Omg it is paramount we get the quarterly notices. How do we question if we don’t have the knowledge to do so other than? Silence is never golden. It’s like when the cats away the mouse will play, well I am tired of you the M.C playing around with our money cut those damn expenses. There is no need for $ 34,000. mo. once again give the shareholders what they want which transparency or I will get a FOIA.
A lot of this sounds so redundant get the hell out of the ME business “ONE” did any of you stop to think how one vote by Paul Revard could be a conflict of Interest or see that Gray as well intentioned is to. Follow the money trail I say? We have been calling for some time the M.C lacks huge direction and that since the HPP case has settled we are in worse shape then ever. Stop already with the excuses as to why we are not getting updates in regards to our M.E. WE understand how we got here and the politics involved to the detriment there of. What in criminy is going on? Some of us wasn’t born off the off the turn up truck yesterday and what has happened is if we do not change we end up doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Long over due are by-laws. This is for sure. But but but we’ve been told our hands are tied, only if you allow it to be. Yes we have a trust as long as we produce and meet those requirements the doors will open but until we continue to believe what’s on black and white we are as doomed as those words that are written. By golly we need a champion to speak on this forefront, we know what has happened much predicted to the disservice to the M.E. Need I say more, it is hard to tell who’s telling the truth here folks. We have a new M.C. right let’s address exacwhat is broken then let’s reoair it before we make any and all decisions and major ones at that, right the wrong then let’s talk, office. The shareholders deserves answers. We know we have another lawsuit on our hands, what’s going on? We our out millions if not billions. Mappinythe estate their are private companies that can do this without taking years to understand what we are sitting. Come on you can’t fool me and shame on you for trying. I was the one who said yes the resources is ours to use from our Government and we have a right through gaming to use that money at our disposal to further the one thing that is guaranteed to bring money in, is The M.E. Not like the Osage LLC. I want action for all of us. Who will tell it like it is?
I will always want to know what the MC discussed all this time with the government meetings? In the meeting Waller spoke of how we are getting low prices and he was indirectly referring the comments to the Superintendent in the meeting. Was anything (at all?) accomplished in these meetings, again, what was discussed? I've seen no changes and the 3rd MC had not mentioned any "accomplishments" to us in any form of communication of results. Will Waller inform this new MC of what was brought up (subjects) in these many meetings or will the new MC have to ask the government in their first meeting what has been discussed?? We may be informed by the new MC of these upcoming discussions, but we may never know about the 3rd MC meetings.
You cannot hold those accountable if you don’t have accountability or transparency, this is no accident by any means it’s time we take action to Congress and have legislation added to our trust we declare nothing short of commitment and communication and there of with all do respect we all have interest in th M.E under common interest. They would say well we have mineral web site through the Osage Government but it’s hardly conveys anything , especially talking points. There is no open line of communication.
We are in challenging times and we should not be , we know about the truths that has happened to this estate let’s talk, the regards have been outspoken what is going on, now they are elected have they fallen prey to politics. Let’s talk about what needs to happen and who really is in control here, it’s non of you without us realize this. I am smart. All the way to enzymes that eats your gut. One serious Osage who has a lot smarts in their pinkie.
The Revards have been out spoken, I just feel because they were elected their opinion is not in favor. They have had much support yet now there is silence. Very disappointing.
Can the IRS take money out of your IIM for tax debt. Ive heard conflicting reports from OST. One person said yes, one person said no.... anyone have any experience with this?
Note: If you owe a tax debt, you should pay it as soon as possible or make arrangements with a company that can intercede for you to lower the amount significantly. I have first hand knowledge of this with an Aunt who didn't pay her taxes for 30 years and then died. The Federal government came after her estate for roughly 5/6 of it before the dust settled. It's never a good practice not to pay your taxes.
I thought Paul was going to stop doing business as an oil and gas producer in the Osage. Now this? http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/07/24/attorney-general-opinion-sought-questions-potential-conflict-interest/
I’d hate to sell any more leases with bad contract language,” Councilwoman Susan Forman said. “It hurts us.” It is a conflict of interest. Susan with such bad language in the contracts what are you talking about? And can you explain how this happened in the first place? Contracts have to be made whole for the benefit of the M.E. so how did this happen?
During the campaign Susan could not even explain or provide aby documention on many things or calculations she stated. She avoided several shareholders and got nasty with some.
Supposedly she possessed the knowledge and the where with all as to why we are suffering from ill performing contracts, if this is the case who is responsible for explaining why theses contracts are sub-par, the shareholders have a right to know what happened and they need to be mad3 whole by the BIA as I suspect this is a proven fact from what I understand from previous conversations on this site. Since the HPP our M.E has gone to the pot sorta speak, we need action today, I am out over a $ 100,000. and I am not alone, so one has to beg the question do we need to take outside action, getting a (FOIA) ? So I ask again why is Susan Foreman not speaking to her allegations? This is no doubt disconcerting to say the least, she needs to speak to this, was she paid to keep her mouth shut and treat other shareholders disdainfully, she now represents the Shareholders and she now has to speak to this or remove her, she doesn’t get a pass she works for us.
Now I heard from a legitimate source that she was hired by the MC for three months and all these bang up programs and things and so on that she was going to do wound up spiraling down into verbal criticism against the Council and for that she got fired. I sure do hope she doesn't turn out to be an empty skirt. If she gets nasty with these Osages and tries to run her game out on that basis, she's in for a hell of a hard row for the next four years and won't get any further along than she did when she was working for the MC. I have pretty high hopes for her but it seems that she's pulling back and if that's true this early in the game, it won't be pretty. Truth is that she's smart and capable and I hope she puts those qualities to work for us. I'm counting on her to get us through this patch and the same for Paul Revard. He had better quit his oil and gas business in the Osage or he'll have to make a choice to walk away or be paid to do nothing significant for the shareholders. Already, Andrew Yates has recused himself from voting and so has Paul. This is not looking good people.
Patch is a understatement reflecting in our checks hugely. Like I said you got all these people with hopes but their hands are bound, which is hog wash if I ever saw or heard. I want to know she made a statement that other contracts where underperforming because it was how the contracts were negotiated well, expound on them so we know what has happened in the past with these contracts so this does not happen again. We have a right to know. This has a potential of a another suit if proven factual. What I do know thus far is what has happened just by the naked eye but the BIA has done a huge disservice again , and it’s proven so redundant and I want to know why we are not in the courts proving this fact again?
On the 25th of July, there will be an LLCs Summit: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1961466917206738&set=gm.1774791699304587&type=3&theater&ifg=1
ONES, LLC is going after an "8a" certification? So does this mean they have to have to acquire this certification before they can begin work on the work they are "pursuing" by bidding on, including, by the way, NEPA work for the Osage Nation? What this really means is they have nothing going because they don't have the certification they need to get this work in the first place. Why even consider giving them money until the certification they need comes through? Would that be too smart for anyone else to figure out especially at the Osage Nation elected official level? Been given $400,000 to $500,000. Employees now under contract have been given 30 day notice to do what? Nothing? Boy, these people have got one a hell of a nerve.
The 8(a) Business Development program certification is supposed to be reserved to companies that already have a track record of successfully doing business. The reason is there must be a demonstration of the ability for success.
Tribal companies can be granted a waiver if the tribe will act as a guarantor against performance. Given the history of the other LLCs owned by the Osage Nation, even a letter of commitment to support ONES may not be sufficient.
The 8(a) BD program is only a benefit when pursuing 8(a) set-aside contracts. It will not help at all with selling NEPA work to private companies.
I loved to hear the comments of Mr. Perrier, in particular: "We'd like to see the Tribe make money." AHHH! How long have I and others waited for someone to make that statement, mean it and actually know how to do it! You, sir, get to wear the laurel wreath for the rest of the year!
Anonymous July 25, 2018 at 4:00 PM. Thank you. It's too bad someone hasn't made this clarification to Mr. Conrad who is the acting CEO of ONES, LLC. He had a government job with the Nation under Jim Gray before his big salary with ONES, didn't he? You can't ever say that the Osage Nation doesn't know how to recycle, especially those who talk a good game whether they know what they're doing or not.
Hmm wether they know what they are doing or not? It’s not what you know, it’s who you know and this is a huge problem No one is minding the camp. Playing with a house of cards it seems. You win some but mostly lose. Not a pretty picture. I suppose on a legislative side we need to change and fix broken ASAP. This Osage Indian wants the Chief removed.
My understanding is that the ONES group had some money before hiring Mr. Conrad. Yes his salary is breaking them. But oh well Congress will give them some more.
What are they doing over at One’s to deserve such a salary thus far? Other than create meetings and form new positions? And ,butt their nose in how to ceate more oil business, butting their nose in our Business? We have a council for this reason folks. It’s very simple to create more oil business but when you have or had a agency at the time or in the last eight years that was over regulating the M.E the BIA coordinated by the EPA it hurt the reputation of the M.E and this is what we are left with after the HPP of which the Federal Government has failed the Estate all over again, what you can do is file another law suit that’s what you can do, second get off your duffs not One’s we have to many hands or not enough hands in the the cookie jar that can agree which way to go? And all but said our hands are tied because of the BIA, I call B.S. I am in marketing and we are not even near where we need to be to build our reputation back to where it should be,it takes a little greasing to do. Like I said a long time ago our reputation was at stake and it did not help with any of the cases in the courts like they were helping but adding to this dangerous mix of circumstances we find ourselves in. There is no criteria to meet or standards because they are only on the books, what is on black and white is not moving this M.E forward. I know success and what it looks like and how we get there, but not like this. For lands sake the M.C doesn’t even have by-laws. By all appearances we look like we are still in the infancy of development . As I said there will be some kind of litigation going on one way or another, and this should not inhibit the growth of the M.E. So which is it causing the M.E to flounder? The BIA or M.C it’s both. And the resources are there to be had through the Nation to be used and One’s needs to stay out it’s a conflict of interest.
Why is it that that Eddy who gets $22,250 a year, all in, including reimbursements for meals and travel, appointed as Chairman of ONES, LLC., shows up in what looks like an old shirt and jeans to a business Summit of the LLCs when he is the one running it from what it looks like on the video tape? Why is it that some of the officials of the Osage Nation have so little respect for the office they hold? If these people want to be taken seriously as professional business people asking for huge sums of money, then they had damn well better clean up their act. With this example to the entire membership, it's easy to see why these people only know how to spend money and not make any for the Osage Nation.
ok so let me get this straight, he is getting $ 22,000 a year as chairman for the One’s not just look like death worn all over but he probably getting more in health bennies and a 401k as well so you compile that total it can be upward in the $ 35,000 a year including the stipends. And so I move to legislation if you have served in the Government or their of a entity of the Government arm you cannot not be a agent or officer of any arm of the Government for 4 yrs.
Anonymous July 26, 2018 at 6:37 AM So what are you saying? That this guy Conrad is another $100,000er plus employee of the Osage Nation? He sure looked uncomfortable and unprofessional to me when he was giving his talk and Eddy even had to prompt him on what more he wanted Conrad to put out there to justify the appropriation they want from Congress. This one looks weak on his feet as a top spokesman and this comes across clearly on the tape of him speaking as I watched. You don't have to prompt real Executives who command a salary like this and can justify the reason for it. They are expected to know what they're doing, do it and say what they have to say without help. I think we need to downsize this one on an immediate basis right away. Even Carol Leese was better on his feet in public meetings.
Board members don't get the same benefits as regular employees. It's salary only and reimbursement for travel -- $1000 and meals -- $750 up to those maximum amounts. It's in ONCR 11-21.
ONES, LLC. Professional you say? They haven't posted an Agenda since February 13, 2017 and they have never posted any Board Meeting Minutes! https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/energy-services-llc-board/ones-meeting-information The current ONES, LLC Board members and Chairman haven't been updated on the page either. They want $400,000 - $500,000 of the Osage people's money! When is the Congress going to even bother to look at the simplest paper trail on the internet as proof of how truly unprofessional they are. Conrad was hired way back in September 21, 2017 and should have made sure that both the meeting agendas and the meeting minutes were up to date and posted to the Osage Nation website for our review. Get rid of these LLCs, none of them, with the exception of the Bluestem Board even really seem to know what they're doing from a professional business standpoint. Stinks to high heaven all across the board and no one in the Osage Nation government appears to even be able to admit it or take responsibility for it.
This information is wrong because there has been an update and an increase for Business Boards with ONCR 15-21 that Standing Bear signed on October 7, 2015. The current stipend for the Chairman is $21,000, $16,800 for additional Board members and the travel reimbursement is $10,000 per each board member across the board.
Changed the name and mission statement after another seminar but this is the best I can do. When do we get a current update, with Eddy in charge, who the hell knows.
To listen on demand to yesterday's Congressional Affairs Committee and the Appropriations Committee see http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/ Top four listings.
Keep in mind that ONES, LLC needs $400,000 to $500,000 just to stay posh and I mean posh until September. When are these Board members going to get a clue that this is a government not some sort of Royal organization and begin spending the Osage people's money they've been given by tailoring their outgoing expenditures, salaries and overhead accordingly? Ypu're right. Get rid of Eddy. He's probably the biggest spender of the Nation's funds in Osage history. He was heard all over the Osage telling people that he couldn't wait to give Osage, LLC more money when he was in Congress every time a capital contribution came up on the floor of Congress. It's damn time this one paid personally for all of his terrible mistakes, threats and misdeeds.
Chief, when are you going to get Eddy out of there? He's certainly proved his incapability to be on this Board unless it's really you running the show using him as the tip of the spear. He needs to go and you should know that by now. If he would permit this much money being spent on a monthly basis, even higher than the monthly outlay of the Osage, LLC in its heyday, while a member and Chair of this managing Board which is his official status, you need to make a change and right away. He's done enough damage to the fiscal landscape of the Osage Nation government since this whole concept of the LLCs came into being. This is a matter of both ethics and prudent spending especially since you have nothing of a real business nature on the ground since 2012 to justify such reckless spending.
GREAT NEWS! https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/usworld/ap/plan-for-b-wind-farm-scrapped-after-regulator-s-denial/article_43848155-3cc7-577a-acf7-580f370ee909.html
This is due in part to the efforts of the last Osage Minerals Council and their "one minute before midnight" appeal left to them after the BIA walked away from the appeal to the 10th Circuit when the 10th Circuit ruled that the OMC actually has legal standing in the case. And those most instrumental in this effort weren't even re-elected! A lot of thanks we gave to them in the last election. How's the new Council working out for you so far? Appeals to the AG on whether one or more or them have to stand down on voting? Are they really going to replace the legal team of FREDERICKS PEEBLES & MORGAN LLP for day to day Minerals business during the potential transition to a compact of the OME away from the Bureau? This is the legal team that won the day in court. Putrid. Next they'll be wanting to go back to Akin Gump at three times the price an hour maybe including Wilson Pipestem and then we're back under the umbrella of the sponsors of that damned Harvard Project nonsense again. I feel like that poor little kid in Jurassic Park when he starts out in the car and winds back up in the car again at the foot of the tree.
Hmmm... Did the BLM give looters a treasure map to find American Indian artifacts in southern Utah? https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2018/07/21/did-blm-give-looters/
I see articles like this, we hardly want to conform to BLM rules with any new proposed CFRs.
This whole article is such hogwash because the Congress knew about the saltwater spill which was discussed with the members of Congress way back prior to April 13 before the Minerals Council meeting on that day and in fact, I was the one who asked what was going to be done about the spill on the part of the Minerals Council during their meeting. Surprisingly, they had heard nothing about it all from either the Executive Branch or the Congress. When the Congress was meeting in Committee later on in the day to discuss the Osage LLC/Tallgrass situation, Galen Crum from the MC was there wanting to know more about the spill. I wish the Osage News could get their facts straight with reference to the timeline associated with this salt water spill on Bluestem land.
Yep haven’t we all been saying the same thing about the Osage News for quite some time. There is absolutely no way no one knew about this situation yet it’s unresolved and it should never go unresolved. It should be dealt with immediately by the BIA.
The only reason there is any action now is because the guys who owns the cows who got sick from drinking salt water is most likely going to sue. The operator, the Nation, who knows? The BIA did not do much and the operator is sorry.
Patterns emerge from Phippen’s reporting on tribal corruption. If tribal government is so pervasively incompetent and corrupt, and BIA oversight so woefully undertrained and ineffective, how did it get that way and why does it persist? Because no one is watching the BIA. This was from Indiana.com article “Tribal corruption remains a target of the conservative media” Why does this have to be conservative media why can it not be that It’s a Indian thing and Indian Nations who are Sovereign need to wake to the fact this is wide spread, shouldn’t the OIG do the same for us and actually take a look as to why things are just not adding up for the Osage when is comes to spending the gaming money? They will be able to tell a real invoice from a fake get answer for the Osage and hold those responsible for their failures and misuse of our funds?
Once more, Julie Malone strikes a home run with the new Osage Shareholders Association Newsletter. This is a very important organization and we will all need it going forward especially if the plan is to compact the Minerals Estate in the next 4 years. There are some very good OSA Board Members who draw from various backgrounds including legal and oil and gas. The membership price is reasonable for both Osage Headright owners and Osage non-Headright owners. The meetings can be attended anywhere in the world via the internet. We don't always agree with one another but this is an excellent forum to get our opinions out there to both the other members and the members of the newly elected Minerals Council.
How to Contact the OSA: E-mail: osageshareholdersassociation@gmail.com Facebook Page for members only: OSAGE SHAREHOLDERS ASSOCIATION at https://www.facebook.com/groups/247282649053762/?ref=bookmarks to join. Gain access to this site and the important documentation available there. >Stay informed >Receive quarterly newsletter >Use ZOOM (online live meeting venue where you can participate) to view and participate live in meetings if you can’t attend.
This is the biggest and best bang for the buck there is in Osage County. I am a proud member and know directly the quality and value this organization has for us Osage Headright owners.
OMC members travel to Washington to advocate for shareholder rights: http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/08/03/omc-members-travel-washington-advocate-shareholder-rights/
Well better late than never, in some cases yes but in this case it’s always the case with us. Where we are at is no fault of the headright owners. We are out millions since the HPP was settled and worse for ware at ground zero. We understand and maybe some do and don’t ,that the EPA used the BIA as a political tool and that’s a proven fact and the regulatory environment hurt not just the private sector but Indian Country as well , our producers and the mix of OPEC,just to add. It’s all relative. And the million dollar question as to, who’s interest really mattered here? The M.E. All true facts, but in Indian Country I would say there was not just us that was discriminated against either. But as I said before and one thing is for sure the operations of the M.E take precedent over even the Operations of the Nation, and I say this with all do respect to both, that the Nation would not exist without the M.E that’s a fact. This is all of ours interest and to put it mildly, you cannot habpve a conversation if you don’t sit at the table and how many meetings regardless of how we feel one way or the other for the sake of, because just because you earn a check on the other side let’s not forget about the what is going on here. Let’s not let politics go to the head and do nothing about what has happened with the M.E. What did special interest take place to protect the small guy that big interest will not come here , because let me tell you we can foster both in this industry. I can say this the system with the BIA is broke and until we take charge this is costing the M.E millions doing nothing and now your doing something about it, I have to say the environment in The U,S is pro-energy and now is the time to do something I get that, but you must understand the lack of confidence we have in the M.C abilities because their hands tide is the excuse we have been hearing for some time. I know this much, Long over due are we to take control of the administration part of the M.E, with a legal Dept on staff. There’s always going to be problems but not if they are dealt with immediately not 4 months down the road. You sure as heck do not build a reputation by doing things that can be done today and not tomorrow. It’s cost all of the politics that has played a huge role in where we are at and our reputation is hurt as well. No damage control, so elementary is customer service. That’s our problem no communication and why? Silence is no golden it’s deafening because somewhere out there is the truth, funny thing is we know the truth everyone is worried wpabout when they get there next check and I am not talking about your headright check , that those out their count on but no worries because our rent is so dirt cheap in OK that, for all appearances is the way it appears, I am fine but there are others that got to be saying the same thing as well. Resp
I l8ke how I was reading in the Osage News how we will o longer sit idle. That’s exactly what thee last council was doing. Governing from the arm chair. It’s been more than 4 months the decline in our checks was way much earlier than that. Started after the HPP was paid out. Not four months ago do any of you on the council think we haven’t been complaining for some time , don’t lie to us the Headright owners. My bank aacout can test to this and so can the copies of my checks. I said the next eight years back then was going to be pro-energy before Trump was going to be President what are we doing to further the growth of the Estate and he’s been President for how long, so cry me a river. Did the Osage News get it wrong? The time line? It’s been more like six years. Think about it? When the HPP was paid out is when our checks started to decline, I was out.a $ 100,000 because of the refs were whack at the time. And there were more of us out that money. How many permits went out that year and let’s do a spread sheet and history report. There’s your answer. We have another law suit on our hands has anyone followed thru on those promises by the Dept after the Law suit was settled? It does not take 7 years to follow thru on our Estate since the HPP case.unreal
You can sue the Nation but the Osage Constitution disallows an award of monetary damages as a form of relief if the Osage Headright owners are harmed:
See "ARTICLE IV - DECLARATION OF RIGHTS Section 4. Remedies: No person shall be entitled to an award of monetary damages, as a form of relief, in the Osage Trial Court for any violation of these rights; unless the Osage Nation Congress may by law provide for monetary damages as a form of relief for such violations, when relief would best serve the interests of the Osage Nation or that of justice."
What would be the point of suing if there's no monetary remedy or punitive damages awarded? Just for the satisfaction of winning your case? You will need an attorney in Osage Nation Tribal Court and that will be a costly venture just to be proven legally right.
That's one of the most important and primary reasons that we don't want the Nation running any aspect of the OME. If they screw it up (the polite version) there is nothing the Osage Headright owners can do. That's also one of the most important reasons the BIA will be in total violation of their fiduciary obligation to the Headright Trust Beneficiaries if they turn the OME over to the Nation to run in any way under circumstances where full-on accountability and competence are involved. If they do this, then we will be under an obligation to file a complaint with the Inspector General of the Department of the Interior and when a full investigation is called for and takes place, upon its conclusion, a lot things that have taken place with the Osage Nation and its officials either elected or appointed will come to light that certain people don't want to come out in the open and known publicly.
Ill take your word with a grain of salt. We will not accept ones period. And I can null and void this Government and I can take it down and restore this Government back to the MC, but have you seen how they run a Mineral Office or there of? No worse for ware than the Osage Government. At this point with the huge catastrophe with the LLC’s and you know we are on the hook for these contracts when word broke out down under about what was going on with them you knew what happened. But who allowed the underbidding to take place in the first place, second I realize it’s not up to the contractor how you are going to be able to make that criteria happen, but they also were assured through a note that no matter what we will be on the hook if we should fail, so how is that protecting the Osage interest concerning our Gaming law? It doesn’t in no way shape or form protect the interest. Does anyone or can anyone tell me who and what these contracts were about? The Osage deserves the truth , the good the bad and ugly, how can you fix broken and hold those accountable to this great loss and believe you and me the buck stops with the Chief and this reflects on all of us, the no confidence form our three branches of Government astounds and do not blame the judicial system because it is how are laws that are set up for failure and that’s no accident and the same mistake is happening all over again how redundant and a waste of the Osage resources as well. All that effort to go down the tube, ut the real answer who got paid no matter how great the failure there is no accountability, this falls on our shoulders to bare because all of you keep voting for the same thing to happen all over again, is bad enough we lost our Reservation case and why are we not fighting to restore our status? Right is right and wrong is wrong and we have huge problem in little China.
The ME since 2006, has gone through a multitude of downfalls. What did we learn from it all? Can we depend on the BIA to plan and do what is the best interest of the Osages, their actions following the hpp lawsuit has shown they will harm the Osages if necessary to cover their actions. The 4th MC seems to acknowledge that it is the Dept. of the Interior that we need to express our concerns, they are the BIA's boss.
At the moment I can't remember the name of the person at the Dept. of Interior who recently stated he believed the BLM is "oil and gas," and that the BIA is a "peoples department." But won't the BLM still be under the authority of the Dept. of Interior if there is a reorganization? That is one of the topics that will be discussed in the BIA reorganization conference (wasn't it suppose to be last Friday or Monday for Oklahoma?). I really would of liked to have listened into that meeting, too bad it was not recorded.
Lawsuits was also a contribution to our downfall. This last Donelson appeal was dropped because there was no exact pinpoint to pursue a case. BUT what if they DID? We are going to have legal obstacles ahead of us and we have no choice other than fight back through the legal process. We are in a era of "legal." There can be no 'sitting idle' or 'slacking in actions' or we'll be taken advantage of in a big way. If you can't count on your Trustee, then who can you count on -- YOURSELF! Our future (shareholders) is in the hands of the current MC.
During the first three MCs it seems the focus was on routine administrative leasing procedures and there were many discussions on how the ME was being abused by producers by theft and false records they turned in. There were accomplishments but it wasn't until the 3rd MC started the computer talk and running the ME as a business in their last year was there going to be any change in how the MC ran things, previously it was just following the "flow."
As in all our lives, we can ask "What If?" What could of led us on a path that today we would have up-to-date computer technology with top oil and gas information available to the world, televised conferences and meetings with the MC, have off shore drilling (we own), have pipelines--shipping our oil by drilling our own oil, having contracts with energy companies on the west and east coast, making deals with China, Japan. Yes, dream Big.
That's a big dream, we will continue to have obstacles for many years to come because it takes so long for the government to get things done and lack of monies. Then there's Mother Nature (earthquakes), lawsuits, and big companies taking advantage of the Osage land illegally like the wind turbines.
We are in the era of big "oil" industry. The Trump administrative is making changes in regulations and reorganizing.
The actions of this 4th MC in the next 4 years is a crucial time in the Osage headright owners lives now and the future generations. We have to be in a position to keep afloat when the Trump administration ends and tries to reverse what Trump has changed, which the Democrats are trying to now.
4 of the OMC members went to D.C. to meet with the BIA. Unfortunately, the "acting" Director is Darrell LeCounte, who was Mike Black's right-hand man during the CFR fiasco. He was unable to meet because of another meeting so they were pawned off on a youngster who hadn't been there long enough to even have business cards. In other words, the BIA continues to treat the Osage as an inconvenience rather than a priority. 250 wells/year were drilled in 2013. Last year the number was closer to 12. This is due to the obstructionist policies of the BIA. Sadly, another lawsuit may be the only way to get the BIA's attention. Meanwhile, the ME is withering away.
We know the harm and understand the circumstances perpetuated here. How the BIA was used as a political tool by the EPA during the last administration has taken it’s toll and has harmed the Osage in short term and long term and I habpve spoken on this matter many of times what it will take to reach the pie in the sky sorta speak to get us from point A-z on this matter. My extension back ground in customer service in all aspect of a Corporate experience in the private sector has gone on death ears. In no way shape or form is this a way to run a multi-billion estate. No loss prevention , to no damage control when issue do arise, to a Chief all of last year should be sitting in these meetings to having them recorded to no communication with the shareholders voting on matters that involve them and them only, to their rights being abrogated from the very start of this Nation, all in the name of allowing those who where Osage a vote and in the process the Reservation case was lost during Grays administration and now his wife sits on the M.C. You talk about lost in communication that’s exactly what is wrong here, to whose interest because as Susan Foreman put it some Contract were badly written and I believe that how does that work for the Osage, we didn’t get the highest paid price now we didn’t get all we could get in the contracts as well? Yet no answer to that as well? How can you get a nswer when you and I know darn well this was no accident and who got the benefits from these contracts not the Osage so you are looking at corruption there as well? So let’s talk when we saw the writing on the wall when we became a Nation I did. We have far more debt, to. Talk about losing confidence all around. Nothing is accomplished if you don’t take a seat and realize we need to turn things around but it should have been yesterday when the red flags were waving. We are in a energy growth spurt and this was projected to happen and it did happen and what are we doing about it to seize the moment? Where is the marketing, it does not take how many years to map the estate to know what we are looking at , shoot, private companies do it all the time and get much faster results. We don’t even have a paralegal staff working for us so they can file the paperwork or there of someone trained to file and handle damage control. So I say other than going to Washington, thank you, what are we doing to walk the talk and start being pro-active. And because there has been such a stagnant growth no fault of ours if the hand are truly tied, then we have no choice to recoup our loses because of the in-action on the part of our incompetent BIA.
Like I said there is no reason we cannot have the very same people our M.C be a working body 5 days a week filling out the permits submitting them to be rubber stamped by the BIA for approval. As long as we are compliant with the regulations and the Trust we would be in a much better place.
If the BIA is involved as an end measure for approval, that will mean the Nation does all the work and the BIA sits on it forever just like they do now so this added step is just plain stupid and will only take even more time that what is taking place right now. Realty is going through the same thing but no one pays any attention to the past or what's even happening in the present. It will be grudge City if the Nation ever get's its head, far worse than the BIA could ever hope to get away with and it's bad now. Really bad.
I still want to know how many of these newly elected Minerals Council members are showing up to the Minerals office each and every day and for how long?
That will not happen many of will be in court as fast as we can count to one two three. The point the end result in all of us we need a working body where we can do a better job for the Headright owners and most importantly staying in know about our M.E every step of the way , you cannot micro manage from home. It is paramount that we are in the know to know on a daily basis, it’s called steering the ship if your not at the bow your doomed to sink and how are we to hold those accountable weather it be the DOI and or both the BIA as well if we do not document exactly what is going on, you can’t hold those accountable if you are not in the know. We have some real tangible question and there are no answers as to why we are sitting ducks since the HPP case was settled. I’ll say this again 2011 and 2012 we saw record prices in oil , we saw the decline in two years because of the fiasco with the CFR’S. We all lost out those years because the permitting stopped how are we going to be compensated for the loss all the way till now. Each and everyone of us was affected by some very bad decisions of which the decline continues in the process to this day? We are all out huge money, now over $100,000. We want results just as much as answers?
I think what would be key to open the door for communication is when decisions that are going to impact the M.E need to have a comment period between the M.C and the Headright owners. And this is important because you work for us.
It is true we are out huge money once again, the tipping scale not in our favor. Who is at fault for a system that is broke and we are almost there if it wasn’t for oil prices holding there own. The BIA is broken, The IHS is broken. Good thing Congress is throwing more money at a system that is broken in Indian Country. Sound familiar, well it should. Does any one have a answer as to how we fix our back yard? Come on I know you guys have ideas bring it on cuz I am waiting to here from our council how they will fix what we already know has happened with the BIA.
Agenda for tomorrow's MC Meeting: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/events/minerals-council-meeting-22 Of note: e. Public comment meeting - CFR Regulations - Councilwoman Forman h. Approval of expenditure for Culture Innovations - Chair Harlan Approval of contract for Osage Casino Skiatook k. Consultation w/DOI re: Reorganization - Chair Harlan n. Authorization for Chair to submit letter to Superintendent re: gas reporting - Councilwoman Forman e. OMC reporting requirements of BIA
9. Public Comments (limited to 5 min) It's good that they're doing this but I think the Shareholders should have at least 15 minutes at the very least.
Hear it on demand via the internet at: http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/2018-0819_4omc_pt1/ http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/osage-nation-on-mixlr-73/
Why are we paying a certain Osage known as Culture Innovations to help the MC come up with a Strategic Plan and then pay to rent the facility over at the Skiaook Casino to do it? I elected these people and, btw, I voted for a lot of them who have been elected to be smart and O & G experienced enough to come up with a plan of their own, not pay some group of Osages to do it for them. WTF? If they need others to plan for them or help them plan and it ends up costing us money, can I rescind my vote and have them recalled? This new bunch needs to get a clue without the help of other less experienced and educated Osages to help them do it. I think I've seen it all now. What do we need with another Trumbly on the dole touted as a Culture Coach and armed with a mouthful of business buzzwords and professional jargon which have nothing to do with oil and gas production? If this is your gig, new OMC, you can take it right to the garbage can and dump it. How much is this going to cost the Shareholders out of the drawdown?
Did you hear the segment about some quarry that has a lease and hasn't paid us royalties in 50 some odd years? What has the BIA been doing all this time? Sitting on their hands? I can't believe it! Get the amount owed plus interest and damages if possible!
Consultants here, presentations there, event professionals, popping up elsewhere right and left for people to charge us money after more money? What? And you all were complaining about the cost for important communication with the MC attorney?
I was hoping that they had the individual expertise that they needed and would be returning money back to all of us headright owners from the drawdown. This is going in the wrong direction and they've scarcely been in office for two months. It looks like they're going to spend up everything they're given on these silly spending sprees just like the Nation does and has since they got hold of our Casino revenue. Lowering the oil and gas producers bonuses and now this too? They must really have no intention of increasing our checks unless it's to increase the decrease we see every quarter. I hope we haven't been swindled by these new people who we were told could talk things up but really have another opposite agenda in mind altogether.
ref. the "quarry" - It's difficult to try to comprehend why the BIA decides to take action now after so much time has passed of non-payment of royalties, and it's ironic that after we sued the BIA for mismanagement that this comes up now? I have no doubt the Chairman and the others attending (Forman and Gray) the meeting with the superintendent conversed in details as to why this is just now being told to the MC, we just got the "highlights." The way the Chairman worded that "it wasn't the only one" does not specify that there's another "one" or several?
The Chairman also stated, as Osageblogger also stated above, that "damages" should be paid. July 30th was the last 'compliance' date, that the BIA threaten thru a letter to close their lease. Now I'm glad the Chairman is a lawyer, she says if we can't do it legally because of the hpp lawsuit, there is surely other ways to follow suit. If the BIA closes the lease, the quarry company still legally has an obligation to pay its debt to the ME. This looks like a long, long, legal process.
From now on, let's not sign off on any legal contracts saying we will not file any more lawsuits on "subject" matters. As having "individual rights" maybe we can 'reverse' that clause since we didn't get to vote on it.
Just because the suit was signed off on does not mean the Federal Government cannot be held for mismanagement. Lets be clear on this. Though we have dispute resolution provisions in regards to the HHP case does not mean it will curb future litigation. And lets be clear any of the agenda set by this litigation has caused more harm than has helped.
"...be held for mismanagement." - Every since I first read that clause about not being able to sue again for mismanagement, I have believed we could not. I figured it was put in (clause) only to cover themselves (Feds) for future failures and that it would stand.
"...does not mean it will curb future litigation." - Reference the quarry company not paying us royalties for an unreasonable long period of time, the Chairman mentioned the hpp lawsuit and then says there must be other solutions to get around it?? Too me, this is really failure and mismanagement as our Trustee.
Absolutely, but then again what is holding the quarry company from paying the royalties? Second, The Judge ruled in this case the Fletcher case that the Government can be sued for a accounting and then the Government tried to use the (HPP) not the same as a accounting that we are entitled to. Hopefully they will come up with a decent model that won’t run so hot.
Not paying is entirely different then being sued because you didn’t get the highest price and got interest with damages. All that clause means is you cannot sue for the same thing again during that time period because you have been made whole. Otherwise you would be cutting your nose to spite your face if that were the case, take it to the bank what I am saying.
I think this thing about headright monies (donations/inheirtances) prior to the 2006 constitution is going to get real complicated. The BIA says the monies have been in an account and has drawn interest. This is going to be one to really keep an eye and ear on, the Nation is having their lawyer and the MC is having their own lawyers, especially the headright donated for 'education' that went to the Tribe when there was no Nation. This makes me think of the Fletcher lawsuit.
Who in the Nation has had these personal headright records (what branch, or dept.)? I thought just the BIA had these records?
Not sure what it is you want to know here. Anybody can get access to the records if you request them. This was one of the requirements by the DOI when the HPP settled was we have access and transparency in rgard to audits and accounting records as well. And the M.C should be privy not ONES or the Nation because we are independent of the Nation. But it hard to be independent whenthe Conflict is those in Government are headright owners as well. Any monies being held I can say without a doubt that is illegal and should have been disbursed. Right what is going on with the Fletcher case its been dragging for quite some time, and once again is it a accounting issue going on again?
It looks like my 'mindset' is still in the prior time of the hpp lawsuit and I need to concentrate on more that we are 'sovereign' and think more on what that entails when I don't understand. Thank you for your comments.
Sorry been busy to reply lately. Well we have the Fletcher case that is still on going, that is the accounting case. We had the settlement from the HPP. Not being paid the highest posted price and now we want a accounting. This case is about to be settled has been in the courts for so long. Now the delay is coming to a agreement to the starting time ihow far back in time should they start the accounting date. Some say a 100 years. Could and should be in the billions we know this much. Depending what model they use and can come up with right? But even more realistic if they go back 50 years it will still be in the billions or there of. Harm has come to hurt the Osage. I hope this is settled soon. Next we have a ongoing litigation in regards to the harm by the wind farm, we’re not hearing much on this as of yet why? These are the two that are current and we should be in the process of starting another one. IMO. With the lag on our permitting process since the HPP has been settled we have been harmed once again.
The new council members, including Susan, were not up front about 638 contracting the mineral estate work from the BIA. Of course, I never thought to ask, so part of that is on me. On one hand since there isn't much drilling activity going on, perhaps now is a good time to contract the work and do it ourselves. On the other hand, the service I get from the contracted realty staff is sub par and extremely slow. The staff hired to do the work have never worked in processing realty transactions. Who would the Mineral Council hire to perform the mineral estate work? Are there people with good qualifications that would be willing to work for the Mineral Council, knowing if you anger a couple of them over something petty, you will lose your job? The contracted work still has to follow regulations, who is going oversee that? I'm sure the BIA would be glad to hand the mineral estate over to the Mineral Council, and get rid of having to oversee it. When there is poor accounting, theft by the producers, and environmental damage who are you going to complain to or even sue for lax management? None of the current Mineral Council members campaigned on trying to hold producers accountable for environmental damage, and the Nation's environmental department has no authority to do anything. The probability of bribes and under the table deals will be insane. I don't believe this Mineral Council could find enough competent people to hire at a decent wage to pay them for their skills, or get them to move to Pawhuska to work.
Non of this is complicated and a five year old can process the paperwork. But getting the MC to understand that we need a functioning office period is another thing. What ever and whoever and however someone campaigned to sit on the the MC and their campaign promises I held my breath because nothing has changed with the M.C other than their wages probably shot way up there with their 401ks and yet we are worse off before the last settlement. (HPP) Like I said I have little faith in the M.C abilities because they say there hands are tied because of the BIA and I say that’s bogus. Because the money is there to do so not the royalty money but from the Casino, yes we are entitled. So what’s the excuse not to? But when you challenge them they cowar and do not respond either. Much lack luster and hot air is what we are paying for.
Most politicians pretend and make promises and fail to follow up on their campaign promises but in this case we are spending money on a non working body of people. Spinning our wheels.
Responsibility and accountability are key here especially since the Trust involves a very important a fiduciary obligation and the Nation has no solid legal protections under the Constitution or Statutory law for the current Osage headright owners who are the actual Federal Trust beneficiaries of the government administered OME Trust. The Nation has proven year after year that they aren't capable of handling any part of the fiduciary responsibility and accountability that having them in the loop doing any business in control of the OME. The are now in the process of winding down the LLCs and that is the reality on the ground. Do you really wanting the Nation in control of any aspect of the funding that is deposited into our payment checks? I sure as hell don't.
I whole heartedly agree for more than one reason and for good reason might I add. I do know that we need to do know where the responsibility lies and it’s not alone the BIA’s to bare all responsibility but yes because it is how are Trust is design but then not in as much we the MC bares much responsibility. In other words the last stop rests with the M.C . Not so many understand that bigger bureaucracy the bigger the problem and or understand what has happened at a administrative level, to that they understand their checks are missing something that should have never happened since the HPP was settled. Especially when the highest paid prices in oil for two years and we flat bottomed out. Politics played a heavy role where it should have touched us but it did in a bad way, now here we are and where is damage control as to why the Quarry stop paying, yet no answer as to why? Why is that? More incompetence at the BIA? Had we a functioning office we could of handled this probably in a much faster fashion or come to a resolve and nip this in the bud so in the end the Headright Owners wouldn’t take a hit from the belt. And I will say this again yes we 5000 Headright Owners need to be in the know because we are in this together not just this sub-group and we deserve to take a vote where it concerns decisions that reflect our resources. And yes we are entitled to money from the Casino revenue if we need help to pursue a functioning office. Does not mean ONES will have automy.
I don't get your point. A functioning office means that the Nation through the Minerals Council will be doing the work. This is exactly my point. The Nation has no fiduciary obligation to the Osage Headright owners and according to the Constitution, neither does the Minerals Agency which includes each and every member of the Minerals Council. The Constitution in Article XV makes no mention of the Minerals Council as even representatives nor is that word used in the entire Article. As Agents of the Minerals Agency, the MC owes their fiduciary obligation to the Agency itself and as it's under the umbrella of the Osage Nation government, it specifically owed a fiduciary obligation to the Osage Nation and its interests in the matter. The Osage Headright owners are totally out of the loop. You better understand the relative facts here before you charge on with wanting the MC to take charge of any aspect of the OME through a functioning office taking care of Minerals business.
Once you have the MC or the Nation for that matter taking care of any aspect of Minerals Business, today or in future, the Nation with then be in a position to kick out any MC member, under the Constitution, who is not observing his/her fiduciary obligation specifically owed to the Osage Nation if it can be seen that what the pertinent MC member is doing is not in the best interest of the Osage Nation and its interests in particular. Nothing at that point will be owed to the Osage headright owners period and this goes especially if there is a conflict of interest between the best interests of the Nation or the Osage Headright owners who, in such a scenario, are SOL!
It’s already a conflict of interest. Everyone just about at the Nation is a Headright owner. The 1096 act says a Chief and Eight council members. That’s a fact. Second it’s like I said if we do not turn this upside down frown right side up the outcome of a potential class action suit will come forward. It has been since the settlement our resources have declined. We are looking at declines However, it does not take seven years to fix broken and we certainly need to stay out of court and start functioning and moving forward. Another class action suit should have been filed it’s not another day in Government to delay only hurts the bottom end of which we all know our reputation has been hurt in the process of not following on said agreement when the HPP case was settled. That’s truth.
Do not conflate the two when I say the MC has other resources to revenue form the Casino because we are entitled to it as well. There’s no attachment because it’s ours to use when needed and this the truth. And the one thing that will make money is the Estate unlike the money that is going to have to cover when the LLC’s shut down. And personally I want a investigation into this as well. And I want to know from the Chief his excuse and how he allowed this to happen under his watch.
No the Nation will not be doing the work lol. Just the resource is there to use if we need it and we do the Nation would not be there if it wasn’t for us less you should forget the Nation is not the boss in truth it’s all of our money. And no we do not wan the Nation involved in our decisions but we also need the resource as well.
Yes, be glad to. When I was Chairman of the OSA our doors were thrown wide open. All Shareholders and Associate Osage Members were and still are WELCOME to join! No Shareholder would EVER be turned away. We believe in strength in numbers! Our membership has grown exponentially and the organization is live "video" broadcasting the Quarterly Meetings. Shareholders live in 10 countries and our video broadcasts include a link to all these countries so remote members can tune in and listen. My own daughter, who lives in Italy tuned in and listened to an entire meeting with no hiccups. Please consider joining OSA. Just request to join Osage Shareholders Association FB page and Nancy Benthien, Membership Chair will respond with the information you need. https://www.facebook.com/groups/247282649053762/
Don't forget to vote for Mike Hunter for Attorney General on the 28th. Having Gentner Drummond as the OK AG would be awful after what he's done to the Mineral Estate via the Donelson lawsuit.
Once more the naiveté of Galen Crum, Andrew Yates and Soddy Abbott is showing through when the BLM rules showed up in the proposed CFRs. Most of us with any ability to be shrewd could see right through this as a thinly veiled attempt of the government to try and make things out in the field benefit them far more than us. Now the veil is gone and look what's up: Does the BLM have a fiduciary obligation to the Osage Headright owners and the Osage Nation? I rather doubt it. http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/08/13/tribes-not-buying-potential-department-interior-re-organization/ "All written comments on the proposal must be submitted to the Department of Interior by Aug. 31."
Must we re-read the entire document (proposed CFR's) to try and figure what in the hell you are talking about? Please be specific. I doubt that Crum, Yates, and Abbott even know what it is that you have a problem with. You sound like one of those ex-Councilpersons who were turned out to pasture. All I ever heard them say was "we don't like the proposed CFR's." Never any specifics. Just Negative, Negative, Negative. From what I can see, every change or addition to the new CFR's are for the benefit of the Shareholders. Hope they are enjoying their retirement. The Shareholders are certainly going to enjoy their retirement.
Read the article as to the section commented on our own Marsha Harlan. A BLM guy will head the Region instead of a BIA guy? Here's the page to research all the BLM rules the Bureau wanted to include in the new CFRs which, according to Galen Crum wouldn't be "reinventing the wheel." This is where they apparently had the agenda set to go all along. You're not out to pasture, read through these documents and decide for yourself and if you're not too lazy to share with the rest of us, report back on what you find.
Perhaps you will indulge me if I may. There are many reasons the re-organization will not work, first you have to fix broken and the BIA has proven time after time they are incompetent. Another big factor that plays a huge role I suspect is the under funding in Indian Country as well. Which, a lot of us understand the trickle down economics in Indian Country is anemic. I am going to try to encompass what I am saying. All Tribes are not equal because each one of us who our registered with the Federal Government tries to put everyone in a box and it simply will not work then you compound overlapping legislation. One shoe does not fit for all tribes because each ttreaty and or trust is different from another. What apples to one tribe may not for another. Otherwise if we don’t fix broken you are adding layers to the bureaucracy that already exists but in the end we as Nations will suffer. At the cost of redundancy. It is important in everything that we do diligence is required, verify first. Trust later. We need to know how will this impact Indian Country more to the point, how is this going to benefit Indian Country economically. Indian Country certainly does not need more regulation.
ONES, LLC is coming up for an appropriation today in the Second Special Session of Congress. Important remarks are being posted at http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/conversation-august-2018.html
Listen on demand: http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/2018-0824_6con_commerce-pt1/
Eddie RedEagle again. As long as he's got anything to do with anything, keep Ones llc as far away from the OME as humanly possible. Chief? This guy may be mean but he's a total non-starter. If you don't know this by now, there's something wrong with you too. You want your true legacy to be failure? Then keep on keepin' on.
You are right. So begs the question because I wholeheartedly believe you, so why do you think this choice was made. A lot of favors are happening as the never ending story continues. Because the only requirement seems to be incompetence comes to mind. I don’t have to paint the picture because the picture I am seeing is right before my eyes and what I see is not the Government we hoped it would be. Not a pretty picture but somewhere in between we can do better but change needs to come in a big way.
Now isn't this amazing: DOI puts out budget justifications for the Office of the Special Trustee to everyone in the world connected to the internet and yet the teeny weeny government for the little old Osage Tribe now Nation can't release budget justification for their budgets to a small membership numbering maybe a total of 16,000 adults? Something big stinky is wafting on the wind. What the hell is it?
Stick pin this note to your foreheads MC members: Instead of spending $75,000 to $100,000 for expensive conference rooms and planning seminars, use your brains and expertise to figure out your own Strategic Plan and return some of the drawdown to the Osage headright owners who voted for you and thought you were smarter than to be pinning stick notes to the wall like kindergarteners. Boy howdy!
HEADS UP! The Sixth Osage Nation Congress Tzi-zho Session begins on September 4, 2018 and a lot of our money is going to be spent for FY 2019. We are going to have to begin our appropriations watch on an immediate basis with the greatest vigilance this year. Congressional Committee meetings have been going on throughout August including one taking place today. They will be held daily throughout the month of September and October.
The Congressional Calendar is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/calendar
Session Information is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/sessions
Congressional Committee Meeting information is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congressional-legislative-branch/committee-information and click on the Menu on the left hand side of the web page for each Committee
Session and Committee Meetings are broadcast live at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/multimedia/live-media
All meetings are posted later for on demand listening via the internet at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/
I am proposing the creation of an Osage Nation member Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget that is made up of the rank and file membership, apart and not directly related to the Osage Nation government. This is a government watch group of concerned and responsible Osages who will get involved to follow all Congressional meetings that take place with regard to appropriations and make comments on what is happening daily and throughout the Tzi-zho Session, including any further budgetary adjustments throughout the year. The Nation is running out of money and relying more and more on the operational capital of the gaming operation asking for additional millions and millions to support the burgeoning bureaucracy that benefits few of us who live outside of Osage County. As I stated in my campaign, this government has been created to serve the Osage people first and the government second. Since the beginning, the new government has been self-serving and therefore upside down. Now there is a push to build a new campus building for the members of the Osage Nation Congress when the Bank Building has been purchased and is perfectly serviceable for their needs especially since there has already been money appropriated for renovation for this purpose. This kind of government self-serving spending must not continue. The next generation has the right to make choices too about what they want done in the future and not all of these important decisions involving new building and infrastructure should be made with our money by these retirees who have recently been elected to office or will be incumbents in the next election. We already own a great deal of property and have purchased improved real estate that the Osage people know nothing about and should know because they have a right to know what their government is doing and what assets it owns overall.
If you are interested in serving the interests of all your fellow Osages by becoming a member of this this new action Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget, please e-mail me at osage_election_news@comcast.net
Already, we have had quite a response to the proposed Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget. I have created a Facebook page for the new group and invite you to visit and join as a member today! It is located at:
41 concerned Osages and friends have joined the Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget in two days. Won't you be one of them? Please join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2061358334178007/
A Special Meeting of the Osage Minerals Council was held today. For the Agenda, see https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/news/4th-osage-minerals-council-meeting-information
I don't know if the meeting was broadcast live. If so it will appear later at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/minerals-council/meeting-information
See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/08/13/tribes-not-buying-potential-department-interior-re-organization/
I'm giving more thoughtful consideration to this issue which is of utmost importance where it involves the government’s Trust obligation to the Osages created by Federal Law per the 1906 Allotment Act as amended. This Trust relationship is not a matter of “custom” as it is with other Tribal Communities. It comes directly from the Branch with the Plenary Power over all of the domestic Tribes in the USA and is a legal statutory Federal relationship created by the Legislature of the United States Government.
Reviewing the Bureaus and Offices at https://www.doi.gov/bureaus shown below, as I understand it, none have a fiduciary Trust obligation to any Tribal Community whatsoever. As a result, I am asking whether or not, with the Osages, is it outright illegal to include us in any DOI reorganization with regard to the Bureau of Land Management, (which is under the Executive Branch not the Legislative Branch) as head or overlord of the new regional office boundaries proposed by the President’s Executive Branch Order 13781? See https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/raca/doi-reorganization
• Bureau of Land Management • Bureau of Ocean Energy Management • Bureau of Reclamation • Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement • National Park Service • Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • U.S. Geological Survey
Note: The Comment Deadline has been Extended: If you would like to provide written input, please e-mail your input to consultation@bia.gov by midnight, Saturday, September 22, 2018. We must respond to this via the Osage Minerals Council and preferably to the members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives as well.
If you have any questions, you can contact the Osage Agency Superintendent, Robin Phillips at robin.phillips@bia.gov or Director Eddie Streater from the Bureau of Indian Affair's Eastern Oklahoma office at eddie.streater@bia.gov
I'm hearing word through a facebook site that the new CFRs are going to be picked back up by the MC and worked with in the future. We will need to keep our eyes open on this too.
By action of our new Minerals Council, the meeting dates have been officially changed to the first Friday and the third Wednesday of the month for regular Mineral Council meetings. Beginning in September, the meetings will be held on September 7th and September 19th of 2018.
See http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/osage-shareholder-matters-may-2018.html for earlier comments about the Minerals Council Meeting today.
ReplyDeleteOffice expenses are being burned through at $34,000 or $36,000 (?) a month not including the attorney's fees.
DeleteYES! MYRON WE DO WANT A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER. Good representation from Councilman Myron Red Eagle.
DeleteWhy haven't any of these Committee Meetings met yet?
DeleteWhen will we be given contact and phone number information for the members of the MC?
DeleteOmg it is paramount we get the quarterly notices. How do we question if we don’t have the knowledge to do so other than?
DeleteSilence is never golden. It’s like when the cats away the mouse will play, well I am tired of you the M.C playing around with our money cut those damn expenses. There is no need for $ 34,000. mo. once again give the shareholders what they want which transparency or I will get a FOIA.
Good meeting!
DeleteLet’s see a itemized spread sheet posted on the M.C web page on the Osage Nation web. site.
DeleteListen on demand at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/
DeleteA lot of this sounds so redundant get the hell out of the ME business “ONE” did any of you stop to think how one vote by Paul Revard could be a conflict of Interest or see that Gray as well intentioned is to.
DeleteFollow the money trail I say? We have been calling for some time the M.C lacks huge direction and that since the HPP case has settled we are in worse shape then ever. Stop already with the excuses as to why we are not getting updates in regards to our M.E.
WE understand how we got here and the politics involved to the detriment there of. What in criminy is going on?
Some of us wasn’t born off the off the turn up truck yesterday and what has happened is if we do not change we end up doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Long over due are by-laws. This is for sure. But but but we’ve been told our hands are tied, only if you allow it to be.
Yes we have a trust as long as we produce and meet those requirements the doors will open but until we continue to believe what’s on black and white we are as doomed as those words that are written. By golly we need a champion to speak on this forefront, we know what has happened much predicted to the disservice to the M.E. Need I say more, it is hard to tell who’s telling the truth here folks. We have a new M.C. right let’s address exacwhat is broken then let’s reoair it before we make any and all decisions and major ones at that, right the wrong then let’s talk, office. The shareholders deserves answers. We know we have another lawsuit on our hands, what’s going on? We our out millions if not billions. Mappinythe estate their are private companies that can do this without taking years to understand what we are sitting. Come on you can’t fool me and shame on you for trying. I was the one who said yes the resources is ours to use from our Government and we have a right through gaming to use that money at our disposal to further the one thing that is guaranteed to bring money in, is The M.E. Not like the Osage LLC. I want action for all of us. Who will tell it like it is?
Ones needs to stand back and stop trying to piggy back off the M.E.
DeleteI will always want to know what the MC discussed all this time with the government meetings? In the meeting Waller spoke of how we are getting low prices and he was indirectly referring the comments to the Superintendent in the meeting. Was anything (at all?) accomplished in these meetings, again, what was discussed? I've seen no changes and the 3rd MC had not mentioned any "accomplishments" to us in any form of communication of results. Will Waller inform this new MC of what was brought up (subjects) in these many meetings or will the new MC have to ask the government in their first meeting what has been discussed?? We may be informed by the new MC of these upcoming discussions, but we may never know about the 3rd MC meetings.
DeleteYou cannot hold those accountable if you don’t have accountability or transparency, this is no accident by any means it’s time we take action to Congress and have legislation added to our trust we declare nothing short of commitment and communication and there of with all do respect we all have interest in th M.E under common interest.
DeleteThey would say well we have mineral web site through the Osage Government but it’s hardly conveys anything , especially talking points. There is no open line of communication.
We are in challenging times and we should not be , we know about the truths that has happened to this estate let’s talk, the regards have been outspoken what is going on, now they are elected have they fallen prey to politics.
DeleteLet’s talk about what needs to happen and who really is in control here, it’s non of you without us realize this. I am smart.
All the way to enzymes that eats your gut. One serious Osage who has a lot smarts in their pinkie.
The Revards have been out spoken, I just feel because they were elected their opinion is not in favor. They have had much support yet now there is silence. Very disappointing.
DeleteThe Revards in my opinion were not good picks.
DeleteIn my opinion, they are because they both have a lot of experience in the oil and gas industry. Nuff' said.
DeleteJuly 24, 2018 at 8:34 AM What 'r you? One of them good 'ole fashioned "reel" Osages? Going to make their upstart no blood lives miserable?
DeleteCan the IRS take money out of your IIM for tax debt. Ive heard conflicting reports from OST. One person said yes, one person said no.... anyone have any experience with this?
ReplyDeleteNo they cannot. But once it is transferred that’s a different story.
DeleteSo the money can still be paid to you through the treasury?
DeleteYes via check.
DeleteNot Direct Deposit?
DeleteDo not have it directly deposited to any account if you want to avoid this from happening.
DeleteNote: If you owe a tax debt, you should pay it as soon as possible or make arrangements with a company that can intercede for you to lower the amount significantly. I have first hand knowledge of this with an Aunt who didn't pay her taxes for 30 years and then died. The Federal government came after her estate for roughly 5/6 of it before the dust settled. It's never a good practice not to pay your taxes.
DeleteAbsolutely. The IRS will even work with you. They will even give you a choice when you can start a payment as well. Give them a call.
DeleteI just wanted to make sure they could not intercept your headright when its sent from OST to you for payment.
DeleteI thought Paul was going to stop doing business as an oil and gas producer in the Osage. Now this?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/07/24/attorney-general-opinion-sought-questions-potential-conflict-interest/
I’d hate to sell any more leases with bad contract language,” Councilwoman Susan Forman said. “It hurts us.”
DeleteIt is a conflict of interest.
Susan with such bad language in the contracts what are you talking about?
And can you explain how this happened in the first place?
Contracts have to be made whole for the benefit of the M.E. so how did this happen?
During the campaign Susan could not even explain or provide aby documention on many things or calculations she stated. She avoided several shareholders and got nasty with some.
DeleteSupposedly she possessed the knowledge and the where with all as to why we are suffering from ill performing contracts, if this is the case who is responsible for explaining why theses contracts are sub-par, the shareholders have a right to know what happened and they need to be mad3 whole by the BIA as I suspect this is a proven fact from what I understand from previous conversations on this site.
DeleteSince the HPP our M.E has gone to the pot sorta speak, we need action today, I am out over a $ 100,000. and I am not alone, so one has to beg the question do we need to take outside action, getting a (FOIA) ?
So I ask again why is Susan Foreman not speaking to her allegations?
This is no doubt disconcerting to say the least, she needs to speak to this, was she paid to keep her mouth shut and treat other shareholders disdainfully, she now represents the Shareholders and she now has to speak to this or remove her, she doesn’t get a pass she works for us.
Now I heard from a legitimate source that she was hired by the MC for three months and all these bang up programs and things and so on that she was going to do wound up spiraling down into verbal criticism against the Council and for that she got fired. I sure do hope she doesn't turn out to be an empty skirt. If she gets nasty with these Osages and tries to run her game out on that basis, she's in for a hell of a hard row for the next four years and won't get any further along than she did when she was working for the MC. I have pretty high hopes for her but it seems that she's pulling back and if that's true this early in the game, it won't be pretty. Truth is that she's smart and capable and I hope she puts those qualities to work for us. I'm counting on her to get us through this patch and the same for Paul Revard. He had better quit his oil and gas business in the Osage or he'll have to make a choice to walk away or be paid to do nothing significant for the shareholders. Already, Andrew Yates has recused himself from voting and so has Paul. This is not looking good people.
DeletePatch is a understatement reflecting in our checks hugely. Like I said you got all these people with hopes but their hands are bound, which is hog wash if I ever saw or heard.
DeleteI want to know she made a statement that other contracts where underperforming because it was how the contracts were negotiated well, expound on them so we know what has happened in the past with these contracts so this does not happen again. We have a right to know.
This has a potential of a another suit if proven factual.
What I do know thus far is what has happened just by the naked eye but the BIA has done a huge disservice again , and it’s proven so redundant and I want to know why we are not in the courts proving this fact again?
On the 25th of July, there will be an LLCs Summit:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1961466917206738&set=gm.1774791699304587&type=3&theater&ifg=1
Meeting has been broadcast at https://www.facebook.com/jacque.jones.58/videos/1964854100201353/
DeleteONES, LLC is going after an "8a" certification? So does this mean they have to have to acquire this certification before they can begin work on the work they are "pursuing" by bidding on, including, by the way, NEPA work for the Osage Nation? What this really means is they have nothing going because they don't have the certification they need to get this work in the first place. Why even consider giving them money until the certification they need comes through? Would that be too smart for anyone else to figure out especially at the Osage Nation elected official level? Been given $400,000 to $500,000. Employees now under contract have been given 30 day notice to do what? Nothing? Boy, these people have got one a hell of a nerve.
DeleteAsking for $400,000 to $500,000 not yet given to them if they ever do I sure as hell hope.
Deletehope NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteDon't you mean --continue to do what? Nothing? That would be more like it. I get it. These Osage Nation government types are hopeless.
DeleteBetter not!
DeleteThe 8(a) Business Development program certification is supposed to be reserved to companies that already have a track record of successfully doing business. The reason is there must be a demonstration of the ability for success.
DeleteTribal companies can be granted a waiver if the tribe will act as a guarantor against performance. Given the history of the other LLCs owned by the Osage Nation, even a letter of commitment to support ONES may not be sufficient.
The 8(a) BD program is only a benefit when pursuing 8(a) set-aside contracts. It will not help at all with selling NEPA work to private companies.
I loved to hear the comments of Mr. Perrier, in particular: "We'd like to see the Tribe make money." AHHH! How long have I and others waited for someone to make that statement, mean it and actually know how to do it! You, sir, get to wear the laurel wreath for the rest of the year!
DeleteAnonymous July 25, 2018 at 4:00 PM. Thank you. It's too bad someone hasn't made this clarification to Mr. Conrad who is the acting CEO of ONES, LLC. He had a government job with the Nation under Jim Gray before his big salary with ONES, didn't he? You can't ever say that the Osage Nation doesn't know how to recycle, especially those who talk a good game whether they know what they're doing or not.
DeleteHmm wether they know what they are doing or not? It’s not what you know, it’s who you know and this is a huge problem No one is minding the camp. Playing with a house of cards it seems. You win some but mostly lose. Not a pretty picture.
DeleteI suppose on a legislative side we need to change and fix broken ASAP.
This Osage Indian wants the Chief removed.
My understanding is that the ONES group had some money before hiring Mr. Conrad. Yes his salary is breaking them. But oh well Congress will give them some more.
DeleteWhat are they doing over at One’s to deserve such a salary thus far? Other than create meetings and form new positions? And ,butt their nose in how to ceate more oil business, butting their nose in our Business? We have a council for this reason folks.
DeleteIt’s very simple to create more oil business but when you have or had a agency at the time or in the last eight years that was over regulating the M.E the BIA coordinated by the EPA it hurt the reputation of the M.E and this is what we are left with after the HPP of which the Federal Government has failed the Estate all over again, what you can do is file another law suit that’s what you can do, second get off your duffs not One’s we have to many hands or not enough hands in the the cookie jar that can agree which way to go? And all but said our hands are tied because of the BIA, I call B.S. I am in marketing and we are not even near where we need to be to build our reputation back to where it should be,it takes a little greasing to do. Like I said a long time ago our reputation was at stake and it did not help with any of the cases in the courts like they were helping but adding to this dangerous mix of circumstances we find ourselves in. There is no criteria to meet or standards because they are only on the books, what is on black and white is not moving this M.E forward. I know success and what it looks like and how we get there, but not like this. For lands sake the M.C doesn’t even have by-laws. By all appearances we look like we are still in the infancy of development .
As I said there will be some kind of litigation going on one way or another, and this should not inhibit the growth of the M.E.
So which is it causing the M.E to flounder? The BIA or M.C it’s both. And the resources are there to be had through the Nation to be used and One’s needs to stay out it’s a conflict of interest.
Why is it that that Eddy who gets $22,250 a year, all in, including reimbursements for meals and travel, appointed as Chairman of ONES, LLC., shows up in what looks like an old shirt and jeans to a business Summit of the LLCs when he is the one running it from what it looks like on the video tape? Why is it that some of the officials of the Osage Nation have so little respect for the office they hold? If these people want to be taken seriously as professional business people asking for huge sums of money, then they had damn well better clean up their act. With this example to the entire membership, it's easy to see why these people only know how to spend money and not make any for the Osage Nation.
Deleteok so let me get this straight, he is getting $ 22,000 a year as chairman for the One’s not just look like death worn all over but he probably getting more in health bennies and a 401k as well so you compile that total it can be upward in the $ 35,000 a year including the stipends.
DeleteAnd so I move to legislation if you have served in the Government or their of a entity of the Government arm you cannot not be a agent or officer of any arm of the Government for 4 yrs.
Anonymous July 26, 2018 at 6:37 AM So what are you saying? That this guy Conrad is another $100,000er plus employee of the Osage Nation? He sure looked uncomfortable and unprofessional to me when he was giving his talk and Eddy even had to prompt him on what more he wanted Conrad to put out there to justify the appropriation they want from Congress. This one looks weak on his feet as a top spokesman and this comes across clearly on the tape of him speaking as I watched. You don't have to prompt real Executives who command a salary like this and can justify the reason for it. They are expected to know what they're doing, do it and say what they have to say without help. I think we need to downsize this one on an immediate basis right away. Even Carol Leese was better on his feet in public meetings.
DeleteBoard members don't get the same benefits as regular employees. It's salary only and reimbursement for travel -- $1000 and meals -- $750 up to those maximum amounts. It's in ONCR 11-21.
DeleteONES, LLC. Professional you say? They haven't posted an Agenda since February 13, 2017 and they have never posted any Board Meeting Minutes!
Deletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/energy-services-llc-board/ones-meeting-information
The current ONES, LLC Board members and Chairman haven't been updated on the page either.
They want $400,000 - $500,000 of the Osage people's money! When is the Congress going to even bother to look at the simplest paper trail on the internet as proof of how truly unprofessional they are. Conrad was hired way back in September 21, 2017 and should have made sure that both the meeting agendas and the meeting minutes were up to date and posted to the Osage Nation website for our review. Get rid of these LLCs, none of them, with the exception of the Bluestem Board even really seem to know what they're doing from a professional business standpoint. Stinks to high heaven all across the board and no one in the Osage Nation government appears to even be able to admit it or take responsibility for it.
This information is wrong because there has been an update and an increase for Business Boards with ONCR 15-21 that Standing Bear signed on October 7, 2015. The current stipend for the Chairman is $21,000, $16,800 for additional Board members and the travel reimbursement is $10,000 per each board member across the board.
DeleteThat’s got to change immediately. I knew it was much higher.
DeleteScandalous!
Delete������������
DeleteIn other words I want to see their responsibilities.
DeleteChanged the name and mission statement after another seminar but this is the best I can do. When do we get a current update, with Eddy in charge, who the hell knows.
Deletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/energy-services-llc-board
To listen on demand to yesterday's Congressional Affairs Committee and the Appropriations Committee see http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/ Top four listings.
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1973421619344601&set=gm.2216190621728384&type=3&theater&ifg=1
DeleteMore on the ONES, LLC at http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/06/conversation-june-2018.html
Keep in mind that ONES, LLC needs $400,000 to $500,000 just to stay posh and I mean posh until September. When are these Board members going to get a clue that this is a government not some sort of Royal organization and begin spending the Osage people's money they've been given by tailoring their outgoing expenditures, salaries and overhead accordingly? Ypu're right. Get rid of Eddy. He's probably the biggest spender of the Nation's funds in Osage history. He was heard all over the Osage telling people that he couldn't wait to give Osage, LLC more money when he was in Congress every time a capital contribution came up on the floor of Congress. It's damn time this one paid personally for all of his terrible mistakes, threats and misdeeds.
DeleteChief, when are you going to get Eddy out of there? He's certainly proved his incapability to be on this Board unless it's really you running the show using him as the tip of the spear. He needs to go and you should know that by now. If he would permit this much money being spent on a monthly basis, even higher than the monthly outlay of the Osage, LLC in its heyday, while a member and Chair of this managing Board which is his official status, you need to make a change and right away. He's done enough damage to the fiscal landscape of the Osage Nation government since this whole concept of the LLCs came into being. This is a matter of both ethics and prudent spending especially since you have nothing of a real business nature on the ground since 2012 to justify such reckless spending.
DeleteUpcoming Osage Shareholders Meeting see http://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/07/25/osage-shareholders-association-host-aug-19-meeting/
ReplyDeleteGREAT NEWS!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.tulsaworld.com/news/usworld/ap/plan-for-b-wind-farm-scrapped-after-regulator-s-denial/article_43848155-3cc7-577a-acf7-580f370ee909.html
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/07/27/PSO-cancels-Wind-Catcher-Energy-Connection-project/
This is due in part to the efforts of the last Osage Minerals Council and their "one minute before midnight" appeal left to them after the BIA walked away from the appeal to the 10th Circuit when the 10th Circuit ruled that the OMC actually has legal standing in the case. And those most instrumental in this effort weren't even re-elected! A lot of thanks we gave to them in the last election. How's the new Council working out for you so far? Appeals to the AG on whether one or more or them have to stand down on voting? Are they really going to replace the legal team of FREDERICKS PEEBLES & MORGAN LLP for day to day Minerals business during the potential transition to a compact of the OME away from the Bureau? This is the legal team that won the day in court. Putrid. Next they'll be wanting to go back to Akin Gump at three times the price an hour maybe including Wilson Pipestem and then we're back under the umbrella of the sponsors of that damned Harvard Project nonsense again. I feel like that poor little kid in Jurassic Park when he starts out in the car and winds back up in the car again at the foot of the tree.
Deletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/07/24/attorney-general-opinion-sought-questions-potential-conflict-interest/
DeleteHmmm... Did the BLM give looters a treasure map to find American Indian artifacts in southern Utah? https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2018/07/21/did-blm-give-looters/
ReplyDeleteI see articles like this, we hardly want to conform to BLM rules with any new proposed CFRs.
Public Service Notification:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212185307490632&set=gm.1784727958310961&type=3&theater&ifg=1
Reminder: Honoring the Osage Full Bloods:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1779621668726794&set=gm.1530369677084959&type=3&theater
Hardy har har...
ReplyDeletehttp://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/07/31/questions-arise-after-large-saltwater-spill-bluestem-ranch/
Yes I read that but this is just coming out 3 months after the fact and the spill is there?
DeleteThis whole article is such hogwash because the Congress knew about the saltwater spill which was discussed with the members of Congress way back prior to April 13 before the Minerals Council meeting on that day and in fact, I was the one who asked what was going to be done about the spill on the part of the Minerals Council during their meeting. Surprisingly, they had heard nothing about it all from either the Executive Branch or the Congress. When the Congress was meeting in Committee later on in the day to discuss the Osage LLC/Tallgrass situation, Galen Crum from the MC was there wanting to know more about the spill. I wish the Osage News could get their facts straight with reference to the timeline associated with this salt water spill on Bluestem land.
DeleteYep haven’t we all been saying the same thing about the Osage News for quite some time. There is absolutely no way no one knew about this situation yet it’s unresolved and it should never go unresolved. It should be dealt with immediately by the BIA.
DeleteThe only reason there is any action now is because the guys who owns the cows who got sick from drinking salt water is most likely going to sue. The operator, the Nation, who knows? The BIA did not do much and the operator is sorry.
DeletePatterns emerge from Phippen’s reporting on tribal corruption. If tribal government is so pervasively incompetent and corrupt, and BIA oversight so woefully undertrained and ineffective, how did it get that way and why does it persist?
ReplyDeleteBecause no one is watching the BIA.
This was from Indiana.com article “Tribal corruption remains a target of the conservative media” Why does this have to be conservative media why can it not be that It’s a Indian thing and Indian Nations who are Sovereign need to wake to the fact this is wide spread, shouldn’t the OIG do the same for us and actually take a look as to why things are just not adding up for the Osage when is comes to spending the gaming money? They will be able to tell a real invoice from a fake get answer for the Osage and hold those responsible for their failures and misuse of our funds?
Once more, Julie Malone strikes a home run with the new Osage Shareholders Association Newsletter. This is a very important organization and we will all need it going forward especially if the plan is to compact the Minerals Estate in the next 4 years. There are some very good OSA Board Members who draw from various backgrounds including legal and oil and gas. The membership price is reasonable for both Osage Headright owners and Osage non-Headright owners. The meetings can be attended anywhere in the world via the internet. We don't always agree with one another but this is an excellent forum to get our opinions out there to both the other members and the members of the newly elected Minerals Council.
ReplyDeleteHow to Contact the OSA:
E-mail: osageshareholdersassociation@gmail.com
Facebook Page for members only:
OSAGE SHAREHOLDERS ASSOCIATION at https://www.facebook.com/groups/247282649053762/?ref=bookmarks to join. Gain access to this site and the important documentation available there.
>Stay informed
>Receive quarterly newsletter
>Use ZOOM (online live meeting venue where you can participate) to view and participate live in meetings if you can’t attend.
This is the biggest and best bang for the buck there is in Osage County. I am a proud member and know directly the quality and value this organization has for us Osage Headright owners.
Thank you.
DeleteYou're most welcome!
DeleteDoes anyone know if the remedial process has begun on the salt water spill?
ReplyDeleteOMC members travel to Washington to advocate for shareholder rights:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/08/03/omc-members-travel-washington-advocate-shareholder-rights/
Well better late than never, in some cases yes but in this case it’s always the case with us. Where we are at is no fault of the headright owners. We are out millions since the HPP was settled and worse for ware at ground zero.
DeleteWe understand and maybe some do and don’t ,that the EPA used the BIA as a political tool and that’s a proven fact and the regulatory environment hurt not just the private sector but Indian Country as well , our producers and the mix of OPEC,just to add. It’s all relative.
And the million dollar question as to, who’s interest really mattered here? The M.E. All true facts, but in Indian Country I would say there was not just us that was discriminated against either. But as I said before and one thing is for sure the operations of the M.E take precedent over even the Operations of the Nation, and I say this with all do respect to both, that the Nation would not exist without the M.E that’s a fact.
This is all of ours interest and to put it mildly, you cannot habpve a conversation if you don’t sit at the table and how many meetings regardless of how we feel one way or the other for the sake of, because just because you earn a check on the other side let’s not forget about the what is going on here. Let’s not let politics go to the head and do nothing about what has happened with the M.E. What did special interest take place to protect the small guy that big interest will not come here , because let me tell you we can foster both in this industry.
I can say this the system with the BIA is broke and until we take charge this is costing the M.E millions doing nothing and now your doing something about it, I have to say the environment in The U,S is pro-energy and now is the time to do something I get that, but you must understand the lack of confidence we have in the M.C abilities because their hands tide is the excuse we have been hearing for some time.
I know this much, Long over due are we to take control of the administration part of the M.E, with a legal Dept on staff. There’s always going to be problems but not if they are dealt with immediately not 4 months down the road. You sure as heck do not build a reputation by doing things that can be done today and not tomorrow. It’s cost all of the politics that has played a huge role in where we are at and our reputation is hurt as well. No damage control, so elementary is customer service. That’s our problem no communication and why? Silence is no golden it’s deafening because somewhere out there is the truth, funny thing is we know the truth everyone is worried wpabout when they get there next check and I am not talking about your headright check , that those out their count on but no worries because our rent is so dirt cheap in OK that, for all appearances is the way it appears, I am fine but there are others that got to be saying the same thing as well. Resp
I l8ke how I was reading in the Osage News how we will o longer sit idle. That’s exactly what thee last council was doing. Governing from the arm chair. It’s been more than 4 months the decline in our checks was way much earlier than that. Started after the HPP was paid out. Not four months ago do any of you on the council think we haven’t been complaining for some time , don’t lie to us the Headright owners. My bank aacout can test to this and so can the copies of my checks.
DeleteI said the next eight years back then was going to be pro-energy before Trump was going to be President what are we doing to further the growth of the Estate and he’s been President for how long, so cry me a river. Did the Osage News get it wrong? The time line? It’s been more like six years. Think about it? When the HPP was paid out is when our checks started to decline, I was out.a $ 100,000 because of the refs were whack at the time. And there were more of us out that money. How many permits went out that year and let’s do a spread sheet and history report. There’s your answer. We have another law suit on our hands has anyone followed thru on those promises by the Dept after the Law suit was settled? It does not take 7 years to follow thru on our Estate since the HPP case.unreal
When the current OMC compacts the mineral estate from the BIA to run it themselves there won't be anyone to sue anymore.
DeleteYou can sue the Nation but the Osage Constitution disallows an award of monetary damages as a form of relief if the Osage Headright owners are harmed:
DeleteSee "ARTICLE IV - DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Section 4. Remedies: No person shall be entitled to an award of monetary damages, as a form of relief, in the Osage Trial Court for any violation of these rights; unless the Osage Nation Congress may by law provide for monetary damages as a form of relief for such violations, when relief would best serve the interests of the Osage Nation or that of justice."
What would be the point of suing if there's no monetary remedy or punitive damages awarded? Just for the satisfaction of winning your case? You will need an attorney in Osage Nation Tribal Court and that will be a costly venture just to be proven legally right.
That's one of the most important and primary reasons that we don't want the Nation running any aspect of the OME. If they screw it up (the polite version) there is nothing the Osage Headright owners can do. That's also one of the most important reasons the BIA will be in total violation of their fiduciary obligation to the Headright Trust Beneficiaries if they turn the OME over to the Nation to run in any way under circumstances where full-on accountability and competence are involved. If they do this, then we will be under an obligation to file a complaint with the Inspector General of the Department of the Interior and when a full investigation is called for and takes place, upon its conclusion, a lot things that have taken place with the Osage Nation and its officials either elected or appointed will come to light that certain people don't want to come out in the open and known publicly.
Ill take your word with a grain of salt.
DeleteWe will not accept ones period. And I can null and void this Government and I can take it down and restore this Government back to the MC, but have you seen how they run a Mineral Office or there of?
No worse for ware than the Osage Government.
At this point with the huge catastrophe with the LLC’s and you know we are on the hook for these contracts when word broke out down under about what was going on with them you knew what happened. But who allowed the underbidding to take place in the first place, second I realize it’s not up to the contractor how you are going to be able to make that criteria happen, but they also were assured through a note that no matter what we will be on the hook if we should fail, so how is that protecting the Osage interest concerning our Gaming law?
It doesn’t in no way shape or form protect the interest. Does anyone or can anyone tell me who and what these contracts were about?
The Osage deserves the truth , the good the bad and ugly, how can you fix broken and hold those accountable to this great loss and believe you and me the buck stops with the Chief and this reflects on all of us, the no confidence form our three branches of Government astounds and do not blame the judicial system because it is how are laws that are set up for failure and that’s no accident and the same mistake is happening all over again how redundant and a waste of the Osage resources as well. All that effort to go down the tube, ut the real answer who got paid no matter how great the failure there is no accountability, this falls on our shoulders to bare because all of you keep voting for the same thing to happen all over again, is bad enough we lost our Reservation case and why are we not fighting to restore our status?
Right is right and wrong is wrong and we have huge problem in little China.
The ME since 2006, has gone through a multitude of downfalls. What did we learn from it all? Can we depend on the BIA to plan and do what is the best interest of the Osages, their actions following the hpp lawsuit has shown they will harm the Osages if necessary to cover their actions. The 4th MC seems to acknowledge that it is the Dept. of the Interior that we need to express our concerns, they are the BIA's boss.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment I can't remember the name of the person at the Dept. of Interior who recently stated he believed the BLM is "oil and gas," and that the BIA is a "peoples department." But won't the BLM still be under the authority of the Dept. of Interior if there is a reorganization? That is one of the topics that will be discussed in the BIA reorganization conference (wasn't it suppose to be last Friday or Monday for Oklahoma?). I really would of liked to have listened into that meeting, too bad it was not recorded.
Lawsuits was also a contribution to our downfall. This last Donelson appeal was dropped because there was no exact pinpoint to pursue a case. BUT what if they DID? We are going to have legal obstacles ahead of us and we have no choice other than fight back through the legal process. We are in a era of "legal." There can be no 'sitting idle' or 'slacking in actions' or we'll be taken advantage of in a big way. If you can't count on your Trustee, then who can you count on -- YOURSELF! Our future (shareholders) is in the hands of the current MC.
During the first three MCs it seems the focus was on routine administrative leasing procedures and there were many discussions on how the ME was being abused by producers by theft and false records they turned in. There were accomplishments but it wasn't until the 3rd MC started the computer talk and running the ME as a business in their last year was there going to be any change in how the MC ran things, previously it was just following the "flow."
As in all our lives, we can ask "What If?" What could of led us on a path that today we would have up-to-date computer technology with top oil and gas information available to the world, televised conferences and meetings with the MC, have off shore drilling (we own), have pipelines--shipping our oil by drilling our own oil, having contracts with energy companies on the west and east coast, making deals with China, Japan. Yes, dream Big.
That's a big dream, we will continue to have obstacles for many years to come because it takes so long for the government to get things done and lack of monies. Then there's Mother Nature (earthquakes), lawsuits, and big companies taking advantage of the Osage land illegally like the wind turbines.
We are in the era of big "oil" industry. The Trump administrative is making changes in regulations and reorganizing.
The actions of this 4th MC in the next 4 years is a crucial time in the Osage headright owners lives now and the future generations. We have to be in a position to keep afloat when the Trump administration ends and tries to reverse what Trump has changed, which the Democrats are trying to now.
4 of the OMC members went to D.C. to meet with the BIA. Unfortunately, the "acting" Director is Darrell LeCounte, who was Mike Black's right-hand man during the CFR fiasco. He was unable to meet because of another meeting so they were pawned off on a youngster who hadn't been there long enough to even have business cards. In other words, the BIA continues to treat the Osage as an inconvenience rather than a priority. 250 wells/year were drilled in 2013. Last year the number was closer to 12. This is due to the obstructionist policies of the BIA. Sadly, another lawsuit may be the only way to get the BIA's attention. Meanwhile, the ME is withering away.
DeleteWe know the harm and understand the circumstances perpetuated here. How the BIA was used as a political tool by the EPA during the last administration has taken it’s toll and has harmed the Osage in short term and long term and I habpve spoken on this matter many of times what it will take to reach the pie in the sky sorta speak to get us from point A-z on this matter.
DeleteMy extension back ground in customer service in all aspect of a Corporate experience in the private sector has gone on death ears.
In no way shape or form is this a way to run a multi-billion estate. No loss prevention , to no damage control when issue do arise, to a Chief all of last year should be sitting in these meetings to having them recorded to no communication with the shareholders voting on matters that involve them and them only, to their rights being abrogated from the very start of this Nation, all in the name of allowing those who where Osage a vote and in the process the Reservation case was lost during Grays administration and now his wife sits on the M.C.
You talk about lost in communication that’s exactly what is wrong here, to whose interest because as Susan Foreman put it some Contract were badly written and I believe that how does that work for the Osage, we didn’t get the highest paid price now we didn’t get all we could get in the contracts as well? Yet no answer to that as well? How can you get a nswer when you and I know darn well this was no accident and who got the benefits from these contracts not the Osage so you are looking at corruption there as well?
So let’s talk when we saw the writing on the wall when we became a Nation I did. We have far more debt, to. Talk about losing confidence all around. Nothing is accomplished if you don’t take a seat and realize we need to turn things around but it should have been yesterday when the red flags were waving. We are in a energy growth spurt and this was projected to happen and it did happen and what are we doing about it to seize the moment? Where is the marketing, it does not take how many years to map the estate to know what we are looking at , shoot, private companies do it all the time and get much faster results. We don’t even have a paralegal staff working for us so they can file the paperwork or there of someone trained to file and handle damage control.
So I say other than going to Washington, thank you, what are we doing to walk the talk and start being pro-active. And because there has been such a stagnant growth no fault of ours if the hand are truly tied, then we have no choice to recoup our loses because of the in-action on the part of our incompetent BIA.
Like I said there is no reason we cannot have the very same people our M.C be a working body 5 days a week filling out the permits submitting them to be rubber stamped by the BIA for approval. As long as we are compliant with the regulations and the Trust we would be in a much better place.
DeleteIf the BIA is involved as an end measure for approval, that will mean the Nation does all the work and the BIA sits on it forever just like they do now so this added step is just plain stupid and will only take even more time that what is taking place right now. Realty is going through the same thing but no one pays any attention to the past or what's even happening in the present. It will be grudge City if the Nation ever get's its head, far worse than the BIA could ever hope to get away with and it's bad now. Really bad.
DeleteI still want to know how many of these newly elected Minerals Council members are showing up to the Minerals office each and every day and for how long?
DeleteIf the Nation runs the OME, you won't have to worry about any lawsuits anymore. Read my earlier comment on the subject.
DeleteThat will not happen many of will be in court as fast as we can count to one two three.
DeleteThe point the end result in all of us we need a working body where we can do a better job for the Headright owners and most importantly staying in know about our M.E every step of the way , you cannot micro manage from home.
It is paramount that we are in the know to know on a daily basis, it’s called steering the ship if your not at the bow your doomed to sink and how are we to hold those accountable weather it be the DOI and or both the BIA as well if we do not document exactly what is going on, you can’t hold those accountable if you are not in the know.
We have some real tangible question and there are no answers as to why we are sitting ducks since the HPP case was settled.
I’ll say this again 2011 and 2012 we saw record prices in oil , we saw the decline in two years because of the fiasco with the CFR’S.
We all lost out those years because the permitting stopped how are we going to be compensated for the loss all the way till now.
Each and everyone of us was affected by some very bad decisions of which the decline continues in the process to this day?
We are all out huge money, now over $100,000. We want results just as much as answers?
Lol bridge not bow.
DeleteI think what would be key to open the door for communication is when decisions that are going to impact the M.E need to have a comment period between the M.C and the Headright owners. And this is important because you work for us.
Delete"...and now his wife sits on the MC." (isn't it his sister?)
DeleteCorrect. Jim Gray's sister is Margo Gray who is now on the Minerals Council.
DeleteIt is true we are out huge money once again, the tipping scale not in our favor. Who is at fault for a system that is broke and we are almost there if it wasn’t for oil prices holding there own. The BIA is broken, The IHS is broken. Good thing Congress is throwing more money at a system that is broken in Indian Country. Sound familiar, well it should. Does any one have a answer as to how we fix our back yard?
DeleteCome on I know you guys have ideas bring it on cuz I am waiting to here from our council how they will fix what we already know has happened with the BIA.
Agenda for tomorrow's MC Meeting:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/events/minerals-council-meeting-22
Of note:
e. Public comment meeting - CFR Regulations - Councilwoman Forman
h. Approval of expenditure for Culture Innovations - Chair Harlan
Approval of contract for Osage Casino Skiatook
k. Consultation w/DOI re: Reorganization - Chair Harlan
n. Authorization for Chair to submit letter to Superintendent re: gas reporting - Councilwoman Forman
e. OMC reporting requirements of BIA
9. Public Comments (limited to 5 min) It's good that they're doing this but I think the Shareholders should have at least 15 minutes at the very least.
DeleteHear it on demand via the internet at:
Deletehttp://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/2018-0819_4omc_pt1/
http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/osage-nation-on-mixlr-73/
Can C. Red Eagle please speak up instead of mumbling? Like to be able to hear who by name has qualified for the Scholarships.
DeleteWhy are we paying a certain Osage known as Culture Innovations to help the MC come up with a Strategic Plan and then pay to rent the facility over at the Skiaook Casino to do it? I elected these people and, btw, I voted for a lot of them who have been elected to be smart and O & G experienced enough to come up with a plan of their own, not pay some group of Osages to do it for them. WTF? If they need others to plan for them or help them plan and it ends up costing us money, can I rescind my vote and have them recalled? This new bunch needs to get a clue without the help of other less experienced and educated Osages to help them do it. I think I've seen it all now. What do we need with another Trumbly on the dole touted as a Culture Coach and armed with a mouthful of business buzzwords and professional jargon which have nothing to do with oil and gas production? If this is your gig, new OMC, you can take it right to the garbage can and dump it. How much is this going to cost the Shareholders out of the drawdown?
Deletehttps://www.cultureinnovations.com/nancy-benthien
Did you hear the segment about some quarry that has a lease and hasn't paid us royalties in 50 some odd years? What has the BIA been doing all this time? Sitting on their hands? I can't believe it! Get the amount owed plus interest and damages if possible!
DeleteConsultants here, presentations there, event professionals, popping up elsewhere right and left for people to charge us money after more money? What? And you all were complaining about the cost for important communication with the MC attorney?
DeleteI agree with the comment guy, getting that macho troublemaker Galen off the mineral council has made a huge difference.
DeleteI was hoping that they had the individual expertise that they needed and would be returning money back to all of us headright owners from the drawdown. This is going in the wrong direction and they've scarcely been in office for two months. It looks like they're going to spend up everything they're given on these silly spending sprees just like the Nation does and has since they got hold of our Casino revenue. Lowering the oil and gas producers bonuses and now this too? They must really have no intention of increasing our checks unless it's to increase the decrease we see every quarter. I hope we haven't been swindled by these new people who we were told could talk things up but really have another opposite agenda in mind altogether.
DeleteOh God no. They're not pulling an Osage Nation addictive spending obsession thing with the Mineral Council and their FF&Cs are they?
DeleteSusan is scaming the ME.
DeleteUpcoming Important Board Meetings~~~
ReplyDeletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/events/ones-llc-board-meeting-25
https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/events/bluestem-ranch-llc-board-meeting-33
Agenda for the upcoming Minerals Council Meeting:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/news/minerals-council-meeting-information-15
ref. the "quarry" - It's difficult to try to comprehend why the BIA decides to take action now after so much time has passed of non-payment of royalties, and it's ironic that after we sued the BIA for mismanagement that this comes up now? I have no doubt the Chairman and the others attending (Forman and Gray) the meeting with the superintendent conversed in details as to why this is just now being told to the MC, we just got the "highlights." The way the Chairman worded that "it wasn't the only one" does not specify that there's another "one" or several?
ReplyDeleteThe Chairman also stated, as Osageblogger also stated above, that "damages" should be paid. July 30th was the last 'compliance' date, that the BIA threaten thru a letter to close their lease. Now I'm glad the Chairman is a lawyer, she says if we can't do it legally because of the hpp lawsuit, there is surely other ways to follow suit. If the BIA closes the lease, the quarry company still legally has an obligation to pay its debt to the ME. This looks like a long, long, legal process.
From now on, let's not sign off on any legal contracts saying we will not file any more lawsuits on "subject" matters. As having "individual rights" maybe we can 'reverse' that clause since we didn't get to vote on it.
Just because the suit was signed off on does not mean the Federal Government cannot be held for mismanagement. Lets be clear on this. Though we have dispute resolution provisions in regards to the HHP case does not mean it will curb future litigation. And lets be clear any of the agenda set by this litigation has caused more harm than has helped.
Delete"...be held for mismanagement." - Every since I first read that clause about not being able to sue again for mismanagement, I have believed we could not. I figured it was put in (clause) only to cover themselves (Feds) for future failures and that it would stand.
Delete"...does not mean it will curb future litigation." - Reference the quarry company not paying us royalties for an unreasonable long period of time, the Chairman mentioned the hpp lawsuit and then says there must be other solutions to get around it?? Too me, this is really failure and mismanagement as our Trustee.
Absolutely, but then again what is holding the quarry company from paying the royalties?
DeleteSecond, The Judge ruled in this case the Fletcher case that the Government can be sued for a accounting and then the Government tried to use the (HPP) not the same as a accounting that we are entitled to. Hopefully they will come up with a decent model that won’t run so hot.
Not paying is entirely different then being sued because you didn’t get the highest price and got interest with damages. All that clause means is you cannot sue for the same thing again during that time period because you have been made whole.
DeleteOtherwise you would be cutting your nose to spite your face if that were the case, take it to the bank what I am saying.
I think this thing about headright monies (donations/inheirtances) prior to the 2006 constitution is going to get real complicated. The BIA says the monies have been in an account and has drawn interest. This is going to be one to really keep an eye and ear on, the Nation is having their lawyer and the MC is having their own lawyers, especially the headright donated for 'education' that went to the Tribe when there was no Nation. This makes me think of the Fletcher lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteWho in the Nation has had these personal headright records (what branch, or dept.)? I thought just the BIA had these records?
Not sure what it is you want to know here. Anybody can get access to the records if you request them.
DeleteThis was one of the requirements by the DOI when the HPP settled was we have access and transparency in rgard to audits and accounting records as well. And the M.C should be privy not ONES or the Nation because we are independent of the Nation. But it hard to be independent whenthe Conflict is those in Government are headright owners as well. Any monies being held I can say without a doubt that is illegal and should have been disbursed.
Right what is going on with the Fletcher case its been dragging for quite some time, and once again is it a accounting issue going on again?
It looks like my 'mindset' is still in the prior time of the hpp lawsuit and I need to concentrate on more that we are 'sovereign' and think more on what that entails when I don't understand. Thank you for your comments.
DeleteI didn't understand about the 'filing' to the Supreme Court. If someone knows, please explain.
ReplyDeleteYour request is vague can you please explain what it is you want to know?
DeleteThank you for replying. I can't figure out what lawsuit or which subject we are taking to court?
DeleteSorry been busy to reply lately. Well we have the Fletcher case that is still on going, that is the accounting case. We had the settlement from the HPP. Not being paid the highest posted price and now we want a accounting. This case is about to be settled has been in the courts for so long. Now the delay is coming to a agreement to the starting time ihow far back in time should they start the accounting date. Some say a 100 years. Could and should be in the billions we know this much. Depending what model they use and can come up with right? But even more realistic if they go back 50 years it will still be in the billions or there of. Harm has come to hurt the Osage. I hope this is settled soon.
DeleteNext we have a ongoing litigation in regards to the harm by the wind farm, we’re not hearing much on this as of yet why? These are the two that are current and we should be in the process of starting another one. IMO. With the lag on our permitting process since the HPP has been settled we have been harmed once again.
Thank you!
Delete$4,500.00 per Full Headright as of September 2018 is the payment amount. See https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/minerals-council
ReplyDeleteNow we're talking! Highest praise for ONES, LLC putting out a video of this month's meeting:
ReplyDeletePart 1 at
https://www.facebook.com/jacque.jones.58/videos/1996670963686333/?hc_location=ufi
Part 2 at https://www.facebook.com/jacque.jones.58/videos/1996840383669391/UzpfSTEwNzI5NzgzOTM4NzMyMzoxODEwNDIyNjI1NzQxNDk0/
Food for thought:
ReplyDeletehttp://journalrecord.com/2018/08/10/macdonald-frackers-vs-sheiks-round-2/
Does anyone else feel susan made false campaign promises?
ReplyDeleteThe new council members, including Susan, were not up front about 638 contracting the mineral estate work from the BIA. Of course, I never thought to ask, so part of that is on me. On one hand since there isn't much drilling activity going on, perhaps now is a good time to contract the work and do it ourselves. On the other hand, the service I get from the contracted realty staff is sub par and extremely slow. The staff hired to do the work have never worked in processing realty transactions. Who would the Mineral Council hire to perform the mineral estate work? Are there people with good qualifications that would be willing to work for the Mineral Council, knowing if you anger a couple of them over something petty, you will lose your job? The contracted work still has to follow regulations, who is going oversee that? I'm sure the BIA would be glad to hand the mineral estate over to the Mineral Council, and get rid of having to oversee it. When there is poor accounting, theft by the producers, and environmental damage who are you going to complain to or even sue for lax management? None of the current Mineral Council members campaigned on trying to hold producers accountable for environmental damage, and the Nation's environmental department has no authority to do anything. The probability of bribes and under the table deals will be insane. I don't believe this Mineral Council could find enough competent people to hire at a decent wage to pay them for their skills, or get them to move to Pawhuska to work.
DeleteNon of this is complicated and a five year old can process the paperwork. But getting the MC to understand that we need a functioning office period is another thing. What ever and whoever and however someone campaigned to sit on the the MC and their campaign promises I held my breath because nothing has changed with the M.C other than their wages probably shot way up there with their 401ks and yet we are worse off before the last settlement. (HPP) Like I said I have little faith in the M.C abilities because they say there hands are tied because of the BIA and I say that’s bogus. Because the money is there to do so not the royalty money but from the Casino, yes we are entitled. So what’s the excuse not to? But when you challenge them they cowar and do not respond either. Much lack luster and hot air is what we are paying for.
DeleteMost politicians pretend and make promises and fail to follow up on their campaign promises but in this case we are spending money on a non working body of people. Spinning our wheels.
DeleteResponsibility and accountability are key here especially since the Trust involves a very important a fiduciary obligation and the Nation has no solid legal protections under the Constitution or Statutory law for the current Osage headright owners who are the actual Federal Trust beneficiaries of the government administered OME Trust. The Nation has proven year after year that they aren't capable of handling any part of the fiduciary responsibility and accountability that having them in the loop doing any business in control of the OME. The are now in the process of winding down the LLCs and that is the reality on the ground. Do you really wanting the Nation in control of any aspect of the funding that is deposited into our payment checks? I sure as hell don't.
DeleteI whole heartedly agree for more than one reason and for good reason might I add. I do know that we need to do know where the responsibility lies and it’s not alone the BIA’s to bare all responsibility but yes because it is how are Trust is design but then not in as much we the MC bares much responsibility. In other words the last stop rests with the M.C . Not so many understand that bigger bureaucracy the bigger the problem and or understand what has happened at a administrative level, to that they understand their checks are missing something that should have never happened since the HPP was settled. Especially when the highest paid prices in oil for two years and we flat bottomed out. Politics played a heavy role where it should have touched us but it did in a bad way, now here we are and where is damage control as to why the Quarry stop paying, yet no answer as to why? Why is that? More incompetence at the BIA?
DeleteHad we a functioning office we could of handled this probably in a much faster fashion or come to a resolve and nip this in the bud so in the end the Headright Owners wouldn’t take a hit from the belt.
And I will say this again yes we 5000 Headright Owners need to be in the know because we are in this together not just this sub-group and we deserve to take a vote where it concerns decisions that reflect our resources. And yes we are entitled to money from the Casino revenue if we need help to pursue a functioning office. Does not mean ONES will have automy.
I don't get your point. A functioning office means that the Nation through the Minerals Council will be doing the work. This is exactly my point. The Nation has no fiduciary obligation to the Osage Headright owners and according to the Constitution, neither does the Minerals Agency which includes each and every member of the Minerals Council. The Constitution in Article XV makes no mention of the Minerals Council as even representatives nor is that word used in the entire Article. As Agents of the Minerals Agency, the MC owes their fiduciary obligation to the Agency itself and as it's under the umbrella of the Osage Nation government, it specifically owed a fiduciary obligation to the Osage Nation and its interests in the matter. The Osage Headright owners are totally out of the loop. You better understand the relative facts here before you charge on with wanting the MC to take charge of any aspect of the OME through a functioning office taking care of Minerals business.
DeleteOnce you have the MC or the Nation for that matter taking care of any aspect of Minerals Business, today or in future, the Nation with then be in a position to kick out any MC member, under the Constitution, who is not observing his/her fiduciary obligation specifically owed to the Osage Nation if it can be seen that what the pertinent MC member is doing is not in the best interest of the Osage Nation and its interests in particular. Nothing at that point will be owed to the Osage headright owners period and this goes especially if there is a conflict of interest between the best interests of the Nation or the Osage Headright owners who, in such a scenario, are SOL!
DeleteIt’s already a conflict of interest. Everyone just about at the Nation is a Headright owner. The 1096 act says a Chief and Eight council members. That’s a fact.
DeleteSecond it’s like I said if we do not turn this upside down frown right side up the outcome of a potential class action suit will come forward.
It has been since the settlement our resources have declined. We are looking at declines
However, it does not take seven years to fix broken and we certainly need to stay out of court and start functioning and moving forward.
Another class action suit should have been filed it’s not another day in Government to delay only hurts the bottom end of which we all know our reputation has been hurt in the process of not following on said agreement when the HPP case was settled. That’s truth.
Do not conflate the two when I say the MC has other resources to revenue form the Casino because we are entitled to it as well. There’s no attachment because it’s ours to use when needed and this the truth. And the one thing that will make money is the Estate unlike the money that is going to have to cover when the LLC’s shut down. And personally I want a investigation into this as well. And I want to know from the Chief his excuse and how he allowed this to happen under his watch.
DeleteNo the Nation will not be doing the work lol. Just the resource is there to use if we need it and we do the Nation would not be there if it wasn’t for us less you should forget the Nation is not the boss in truth it’s all of our money. And no we do not wan the Nation involved in our decisions but we also need the resource as well.
DeleteFYI:
ReplyDeletehttps://mailchi.mp/uark/register-for-upcoming-produce-safety-webinars-2063185?e=be398c7f4a
Minerals Council Meeting Agenda:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/events/minerals-council-meeting-23
On break but will be live again soon at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/multimedia/live-media
DeleteBack live now!
DeleteListen on demand via the internet at:
DeletePart I — http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/osage-nation-on-mixlr-75/
Part 2 — http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/osage-nation-on-mixlr-76/
Part 3 — http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/osage-nation-on-mixlr-77/
2018 Osage Mineral Lease Sale:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/events/2018-osage-mineral-lease-sale
I wish the Council much success.
DeleteI think we all do.
DeleteThe OSA Quarterly meeting begins in just about 7 minutes!
ReplyDeleteGreat meeting today. I'm telling you this is the best bang for the buck in Osage County!
DeleteHow was the meeting?
DeleteIs Susan still baring people who oppose her from joining? Serious question.....
DeleteJoining what?
DeleteThe OSA?
DeleteWho was barred from joining?
DeleteI know of at least 4 people. Yes they are all shareholders.
DeleteThat’s not cool.
DeleteAnd---That's probably not true
DeleteIf you are going to make an accusation against Susan like this then name names. Susan, can you speak to this?
DeleteYes, be glad to. When I was Chairman of the OSA our doors were thrown wide open. All Shareholders and Associate Osage Members were and still are WELCOME to join! No Shareholder would EVER be turned away. We believe in strength in numbers! Our membership has grown exponentially and the organization is live "video" broadcasting the Quarterly Meetings. Shareholders live in 10 countries and our video broadcasts include a link to all these countries so remote members can tune in and listen. My own daughter, who lives in Italy tuned in and listened to an entire meeting with no hiccups. Please consider joining OSA. Just request to join Osage Shareholders Association FB page and Nancy Benthien, Membership Chair will respond with the information you need. https://www.facebook.com/groups/247282649053762/
DeleteThank you, Susan. This is good to know.
DeleteDon't forget to vote for Mike Hunter for Attorney General on the 28th. Having Gentner Drummond as the OK AG would be awful after what he's done to the Mineral Estate via the Donelson lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteHe has a huge bias and is racist as far as I am concerned just alone by his harassment of our Tribe would speak to that. Hope he doesn’t win!!!!
DeleteThe Osage Minerals Council now has a Facebook presence. See https://www.facebook.com/4OsageMineralsCouncil/
ReplyDeleteUpcoming MC Events see https://www.facebook.com/pg/4OsageMineralsCouncil/events/?ref=page_internal
DeleteOnce more the naiveté of Galen Crum, Andrew Yates and Soddy Abbott is showing through when the BLM rules showed up in the proposed CFRs. Most of us with any ability to be shrewd could see right through this as a thinly veiled attempt of the government to try and make things out in the field benefit them far more than us. Now the veil is gone and look what's up:
ReplyDeleteDoes the BLM have a fiduciary obligation to the Osage Headright owners and the Osage Nation? I rather doubt it.
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/08/13/tribes-not-buying-potential-department-interior-re-organization/
"All written comments on the proposal must be submitted to the Department of Interior by Aug. 31."
Must we re-read the entire document (proposed CFR's) to try and figure what in the hell you are talking about? Please be specific. I doubt that Crum, Yates, and Abbott even know what it is that you have a problem with.
DeleteYou sound like one of those ex-Councilpersons who were turned out to pasture. All I ever heard them say was "we don't like the proposed CFR's." Never any specifics. Just Negative, Negative, Negative. From what I can see, every change or addition to the new CFR's are for the benefit of the Shareholders. Hope they are enjoying their retirement. The Shareholders are certainly going to enjoy their retirement.
Read the article as to the section commented on our own Marsha Harlan. A BLM guy will head the Region instead of a BIA guy? Here's the page to research all the BLM rules the Bureau wanted to include in the new CFRs which, according to Galen Crum wouldn't be "reinventing the wheel." This is where they apparently had the agenda set to go all along. You're not out to pasture, read through these documents and decide for yourself and if you're not too lazy to share with the rest of us, report back on what you find.
Deletehttps://www.bia.gov/regional-offices/eastern-oklahoma/osage-tribe-negotiated-rulemaking
Perhaps you will indulge me if I may.
DeleteThere are many reasons the re-organization will not work, first you have to fix broken and the BIA has proven time after time they are incompetent.
Another big factor that plays a huge role I suspect is the under funding in Indian Country as well. Which, a lot of us understand the trickle down economics in Indian Country is anemic.
I am going to try to encompass what I am saying.
All Tribes are not equal because each one of us who our registered with the Federal Government tries to put everyone in a box and it simply will not work then you compound overlapping legislation. One shoe does not fit for all tribes because each ttreaty and or trust is different from another. What apples to one tribe may not for another.
Otherwise if we don’t fix broken you are adding layers to the bureaucracy that already exists but in the end we as Nations will suffer. At the cost of redundancy. It is important in everything that we do diligence is required, verify first. Trust later.
We need to know how will this impact Indian Country more to the point, how is this going to benefit Indian Country economically.
Indian Country certainly does not need more regulation.
ONES, LLC is coming up for an appropriation today in the Second Special Session of Congress. Important remarks are being posted at http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/conversation-august-2018.html
ReplyDeleteListen on demand:
http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/2018-0824_6con_commerce-pt1/
Eddie RedEagle again. As long as he's got anything to do with anything, keep Ones llc as far away from the OME as humanly possible. Chief? This guy may be mean but he's a total non-starter. If you don't know this by now, there's something wrong with you too. You want your true legacy to be failure? Then keep on keepin' on.
DeleteYou are right. So begs the question because I wholeheartedly believe you, so why do you think this choice was made.
DeleteA lot of favors are happening as the never ending story continues. Because the only requirement seems to be incompetence comes to mind.
I don’t have to paint the picture because the picture I am seeing is right before my eyes and what I see is not the Government we hoped it would be. Not a pretty picture but somewhere in between we can do better but change needs to come in a big way.
Votes. Votes. Votes. And it all goes down the vortex of Votes. Votes. Votes.
DeleteRight I get that. Votes where are they 1500 turned in out of 20,000 of us. Where’s the vote?
DeleteNow isn't this amazing:
ReplyDeleteDOI puts out budget justifications for the Office of the Special Trustee to everyone in the world connected to the internet and yet the teeny weeny government for the little old Osage Tribe now Nation can't release budget justification for their budgets to a small membership numbering maybe a total of 16,000 adults? Something big stinky is wafting on the wind. What the hell is it?
https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/ost_fy_2019_presbud_final_for_internet_posting_2-14-18.pdf
TODAY!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/osageofficeofthechiefs/photos/a.322965171461712/497255240699370/?type=3&theater&ifg=1
Stick pin this note to your foreheads MC members: Instead of spending $75,000 to $100,000 for expensive conference rooms and planning seminars, use your brains and expertise to figure out your own Strategic Plan and return some of the drawdown to the Osage headright owners who voted for you and thought you were smarter than to be pinning stick notes to the wall like kindergarteners. Boy howdy!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/4OsageMineralsCouncil/photos/a.312901386129978/317299009023549/?type=3&theater
Next they'll be tying balloons to their ankles for a balloon stomp. Or wait, maybe that's the Congress with our money. Pop! Poof and it's gone forever
DeleteFewer than 300 votes
ReplyDeletehttps://newsok.com/article/5606361/ag-results
Now Gentner can get back to harASSing the Osages...
At least he didn’t win, he’s been warned already by a Judge to stop going after the Osage. He said he’s looking at harassment.
Deletehttps://kfor.com/2018/08/29/gentner-drummond-concedes-race-for-oklahoma-attorney-general/
DeleteI guess that makes Genter CONCEITED ...
DeleteCopies of hand out distributed at TRIBAL CONSULTATION in Oklahoma City last week on Re-organization of Bureau of Indian Affairs.....
ReplyDeleteSee https://www.facebook.com/UINOKT
Susan, did the OSA get out a reply to this listening session before August 15, 2018? Please advise.
ReplyDeleteHEADS UP! The Sixth Osage Nation Congress Tzi-zho Session begins on September 4, 2018 and a lot of our money is going to be spent for FY 2019. We are going to have to begin our appropriations watch on an immediate basis with the greatest vigilance this year. Congressional Committee meetings have been going on throughout August including one taking place today. They will be held daily throughout the month of September and October.
The Congressional Calendar is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/calendar
Session Information is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/sessions
Congressional Committee Meeting information is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congressional-legislative-branch/committee-information and click on the Menu on the left hand side of the web page for each Committee
Session and Committee Meetings are broadcast live at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/multimedia/live-media
All meetings are posted later for on demand listening via the internet at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/
ReplyDeleteI am proposing the creation of an Osage Nation member Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget that is made up of the rank and file membership, apart and not directly related to the Osage Nation government. This is a government watch group of concerned and responsible Osages who will get involved to follow all Congressional meetings that take place with regard to appropriations and make comments on what is happening daily and throughout the Tzi-zho Session, including any further budgetary adjustments throughout the year. The Nation is running out of money and relying more and more on the operational capital of the gaming operation asking for additional millions and millions to support the burgeoning bureaucracy that benefits few of us who live outside of Osage County. As I stated in my campaign, this government has been created to serve the Osage people first and the government second. Since the beginning, the new government has been self-serving and therefore upside down. Now there is a push to build a new campus building for the members of the Osage Nation Congress when the Bank Building has been purchased and is perfectly serviceable for their needs especially since there has already been money appropriated for renovation for this purpose. This kind of government self-serving spending must not continue. The next generation has the right to make choices too about what they want done in the future and not all of these important decisions involving new building and infrastructure should be made with our money by these retirees who have recently been elected to office or will be incumbents in the next election. We already own a great deal of property and have purchased improved real estate that the Osage people know nothing about and should know because they have a right to know what their government is doing and what assets it owns overall.
If you are interested in serving the interests of all your fellow Osages by becoming a member of this this new action Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget, please e-mail me at osage_election_news@comcast.net
DeleteAlready, we have had quite a response to the proposed Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget. I have created a Facebook page for the new group and invite you to visit and join as a member today! It is located at:
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2061358334178007/
Seventeen Committee members so far today and growing by the minute! YES!
Delete30!
DeleteGet on board and join. This is exciting!
Delete33!
Delete41 concerned Osages and friends have joined the Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget in two days. Won't you be one of them? Please join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2061358334178007/
DeleteA Special Meeting of the Osage Minerals Council was held today. For the Agenda, see https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/news/4th-osage-minerals-council-meeting-information
ReplyDeleteI don't know if the meeting was broadcast live. If so it will appear later at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/minerals-council/meeting-information
Minerals Council September Events:
ReplyDeleteSeptember 7
Osage Minerals Council September regular meeting
Fri 10 AM CDT · Osage Minerals Council · Pawhuska, Oklahoma
September 19
Osage Minerals Council September regular meeting
Wed 10 AM CDT · Osage Minerals Council · Pawhuska, Oklahoma
September 26
Osage Mineral Lease Sale 23
Wed 10 AM CDT · Osage Minerals Council · Pawhuska, Oklahoma
See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/08/13/tribes-not-buying-potential-department-interior-re-organization/
ReplyDeleteI'm giving more thoughtful consideration to this issue which is of utmost importance where it involves the government’s Trust obligation to the Osages created by Federal Law per the 1906 Allotment Act as amended. This Trust relationship is not a matter of “custom” as it is with other Tribal Communities. It comes directly from the Branch with the Plenary Power over all of the domestic Tribes in the USA and is a legal statutory Federal relationship created by the Legislature of the United States Government.
Reviewing the Bureaus and Offices at https://www.doi.gov/bureaus shown below, as I understand it, none have a fiduciary Trust obligation to any Tribal Community whatsoever. As a result, I am asking whether or not, with the Osages, is it outright illegal to include us in any DOI reorganization with regard to the Bureau of Land Management, (which is under the Executive Branch not the Legislative Branch) as head or overlord of the new regional office boundaries proposed by the President’s Executive Branch Order 13781? See https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/raca/doi-reorganization
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
• National Park Service
• Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• U.S. Geological Survey
Note: The Comment Deadline has been Extended: If you would like to provide written input, please e-mail your input to consultation@bia.gov by midnight, Saturday, September 22, 2018. We must respond to this via the Osage Minerals Council and preferably to the members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives as well.
Not one shoe fits in Indian Country. And this is why it will not work especially for us because the way our Trust is designed.
DeleteDOI employees received the new regional office boundaries through email on August 29, 2018. I'd say it is a done deal.
DeleteReally? Why did they extend the comment deadline to September 22, 2018 if this is the case?
DeleteIf you have any questions, you can contact the Osage Agency Superintendent, Robin Phillips at robin.phillips@bia.gov or Director Eddie Streater from the Bureau of Indian Affair's Eastern Oklahoma office at eddie.streater@bia.gov
DeleteThe Tzi-Zho Session is being followed at the new Committee for a Responsible Osage Nation Budget at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2061358334178007/
ReplyDeleteI'm hearing word through a facebook site that the new CFRs are going to be picked back up by the MC and worked with in the future. We will need to keep our eyes open on this too.
ReplyDeleteBy action of our new Minerals Council, the meeting dates have been officially changed to the first Friday and the third Wednesday of the month for regular Mineral Council meetings. Beginning in September, the meetings will be held on September 7th and September 19th of 2018.
ReplyDeleteThis thread is now closed. Go to: http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/osage-shareholder-matters-september-2018.html
ReplyDelete