's zero. But it seems 18 like that's what a Rainy Day Fund is for. And 19 also for the -- we're getting sued for 10 million 20 for those gaming contracts. And, you know, our 21 attorneys' fees have overrun on that one. So I 22 was just wondering, what are we going to do? Do 23 another Rainy Day Fund or what? 24 MRS. HENDRIX: We never did. 25 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: Should we do an 100 1 investigative audit to find our 3 million and get 2 that money paid back? There's a lot of questions 3 here. I don't know where to start. 4 And then our Enterprise -- well, last 5 year I say we had $1 million, and we didn't do a 6 detailed budget, and hire about five business 7 developers, or maybe seven, a big (inaudible.) 8 here we are again. So now we're going to do 9 another slush fund for a million, plus another 10 million-and-half for Enterprise. And I think our 11 gaming revenue was 49 last year. This time it's 12 40 million, maybe next year it's 30. 13 So we've got to do a lot of economic 14 -- you need economic help, and I don't think we're 15 going to get any unless we, you know, like I said, 16 do a detailed approval of departments so we can 17 get people in there that know a lot of good 18 business plans. 19 And we don't develop La Donna 20 Harris's property or do a cultural center or bring 21 projects that will bring money to the Tribe, or 22 purchase our own machines and maybe increase our 23 gaming revenue by one-and-a-half times or maybe 24 even double. We've got a lot of -- economics is 25 important, but we don't want to make it another 101 1 slush fund like last year. Well, it's been going 2 on for four years. 3 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Thank you, 4 Mr. Narcomey. 5 MR. POAHWAY: My name is Jarvis 6 Poahway. I've got a question about the 7 prioritizing of this land that we purchased that 8 you were just talking about a while ago. It's 9 been several months, almost a year has gone by 10 since I started submitting proposals to take the 11 320 acres that we bought out there. We call it 12 the Jack Dodd purchase, on the west, out there by 13 the mountains. It's part of the Wichita 14 Mountains, at the very end of it. And we were 15 wanting to -- wanting the Comanche Tribe to set 16 that aside for a park and recreation for all the 17 Comanche people. 18 I don't think there's anything wrong 19 with that proposal, because in the future, if they 20 decide they want to do something else, if this 21 parks and recreation didn't work, then they could 22 always do something else. But at the time being, 23 my proposal keeps getting pushed back, pushed 24 back, and pushed back every time somebody 25 discussed it. 102 1 So I would like at some point to 2 enter a motion to the Tribe, the General Council, 3 on that 320 acres that we purchased out there to 4 be utilized for the Comanche people under parks 5 and recreation. And I would like to submit a 6 motion right now that we vote whether the Council 7 give us that 320 acres to use for parks and 8 recreation for the Comanche people. 9 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Poahway, I 10 might mention, you know, we are working on 11 criteria as we're purchasing land, and there are 12 lands that we purchased in the past that we didn't 13 have good planning on. 14 However, we met, the Nation met with 15 all councils, boards, et cetera, and we went over, 16 you know, opportunity to be placed upon these 17 lands. So we're reviewing all these things, 18 including your proposal to us. So those things 19 are yet standing. We have to look at all kinds of 20 comments that persons have made to us, and then 21 we'll decide on some of those lands that we have 22 purchased in the past. 23 MR. POAHWAY: That's fine. But what 24 I'm submitting to the Committee today is that we 25 make a vote on it today. I submit making a motion 103 1 to the Comanche people that we set this property 2 aside and then make a decision how much it's going 3 to cost to develop it. I'm sure it will be under 4 $100,000 for developing it into parks and 5 recreation. And, also, children's retreat, 6 elders' retreat. 7 I mean, it's a beautiful piece of 8 property. I'm sorry I don't have a visual aid to 9 help you see that, but it belongs to you. That 10 land belongs to all of us. So I don't see any 11 reason why -- if you wanted to go out and look at 12 that property yourself, you should be able to go 13 out and look at that property without any problem, 14 without, you know -- but that's why I'm submitting 15 this motion today, to have it moved over to the 16 Comanche people. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Poahway, I know 18 you're attempting to have a motion, but I would 19 ask that you give us the time to evaluate. 20 There's a number of, you know, persons speaking 21 about what we should do on that specific piece of 22 land. And we've been -- we've gone through a 23 planning process, and we're looking at a number of 24 comments, so if you'd just bear with us. And we 25 appreciate, you know, letting the CBC continue 104 1 looking at opportunities, because there are some 2 other considerations that could be given to that 3 specific land. And I believe a lot of people here 4 do not know much about it, except that we have 5 purchased it. 6 It is a beautiful piece of property. 7 It's north of Indiahoma, northwest of Indiahoma. 8 And it's a beautiful piece of property, and I 9 think it has a lot of opportunity for us. But I 10 would encourage you to allow us to continue to go 11 through this effort to see the thoughts that have 12 been given to us on that, as well as your 13 thoughts. 14 MS. ISAAC: What are the thoughts? 15 What are the other thoughts? 16 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Well, we're yet to 17 size all of them up. We're looking at all those. 18 And I'd say, too, that perhaps we don't have 19 enough of those. We have to give other people a 20 chance to give us some views as well, you know, as 21 Mr. Poahway is doing. 22 MR. POAHWAY: Well, you know, in a 23 government process, I brought a motion. There's a 24 motion before the General Council to vote on it, 25 whether we use it for Comanche -- use it for all 105 1 the Comanche people or, you know, the Committee is 2 going to take their time and get through that. 3 What I'm saying is, that in the government 4 process, a motion is a motion; is that correct? I 5 made a motion that we vote. It's a voting issue, 6 whether we get this property moved over to the 7 Comanche parks and recreation and then develop it 8 from there. That's my motion, take that property, 9 make it parks and recreation, create a position 10 for that. 11 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Are you saying 12 designate it as parks and recreation? 13 MR. POAHWAY: Yes, absolutely. And 14 the budget, if there was a budget for it, it would 15 be probably very minimal, because, you know, as 16 the Tribe, we can develop it ourselves. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Again, Mr. Poahway, 18 I'd like to say I appreciate this and encourage 19 you to reserve this so we can give more people to 20 have an opportunity. One thing that is on the 21 property is a wonderful home. It's a real nice 22 home, and we do need to see how we want to use 23 that home and not have it deteriorate. 24 So there's a number of questions that 25 we have to look at. So I would encourage you to 106 1 bear with us. We're trying to do it at a fast 2 pace, and I understand your interest, but I really 3 think -- there's no second here, and let's move 4 on. Because we are losing people here and I'd 5 like to see everyone here have a chance to review 6 these -- the balance of our agenda. 7 MR. POAHWAY: If we don't -- I submit 8 a motion that we set it aside for the Comanche 9 people, that it be our property. And that's the 10 motion I'm making. If I get a second, I do; if I 11 don't -- 12 MR. TIPPECONNIE: One thing I might 13 say, too, we're moving lands into trust status. 14 That means we have a special standing on those 15 lands. So I also ask you to bear with us, because 16 there is a need to move lands in their present 17 state of situation. Otherwise, if we encumber it 18 one way or other, it's difficult to ever move it 19 into trust. So one of our objectives on this land 20 is to move it into trust status. So that's 21 another thing I would ask all of you to understand 22 it takes effort to do that. I'd like him to 23 withhold his motion, if he would. 24 MR. COFFEY: Either that, or move it 25 into the Other Business category, Item E. Is 107 1 there any other discussion in regard to Economic 2 Development? If not, we'll move on over to Tribal 3 Government. 4 MR. PARKER: Good afternoon. My name 5 is Jerry Parker. And on line items of CNN 6 Enterprises, Economic Development, and the 7 Revolving Loan, it's under -- I'm under the 8 impression that Economic Development is in the 9 business of providing funds, financial funds for 10 people who want to start a business or expand a 11 business. That's the same thing as the Revolving 12 Loan. 13 To me, that's a duplication of 14 services that we should take a look at, because 15 there's another item that is of great concern to 16 me and should be a great concern to all your 17 Council here, and that's in regard to the Student 18 Services program. Their program has taken a 19 budget cut nearly in half, from $600,000 down to 20 $300,000. I say let's consolidate that to 21 Economic Development, have it continue with their 22 funding of people that want to start businesses or 23 keep businesses, whatever, and everything. 24 Let's dissolve the Revolving Loan and 25 give the moneys to the Student Services. Because 108 1 that's affecting our Numunuu children and their 2 schooling, supplies that they need and whatever 3 else they provide for them. Thank you. 4 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Let's move on to 5 the next one. You heard those comments. Let's 6 move on to the next one. We'll move on to Tribal 7 Government, 10 percent. You can see up above is 8 Capital Improvements, Children's Court, Cost of 9 Living Allowance, Enrollment. We can go all down 10 all each of those. You can see the figures up 11 above, or you may see them on the paper in front 12 of you. Are there any comments on any of these? 13 Yes, Mr. Yackeyonny? 14 MR. YACKEYONNY: You guys talked 15 litigation, he said it's a separate thing between 16 retaining our order and the budget. You know, all 17 throughout the day, whether this side of the aisle 18 or that side of the aisle, even the Business 19 Committee has said that there's litigation 20 involving this Tribe, which is one of the things 21 to be prudent, to think what's best for this 22 Tribe, to be far reaching, and to protect this 23 Tribe, this Tribal government. We do need to add 24 a line item that says litigation cost. Because as 25 we go into development, people will sue us; so, 109 1 therefore, we do need a Tribal government 2 litigation cost. 3 As the Tribal government, there are 4 other things that involve our Tribal government 5 that are not -- that are not in this budget, and 6 they're very important things that we need to look 7 at; i.e., the Tribal Gaming Commission. They have 8 a separate budget, but we do not see it, we do not 9 vote on it. But, yes, they're a regulatory arm. 10 And according to our constitution, we're to vote 11 on all funds in the name of this Tribe. 12 Part of this thing is if we're going 13 to have a very strong regulatory arm, such as the 14 Gaming Commission, that's under Tribal government, 15 it needs to be listed so that we as Tribal people 16 know how much it costs to regulate gaming. 17 You know, all these different aspects 18 of Tribal government is more than just providing 19 services. We talked about it all day that we have 20 to protect what is ours. Right now, the thing is, 21 Economic Development, which is our enterprises, 22 which is our 8(a,) our Revolving Loan. But more 23 importantly, our gaming operation, you know. And 24 so to be more transparent, I believe that we need 25 to add a line item here that says we have 110 1 litigation (inaudible) in the Tribal government. 2 The other thing I was looking at is 3 that we always have had a nursing home on the line 4 item. Of course, it's not anywhere in here, and 5 I'm sure Dr. McClung and them are going to be 6 talking about it. But one of the things that we 7 need to do, folks -- the other thing that we do 8 not have here, and Mr. Tippeconnie used to always 9 say this and I can't believe he's not allowing 10 this, is, you know, we had the audited financial 11 statements for the casinos at the end of September 12 published in the newsletter in January or 13 February. So we don't have a projection of what 14 we can make for the next fiscal year, which is 15 what this budget is based on. 16 One of the things that we need to do 17 before we can vote on the budget, we need to know 18 is this 40 million, is that really all that's 19 projected, or does it need to be met, Mr. Chairman 20 and Mr. Treasurer? 21 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Yackeyonny, in 22 answer to that, Mr. Yackeyonny -- yes, let's all 23 be respectful here when someone's at the mic. 24 Let's give them the opportunity to speak. All of 25 us, now, let's be quiet. Let's listen to the 111 1 speakers, let's give them that respect. 2 Mr. Yackeyonny asked the question 3 about the 40 million, is that a good budget. 4 Well, what I want to say is that I have sat down 5 with gaming. You know, gaming is the principal -- 6 we're talking about gaming moneys here. So I sat 7 down with the gaming, you know, executive staff 8 there, executive director at gaming and the 9 staff. And we sat down and attempted to make the 10 best -- this is a forecast. This is an estimate, 11 because there's no money in the bank. 12 So what we had to come up with 13 together, they and we, CBC, we had to come up with 14 the best estimate of what the budget may be by the 15 end of next fiscal year. So that's what we're 16 attempting to do. 17 If we had money and we put it away, 18 as we do our per cap money, that would be very 19 smart, because then we can actually live on real 20 money. We're not doing that. We're taking our 21 moneys and we're spending them as they come in, so 22 it's based upon an estimate. Mr. Yackeyonny, it's 23 our best that we've sat down and worked out 24 together. 25 MR. YACKEYONNY: So I guess what I'm 112 1 trying to say is, that all throughout this day we 2 kept hearing about litigation, we keep hearing 3 about the attorney fees. And all I'm saying is, 4 if this is true, why don't we have a line item 5 here that is just specifically for litigation 6 costs, Mr. Tippeconnie? 7 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We do have a legal, 8 you know. 9 MR. YACKEYONNY: But that's for their 10 retainer and monthly services. But when we go 11 into litigation, we know that can be more, a lot 12 more. 13 MR. TIPPECONNIE: One thing I can 14 say, you're correct. If you remember our present 15 fiscal year, it's $200,000 for the legal, you 16 know, norm kind of work, normal kind of work. But 17 there is always an action. They're paid upon 18 things they're doing for us; litigation, et 19 cetera. So that ceiling of $200,000 is too low, 20 so if you see in this budget, we moved it to 500. 21 Another point I might say about 22 that: Certain programs, like ICW, Indian Child 23 Welfare, or gaming, they pay their own bills. So 24 some of those are employing the attorneys. They 25 pay for their own situation. 113 1 Now I agree with you that -- I've sat 2 with the attorneys, our present firm, sat with 3 them, and we've attempted to say what is a smart 4 budget. In reality, yes, we'd like to have more. 5 And I think at some point when we can afford that, 6 we need some kind of contingency that allows us to 7 move in and use that for those kinds of reasons. 8 So you're making a very good point. We validated 9 it and it may not be sufficient. 10 The thing that I attempt to do as 11 Secretary/Treasurer on behalf of all the Tribal 12 members, because it's my responsibility to protect 13 your interests, not my interests, is to say let's 14 attempt to live within this $500,000 budget. And 15 I know as I visit with the firm, you know, we're 16 going to attempt to do that. 17 MR. YACKEYONNY: Thank you, 18 Mr. Secretary. 19 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Thank you, 20 Mr. Yackeyonny. Shall we move on? 21 MS. WAUQUA: Mr. Tippeconnie? I'm 22 sorry, one more question on the last line item: 23 Tribal Court, 75,000. Here again, we have funded 24 Tribal Court how many years? And what have we got 25 to show for it? So please explain that line item. 114 1 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, I trust that 2 we can move on with the Tribal Court. We were 3 just handed, the CBC, some good information that 4 our attorneys have been working on. So, 5 hopefully, I'd like to think -- I can't make a 6 promise. It's going to be all the CBC working 7 with the efforts the attorneys are making. 8 They're doing a lot of research. They've done 9 some wonderful research. They've given us a grant 10 packet now that we're going -- we just received it 11 -- we're looking at on how we can go about 12 establishing to further our Tribal Court. So, 13 hopefully, you know, that's going to be down the 14 road here shorter and shorter time. 15 MRS. HENDRIX: Do we have 1.3 million 16 in that? 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: No, we don't. You 18 can see the budget here, Tribal Court. 19 MRS. HENDRIX: We've had the Tribal 20 Court on the agenda since 2005. And when you add 21 it all up, you have 1.3 million. If you don't 22 have that in the bank, where is it? 23 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Well, again, you 24 know, when I look at budgets -- I have to look at 25 the budgets. 115 1 MRS. HENDRIX: We voted on it. 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Real moneys, where 3 are they? And just as an example of things, 4 things occur where a budget is a forecast. It's 5 not money in the bank. So then if the money 6 doesn't materialize, like some money did not 7 materialize last year, our budget isn't where we'd 8 like it to be. 9 MRS. HENDRIX: So for the last five 10 years the money didn't materialize? 11 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Shall we move on? 12 Mr. Narcomey, do you have a question? 13 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: I have a question 14 about the Research & Planning Department. That's 15 a real important budget item, because it produces 16 about -- well, I heard a comment by Willie Nelson 17 that he said smaller tribes get $10 million a year 18 from the federal government through their planning 19 department. And how much do we get? Well, I know 20 we get support -- what is it, tribal services? I 21 think Department of Labor. I know we get another 22 one, but I don't know what the amount is. Maybe a 23 couple hundred thousand, but I can't tell you. 24 We've been in the same situation the 25 past 25 years with no planning department, and 116 1 that budget seems pretty slim, 100,000. We really 2 need new people working in that department. So 3 when you look at the last nine years, we've lost 4 $90 million of Tribal -- of services for Tribal 5 members. That's a lot of money, 90 million. 6 Also, our CDBG grant, you know, you 7 can close it out, put in for another one, and 8 increase office space, or museum, or children's 9 shelter. You know, close out and apply for 10 another one, because we're entitled to that. They 11 have set-asides. We still haven't closed out our 12 last CDBG grant. I don't know how long it's been. 13 But we can apply for those each time we close them 14 out. 15 So last 20, 25 years, I say we lost 16 20 million on CDBG. That's probably low. But I 17 say we need to increase that planning department 18 even if we have to take $200,000 out of the -- I 19 say the Enterprise. 20 But the Enterprise, that should be 21 like 1.2 million for business investment. I think 22 they're planning on doing a construction company, 23 a joint venture, but it seems like we could do it 24 on our own and put some investment money into that 25 project or other projects. It looks like a big 117 1 old slush fund right now, though, basically 2 detailed out. If the CBC doesn't do that for us, 3 then we would call a Special Council Meeting and 4 do some -- put on agenda items and do it 5 ourselves. 6 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Thank you, 7 Mr. Narcomey. 8 I might say, now, staying within the 9 Tribal government, 10 percent, he made some 10 comments about the planning. Planning is very 11 important to our Nation. And we, as an example in 12 the budget, when everyone presented their budgets 13 this year, all sorts of activities within the 14 Nation, they were asked to say what is their long- 15 term projection, what's their short-term 16 objective. 17 So we're attempting to look at -- in 18 a lot of people's hands, not just in a planner's 19 hand. But this moneys here is to bring on board a 20 planner. One thing you're looking at right now is 21 to contract a grant writer. With a grant writer, 22 finally you can get to the point where you can get 23 back the grants. 24 Most of you know we had some 25 predicament on our 638 contracts. Now we're 118 1 working very hard to get on top of those and give 2 us a chance to -- I'd like to move ahead now, if 3 there's no further. I'd like to move to 25 4 percent. 5 MRS. GALLEGOS: Sandra Gallegos. I 6 just want to make one comment. In October or 7 November of '06, a resolution was presented and 8 passed at General Council that stated that any 9 funds, any line item that didn't pass, those 10 moneys were to go into Capital Improvement, 11 because all our facilities here at the complex -- 12 we need a new lagoon. There's a number of things 13 that we needed. 14 That year the bus was first 15 presented, it was for $400,000. That line item 16 did not pass. That $400,000 went into Capital 17 Improvement. But, also, the second part of that 18 resolution stated the funds were to be spent out 19 of that Capital Improvement without the approval 20 of General Council. 21 And, Mr. Tippeconnie, while you check 22 on the other thing, if you can look into that 23 resolution, because that's also a lot of money out 24 of Capital Improvement that has been spent without 25 this General Council's approval. That's something 119 1 you need to look into. That's why it upsets me a 2 lot, and I'm sure it does you, too, because I hear 3 your complaints throughout the year. They pick 4 and choose what parts of the resolution they want 5 to adhere to. What we vote in here, it's law. So 6 they spent money without our approval from that 7 Capital Improvement Fund. 8 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Thank you, Sandra. 9 I'll look into that, too. 10 As you heard, you know, if it isn't 11 approved in this budget, it goes into Capital 12 Improvement. What she was saying, then, all those 13 priorities should be brought here. 14 MRS. GALLEGOS: That was part of the 15 resolution that we voted on. 16 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I'll look into that 17 resolution. Let's go, now, into the 25 percent, 18 which is headed Community & Education. Any 19 comments from the floor on any of these items? 20 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Phyllis Attocknie. I 21 hope you don't mind if I sit. I'm not as frisky 22 as I used to be. 23 But one of the questions that I have, 24 that I would like to have as a motion, to change 25 from the Optometry Clinic. Presently that program 120 1 pays up to $50 for a tribal member to get glasses, 2 a pair of glasses, et cetera. I would like to 3 increase that so that there is at least $100 that 4 each Tribal member can have or use to purchase 5 eyeglasses for themselves. Sometimes those 6 glasses may cost $75. 7 I'm making a motion to increase the 8 moneys for an Optometry Clinic from the $126,000, 9 that says that each Tribal member in need of a 10 pair of glasses, that the Tribe will pay $50. How 11 many of you have needed bifocals, trifocals? That 12 costs more than $50. As a Tribal government, I 13 think that we should, in order to be an economic 14 stimulus for our Tribal people, increase that to 15 $100, at least, per Tribal member that's in need 16 of glasses. All y'all that have glasses on, stand 17 up. I make that motion before the General Council 18 today. 19 MS. ISAAC: I second it. 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Ms. Attocknie, I'd 21 like to make one comment for you on that. You 22 know, we have two program areas that give 23 glasses. And we recently, with Mr. Wauqua, moved 24 those into one place. So now they're attempting 25 to evaluate how their budgets can better be used, 121 1 not only efficient, but can we provide something, 2 as you suggest. So what I would encourage, as I 3 did with Mr. Poahway, if you would wait and see 4 what we do in this combination of those programs 5 to see. You say no? 6 MS. ATTOCKNIE: I want to make the 7 motion. The motion has been seconded. I would 8 like to present it here on the floor today for the 9 Tribal Council's consideration. 10 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Your motion is 11 saying up to $100? 12 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Per Tribal member 13 that applies. 14 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Per Tribal member 15 that applies for eyeglasses or optometry, right? 16 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Yes. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: From 50 to 100? 18 Who seconded your motion? 19 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Aurilla Craig. 20 MR. COFFEY: This is a budget item, 21 and a motion has been made to increase the benefit 22 to each Tribal member from $50 to $100. Election 23 Board, would you come forward? 24 And right after this we'll move to 25 the Reintegration Program, Shoshone Reunion, 122 1 Student Services, Substance Abuse, Transportation, 2 Youth Program, and Youth Shelter. 3 So this is an administrative decision 4 that can be done here at the General Council, to 5 increase the benefit for eyeglasses from $50 to 6 $100. Young man at the computer, can you put that 7 on the board, to increase the eyeglasses 8 prescription assistance from $50 to $100? 9 MR. WAUQUA: For the prescription 10 eyeglass program, as of last Thursday, we did 11 raise that up to $100, so I don't know if you want 12 to vote on it or not, but it's already been 13 raised. 14 MRS. GALLEGOS: Let's vote on it so 15 it won't change. 16 MR. COFFEY: It's already increased. 17 That's what I'm saying, it's an administrative 18 decision, but it has increased already. 19 Okay. If you'll go back to the other 20 item, Robert. 21 We've got a cell phone left in the 22 women's toilet, so if you lost it, please come 23 forward and claim it. 24 MR. NELSON: I didn't get a chance to 25 thank everybody. Thank you very much. I'm 123 1 looking forward to being your TA. 2 I do want the very first order of 3 business come Monday morning is to sign the Code 4 of Ethics that was resoluted. And I would hope 5 that all directors, every program director, will 6 sign the Code of Ethics. 7 MRS. HENDRIX: And make them follow 8 it. 9 MR. NELSON: Actually, you guys, I 10 appreciate it. And keep in mind that this budget 11 is a huge budget. Your vote on this budget, it 12 will be my job to be mandated, ordered over this 13 budget. I'm trying to get our federal dollars 14 back. We've got to get them back. We don't need 15 to set big balloon gaming budget like this. 16 That's what I'm offering to my people. 17 God bless you. 18 I do have one question for the 19 floor. I understand the Gaming Board has a budget 20 that the people don't vote on, and the Gaming 21 Commission has a budget that people don't vote 22 on. Can that information be made public to our 23 people to vote on? I've got to ask this question. 24 MR. YACKEYONNY: Make a motion. 25 You're a member of the Council. 124 1 MR. NELSON: I'm making a motion that 2 that be our budget that we vote on on the guise of 3 the Gaming Board and the budget for the Gaming 4 Commission. I make that motion. Can I get a 5 second? 6 MR. YACKEYONNY: Second. 7 MR. NELSON: It's your show, 8 Chairman. 9 MR. TIPPECONNIE: The motion was made 10 that the Gaming Board and the Gaming Commission 11 budgets be on this budget, also; is that right? 12 MR. NELSON: Yes. 13 MR. TIPPECONNIE: So that goes out to 14 all Tribal members to vote on? 15 MR. NELSON: That's right, and we 16 need a dollar amount. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: And that was 18 seconded by? 19 MR. YACKEYONNY: Me. 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Keith. We have a 21 motion. So what your motion says is that you want 22 this on the ballot? 23 MR. NELSON: We've never seen it 24 before. 25 MR. COFFEY: It has to be on the 125 1 ballot for the people for a referendum vote on 2 it. But you have to pass it right now that it 3 will to go to the ballot. 4 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: No. 5 MR. COFFEY: Yes, it does. Because 6 it's not on the ballot right now, it's not on the 7 budget right now. So you're asking everybody to 8 make the vote to have it on the annual budget so 9 that everybody will vote on it. 10 Yes, they have a budget. It's 11 actually an internal budget with their operations. 12 MR. NELSON: Is that not the Comanche 13 Nation Supreme Governing Body's decision, for them 14 to have that amount? 15 MR. COFFEY: According to the 16 National Indian Gaming Commission, that decision 17 can be made with the Gaming Board and the Gaming 18 Commission. The Gaming Commission submits to the 19 CBC its recommendation for an annual budget. The 20 CBC makes the approval for their budget coming out 21 of gaming contributions. That's before we did 22 this right here, so it's not an issue that comes 23 on this vote. 24 But if you want it on there, then you 25 have to vote that it would be on the ballot, and 126 1 then everybody will vote on it. And hen next 2 year, then it will have to appear on the ballot 3 and everybody gets to approve it. 4 MR. NELSON: There you go. That is 5 exactly the question and the answer. So it was 6 seconded? Can we put that to a vote, sir? I 7 guess we do have to make that motion. Will that 8 be put on the ballot, sir? 9 MR. COFFEY: Yes, it will be put on 10 the ballot. 11 MR. TIPPECONNIE: That's your 12 motion? 13 MR. COFFEY: His motion is to have 14 the budget from the Gaming Board and the Gaming 15 Commission on the annual budget ballot to be voted 16 on for year 2011. So it will go on the ballot, 17 and if you vote yes, then next year it will be on 18 the annual budget. 19 MR. NELSON: So we do have a second? 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Yackeyonny 21 seconded, correct? 22 MS. MONENERKIT: I have a question. 23 So if we were to vote on our Gaming Commission, 24 and it was on the budget and it were to fail, 25 where would that money -- it's just going to have 127 1 get allocated out of our casino budget because we 2 have to have a commission to regulate our casinos 3 if we're going to operate under IGRA. 4 So could you explain that to them, 5 that even if it gets failed, the Gaming Commission 6 budget, even if it fails on the budget, we still 7 have to have a commission. 8 MR. NELSON: I do understand your 9 question, Mia. I do understand your question. We 10 do not run our Gaming Board or Gaming Commission 11 right now, no. That's our money that comes to our 12 Nation. The question is: Dollar amount 13 disclosure. There aren't any secret doors, 14 people. You know, disclosure, that's what our 15 people are wanting, that's what we're needing. 16 Half of our quorum has left now, but that is a 99 17 percent consensus of all Comanches, is disclosure. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Mr. Nelson, you're 19 making a separate thought here. 20 I want to raise a question. You're 21 saying disclosure. Previously, you said at the 22 motion stage, to vote on this. And there was a 23 good question raised here. There is federal law 24 that requires if we have gaming to operate with 25 regulatory, you know -- 128 1 MR. NELSON: Yes, Mr. Secretary/ 2 Treasurer, and I see the Gaming Commission 3 Chairman coming up here. Any business has 4 operating costs. You have a profit. That profit 5 comes through our Revenue Allocation Plan, that 6 comes to the Tribe, that comes to the per cap. 7 We're not worried about the net. But if the net 8 is already -- do you -- are you -- is the Gaming 9 Board and Gaming Commission needing an extra 10 budget off the net? That's all I'm asking. 11 MR. TIPPECONNIE: No, they do not 12 have a budget off the net. They have a -- 13 MR. NELSON: Okay. That is the 14 question. Now, this has never been disclosed to 15 the people, and inquiring minds want to know, sir. 16 MR. TIPPECONNIE: As it was said by 17 our Chairman here, the Gaming Commission and the 18 Gaming Board need to get information out more 19 regular. And I think if they give it out through 20 our newsletter or some means, that's what you're 21 asking for, too. You're asking for disclosure. 22 But their businesses comes from operating funds. 23 They have to have moneys to operate, they have to 24 have money to be regulatory under federal law. 25 MR. NELSON: I don't want to confuse 129 1 our public. So we are saying the net. You are 2 operating, you take your expenditures, and we get 3 back the net of gaming revenue. You guys, yes or 4 no, do you have a budget? 5 MR. CODOPONY: Yes, we do. 6 MR. NELSON: You have a budget? 7 MR. CODOPONY: Yes, we do. 8 MR. NELSON: Is it a projected 9 budget, like this budget? 10 MR. CODOPONY: Yes, our budget is 11 projected. As a matter of fact, the Gaming 12 Commission, because of the downturn in the 13 economy, just cut our budget by 36 percent. So 14 live within the parameters of the budget. We have 15 cut our budget by 36 percent because of the 16 downturn in the economy. 17 But what we operate on, just for 18 clarification purposes, there are two pieces of 19 legislation that Mr. Tippeconnie mentioned that 20 are federally related. One is our gaming 21 ordinance, which is approved by the National 22 Indian Gaming Commission, NIGC, and that tells how 23 we're going to be divided. If there are any 24 changes to that ordinance and how we operate, it 25 has to be approved through them, once it's 130 1 approved by this body. 2 The second piece -- that's how we're 3 going to make money. That's how we're going to 4 operate, that's how we're going to regulate. 5 That's how we're divided functionally. 6 But the second piece of the puzzle is 7 a piece that was put into place, the Revenue 8 Allocation Plan, the RAP. The RAP tells how we're 9 going to spend that money, which is what we're 10 talking about now. And the RAP is the piece that, 11 if you change any of it, it has to be approved 12 through the BIA. 13 So we have these things, even though 14 they are mentioned right now about changing 15 certain pieces of them, they cannot become 16 automatic, because we have -- in these two cases, 17 we have a federal government that we have to 18 satisfy to approve them. 19 Now, if you read the RAP, the RAP 20 says -- Revenue Allocation Plan says there are 21 certain items that are considered to be pre-RAP. 22 That's what you're talking about, or less the net. 23 The pre-RAP, you have to have the facility, you 24 have to have the personnel, you have to have all 25 of the operating expenses to run a casino. 131 1 Part of IGRA, as mentioned by one of 2 the Commission staff a while ago, is that we also 3 have to regulate those facilities. That's where 4 the Gaming Commission piece comes in. We look and 5 make sure they comply with all the federal 6 regulations. The operating side, the Board sets 7 their budgets to hire, to refurbish, to furnish, 8 to do all the things that an employer would do to 9 make sure that they make money. All of that comes 10 out pre-RAP. So the net that's being referred to 11 is what goes into the allocation plan. It isn't 12 the Comanche Nation budget. 13 Now, one of our responsibilities as a 14 Gaming Commission is to ensure that the operating 15 side conducts an audit every year, and that those 16 audit numbers that are looked at, those numbers 17 are given to the CBC. The Gaming Commission 18 conducts an audit, also, a financial audit, and 19 gives those same numbers to the CBC. So those 20 numbers, they are transparent. The CBC has them, 21 and I'm sure at some point, depending on the 22 wishes of the Nation, that those could be 23 available. 24 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Thank you, 25 Mr. Codopony. 132 1 I might say again, Mr. Nelson, that 2 you made a few points. You made a point of 3 disclosure, you made a point of voting on the two 4 commission boards' budgets. Are you wanting to 5 change your motion? 6 MR. NELSON: With this clarification 7 of Mia, Mr. Codopony, I'm glad the people got to 8 understand what exactly is transpiring within the 9 laws. Now, this information that Mr. Codopony 10 gave to the CBC, is this disclosed to the Comanche 11 Nation? Is there a way for us to go through the 12 Free Act of looking it up ourselves or -- 13 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, you can ask 14 me. But the point I'm hearing here, which I 15 appreciate, Mr. Nelson, is that you made the point 16 of disclosure. And it's obvious that when I look 17 around here, there's people leaving, but the ones 18 here, you know, are attending because they want to 19 know. And what some of them are seeing, they 20 haven't seen that. So what it's telling me, we 21 have to do a better job of disclosing those things 22 which you all need to know. 23 I agree with that point, so we'll -- 24 I heard that. So I think we're going to have to 25 get into that and have a meeting that's disclosed 133 1 with more regularity, and you don't come to a 2 place like this and try to ask a question. You 3 know before you get here. 4 MR. NELSON: Well, the people that 5 asked me were many. I thought I'd propose it to 6 the General Council. I retract this. If it's 7 going to put us in jeopardy of getting our gaming 8 dollars, we need to retract that. But disclosure 9 needs to be forthcoming to the people. 10 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, I appreciate 11 that. I'll make a note of that. I feel it's 12 important to the Nation to make disclosure of all 13 these things. 14 MR. NELSON: Mr. Tippeconnie, I look 15 forward to working with you, sir. 16 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: I have one 17 comment. The Gaming Board or Commission, one of 18 their responsibilities is to do the W-2G forms. 19 And it looks like we owe 5 million, so something 20 needs to be done about that. It wasn't brought up 21 in the discussion just now, so I just thought, you 22 know, we need to know. 23 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Thank you. 24 Mr. Narcomey, do you want us to move forward or do 25 you have a comment? 134 1 MS. WAUQUA: I have a comment. It's 2 short. On the gaming distribution, the budget for 3 the constitution. But I just read last month in 4 the Comanche Newsletter that you stopped all 5 funding for the constitution. So I'm confused, 6 you know. You say one thing last month in the 7 newsletter, now it's on the budget again. So what 8 are we doing? 9 MR. TIPPECONNIE: The question was 10 raised about the constitution. We have frozen any 11 expenditure, because the constitution, the draft 12 constitution was submitted. So we are awaiting a 13 response from the Secretary of Interior and those 14 officials to say whether we can proceed on that. 15 So we're hoping these moneys -- we put a stop on 16 the moneys that were on the budget. So if we are 17 to use them for some need of the constitution as 18 it proceeds, it will be available to us. 19 MS. WAUQUA: Mr. Tippeconnie, we've 20 already shown that we can't hold money, just like 21 the nursing home. If we hold money, it's gone. 22 So (inaudible.) We're just saying we're going to 23 hold this $100,000 and see where we go on this. 24 MR. TIPPECONNIE: We are attempting 25 to hold moneys in all the budgets. We're looking 135 1 at that, and I might say more critically than we 2 have in the past. Those balances are standing. 3 Now, one thing I have to say is happening to 4 everyone's budget -- we have less money. So we've 5 had to adjust moneys down, and that's because 6 money is not coming in. So we have to make those 7 adjustments. As we read the newspaper, we see 8 it's occurring everywhere. 9 I just heard the unemployment of 10 Oklahoma has risen significantly here in the last 11 week or so. So we're attempting to stay in 12 budgets and the budget moneys coming in, because 13 we operate on money coming in each month from 14 gaming, principally, and from the Tax Commission. 15 You know, we depend on that. If it doesn't come 16 at the levels that we feel it should, gaming and 17 ourselves, we make that adjustment. 18 MRS. HENDRIX: Where did the money 19 come to send everybody to Washington? 20 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Can we move on? 21 MR. COFFEY: Prescription Assistance, 22 can we move to Prescription Assistance on the 23 screen? This concludes, right here, the gaming 24 contribution, these line items there, for the 25 Community & Education budget of $10,041,011. Any 136 1 discussion on these items? So the total gaming 2 contribution would be $40,018,547. 3 MR. TIPPECONNIE: With some 4 adjustment may be added (inaudible) reduced the 5 CBC. It's a small amount. 6 MR. COFFEY: Now the question is: Do 7 we submit this budget to the vote of the people? 8 We need a motion to submit and a second. Dan 9 Bigbee made the motion to submit this. Do we have 10 a second? 11 MR PATTERSON: Second. 12 MR. COFFEY: Jim Patterson made the 13 second. 14 Now that has been, to this point 15 here, a total Gaming Contribution of 40,018,000. 16 Now, we want to vote this, because we can always 17 add these other programs (inaudible) but let's get 18 to this point here. Election Board? 19 MRS. GALLEGOS: Are you done with the 20 Community & Education already? 21 MR. COFFEY: Yes. 22 MRS. GALLEGOS: Because I wanted to 23 say something about the community building. 24 MR. COFFEY: Say it. 25 But, anyway, what this motion says, 137 1 we want the 20 percent funds, the Tax Commission 2 Supplement, KCA Operating Budget, Comanche Nation 3 Gaming Contribution for per capita; Economic 4 Development, 25 percent; Tribal Government, 10 5 percent; and Comanche Nation Contribution 6 Community & Education, 25 percent, submitted to 7 the vote of the people. 8 MRS. GALLEGOS: My name is Sandra 9 Gallegos. For the last couple of years I've been 10 the building manager for the Apache Community 11 Building. It was after repeated visits and 12 persuading that I was able to get the CBC to agree 13 to refurbish our building, because it was in bad 14 need. We had mold and -- anyway, it was in a bad 15 way. We got that taken care of. They increased 16 our budget to 40,000 for operating expenses. 17 Last year, being a good steward of 18 our money, at the end of August we had $25,000, 19 because we've upgraded a lot of our buildings, our 20 supplies, our equipment, our lawn mowing stuff 21 that had been refurbished year after year. We had 22 -- we only spent $25,000 out of our budget, so 23 15,000 went back to the Tribe. At the end of 24 August, we had $15,000, maybe a little less. But 25 did we get to keep it and carry it over to the 138 1 next year and say, "We only need $25,000 this 2 year, because we saved, you know, $15,000?" No. 3 When I asked Mr. Tippeconnie about 4 it, he said, well, you know -- as he explained 5 earlier, we don't have money in the bank. This is 6 a projected amount. I understand that. And so he 7 said that we had a shortfall, that's why we don't 8 have that much money. So there was no carryover 9 to this year. 10 Then, later on, when I realized the 11 bill that had been submitted in August still 12 hadn't been paid, and it didn't get paid until 13 October of -- so we fell into '09 fiscal year. 14 Then he said, well, we had to use that money to 15 pay salaries. So I had a problem. Which was it, 16 Mr. Tippeconnie? And if you're talking about, you 17 know, trying to save some money so we have a 18 carryover to the next fiscal year, that's what we 19 could have done with our building, but it didn't 20 happen that way. It was used to pay salaries. 21 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Well, what we have 22 to watch -- in this past year, you know, again, as 23 you said, you know, we have to base it on incoming 24 moneys. So as we got towards the end of the past 25 fiscal year -- you're speaking about last fiscal 139 1 year? 2 MRS. GALLEGOS: '08. 3 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, '08. We 4 ended, you know, in September. 5 MRS. GALLEGOS: September 30th. 6 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Well, we 7 followed -- I followed the dollar to the bank, 8 because that's what we have to pay from. We have 9 to pay from money from the bank. So it was almost 10 a daily, for the last few weeks there, daily watch 11 with the bank budget, and Finley & Cook, our 12 accounting firm. So we watched that dollar. So 13 when we had to make adjustments, it was because of 14 those dollars not being available. 15 Now, one thing occurred. Sometimes 16 at the end of the fiscal year, we may get some 17 income that comes from different sources. As an 18 example, we have moneys that may come from grants 19 or contracts, and those come in and they can come 20 in after the fiscal year. But what we do now is 21 we have no carryover. We stopped that, and that's 22 our agreement with our accounting firm. We have 23 no carryover. 24 Then what follows is we have a fiscal 25 audit. They audit all the moneys to see if there 140 1 are any balances from the year standing, then that 2 leaves us to look at what we do with that. But 3 it's a very complicated thing to say how we have 4 to cover and what would be covered. 5 MRS. GALLEGOS: I understand that. 6 But the other point is, you know, on one hand you 7 told me it was one thing, and then you told me it 8 was another thing. But I want to let this General 9 Council know that we were being prudent with the 10 money, spending it -- keeping within our budget. 11 But yet some other departments overran and they 12 got to use what we took good care of. So how many 13 programs are like that? How many of our programs 14 have overspent and then you have to take care of 15 those programs who overspent? 16 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. 17 MRS. GALLEGOS: We never see an 18 accounting of that. Everyone's assuming that we 19 spent $40,000 at our community building, and we 20 didn't. 21 We have a youth program. One of our 22 community buildings has a youth program within our 23 building. Our building, I can only speak for our 24 building, that youth program takes care of none of 25 the direct costs for that building. They're there 141 1 just about every day of the year, unless school is 2 closed. They do not take care of any of the 3 electricity, gas bought, and it's been utilized 4 every day of the week. We have to pay that money 5 out of what they allow our budget. So if we run 6 short because they're there, is the Youth Program 7 going to take care of it? And why aren't they 8 paying any direct costs? Doesn't everybody at the 9 complex pay part of the complex direct costs? 10 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Well, again, the 11 answer I can give you is there were many programs 12 that had balances on the books, but we didn't have 13 balances in the bank. So when we had to stop the 14 spending, we may have shown the balance, but the 15 money was not all there. 16 MS. ATTOCKNIE: And whose fault is 17 that? 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I don't call it a 19 fault. I call it, again, the fact that we base 20 budgets on projected dollars, not real dollars. 21 And we're getting better on that. This fiscal 22 year, again, as I said, 2010, planning for 2010, 23 we have sat, or I have sat regularly with gaming 24 to find out what is a real projection. Now, 25 nothing's really real when it's a projection, but 142 1 what is the best projection. 2 In the past year, 2008, in my opinion 3 you had a very poor projection, so we had to 4 curtail spending. So then, yes, there was a point 5 where some reserves were there, we have to make 6 payroll. You can't sit there and not make 7 payroll. 8 MRS. GALLEGOS: But my point is, I 9 want our General Council to know that we did not 10 spend $40,000 at our building. Nowhere does it 11 show -- nowhere do you guys show that. And you 12 should know that. Not only our program, but I 13 don't know how many other programs. The first -- 14 like I said, first you told me there was no money, 15 or there was a projection only. I realize that. 16 On the other hand, you told me you had to use it 17 for salaries. Those are two separate things. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Those are two 19 separate things. But one thing, we are committed 20 to paying our employees. We have to pay our 21 employees on the balances that we have. And that 22 sounds conflicting. The point that you're making 23 to me, Sandy, which I really appreciate, is we 24 need to let you know. 25 Now, when these budgets, fiscal year 143 1 budgets are audited, we have to have a financial 2 audit. We have a regular audit, then we have how 3 we do business, and then we have a financial 4 side. The financial audit on '08 is not 5 complete. And when we get those complete, we can 6 convey that type of information. 7 MRS. GALLEGOS: And the other request 8 I wanted to make was that if we're going to be cut 9 back, we can probably handle it being with that 10 amount of money being conservative, you know, cut 11 it back, but we need the Youth Program to pay 12 their share of the direct costs. Do they pay 13 their share of the direct costs here at this 14 complex, the Youth Program? 15 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Programs do. And I 16 know the point you're making. I think everyone at 17 the community center has that question. The Youth 18 Program, which is separate from your own program, 19 is it helping pay your cost; that's the question 20 you're raising, right? 21 MRS. GALLEGOS: Exactly, right. 22 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Because I think 23 that's a question we have to look at. 24 MRS. GALLEGOS: Because net costs are 25 generated because they're using the building, 144 1 whether it's electricity or damage to the 2 building, things that have to be fixed because of 3 our young children damages; breaking windows, 4 various things. 5 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Sandra, if you bear 6 with me, that's a point we can look at. And I 7 know when Mr. Nelson comes to me, we'll be looking 8 at that. So all those that have costs should be 9 sharing in the use of the facility if they're 10 occupying it. 11 MRS. GALLEGOS: Is that something 12 you're going to be looking at? 13 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes, we will look 14 at that. 15 MR. COFFEY: Let's vote on this 16 budget, $42,534,047 to be submitted to the vote of 17 the people. Can you have that put -- that will be 18 the budget to be submitted on the ballot. And 19 there may be more. That's what we are going to go 20 through. But at this point, this is what's 21 proposed. Mr. Tippeconnie says we're going to try 22 to stay at the 42 million. And if there 23 anything's voted down, it goes to Capital 24 Improvement. So the question is, do we submit 25 this to the vote of the people. 20 percent budget 145 1 $42,534,047. Right, Mr. Tippeconnie? 2 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. 3 MR. KOSECHEQUETAH: Call for the 4 question. 5 MR. COFFEY: Mr. Kosechequetah says, 6 "I call for the question." So now the question 7 is: Do we submit this budget to the vote of the 8 people? I believe we've still got a quorum. 9 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: That shouldn't 10 be around $1 million. And we have found out that 11 the money was spent. There is no money. We only 12 have $208,000. I feel like -- now, they want to 13 build us a nursing home south of the vo-tech. 14 That's not what the Elders want. The Elders want 15 a nursing home near the Fort Sill Indian School 16 and the Indian Hospital so that they can be 17 visited by their relatives when they go to the 18 hospital. 19 And Mr. Wauqua thinks that he can 20 build one cheaper, a nursing home. How can we 21 build one cheaper if they've spent our money? We 22 have no money. We've done all of our paperwork, 23 and we're at a standstill. We have been for six 24 or seven months. 25 I don't know -- Mr. Wauqua, you know, 146 1 he should have asked us Elders what we wanted, not 2 what he wanted. And I feel like it's not how 3 cheap the nursing home is, but that we're happy, 4 and we can be in a location that the Elders can be 5 happy in. And if he does this, and goes according 6 to the way we had planned it all and worked for 7 about a year, the Elders -- I mean, from 8 o'clock 8 to 10 o'clock in the evening in order to go to the 9 communities, he would be one of the best chairmen 10 we would ever have if we would let us do it the 11 way the Elders want done. And I think we deserve 12 it very much. Are there any questions? 13 MR. NELSON: Mr. Chairman, is this 14 true, money for the nursing home is not there? 15 MR. TIPPECONNIE: There are some. 16 MR. COFFEY: Mr. Tippeconnie, you'll 17 have to answer that. 18 MR. TIPPECONNIE: There are some 19 moneys. I'm trying to -- as I mentioned earlier, 20 when we do the financial audits, that tells us if 21 there's any balances available. I was just 22 visiting with Finley & Cook. So when we look at 23 those balances that may be for previous years, 24 that's what we're looking at now, so I can't 25 answer it fully. But I can say this: We did put 147 1 something like $300,000 in a CD, protecting it, 2 for the nursing. We have it in this year's 3 budget, and you can see we have some in next 4 year's budget. 5 So those collectively, you know, are 6 getting us closer to a million. Now, the thing 7 that I understand Mr. Wauqua has visited with the 8 Elders on, that there's a possibility that a 9 facility can be constructed for a little over a 10 million. 11 MS. ISAAC: He visited with two 12 people, two people. 13 MR. TIPPECONNIE: $1 million for 30 14 or 40 occupants; is that correct? Something like 15 that. 16 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes. 17 MR. TIPPECONNIE: So I think as we 18 look at these audits, and we see if there's 19 anything that was standing there, that's what 20 we're going to try to say that we can try to grab 21 for the nursing home. 22 MR. NELSON: Is Mr. Wauqua here? Did 23 he make this decision in a Tribal Administrator 24 capacity or as a campaigning chairman? 25 MR. TIPPECONNIE: No, Mr. Wauqua 148 1 undertook this at the direction of the CBC. 2 MS. ISAAC: They only talked with two 3 people from the Elders Council, not the whole 4 council. 5 MR. TIPPECONNIE: I don't hear what 6 you're saying. 7 MR. NELSON: So what it is -- or was 8 it a resolution, Carol, that they gave you for the 9 Elders Council, the feasibility to get a nursing 10 home done? Okay, so you guys did the feasibility 11 and everything. Okay. I'd ask Chairman Almanza, 12 is he here, with the Elders Council? I asked him 13 at one of their meetings what was the status, and 14 he said that Wauqua was going to build it, so this 15 a CBC collective effort. 16 MR. TIPPECONNIE: Yes. Yes, we 17 directed Mr. Wauqua that -- the Elders were 18 working with a party, you know, an architect firm 19 and others, and we asked them to visit with 20 Mr. Wauqua, which they are doing, as we 21 understand. But, yes, it was directed from the 22 CBC to work with the Tribal Administrator on the 23 facility. 24 MR. NELSON: Mr. Chairman, is it 25 written in stone that they will have to go by 149 1 y'all's location? Because they did their 2 feasibility. You're saying the Elders Council had 3 the responsibility of doing the feasibility. The 4 General Council voted for two years for them to do 5 this. Are we going to go over their heads and 6 build it where you guys want it? 7 MR. COFFEY: The ideal location would 8 be right next to the Lawton Indian Hospital, but 9 they haven't gotten the approval from the KCA. 10 And the holdup will be the Kiowa Tribe, because 11 they have to vote on it by referendum. But the 12 location is on Lee Boulevard, Southwest Lee, 13 probably one mile from Southwestern Hospital. 14 Now, let's face it. I think the 15 services provided by Southwestern Hospital are 16 much greater than the services that are provided 17 at the Lawton Indian Hospital, so the emergency 18 room there at the Southwestern Hospital would be 19 the closest choice for our Elders in the event 20 that there's any emergency needs. 21 MS. HALL: We talked to Mr. Hickory 22 Star, and he was going to have the pharmacy come 23 over next door and give our medicines to our 24 patients. He was also going to have the doctors 25 come over to the nursing home and to see our 150 1 people. And I think that would be okay, because a 2 lot of them said that -- I went to the hospital 3 and I talked with the different families, and they 4 said that when the families come to the hospital, 5 that more than likely, they'll go over to the 6 nursing home by the hospital. They would come 7 over and see them. 8 Now, if it was across town or several 9 minutes away, their folks would just get in the 10 car and go home. And that's true. If you're 11 right next to the hospital, they're going to come 12 and they're going to see their family before they 13 go home. How many of you agree with that? Won't 14 they come and see their folks? I think at the age 15 we are, we should have what we want, and nice, and 16 how we want it, not what somebody else wants. I 17 think we deserve it. 18 MR. COFFEY: Thank you for your 19 presentation, Carol Hall. The vote on this 20 budget, to submit it to the vote of the people; 21 175 for, 3 against, so this will be on the 22 ballot. 23 In the meantime, our next item, 24 Glennetta Whitefeather, and then after that, 25 Mr. David Yeagley, Elton Yellowfish, and Jarvis 151 1 Poahway. Okay, Glennetta. 2 MS. WHITEFEATHER: I'm Glennetta 3 Whitefeather, and I'm the spokesperson for the 4 Comanche Alliance, the Concerned Comanches. 5 We have an issue here with the 6 disenrolled members. From what I've done, I 7 didn't know we were going to have -- I didn't know 8 we had a problem until a year ago. The first 9 meeting, it started out with December's, and the 10 next thing I know, it went out on the floor at a 11 monthly meeting. And Mr. Mahseet over here made a 12 motion on the floor, not by resolution, we do an 13 audit on the enrollment that disenrolled many 14 people. 15 Now, you have to really think about 16 this, because this involves a lot of things. Now, 17 all these people that have been disenrolled, that 18 affects our 638 programs, because they go by 19 census. Are those people being counted at the 20 BIA? I bet you they are. 21 And our motor fuel refund, when you 22 go to the pumps to purchase your gasoline, do you 23 know we get a refund that goes in the Tax 24 Commission? I'll bet you they're counting their 25 heads. And we're still supposedly being removed 152 1 from the rolls while they're being counted. 2 Well, such as it is, I'm going make 3 it real quick, because people are getting tired 4 and I feel for -- our Elders are sick and it's hot 5 in here and it's very uncomfortable. 6 The first thing about it is, okay. 7 We've already established that we, Article V, 8 Section 1, we are the Supreme Governing Body. It 9 also states here -- they never did tallies before 10 just how many people that they have taken off to 11 roll, even though they've had this audit going. 12 And from what I'm understanding, every month they 13 remove these people. And one of the things that 14 they tell us is that they are dual enrolled. 15 I've called a number of these tribes 16 and asked them why, you know, they were not taking 17 them off of their roll. And it was -- many of 18 them was because of clerical error. 19 Now, the thing about this, these 20 kids, especially children that have been removed 21 from the roll, and they had trust funds in their 22 accounts, where did that money go? How are they 23 using that money? 24 And what I want -- what I'm asking 25 you people, the Tribal Council, the General 153 1 Council, because you're Supreme Governing Body, is 2 to reinstate these tribal members that have been 3 disenrolled and stop the audit of removing these 4 Tribal members every month. This has go to stop. 5 And then every month, they let more 6 people in, more children, babies or whatever. I 7 don't have a problem with that. But the thing 8 about it is, what gets me is, this is a 9 constitutional issue. It should have come before 10 the General Council or the Tribal Council, which 11 is you, to bring it up to vote on, because it's a 12 major issue to disenroll so many people, to give 13 you a chance to decide whether we want to remove 14 these people and if they're legit. 15 Now, the thing is, they never did get 16 recourse. 17 One moment here. 18 And to me -- I've got some 19 newsletters here. They said -- okay, some of the 20 people enrolled, when they were -- the closing of 21 the open enrollment, January 20 something, 2002, 22 to July such and such, 2002. Well, in our 23 Comanche news, this is dated for November the 5th, 24 and it is -- it states, "Comanche Business 25 Committee talks about the per cap enrollment 154 1 deadline." Now, mind you, this is 2006, after the 2 closing of the enrollment books. 3 Now, how many of us carry around a 4 constitution? How many of us carry around the 5 ordinances? Some of us do. Yeah, I know the ones 6 that do. So, Phyllis, put your hand down. So 7 this is how I learn. 8 All right, in 2005, "The Comanche 9 Business Committee talks about the per cap 10 enrollment deadline. In October's monthly 11 meeting, the Business Committee, the CBC voted on 12 controlling the number of people who will get the 13 first per capita payment issued by the Tribe. 14 Tribal members who have been enrolled with the 15 Tribe as of September 30th, 2005, are eligible to 16 receive the first per capita payment, which will 17 be issued at a later date. 18 "Tribal members who received their 19 enrollment October 1, 2005, through March 30, 20 2006, will not receive a per capita payment until 21 Fiscal Year, 2007." 22 All right. We got another one. 23 September 2006. "Comanche Nation Enrollment 24 Increases. Comanche Nation population is growing 25 every month, according to the Comanche Enrollment 155 1 office." 2 Then go down to: "There is a 3 lowering of the Tribal blood quantum to 4 one-eighth. 'A lot of people are just finding out 5 about it,' says the Enrollment Director. To be 6 included in the next Tribal per capita payment, 7 all applications need to be completed before 8 September 30, 2006." 9 That's 2006. October 2006, our 10 General Council FY 2006-2007 Budget, we had some 11 issues come up here. It says -- under the Tribal 12 government line item, it says that the CBC raised 13 the Enrollment Department budget from 115,000 to 14 130,000, so it can (inaudible) to -- for the 15 enrollment, all these new people coming in for 16 enrollment. 17 And then it goes on. At that time, 18 Sandra Gallegos, you made a motion to approve -- 19 to put Resolution Number 87-06, which is to open 20 the Comanche Enrollment for one year, on the 21 voting ballot, with adherence to the Comanche 22 Constitution amendment. (Inaudible) one that vote 23 no, 13 abstained votes. That was October 2006. 24 Now, October -- December 2007, here 25 we go with this one. This is where everything 156 1 kind of -- it fell apart. The Enrollment List 2 Number 705, Eligible, One-Eighth or More of 3 Comanche Blood. Mr. Asepermy made a motion to 4 approve the resolution, Bigbee seconded that, and 5 it passed by -- it was unanimous and it passed. 6 There's a resolution on here, 7 Enrollment List Number 710, Dual Enrollment. 8 Narcomey made a motion to accept resolution, 9 Asepermy seconded the motion, it passed 10 unanimously. 11 "The Comanche Business Committee 12 recognized Donna Wahnee." This is when they 13 appointed her into Enrollment. "Who is the new 14 director for the Enrollment Department, and she 15 spoke the results of an open -- happened November 16 2nd. The CBC" -- anyway, this goes onto other 17 things. 18 So the position of the Enrollment 19 Director was not advertised. They appointed this 20 Donna Wahnee. This is my -- this is something 21 that really gets me, because we have many people 22 out there that need jobs. Why is it that our 23 Business Committee can appoint people without 24 giving others a chance to apply? Now, Mrs. Wahnee 25 came from another job as a financial 157 1 representative or something. 2 Many things came through to us, but 3 the thing about this is -- "All persons who 4 receive an allotment as a member of the Comanche 5 Nation under the Act of June 6th, 1900, and 6 subsequent act, shall be included as full members 7 of the Tribe. 8 "All descendants" -- we're finding 9 out we have living descendants that were 10 disenrolled -- "of allottee eligible for 11 membership under the provision of Section 1(a) of 12 this Article born on or before the date of the 13 document this constitution. 14 "All descendants of allottees 15 eligible for membership other than this Section 16 1(a), Article -- having one-eighth or more degree 17 of Comanche blood shall be enrolled," and such as 18 that. 19 MR. REDELK: Pardon me. Glennetta, 20 we've lost our quorum. 21 MS. WHITEFEATHER: I knew it would 22 happen. It never fails. 23 MR. REDELK: According to the 24 constitution, if we do not have a quorum, then we 25 adjourn. 158 1 MS. TIGER: We didn't lose our 2 quorum. I just counted. Charles and I just 3 counted. We have 172 people here. 4 MR. REDELK: Where did the other 5 figure come from? We had 140? 6 MS. TIGER: I counted them. I 7 counsel all through there, and you guys, all 8 through here. And just in this section alone, we 9 had 96 people and we have 172 people. 10 MR. REDELK: We don't have 140, you 11 have 170. Okay, sorry. 12 MS. WHITEFEATHER: My problem is -- 13 I'll go on. We need to reinstate the Comanche 14 Nation Tribal members, adults and children, who 15 were disenrolled by the Chairman, the Business 16 Committee, the Enrollment Director and the tribal 17 attorneys. 18 Okay. We did not have due process. 19 They didn't write to us or tell us you and your 20 children and yourself are removed from the roll. 21 We didn't know anything about it until -- 22 Then we came to an appeal. We came 23 to an appeal. So what I said, I'm making a motion 24 that we would reinstate these people that have 25 been removed from the roll. And also we have a 159 1 resolution here that even Mr. Coffey wrote out and 2 gave to me when Monnarhea Henry was here, and it 3 states: "Whereas, the Comanche Tribal Council is 4 the Supreme Governing Body; therefore, it is 5 resolved that the Comanche Nation Tribal Council 6 hereby ordain the Chairman of the Business 7 Committee with the ultimate responsibility to 8 appoint or remove the Enrollment Director, Donna 9 Wahnee." 10 I put "Donna Wahnee" in there, 11 because we want her removed. And let's get some 12 people in there, let's get some applications in 13 where we can have some qualified people. 14 And they sat over there and made fun 15 of these people sitting down over here and I 16 thought that was very disrespectful. (Inaudible) 17 that's not right (inaudible) tribal leaders or 18 staff can do that to we Tribal members. We are 19 Tribal members, this is our Tribe, not the 20 employees, not the Business Committee, not the 21 lawyers, us. We are the Supreme Governing Body. 22 That's my statement. We need to 23 reinstate these people, remove Donna Wahnee, and 24 do a resolution where this will never happen 25 again. 160 1 MRS. GALLEGOS: Two separate issues. 2 Vote them back in first. 3 MS. WHITEFEATHER: Okay. I was told 4 we have to vote them back in. I make a motion to 5 vote them back in, to reinstate children and 6 adults. With their per cap, yes. And the 7 children put -- give them back their per cap. 8 MRS. GALLEGOS: Those who were 9 disenrolled up to date. 10 MS. WHITEFEATHER: Those who were 11 disenrolled up to the present date. 12 MR. COFFEY: Election Board, we have 13 a motion, but we need to count. Let's get an 14 accurate head count of how many people we have. 15 You gave us a number of 140 a while ago, and then 16 you're saying it was 170 what? 17 MS. DECORA: 172. 18 MR. COFFEY: 1 7 2? All right. All 19 those that have your wristbands, all those that 20 are here, raise your hands, Comanche Tribal 21 members. 22 MS. WHITEFEATHER: I was asked to 23 direct the CBC that we're asking you to fire Donna 24 Wahnee, terminate her immediately. 25 MR. COFFEY: All right. I believe 161 1 I'm correct, that those individuals that were 2 taken off the roll, that they be reinstated and be 3 paid their per cap. 4 MRS. NARCOMEY: (Inaudible.) 5 MR. COFFEY: All right. We have a 6 question. A motion has been made by Glennetta 7 Whitefeather that these individuals that were 8 taken off the roll, that they be reinstated and be 9 paid their per capita payment. 10 The enrollment process is governed by 11 the constitution. And in order to be reinstated 12 by the Tribal Council, it has to be modified. The 13 constitution has to be modified in order to give 14 the Tribal Council the authority to reinstate 15 individuals that were enrolled. 16 In addition to that, the constitution 17 gives the authority to the Business Committee to 18 undertake elections. It also gives the Business 19 Committee the responsibility to administer these 20 programs on a daily basis. So making the 21 recommendation to terminate somebody, that's not 22 the role of the General Council, it's the role of 23 the Tribal Administrator and the Comanche Business 24 Committee. 25 So that's an issue that has to be 162 1 presented by petition to the CBC. Once completely 2 verified, it will be a secretarial election that 3 will modify the constitution that will give this 4 enrollment procedure the opportunity be 5 administered by the Tribal Council, not by the 6 Tribal administration. 7 MRS. HENDRIX: The constitution 8 didn't give you the authority to disenroll anybody 9 to begin with, but you did. 10 MR. COFFEY: Well, the Secretary of 11 the State doesn't recognize dual citizenship. You 12 can't be on two rolls. You can't be on the 13 Comanche roll if you're on another roll. 14 MS. WHITEFEATHER: How did we know 15 that? A lot of us Tribal members don't know that 16 they have to go through a secretarial election. 17 Like I said, we don't know the constitution and 18 the ordinances. We don't trust y'all because you 19 change it like the wind. You know, what are we 20 supposed to do if we don't know? We didn't know 21 that there was supposed to be a secretarial 22 election. Are you trying to knock us down for 23 whatever reason? It's not our fault. If you're 24 going to do something, do it right, state it 25 right. Don't do it behind closed doors with 163 1 just -- with the seven of you, or however many of 2 you that decided to do this. 3 This is our General Council. As I 4 stated, this is the Supreme Governing Body. If 5 this is how we want to vote, this is how we're 6 going to do it. We are the Supreme Governing 7 Body. 8 MS. ISAAC: What about the open 9 enrollment? Who decided to do that? 10 MR. COFFEY: That was done by a 11 secretarial election. 12 MS. ISAAC: Well, you didn't close it 13 when you should have closed it. 14 MS. WHITEFEATHER: Why did you state 15 it in this paper? And you misled a lot of people. 16 MRS. HENDRIX: If you closed it, then 17 nobody should have been able to be on the roll 18 since them. You should have no new members. 19 MS. WHITEFEATHER: You misled a lot 20 of people. And some of you -- Clyde, Wallace, 21 Eddie, you guys were on the Committee at the time 22 when it was -- when this was going on. You should 23 have stopped it at that time. And why were y'all 24 allowed to go on to publish like that. 25 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Call for the 164 1 question. 2 MR. COFFEY: So you're talking about 3 a wide range of issues that does not give the 4 General Council the authority to make. The 5 general Council has the authority to govern 6 membership over the Tribe, but it also gives the 7 authority to the CBC to conduct this election and 8 the membership responsibilities. 9 MS. WHITEFEATHER: We did a 10 petition. And what Mrs. Donna Wahnee did -- we 11 had 287. She only validated 97. This was not a 12 recall. 13 MR. COFFEY: Let me say this: Under 14 Section 3(b), "The person is at the time of the 15 adoption of this constitution an enrolled member 16 of another tribe or has in the past received and 17 accepted or, if a minor, whose parents or legal 18 guardian has received and accepted for said minor, 19 material or monetary benefits as a member of 20 another Indian Tribe and who fails or whose 21 parents or legal guardian fails, if a minor, 22 within ninety (90) days after the adoption of this 23 constitution to declare in writing to the Tribal 24 Chairman preference for membership in the Comanche 25 Indian Tribe and at the same time in writing 165 1 renounces membership in said other tribe." So 2 You can't be on two rolls. You have 3 to renounce it and it wasn't renounced. 4 MS. WHITEFEATHER: You didn't answer 5 my question. I said why did you allow it to be 6 printed in the paper to mislead us? 7 MR. COFFEY: That was an action of 8 the CBC, an action of the Comanche Business 9 Committee. They made a motion to look at people 10 that are dually enrolled, that they be removed. 11 And it says -- the Comanche Constitution says they 12 cannot be on two rolls. 13 MS. WHITEFEATHER: Well, I'm going to 14 tell you something, Wallace Coffey: This is your 15 last term, you're going out. You going to be 16 replaced. The thing about it is this is not going 17 to go away. 18 We got two options after this. We've 19 got two options. And we're going to try to do the 20 least. And if that doesn't work, every single one 21 of you will be recalled. But not only that, it's 22 going to go further than that. We have the 23 ability to sue you and Donna Wahnee. That's what 24 I was told by two lawyers and they were well into 25 Indian law. And we can sue each and every one of 166 1 you, and everybody that has been disenrolled, 2 you'll have to pay their monetary moneys for 3 all -- 4 MS. DELORES AITSON: I wanted to say 5 a few words. I know they made fun of a lot of 6 things. But you know what? It's because of their 7 stupidity. I wouldn't lower myself to their 8 level. And these committeemen up here go along 9 with it. They think it's really neat. Because 10 they're their workers. That's fine. 11 Two of my children were removed from 12 the Tribal Enrollment because of Donna Wahnee. 13 And the Kiowa Tribe has told them over and over 14 they weren't dually enrolled. They did not 15 receive any kind of funding from them. They're 16 using that -- the moneys that KCA, every one of us 17 got, and they're saying that our children were 18 minors at the time that that money was paid, which 19 is true. They had no say-so, they were minors. 20 They didn't even know they were getting money. So 21 these parents, you know, we all got our children's 22 money, and that's what they're holding against my 23 two children. 24 But another thing I don't understand 25 with Mr. Coffey, he has lied through this teeth to 167 1 me so many times. And he's the one that approved 2 their papers. They were on the roll. They 3 received a per capita payment. They already 4 received one. And they spent it, they enjoyed 5 it. 6 Then this comes along, and he says 7 they are not on the roll because Donna says 8 they're not on the roll. But he and Monnarhea 9 Henry approved them to be on the roll. So, you 10 know, these lies just go in one circle. 11 And all these other people that have 12 been touched by this needed to be here to support 13 us. We've worked hard on this. And we get made 14 fun of. 15 We go up there and ask Donna 16 questions, and she lies. Because she says, "I 17 don't know this. The CBC does it. The CBC told 18 me to do this. I'm just doing what they tell me 19 to." 20 Well, we go to the CBC, and they say, 21 "We didn't tell her anything." 22 So, you know, it's just a circle of 23 lies. And we're all in the middle of it with our 24 children trying to make the best of it, you know. 25 And if they needed that money and the per capita 168 1 payment that they probably already used anyway, 2 that's fine. But my children, they deserve to be 3 on the Comanche roll. They're half Comanche and 4 they're half Kiowa. They're very proud of it. 5 They didn't come up here and make a fuss. But I 6 think they were treated unfairly. Thank you. 7 MR. NARCOMEY: For the record, I'd 8 like to make a quick comment here. When this vote 9 was taken, there were only two CBC members that 10 voted no when they removed Debbie Hendrix. I was 11 one of them that voted no. I voted to keep her 12 on. And all the other ones that got disenrolled, 13 our lawyers said to go by the -- we was going by 14 the constitution, so they never was voted on. The 15 only one we ever voted on was Debbie and her 16 kids. 17 And let's go back to the nursing 18 home. Back in '05, I'm the one who introduced the 19 resolution for the nursing home. It's a slow 20 process. And I'm for the Elders to have the 21 nursing home. I'll be 64 this year. Like Grandma 22 Ruth said, you know, we don't ever know when 23 someone's going to get sick and have a stroke or 24 whatever. And I'm 100 percent behind this nursing 25 home. Thank you very much. 169 1 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: I'd like to talk 2 about our Enrollment. I don't know if we have a 3 quorum here or not. I'd like to make a notion 4 that we do a federal audit on our Enrollment 5 Department. Then we can find out when we vote, 6 then we'll see if we have a quorum. 7 MRS. HENDRIX: An audit's been done. 8 The Bureau has the audit. 9 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: Federal audit's 10 already been done? 11 MRS. HENDRIX: The Bureau has an 12 audit. 13 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: Oh, the Bureau has 14 a federal audit? 15 MRS. HENDRIX: Yes. 16 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: Oh, I didn't know 17 that. I thought we did have one. 18 MRS. HENDRIX: No, it's happened. 19 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: Okay. 20 MS. ATTOCKNIE: Do we have people? 21 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: We got 22 recommendations on it or whatever? 23 MRS. HENDRIX: They're supposed to be 24 letting those out. In fact, they probably already 25 contacted -- 170 1 MR. TOM NARCOMEY: I'm wasting 2 people's time. 3 MRS. HENDRIX: They probably 4 contacted the CBC, but they won't tell you that. 5 MR. COFFEY: Mr. Yeagley? 6 MRS. HENDRIX: We've got a motion on 7 the floor. 8 MR. COFFEY: That motion is a 9 constitutional question. It cannot be acted on 10 without a petition to the CBC. 11 Mr. Yeagley, you have the floor. 12 MR. YEAGLEY: I sure appreciate 13 everybody staying on. This has been a long day, 14 and it's been a good day. These are really 15 interesting topics. 16 I personally am trying to learn how 17 to show respect for people when they don't show 18 respect for you. It's a wonderful thing. I 19 recommend it to everybody. It feels good. 20 Now, the first thing I want to talk 21 about is the way in which we were listed on the 22 agenda. It's not quite accurate. It's a little 23 bit misleading. I was going to bring this up 24 during educational budget item that we had up 25 there about our college. I don't want anybody to 171 1 think that we are in conflict or competition with 2 the Comanche Nation College. There's a great 3 possibility that we can actually cooperate, that 4 we can actually work together. 5 But my name is David Yeagley. I put 6 this proposal together with my friend, Nick 7 Tahchawwickah, and we spent a lot of time on it. 8 And what we want to present to you at this time is 9 the idea of a technical school. Now we're calling 10 it the Comanche Media Institute. But technically, 11 legally speaking, it would function as a technical 12 school. 13 And we already have a nursing program 14 that has been very successful, and it has a 15 separate budget, as I recall, on the budget 16 items. The nursing school in and of itself could 17 exist as the basis for a technical school. What 18 we're looking for here is an institution that can 19 produce certified individuals who can get jobs 20 based on that certification. This is different 21 from the college. This is very different from the 22 concept of the college. 23 We have put millions of dollars into 24 our college over a period of years, and we don't 25 have a -- we don't have what we're looking for 172 1 yet. So the question is: Do we continue to go in 2 that direction, or do we open up a new path that 3 possibly can be more productive more quickly and 4 can bring in all kinds of profits? 5 Now, what I wanted to do, but I don't 6 think it's going to happen, is we need a planning 7 committee. 8 According to my calculations, we 9 could have the basis or a basis of this technical 10 institute in operation by January. Not the whole 11 thing. We have to start small, we have to start 12 with different divisions it. I can tell you about 13 the divisions in a second. But each of them could 14 work independently. Each of them could function. 15 Any one of them could start as early as this 16 January, if we had some kind of budget to -- and a 17 planning committee. 18 (Inaudible) college budget, which was 19 $1,800,000. That's a lot of money. And I didn't 20 want to appear as though we were in competition 21 with that, because we're really not. But if 22 that's the only way we can work ourselves into the 23 2010 budget, then I'm going to have to review. 24 I'm going to have to review the idea of college 25 and say, well, let's start within the college and 173 1 then develop. So in a sense, it's partially 2 related to the college and partially not, and 3 that's the ambiguity here. And that has to do 4 with the budget, that has to do with the fact that 5 we want in on some budget money so we can start 6 some aspect of our Comanche Media Institute by 7 January. It is possible to do. If the people 8 want it, it's possible to do. 9 Now, next slide. The people that are 10 recommended on the handout sheet are not final. 11 These are just suggestions. I imagine that 12 finally that the Business Committee will make 13 these decision of who is going to serve on this 14 (inaudible) and faculty of the institute. 15 I don't know. All I know is, I 16 respected other people when they were up here. I 17 listened (inaudible.) 18 Anyway -- 19 MR. COFFEY: Mr. Yeagley, at 20 6:03 p.m., our Enrollment Committee says -- 21 MR. YACKEYONNY: Thank you for your 22 time. 23 MR. COFFEY: -- we have no quorum, so 24 no action can be taken. We are hereby adjourned. 25 (General Council adjourns-6:04 p.m.) 174 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 April 18, 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 12th day of 17 May, 2009. 18 19 20 __________________________ Kelly Stoabs 21 Certified Shorthand Reporter for the State of Oklahoma 22 23 24 25 175 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 and 7 Comanche Nation General Council held at 1:29 p.m. 8 on April 18, 2009, and that the meeting was duly 9 called and held in all respects in accordance with 10 the charters and bylaws of the Comanche Nation and 11 that a quorum was present. 12 I further certify that the votes and 13 resolutions of the CBC Members of Comanche Nation 14 at the meeting are operative and in full force and 15 effect and have not been annulled or modified by 16 any vote or resolution passed or adopted by the 17 CBC since that meeting. 18 19 20 Signed:_________________________ Date:____________ Robert Tippeconnie 21 Secretary-Treasurer 22 23 24 25