Tribal Council seat to remain vacant until September election

Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy said at the June 27 Tribal Council meeting that she will not nominate someone to temporarily fill the vacant seat on Tribal Council that was created when Valorie Sheker incurred three consecutive unexcused absences in May.

Kennedy, who is charged by the Tribal Constitution to nominate someone to fill a vacant seat, said that with only four Tribal Council meetings left that she did not see the need for a short-term nominee to fill the seat.

Kennedy said she checked with the other seven Tribal Council members and there will be sufficient attendance at the July and August Tribal Council meetings to have a quorum and carry out the business of the Tribe.

"Seeing as there was not an imminent need to have another position, we move forward," Kennedy said.

Although the Tribal Constitution says the Tribal chairperson "shall" nominate someone to fill a vacant seat with the approval of the rest of Tribal Council, it does not set a time frame within which the Tribal chair must make a nomination, leaving Kennedy with the discretion not to appoint anyone until the seat is filled during the Sept. 8 Tribal Council election.

The vacant seat, along with those held by Kennedy and Tribal Council member Toby McClary, are being contested this year by 13 Tribal members.