To review the past recent comments on the Conversation webpage of the Osage Blog see https://osageblog.blogspot.com/2017/10/conversation-october-2017.html
Glad to see the Chief has hopped on this... http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/01/25/imperative-entertainment-executives-tour-osage-nation-killers-flower-moon-film/
How is it exactly that the Chief calls a meeting of the Osage Nation Energy Services, LLC Board? If this Board is completely independent of the Chief's influence, they should be calling their own meetings and requesting that the Chief attend, shouldn't they? https://s3.amazonaws.com/osagenation-nsn.gov/files/departments/ONES/2017-0112_ONES_Agenda.pdf
WTH is this non-disclosure agreement? What aren't they disclosing and to whom? The Osage people? Some other branch, division or agency of the Osage Nation? I'd like to know what the back story is on this deal and don't give them anymore money until we know what's going on with this item on their Agenda. https://s3.amazonaws.com/osagenation-nsn.gov/files/departments/ONES/2017-0213_ONES_Agenda.pdf
OK...here it is! Listen to the Osage Minerals Council voting to send over some document on leasing options including compating/contracting to their attorney for review. I TOLD YOU SO! Listen in here https://osage-multimedia.s3.amazonaws.com/media/minerals/audio/FY2018/2018-0129_3OMC_Pt2.mp3
And the Chief wants to put these scaliwags in our oilfield when the State of Oklahoma wants us to use our gaming funds to pay for their overspending and budget shortfall? Get out of town Chief and anyone else who brings this state, or any other, to handle our oil and gas business when they can't even manage their own internal finances -- DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! That gaming money by law belongs to Native Americans in general and the Osages in particular.
Another mention of David Grann's book on the Osage Terror: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NowReadThisBookClub/about/ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/how-to-write-a-true-crime-tale-according-to-bestseller-david-grann https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/the-next-pick-for-the-pbs-newshour-new-york-times-book-club-is
Heal holistically with marijuana? Now this is a new one on me. As a witness to the Hippy generation and what happened with drugs that began with marijuana, this idea may be a creative one but I know it just won't work. First declared candidate running for Osage Nation Congress: https://www.facebook.com/753839631471238/videos/vb.753839631471238/754136184774916/?type=2&theater
Head to Skiatook on the 16th for the Osage County Tourism Forum: http://www.tulsaworld.com/communities/skiatook/news/osage-county-tourism-forum-slated-for-february-at-osage-casino/article_90b6fdd1-3678-52d5-922a-7765dd2cf7c3.html
I've finally decided it's time for me to get involved and do what I can to serve the interests of all of the Osage Nation members no matter where they live throughout the country, to do what I can to restore the power and prestige of the Legislative Branch as the representative body of the Osage people with the ultimate control over how our money is spent on behalf of and on what is really needed for all the people who have an Osage Nation membership. Today I filed to run for the Osage Nation Congress:
Thank you for stepping up and taking on such a large challenge.
But, what do you mean "restore the power" of the Legislative Branch? Seems to me that they have always had the "power" to make their own decisions, have even hired the Nation's lawyer to back them up (against our Chief). The words "restore the power" conflicts with "ultimate control."
I'm not attacking you, I have had the same endeavors you have spoken about on this blog and I wish you the best in this election.
Good questions. What do you mean when you say they have hired the Nation's lawyer? Who are you referring to? The AG? Because the AG is not in the employ of the Legislative Branch.
From the very beginning when the new government started under Jim Gray as the then Chief, there was a contentious attitude on the part of the Executive Branch where the handing out of money in the Osage Nation Treasury is concerned toward the Legislative Branch. Lawsuits soon began flying from the Executive Branch toward the Osage Nation Congress if Gray didn't get exactly what he wanted and how much as if the guy had never had a rudimentary or even an elementary course in Civics as to how a co-equal Constitutional three part form of government actually works. The Chief is indeed the "Supreme" head of his branch of government and none other whether anyone would like to believe it's to the otherwise. Since that time, a number of other challenges to the authority of the Legislative Branch in the Osage Nation's court have taken place with Standing Bear as well. During Congressional Committee meetings, despite the fact that Raymond Redcorn was in Congress, I have listened to him as Asst. Chief threaten to sue the Congress if they made any changes to the budgets of the Executive Branch. Now, taking a look at the Osage Nation Constitution, that is the highest law of the land, it provides the Chief with a power known as "line item veto" for budgets only. By process of elimination, the only ones who can alter line items in budgets are the members of the Osage Nation Congress because we can't enter into the budgetary process as members of the Osage Nation. There is no provision as to a reason needed to make such changes to line items, only that they can be made or the Chief wouldn't have the power of line item veto in the first place. The only other option, as a result of recent Osage Nation court rulings, is to send the budgets back to the Executive Branch for revision once the Congressional Committees have chosen to do so. They don't have to appropriate every single dime available in the Osage Nation Treasury every six months despite whatever pressure by either the Judicial Branch or the Executive Branch. These two methods will go a long way towards rebuilding the power and prestige of the Legislative Branch of our new government.
The Osage Nation Congress has a choice not to appropriate funding in whole or in part if they are placed under pressure by any other branch of government. They need to exercise that choice now and into the future. If elected, I will work religiously to make that choice happen so that this out of control blind spending and excessive borrowing comes to an abrupt halt for items best left to the choices of future generations rather than just a choice to pay for crushing debt. Some members of Congress would like you to believe that we are a large to very large Tribal community. With only 20,000 to 21,000 members, we are hardly that and with the disproportionate spending on only 17% of that total number, things have to change for the betterment of all of us.
I'm talking about the power of the purse strings (to open or close) that belong to our Legislative Branch of government despite how many other branches have gained what I believe to be inappropriate and overweaning access to them in the Osage Nation government in recent years.
We have to stop non-essential spending, and for the sake of current and future generations, the taking on of additional debt. Some decisions about what new projects we take on have to be left up to future generations who do have the right to have more choices than just to pay for crushing debt.
Then DO NOT VOTE FOR: 1. ANGELA PRATT (AKA:Pelayo/Gray/Barnes) 2. Alice Goodfox (AKA: Buffalohead/Pledger)
These two women, for no reasonable or logical reason, have been picking and chosing which Osage Women to take down in our Judicial Branch and beyond.
I will not VOTE for them again! I and many other Osage Women will NOT stand for it. Osage women have fought for their education and for their position within the community for years. I will not let power hungry politicians pic and hurt my fellow Osage women just for personal reasons or gain.
I'm voting for both of them for just that reason and in fact, all three of the Supreme Court Justices out of office who have taken away the right of the people to control how the money is spent in the Legislative Branch of the Osage Nation government. I just heard from another candidate that in addition to hobbling our members of Congress in terms of making changes to line items in the budgets because they are disproportionately high in one to the detriment of another of equal importance, and the fact that due to these Supreme Court decisions, they are having to approve budgets and budget changes that send us well over the projected revenue limit that is prohibited by the Constitution, their decisions are allowing the Chief to move money between totally different Executive Branch budgets in totally different divisions! Either they are ignorant or corrupt. In any event, it's unacceptable. Send that one from California/Oregon back to where she came from and the other one back to New Mexico or Arizona or wherever it is that she comes from along with the that male SC Justice. Send him back to Arkansas where he came from as well. They all need to take a course in conservative government accounting and not this creative accounting they allow the Chief to engage in these days. Anywhere else you do things like this with government budgets, it’s malfeasance as a result of misappropriation of public funds. In any event, the Legislative Branch should be in the drivers seat on spending, in full control of the purse stings but as a result of these court decisions on what the Congress is now forced to spend when they know they shouldn’t be spending it, figuratively speaking; they've all been roped to the back of a truck and are being dragged behind at 75 miles per hour! It’s an utter disgrace. Apparently you are very misinformed because these women in the Judicial Branch are diminishing your power as a member of the Osage Nation to have the control over how we spend our money. This is an example of how legal precedent from other governments was swept right off the table even though we were promised during the time of the OGRC that our working constitution was going to be patterned after that of the U.S. Constitution so that there would be legal precedent to fall back on and we wouldn’t be reinventing the wheel with our new government:
“Drent asked Gill what “historical precedents, what actions, what qualities have we inherited from all generations of our government before us and how can that inform us on how we move forward? We would much rather examine how we operated as a Nation back in the day without a federal government telling us how to run our businesses …”
This woman Judge has no idea how we operated before the Federal government had to do with our government because we were run back then by the Non-hon-zhin-ga (Little Old Men) who called the final shots on everything who more nearly resemble our legislature in the modern day because back then Chiefs didn’t possess the highest religious or secular power. Those powers belonged to the Non-hon-zhin-ga. What they said went and the Chiefs back then took their orders and got them done.
You can read both opinions here: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/judicial-branch/supreme-court
SCO-2015-01, STANDING BEAR V. WHITEHORN, 03-08-2016 SLIP OPINION SCO-2016-01 STANDING BEAR V PRATT SLIP OPINION 8-11-17
You can read the synopsis of these two decisions here: http://osagenews.org/en/article/2016/03/04/supreme-court-hears-oral-arguments-standing-bear-v-whitehorn-case/
Again, refer to the Osage Nation Constitution, ARTICLE X - CODE OF ETHICS Section 3. The Conduct of Tribal Officials (elected and appointed) and Employees. I believe this may also a violation of the second sentence of this same Section: “Tribal officials and employees shall not hinder or obstruct the proper administration of the Osage Nation government in the administration of their duties.”
If Justice Drent is talking about the 1881 Constitution, women couldn't vote never mind become any other elected or appointed official (Judge) of the then Osage National Council. By the way, in terms of Compensation; the Chief was paid $300 that converts today to $6,520.26. The Assistant Chief was paid $200, Supreme Judges $100 and all per annum. If you think I'm kidding, you can review the actual text of the 1881 Osage Constitutional document right here:
"...governing Osage National Council, which the people had created in 1881, with a constitution that adopted some aspects of that of the United States."
Not even James Bigheart, President of the Osage National Constitutional Convention, was willing to go completely off road back in 1881 which is to his intellectual credit.
I live in Osage County. What funding for Osages who live here am I missing out on? I get the health benefit card. Family has received scholarship monies for our educational endeavors. What do you know about funding to Osage County Osages that I do not know anything about and I've lived here my whole life?
With all due respect if you think the language program, the roads department, the elder nutrition center, drug counseling, etc. are a waste of money for those who live here in Osage County, then I must disagree. Most of the programs receive federal funding and benefit more than just Osages. Those federal funds can not be turned into per cap money. As far as the gaming funds used to benefit some of these other programs I'm all for it. We need a language preservation program and a domestic violence shelter. I'm at an advantage because I live here and see the positive things these programs can achieve. Plus it provides employment to a county that has little or no economic development. Not everyone is making $100,00 a year, only those lucky enough to be on Chief's staff get those wages. There are Osages who work for the Nation and still qualify for public assistance such as WIC, child care, and Section 8 housing. Transferring the gaming money into a per capita payment is a nice idea, but a one time $1,000 per capita to every Tribal member equates to 20 million dollars, which is alomost half the budget. Most Osages who work for the Nation would rather have a job than an one time payment. I will thank you for an honest answer because now those of us who live here know exactly what you think. I've tried to put myself in your shoes and try to understand why those who do not live here think those who do live here are living it up and getting wealthy. Again, most of the programs listed in that directory are income based. If you don't have much then you can qualify. Do you know 92% of the children who attend Indian Camp elementary are on a free or reduced lunch? Does that sound like we live better here? Our health is so poor if you move out of the county your life expectancy goes up 10 years. Do I think we needed a $74 million dollar ranch? No. Is our Chief spending money with no oversight? Yes. Those things we can agree upon. Again thank you for your honest answers. While we do not agree it is refreshing to hear exactly how you stand.
When did I say anything about a per-capita? How much is being paid out to government-only employees that is from strictly gaming tribal funds? The thing I'm hearing is that they are paid $15 million including benefits and this grows every year by about a half a million for salary increases and bonuses. They don't often answer the phone or return calls from messages left. They sound resentful often times when they do have to do something for you or at least terribly put out. Those boards and commissions have a salary of thousands a year, meet once a month and never is a profit reported from anything they do, in fact, it's usually massive losses if they do receive funding that is far more than unproven business ventures should be given in the first place. This money should be going to help those who also have needs that I guess it's easy for you to pretend don't exist if outside of Osage County. If it weren't for our total numbers, you wouldn't have but a 1/7th of what you are receiving in Federal funding and still appear to feel entitled to all of or as much as possible of the Tribal gaming and other Tribal revenue as you can get funneled your way as well. This government was sold on the fact that it was meant to be for all of us, but that soon changed when the big bucks started rolling in. Those Federal programs don't benefit anyone outside of Osage County and other Tribal members use that money obtained as a result of our total numbers who aren't even Osage!
Well said. The above poster is not wrong either. Yes we provide these services but on our dime of which this person does not understand that this revenue is to be spent for profit, not to profit into their pockets all the while saddling the Osage with more debt. With no end or meaning to how why and when, basically the logistics is really important to how it is and why it is we need to spend. And I say yes we can afford a per-cap and it is way long over due. I keep saying as well where is the profit, the capital that is to be made from our gaming enterprises, are we to follow in the same direction as the U.S Government and burn through it like it's no tomorrow? And just for the few that lives in Osage County and support everyone else besides the greater majority of the Osage Tribe? What is working in our favor and not into our Government coffers or pockets? I can assue you there are not many such as I benefit from the $500 Health card, have my own bennies and personally I would rather say what I want to do with this revenue as opposed to the Osage Government tells me how to use it. Called socialism 101. Especially its our money. Something so wrong with this picture.
Just thought you should know -- In some instances, even when it's not a requirement for the Federal money that comes in, they use gaming and other Tribal income to match or add to the total amount of funding which is more money going to Osage County Osages alone and not being evenly or fairly divided among all of us Osage Nation members across the board.
"$500 Health Card...I would rather say what I want to do with this revenue as opposed to the Osage Government tells me how to use."
When I worked for the government, we could donate our sick and annual accumulated leave time to other employees in dire need of time off for tragedies in their lives. Employees would donate like two to five hours, but that added up when lots of employees helped.
I'm an elder, so I receive the $1,000 a year. I'm in good health and have basic Medicare, but I don't have a need for any prescriptions so I don't need Medicare Plan D. If the Nation drops the current program I'm on, or forces me to switch to the new Plan F, what happens to the thousands I have in the account? I'm sure it goes back to the Nation. So the money was budgeted for my use?
If I could get the cash in the account, I would get my car fixed which has had the same problems for three years. I would not buy a "statue," how much cost was the last one purchased? But that sounds like a per capita and that's not going to happen.
The Chief appears to take credit for it, but I thought Shannon Edwards is the one who fought for us to get it?
"Are we to follow in the same direction as the U.S. Government and burn through it like it's no tomorrow?"
We are there now, and evidently "tomorrow" was not in the planning. There is so much money coming in that there seems to have been no issue in making purchases in the millions of dollars. When my mother wanted something and we couldn't really afford it, she would get it and say "We'll get some more (money). During the transition of getting more (money), we did "without" on a lot of things. I think that might be the thought process of the Nation's spending, more money coming from the Feds, the casinos.
It'd be a miracle if some leader would come in and stop buying statues, buildings, mounds, land for just one year and send out per capita for ONE YEAR! Isn't that what casinos and the LLC intentions were?
The American dream is having children, having a nice home, a car that starts most of the time, some security. But priorities of the tribe are gone, now it's the Nation's priorities. Children needs new clothes each year cause they are continuing growing. How much does a child's coat cost, shoes, clothes. What's the cost if you have three children and they need to be feed three times a day?
Members, you can change things, we can do it together. Your vote counts.
And members need representation from Congress and money spent on them rather than the latest egocentric braggadosage project that the 14 Osage Nation elected officials can come up with to keep the money away from all of us who really need it. Used to be that they would appropriate roughly $5 million a year above what they would spend and then claim that they couldn't get at it after the fact. Then they dumped it into a permanent fund for direct services to the people but the people seem to always be in Osage County. We need to make these officials feel the power of our numbers by our votes who live elsewhere who have needs as great as any in the Osage. If they didn't want this government opened up to those of us who they don't consider to be real Osages then they should never have done so in the first place. They did though and there are consequences for having done so. It was only to have that constitution voted in so that the money could move around among many more people with created government jobs in a complex form of government that a small operation like the old Tribal Council would never have been able to accommodate. We've been had but if they want to keep their big Federal government funding they had better do far more than just for the very young and the old than they do today. Buying the ranch, the mound and the airpark with other properties all over the place including building centers in areas with population numbers that don't justify such a lavish outlay of money is rampant all over Osage County. It's all about them vs. us who made the whole thing possible for them in the first place and it has been that way since the meetings for the strategic plan took place in the first year of Osage Nation operations. We've been scammed so bad and it's only those elected 14 who are making these unfair decisions against the total membership population in favor of so few that they must leave or be put out of office. I'm hearing that it's so bad, you can't even imagine.
The buck needs to stop with the congressional committee and or Appropriation committee and Congress needs to do there diligence and remember they work for the very people that put them in the spot they are in, right. I didn't vote for this Government and look at what is going on rife with cronyism and nepotism. "What Capital are we bringing in other than casino money"? Now there is going to be a 15% cut in federal spending. That being said, who represents the majority and not the few? There is no accountability, bottom line, worse if you say no then you fear retaliation. This only happens when everyone knows everyone and this is why we are out of control with spending. Yes we have a airpark what are the numbers, what are we making, how many of those business that are associated with the Nation that is subsidized by the Nations money? The Ranch I am sure we are operating in the red? I know the mound was costly is making us any money? No. What about the park we purchased is it making money o wil it pay or itself in a 100 years? Remember our money is to be used for profit not having to chase it down like the Osage llc. Congress is responsible for not doing the diligenc, so why are we to believe change will happen when we get new members in our Congress? My suggestion take a long hard look at the loopholes in our Constitution find them and close them. Make our money not susceptible to corruption.
What's all this I'm hearing about the Chief wanting $35,000 for the upcoming Inauguration? When will this guy get a clue that we don't want him spending our money lavishly like this? When will he ever learn to poor-boy it for once in his life?
Geoffrey Standing Bare ain't no poor boy. Get with the program. He's gone from Peter the Great to Alexander the Great in four short years and so has our level of spending and acquisitions. One of those drones he wants flying out over the Bluestem Ranch so bad is going to nuke him accidentally on purpose if he doesn't watch out. It's called Karma, don't you know.
There seems to be some confusion on the part of some current members of Congress as to what seats are open this election and who is an incumbent for reelection should they choose to run for office this June of 2018: Alice Buffalohead, incumbent Ron Shaw, seat recently vacated and open William “Kugee” Supernaw, incumbent James Norris, incumbent Otto Hamilton, running for Assistant Principal Chief, seat open Angela Pratt, incumbent
Congratulations to the new Mayor of OKC! Another Osage coming to the forefront, David Holt: http://m.newsok.com/david-holt-elected-36th-mayor-of-oklahoma-city/article/5583375?
Per Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, BIA Eastern Regional Director Eddie Streater has confirmed that he has received the Osage County Commissioners letter of appeal against the Nation's bid to put 75 acres of land in north Tulsa into trust.
Six (now 7) Osage women are the first to file candidacy for Osage Congress so far See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/08/six-osage-women-are-first-file-candidacy-osage-congress-so-far/
Follow this at the Facebook page of the Osage Nation Election Office at https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/
Not to miss! The Debates for the Chief and Assistant Principal Chief this weekend at the Skiatook, Osage Casino from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m CST. All Debates will be live streamed on the internet. See https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156032071106678&set=gm.1588130414637384&type=3&theater
Info on the North Texas Meeting on April 7, 2018 -->> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1563880453694859&set=gm.1984593631554752&type=3&theater&ifg=1
Judge does not recommend utility rate hike to subsidize western wind farm http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/14/judge-does-not-recommend-utility-rate-hike-subsidize-western-wind-farm/
"Of that $1.83 billion slated to be cut, $453 million would come from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, more than any other agency or service under the Department of Interior." If the OST becomes part of the BIA in October of this year, what will this mean to the OST with a loss of $453 million?
See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/16/trump-administrations-2019-budget-proposes-steep-cuts-indian-country/
Two things I like about these documents that you can pull down from the internet which is (1) full and open disclosure on the part of the U.S. Government, Department of the Interior, that you simply can't get from the Osage Nation in the same above board manner. Clicking on the link below will take you to a departmental OST Budget Justification for FY2018 (this year) for roughly 6 million Native Americans in population. To obtain such a thing from the Osage Nation with only 21,000 members requires a FOYA (Freedom of Information Act) request from the Osage Congress or the Osage Nation Executive Branch, if you can even get the document/s from them at all! See this year's (2018) Federal Budget Justification of the Department of the Interior at https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/ost_fy_2018_budget_justifications_05-24-2017.pdf See also (2) the Proposed Budget in Brief (2019) of the Department of the Interior at https://edit.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/2019_highlights_book.pdf Full and open disclosure with regard to similar yearly budgetary documents of the Osage Nation is another thing I will work to make happen if elected as a member of the Osage Nation Congress.
Including full and open disclosure of employment compensation packages that may include signing bonuses, yearly salary and benefits, additional perquisites like Osage Nation paid golf memberships, paid National affiliations or the like, and golden parachutes.
HIGHEST ALERT! Now is the time to ask certain people about their signing bonus, salary amount and benefits... Congresswoman Shannon Edwards is holding a Committee Meeting Hearing which is very unusual. It's a fact finding mission of some kind that should red flag our immediate attention! She has called a Congressional Health Committee Hearing for February 20, 2018. The purpose of the hearing is for members to ask questions of those "in the know", so I encourage you to participate. Please message her or any Congress member your questions and concerns. The hearing will be live steamed and taped:
The Hearing will be held at 1:00 p.m. at the Osage Nation Capitol Building, 100 West Main in Pawhuska.
The Hearing Notice is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congressional-legislative-branch/committee-information/health-social-services
The Osage News Candidate Debates for Principal Chief and Assistant Chief are set to begin in a few minutes: See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w56qlDGkMjY
Chief has hired Vince Logan and Margo Gray? At what employment compensation that should be fully disclosed to the Osage people. Our money, our need to know and we need to know.
No loan for the Bluestem Ranch, Chief? WTH? Apparently your gaming CEO knows that you have one because he discussed this in the Commerce Committee with the members of the Congress several weeks ago!
HA! We can't see those program plans or anything else you send over to the Congress, which you don't do very much of, Chief! You are as transparent to the Osage people as brick wall! Who are you kidding?
Boards are appointed by experts? What? The Boards are appointed by the Chief and confirmed by the Congress of which you are a member and have been for the last four years, Mr. Hamilton.
Now we get the truth --->> Federal money coming in to the Osage Nation is $26 million! Do those who live outside the county get anywhere near that in benefits because our numbers on the outside help derive that 21,000 total membership and only 17% are able to use that Federal money.
Congratulate yourselves, Raymond? You paid three to four times what that Bluestem Ranch land was actually worth at the time it was purchased. The finest moment? Please!!!!!!!!!!!!
Confirmation right here: Chief says they have completed 90% of the 25 year strategic plan in his administration. We are only 12 years out and all of the decisions have already been made and the debt required to make them will leave little, if anything for current and future generations to do but shoulder the burden of crushing debt.
Chief said, "...all that's left is 10% not completed and that's the Minerals Council the minerals estate." The Strategic Plan (of the Osage membership throughout the USA) told you, first and foremost, that we want the Minerals Estate protected and left alone by the new Constitutional government. What strategic plan are you talking about, Chief? The Jim Gray plan?
Maria was very polite about it, but one important series of moments is when the Chief talked about all these "plans" and Maria stated that those plans weren't shared with the Congress because she hadn't seen any of them. This is proof of the disconnect with the Congress on the part of the Executive Branch. The ones in our government who are expected to appropriate funding are kept in the dark on the most important plans, both now and in the future, and yet the Executive Branch will not share them. This can be stopped by the Congress in tabling those spending bills or sending them back to the Executive Branch until they have all the pertinent information they need to do their job properly. If Justice punishes them for trying to do a proper job then further actions can and should be taken against Justice including Congressional Hearings of the members of the AG's Office, if necessary, or the members of the Judicial Branch who insist on stopping them from doing a proper job in the Congressional Appropriations process. Shannon Edwards is going to be using this very tool this Tuesday in the Congressional Health Committee Hearing on February 20, 2018:
HIGHEST ALERT! Now is the time to ask certain people about their signing bonus, salary amount and benefits... Congresswoman Shannon Edwards is holding a Committee Meeting Hearing which is very unusual. It's a fact finding mission of some kind that should red flag our immediate attention! She has called a Congressional Health Committee Hearing for February 20, 2018. The purpose of the hearing is for members to ask questions of those "in the know", so I encourage you to participate. Please message her or any Congress member your questions and concerns. The hearing will be live steamed and taped:
The Hearing will be held at 1:00 p.m. at the Osage Nation Capitol Building, 100 West Main in Pawhuska.
The Hearing Notice is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congressional-legislative-branch/committee-information/health-social-services
Remember that appalling temper tantrum the Executive Branch, under the leadership of Chief StandingBear and Assistant Principal Chief Raymond Red Corn, had when the Congress wanted the program plans and budget justifications for the fiscal year budgeting for 2017? See Executive Branch delivers near-empty boxes to Congress in response to subpoena requests at http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2016/10/20/executive-branch-delivers-near-empty-boxes-congress-response-subpoena-requests/ This childlike foolishness was not just an insult to the members of the Osage Nation Congress, it was a hideously ugly slap in the face to every single member of the Osage Nation represented by the members of the Legislative Branch as our representatives under the Osage Nation Constitution. This kind of behavior is as unprofessional as it gets, in my opinion. From my point of view, bullying the Congress in an attempt to humiliate them in public for doing their job is unethical and clearly within the realm of abusive conduct as so written in the Constitution under Section 3. The Conduct of Tribal Officials and Employees. I believe this may also a violation of the second sentence of this same Section: “Tribal officials and employees shall not hinder or obstruct the proper administration of the Osage Nation government in the administration of their duties.”
Kind of like watching Jim Grey establish the new government bureaucracy and Geoffrey Standing Bear finish off the strategic plan in 12 as opposed to 25 years. Sorry upcoming generations, your contribution will be to pay for it. https://www.facebook.com/GuinnessWorldRecords/videos/10155636950094032/
What happened to all the millions that was spent on the Llc's and no dividends? Are you serious? Throwing money after money and how did this happen I smell corruption you better be lokking into some bank accounts? And fire all the boards BS.
Follow what's happening at the Bluestem Ranch at https://www.facebook.com/osagenation.gov/ Interesting about the Quapaw operation. Now at least some of it begins to make sense.
The Osage Shareholders Association Meeting yesterday was well worth the time taken to attend. Susan Foreman, Chairman, gave a very important presentation on natural gas and the lack of oil and gas production in the Osage as a result of the Bureau. They have now made an app available called Zoom that allows you not only to attend the meeting and see it happening live, you can also participate no matter where you live. One participant called in from overseas. If you are an Osage shareholder and interested in the future of the Osage Mineral Estate, this is a business organization worthy of your consideration: https://www.facebook.com/groups/247282649053762/
The Nation should look into this app as a possibility for the membership to interact directly as well. Specifically the Osage Nation Congress during Sessions and Committee Meetings could make use of this app for the membership located all over the world.
CEO of our Casinos: Osage Nation: A sovereign nation serving its people first http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/tulsabusiness/osage-nation-a-sovereign-nation-serving-its-people-first/article_4022fd9e-e8a4-5e1f-87d0-8e50d438bbd7.html
Northern California Osage Meeting information is located at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=486448975084841&set=gm.10155733587093891&type=3&theater&ifg=1
A dear friend of mine and my Mother's has passed away. Diane Simpkins left us last night. She loved the Osages and everything about them. Ever ready to talk Osage politics, she was open and generous, patient and as grand a woman as I have ever known. When something would come up of importance in the Osage, Mother would instruct me, "Call Diane!" She as much as anyone has helped me through the death of my beloved Mother with undying patience and kindly advice. She had one of the finest gifts a human being can have; she was one of the best listeners I have ever known with a wonderful hearty laugh that I have so enjoyed over the years. When my Mother was honored in September of last year, she gave me the earrings I wore so proudly to the reception at the Wah-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center. See https://www.facebook.com/osagenation/photos/a.798921046784873.1073741829.706989499311362/1723566274320341/?type=3&theater and https://www.facebook.com/osagenation/photos/a.798921046784873.1073741829.706989499311362/1723566254320343/?type=3&theater I mourn her loss and her presence here on earth. I will miss her strength, her council and her steady guiding hand. Fare well my dear friend...forever into the loving arms of God. You have taught me the meaning of friendship over the years and I so appreciate it. I will miss you greatly.
United Osages of Southern California Gathering information: See https://www.facebook.com/UnitedOsagesofSoCal/photos/rpp.691845747575097/984918888267780/?type=3&theater
See the correction to the meeting date and time shown below:
United Osages of Southern California 2018 Spring Gathering CANDIDATES FORUM SATURDAY, April 21, 2018 CARLSBAD SENIOR CENTER 799 PINE AVE. CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA 92008 10:00AM - 5:00PM UOSC E-mail - socal.osages@gmail.com UOSC Phone # 760-802-7591- Greg Clavier For lodging information, please visit www.visitcarlsbad.com Event Details to Follow, March 2018
QUESTIONS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE OSAGE NATION: Spending is important to me as a Congressional candidate and so is fairness. Let's mix it up a little...
Do we really need to have attorneys being paid $125,000 a year plus benefits for a part time job?
Do we need to have full disclosure from the Osage Nation as to how many attorneys are actually being paid by the Osage Nation with a total compensation figure, if not a per attorney amount disclosed per year to the Osage people in the pertinent budgets?
Should the Osage people have the salaries and bonuses detailed, line item by line item, in each budget of the entire Executive Branch including the budget for the Office of the Chiefs, the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch like they used to be before the elected and appointed officials of the Osage Nation became afraid of the reaction of the Osage people if they knew?
Do we need to be paying an additional $15,000 a year for those with Doctorate Degrees? $10,000 for Master's Degrees?
Do we really need to be paying salary increases and bonuses at $350,000 a year to those who work directly for the Osage Nation government?
Do we need to have a Human Resources review of the pay scale of those salaries every few years using indexes that involve Federal government workers in areas with salary levels more in line with those who work in Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles?
Do those who work for the Osage Nation government who benefit from these salary increases and bonuses yearly who serve the Osage people actually satisfy the constituents with the professionalism that they should for the amount paid and level of compensation that they receive?
Should we be hearing from the elected officials that there isn't the money to make additional benefits available to the membership because of the current level of spending when to the average member who really studies the situation closely, it looks like they are throwing money at one another if they work directly for the Osage Nation?
Choices have to be made. Does the government serve us as the Osage people or does it serve itself to our loss and our detriment? If it serves only itself and those who work for it, then the whole concept of this government has been turned upside down. These choices have been made in the past by our elected officials and we all knew that one of these days, it was going to have to hit the fan. You can't keep adding a hard cost from $350,000 a year plus and not have it eventually begin to harm the membership for whom this government was meant to serve. Now we've reached the tipping point and it has to stop. I speak with those from other Tribal communities who have compensation for their government employees at a much more reasonable pay scale and they are shocked to find out what is going on with us. Starting out with ANYONE being paid by the Osage Nation government $125,000 for a part time job! These people in government are taking shameful advantage of the situation and it's about time that someone finally has the guts to call their bluff. This is wrong; we know it and they know it.
Why am I asking all these questions? Because, according to the Osage Nation Constitution, I am supposed to be a representative in The Osage Nation Congress. Representing all the Osage people means that what I want isn't important. It's WHAT YOU WANT and how you want to be represented on the floor of the Congress. Somehow this has gotten turned upside down in the last twelve years with the Osage people's representatives voting for what the Executive Branch and the Judicial Branch wants on the floor of the Congress. We have to take back our government and begin to control how our money is spent, what we're spending it on and how much we're spending on a yearly basis. Someone has to be there to remind the others, with the same job description, what we are doing there in the first place and whose business we are there to conduct which is that of all of the Osage Nation members no matter where they live.
Someone who will provide full cooperation with full and open disclosure on program plans and budget justifications to the Osage Nation Congress.
Someone who will permit and allow an open policy on anyone working for the Executive Branch to communicate directly with the members of the Osage Nation Congress without running to the Tribal Court at tremendous legal expense as has been seen in the past.
Someone who will be agreeable to changes in the budget line items if such costs there are not fully justified from the point of view of the members of the Osage Nation Congress.
Someone who will stop introducing new programs or projects that we cannot afford.
Someone who will not move money within budgets or between departmental or Branch budgets and who will stay with what has been represented to the Congress and the Osage people on the budgetary page, line item by line item. And who will come back to the Congress if budgetary line item money movement needs to be made to a single budget.
Someone who will return to publishing line item by line item the salary amount for each and every employee in the Osage Nation government in the Executive Branch.
Someone who will stop interfering in the business affairs of the Business Enterprise Boards and the Minerals Council business per the dictates of the Osage Nation Constitution.
Someone who will not request funding in Executive Branch budgets when we don’t have the money to spend.
Someone who will start saving money for future generations instead of spending it all every year on an agenda that we can’t afford now and in the foreseeable future.
Someone who will stop getting new loans for projects we don’t need at this particular point in time and stop placing current and future generations under the burden of crushing debt.
Someone who will fairly distribute Tribal funding ($30 million + or -) in the budgets to benefit more than just the 17% of Osage Nation members living in Osage County.
Someone who will not issue Executive Orders that change or alter the qualifications for member benefits that are not specifically written into Osage Nation law. As an example, like what is in evidence of those changes and alterations now in the qualifications for the Death Benefit for Osage Nation members that are not in the law.
Someone who will not continue to seek and give funding to business entities of the Osage Nation that after a year, do not generate income for the Osage Nation that is not paid back later in some way by the Osage Nation itself. As an example, buying a building and then having the Osage Nation rent it out.
Someone who will not make arrangements to employ or agree to and sign service agreements or contacts that have employment compensation packages that are exorbitant in cost to the Osage members. An example would be signing bonuses, golden parachute packages, paying an employee taking on more than one Director’s position the full salary for every one of those hats when a lesser compensation is more in line with the will of the Osage people and more mindful of their overall needs no matter where they live.
Someone who will fund and protect the benefits for all of the Osage people before that of the Osage Nation government. In other words, the Osage people FIRST, the Osage Nation government second.
Having stayed in our Casinos in Ponca City and Skiatook, I spoke with a couple of the employees who are very concerned about crime in the Tulsa location and the future of our new hotel. I could really sense fear about this area and how dangerous it is with a lot of the drug crimes reported to be happening in the parking lot of our Casino there. Of course, this is a very serious matter and I support our Casino security being armed, especially since this post turned up just recently: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215892287841954&set=p.10215892287841954&type=3&theater&ifg=1
HEADS UP! Native HS and college students (18 - 25 years old)!!! Want to attend a 10 day Native Cultural Preservation & Leadership program in Washington DC and New York City this summer July 2-13!?!? All expenses paid!?!?!?
So far only TWO ppl have applied!!! For 12 slots!!! Apps are due in 2 days!
Well read below!!!
Update: Applications DUE ON WED FEBRUARY 28 at MIDNIGHT EST.
Adzaa Naalani Nez (Randilynn Boucher- Giago) and Elicia Goodsoldier are recruiting Native HS and college students (18 yrs and older) who are interested in attending a 10 day Native American Cultural Preservation and Leadership program in Washington DC and New York City this summer July 2-13. All expenses paid. This year will bring great opportunities including:
Visiting Capitol Hill and meeting Representatives and Native Staffers.
Meeting Natives who live, work and study in Washington, D.C.
Receiving opportunities to meet with lobbying and advocacy groups for Native issues.
Participating in cultural arts workshops designed to promote resiliency and healing. (Led by Randilynn)
Visiting the NMAI, the MET and Museum of Natural History.
If interested please send an email to goodsoldier.elicia@gmail.com Only 12 spots available.
As long as you're enrolled in a state/federally recognized tribe and 18+ yrs high school senior or enrolled in an undergrad program.
Assistant Principal Chief candidates share qualifications, debate education, economic development and water rights See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/26/assistant-principal-chief-candidates-share-qualifications-debate-education-economic-development-and-water-rights/
Texas Osage Association-Houston is hosting Osage Candidates on March 10 See http://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/28/texas-osage-association-houston-hosting-osage-candidates-march-10/
North Texas Osage Spring Meeting on April 7 See http://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/28/north-texas-osage-spring-meeting/
"The judge's recommendation reads that PSO "failed to prove that this project meets an economic need sufficient for preapproval of this project," and the PSO's economic analysis used "unreasonable data and utilized a flawed planning process."" Good!
Wind Catcher dealt blow after judge's recommendation http://www.enidnews.com/news/state/wind-catcher-dealt-blow-after-judge-s-recommendation/article_62105715-52c7-5207-8a6f-9b87e1bd9076.html
This whole wind farm industry is a gibs scam. Taxpayer subsidized cash grabs. At least with the wild horses gibs scam they are actually nice to look at. Thanks for posting the article.
#10 to File for Osage Nation Congress is Colt Herron: https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.687458161304490.1073741826.250250828358561/1785200001530295/?type=3&theater
Chief Bragadocciosage's FB page is so full of what he's done to run us into the ground fiscally in the last four years, somebody needs to glitter-bomb the guy before his big head explodes.
Candidate for Principal Chief, Maria Whitehorn's activities: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Whitehorn.for.Chief/posts/ https://www.facebook.com/Whitehorn.for.Chief/photos/a.152341028789115.1073741828.129685967721288/152311922125359/?type=3&theater
Let's analyze one of the bills; ONCA 18-05 (Congressman Otto Hamilton): A bill to provide a $1.1 million appropriation to the Osage Nation Environmental Services LLC (ONES). "If passed, the funding would come from the Nation’s Economic Development Fund." Don't get confused on the title of the company. It was Osage Nation Energy Services, LLC., which has changed its name as a method of rebranding, I presume. ONES, LLC was initially created by Geoffrey StandingBear when he was still a member of the Osage Nation Congress in 2012. It has been given an initial contribution of $400,000 to purchase specific real property and another $350,000 for the purchase of more real property. It immediately turned around and bought a building that is predominately rented by the Osage Nation. It was then given the income on all lease revenue to use. This would be OK I guess, if this were Osage Nation Real Estate Property Acquisition LLC., BUT IT ISN'T! To date, I know of no energy service that has been provided anywhere on the planet by this LLC., however the Board has collected a yearly compensation from $16,800 for Board members to $21,000 for the Board Chairman. No money has ever been made and no dividend has ever been returned to the Osage Nation that I know of but such is the compensation to the Board members for attending one meeting a month for the last six years. After proving themselves to be so competent with regard to making a buck for the Osage Nation and the Osage people, now they want an appropriation of $1.1 million! I guess that they think that the name change will turn the trick. I remain very dubious. There is to be an Open House event for the newly named and rebranded, Osage Nation Environmental Services LLC as so touted by Ms. Wahwassuck-Jones on March 28, 2018. See https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1809788485707916&set=gm.2041570962523685&type=3&theater&ifg=1 On the notice it says: NEW NAME NEW VISION NEW OFFICE NEW ENERGY and last but not least, permit me to add: NEW MONEY
I say start them out with a quarter of a dollar and see how they do with it before we give them any more of the Osage people’s money!
Tina Allen announces her candidacy for Osage Nation Congress See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/06/tina-allen-announces-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
Current candidates running for office are located at https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.325577477492562.93036.250250828358561/1785313648185597/?type=3&theater
Here'e another glaring example of the in-fighting going on, in this case, over a number of simple questions:
On March 8, 2018 at 8:19 AM, From: Shannon Shaw
Ha.we Congresswoman Edwards,
I have been asked by the Osage News Editorial Board to respond to your email from Feb. 23, 2018.
First, I would like to respond to some of your allegations.
1) Q: This decision deprives the People of a chance to hear from our candidates for office. A: Historically, the Osage News has hosted only one debate for Principal Chief candidates. There will be other candidate forums in Osage County, meet and greets in Oklahoma, possible rallies or candidate forums in Oklahoma, plus candidate meetings/forums/rallies out of state. Plus, the Osage News Candidate Debates for the Chief candidates of Feb. 17 is archived and available for viewing on the Osage Nation website. 2) Q: I was in the News’ Offices in December 2017 when the Editor specifically said the News was going to host two debates for the Chiefs, even though there was not going to be a primary. A: Yes, I remember your visit and you were with Congresswomen Maria Whitehorn (after she had just filed her candidacy), Alice Goodfox and Speaker Angela Pratt. I also remember it was your idea to hold two candidate debates and your idea for the candidates to answer the same question, which we did do and that turned out well. I agreed with you and told you that it sounded like a good idea to hold two candidate debates and that we would probably do that. I did not give confirmation because I knew I would need to check our budget and I would have to check availability at the casino and I would have to check with my Editorial Board. 3) Q: I have spoken with the Casino Executive Staff and they confirmed they have always agreed to cover all costs of the debates at Skiatook. A: I spoke with Kim Pearson, the one person you spoke with of the Casino Executive Staff, and she said she didn’t know the details of the arrangements for the Osage News Candidate Debates to make that declaration to you and she said she did not want to be involved in this discussion. Our main contact has been Ericca Dennis, whom I have signed a contract with to PAY for the event space for the debates. However, your call to Pearson set off a chain reaction and Ms. Dennis has since informed me that the Osage News won’t have to pay for media production (which is about $4,500 a day) and that our event space will be paid for. Until your call to Pearson, we were waiting on a quote from Amy Tallchief for media production for a possible cost of over $9,000. Our sponsorship granted to us from the casino (on Feb. 13) was in the amount of $5,878.90 and that was to assist with food and media production. And since we’ve already used some of it to pay for the food from the Feb. 17 debate, we were not going to have enough money. But apparently, since your call to Pearson, everything is paid for.
4) Q: It looks bad for a tribally funded organization to commit publicly to serving the People and then back out. A: Our job is to serve the people and we consistently do that. We have never missed an issue in my 11 years of working for the Osage News. Events are canceled or moved all the time by tribally funded programs. 5) Q: Please advise if this decision is final. A: It’s final. 6) Q: In the past we have had numerous debates in various locations hosted by various people, and we can certainly fund that effort in lieu of the News if it does not want the honor. A: We began these debates in 2010 because there was a need. We didn’t have to but we recognized the Osage public deserved a chance to know the knowledge of their candidates for office. We believe we have fulfilled that obligation for eight years now. 7) Q: Can you confirm that rule was followed? A: Yes, I asked the questions used in the Osage News Debates for the chief candidates, and I am an Osage tribal member and a voting citizen of the public.
The Editorial Board discussed your letter and recommended I send you this letter. They have read this letter and approved it being sent to you. They also added that they felt your letter was “disappointing” because you are an educated professional. That it was “mean spirited,” “passive aggressive,” your questions and concerns had “punitive” consequences attached to them and that you had “clearly crossed the line of separation of powers.”
They asked me to send this response to the Osage Nation Chiefs Office and the Speaker of the Congress.
On Mar 8, 2018, at 8:46 AM, Shannon Edwards wrote:
Does anyone see a reason in all this rhetoric for the News canceling the Chief’s Debate that it committed to and advertised?
----------------------------
On Mar 8, 2018, at 10:26 AM, Tina R. Allen wrote:
Dear Congresswoman Edwards:
If you’re asking me, the answer is NO, I see no reason for all this rhetoric! In case it’s in any way confusing, let me repeat it again NO!!! For the most part, the recording that went out over the internet was fine when the Chief spoke and sketchy and patchy when Maria spoke. In view of what happened, it’s grossly unfair of the Osage News not to give her a second chance to present her issues to all of the members of the Osage Nation throughout the country and correct the recording mistakes made by the Osage News. If I see this separation of powers nonsense threatened again over legitimate questions that I want you to ask as my representative in the Congress because they are my questions to the Osage News too, I’m going to file a second ethics complaint against (the Editor) for abrogating and arrogating my right as an Osage Nation member to have legitimate questions asked and answered on my behalf by my Constitutional representative in the Osage Nation Congress! Mean? There isn’t anything mean in a single one of those questions. If she thinks handling the business of the Osage Nation membership in a straightforward and professional manner is "mean" then she is no professional herself and should be asked to resign over what I’ve read in this e-mail alone. Same thing goes for the Osage News Board and I very much like some of those people on the Board. Trying to turn these questions around on you in such a deceitful and underhanded manner using the Osage News Board, the Constitution and separation of powers to do it is just despicable!
"It looks bad for a tribally funded organization to commit publicly to serving the People and then back out."
That’s exactly right, not to mention the embarrassment of having it appear that our newspaper is run by people who don’t know what they’re doing. A professional commitment is just that and should be honored by the Editor of our paper without question. She put this flyer out there with the published dates and times! The published flyer IS CONFIRMATION! To cancel, makes her look like a rank unprofessional to everyone. The flyer has gone out all over the internet and there are people who will likely come in to the Skiatook Casino who will not get the word that this debate has been canceled, show up and be furious. Due to you, it’s paid for so what is her problem? I too am just furious about this and would like your permission to publish this e-mail correspondence. Do I have your permission to do so? Please advise.
Allegations indeed!
"That it was “mean spirited,” “passive aggressive,” your questions and concerns had “punitive” consequences attached to them and that you had “clearly crossed the line of separation of powers.” Abject POPPYCOCK!
The text in this e-mail that you have sent to me is the perfect microcosm and affirmation as to why I’m running for office and confirmation to me personally as to why it’s the right thing for me to do. Thank you, Congresswoman Edwards.
On Mar 8, 2018, at 10:35 AM, Shannon Edwards wrote:
You have my permission. My letter was a public document which was discussed in a public meeting which I was unable to attend. The only motivation is getting information to the Osage voters.
Now this is representation for the Osage Voter. Someone who will stand up to the lol abject:"PoppyCock"! Tina I am hearing accountability in your voice which is so long over due. You have my support.
That being said let me add, this was totally biased because if the truth hurts then what is the truth, because then you get into free speech and this is just f-ing crazy because you are a educated professional are you kidding me?!!!!! Poor choice for words because now you are being sized up? Tina, this insults my intelligence. Someone wants to keep you out of the cookie jar. You bet the Osage Voter has a right to hear those questions you wanted asked. Tina did you post them on this site?
More to the point, did the board just call everyone else stupid? Discrimination served on a platter will see it's just deserts. In other words what goes around comes around,
I want to clarify that these were Congresswoman Edwards' questions asked and answered. From my e-mail to her, it reads as if the questions are mine. They are not, but my questions are exactly the same and if they had received the same response as that of Congresswoman Edwards', had she asked them for me, and there is no reason to think that they wouldn't, I don't want my questions as a constituent answered in this way and then made into a political fight between the Legislative and Executive Branches of government.
Lu King is the only Osage News Editorial Board member now left. See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/15/election-policy-osage-news-staff-and-editorial-board-ensure-unbiased-coverage/ Good that two of them have recused themselves because of being related to respective Candidates but are they going to be appointing interim Editorial Board members during the Election period with only one left in active status? Also, are they still going ahead to have the remaining debates? Nothing about that was mentioned in the article. Very confusing!
Our Congressional Budget Analyst. We need him on the team. He understands first hand the problems going on fiscally with the Nation right now. Eli Potts announces his candidacy for Osage Nation Congress See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/09/eli-potts-announces-his-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
The thirteenth to file for Osage Congress is Brandy Lemon. https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.687458161304490.1073741826.250250828358561/1792854917431470/?type=3&theater
The "Final Tally" of those running for Osage Nation Elected Office not including the Candidates for Minerals Council: https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.325577477492562.93036.250250828358561/1796474273736201/?type=3&theater
All Candidate contact information is located at https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/pcb.1797329483650680/1797329323650696/?type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/pcb.1797329483650680/1797329320317363/?type=3&theater
Michael Kidder announces his candidacy for Osage Nation Congress See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/12/michael-kidder-announces-his-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
Alice Goodfox announces her candidacy for re-election to the Osage Nation Congress http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/14/alice-goodfox-announces-her-candidacy-re-election-osage-nation-congress/
Amanda Proctor announces her candidacy for Osage Nation Congress http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/14/amanda-proctor-announces-her-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
New flyer from the Osage News on the Debates coming up in April: https://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/photos/a.153834188010750.33094.134873493240153/1740348556025964/?type=3&theater
Penny Gann, Contracts and Compliance Manager, Grants and Compliance at Osage Nation asked a question of one of the Candidates in the election that referred to a law. When the Candidate asked her to provide information about which law, this was her response: "...but you seem to have all the information you need." "...You can find the law on the ON website." Yet another Osage Nation employee who can't even shift herself to answer a simple question? How many, many, many, many, many times have the members of the Osage Nation had to put up with attitudes like this from Osage Nation employees?
But this one and 500 more just like her still get their 3% merit pay bonuses and 3-5% Cost of Living raises and don't think StandingBear cares one bit how they behave on the job as long as they vote for him come election time.
For real. I thought the same thing that many of the employees want to keep their jobs so they speak out in favor of Geoff. Word on the street if you want anything from Geoff right now, just ask. JUST ASK!
Why a cost of living increase in a area that has no cost? To the point, the employees are paid way over and above grade in the area they live in for part time work.
Mary Jo Pratt announces her candidacy for Osage Nation Congress http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/19/mary-jo-pratt-announces-her-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
Thomas Trumbly announces his candidacy for Osage Nation Congress http://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/21/thomas-trumbly-announces-his-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
On the Chief's very long list of Promises Kept that I don't recall were ever made, it states that he is reorganizing the Osage, LLC., to the Chickasaw Nation model. If you've ever seen the original "Alien" film, OLLC like one of those awful creatures that has taken up residence in our Ship of State and we simply cannot rid ourselves of it. Clearly he wants more money for the thing or it wouldn't have appeared on the list.
Update on the Osage, LLC Cases in Court: It looks like two have been dismissed and as of the Hearing on Friday, March 16, 2018 at 1:30 PM, the Motion to Dismiss on the third is denied. See https://www.oscn.net/dockets/Results.aspx?db=osage&number=&lname=Leese&fname=Carol&mname=&DoBMin=&DoBMax=&partytype=&apct=&dcct=&FiledDateL=&FiledDateH=&ClosedDateL=&ClosedDateH=&iLC=&iLCType=&iYear=&iNumber=&citation=
The court obviously did not review the Operating Agreement of Osage LLC else the decision that the company is an instrumentality of the Osage Nation could not have been reached. The Operating Agreement expressly separates the entity of Osage LLC from the Osage Nation - a requirement for participation in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development Program. While the company must be indirectly controlled by members of the tribe (i.e., the majority of the board members must be of the tribe) the company must be a legally distinct entity organized for-profit.
I am always amused at the gross incompetence of legal representation in Indian country.
Of course, New Market and its officers and directors still have a chance to win the argument on appeal should there be a judgment in favor of the Osage Nation.
So are you saying that the Osage, LLC., Board was managing and running the business and that they are directly responsible for the loss of $19,000,000? What if these guys at the helm of the company are crooks who hide their misdeeds from the Board and the Osage Nation? Who do we see about that?
What you got to be kidding time to investigate with a special council. Any time we get close to exposing the corruption from with in just like the five man boatd, what is going on?
Today is the official kickoff of the Spring Regular Session of the Osage Nation government. See https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/news/5th-osage-nation-congress-hunkah-session-starts-march-26th
One bill in particular has drawn my attention. It is ONCA 18-10, An Act to authorize the Principal Chief to issue waivers of sovereign immunity under specific circumstances; and to establish an alternate effective date. (Edwards)
Reviewing the Osage Nation Constitution, ARTICLE XIX - SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY -- Section 1. Immunity of Osage Nation from Suit: As a sovereign Indian nation, the Osage Nation and all administrative offices, departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Osage Nation shall be immune from suit or process in any forum except to the extent that THE OSAGE NATION CONGRESS EXPRESSLY WAIVES ITS SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY. The Osage Nation’s sovereign immunity shall extend to officials and employees of the Osage Nation when acting within the scope of their duties and authority.
ONLY THE PEOPLE can vote to change the terms, conditions and provisions of the Osage Nation Constitution. This Legislative bill directly flies in the face of the highest law of the land associated with the Osage Nation government. What exactly is going on here?
No video yesterday at the time but audio still worked. Apparently you can now see or hear on demand the opening day of Session yesterday at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/sessions
Today's Agenda and Tracker is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/sessions
Just in case you think these politicians are getting too out of hand these days, here's the link to the new Facebook page of the Whistleblower Hotline: https://www.facebook.com/Osage-Nation-Whistle-Blower-Hotline-911154719025712/
From the Election Office: Election Office: Nearly 900 Osage voters need to update addresses http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/27/election-office-nearly-900-osage-voters-need-update-addresses/
What? Is it $15,000 or $30,000? Why do we even need $15,000 for an Inauguration? Does this seem excessive to you? Hear this at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/5con-ca-inaugsub_2018-3-27_pt-1/
Appropriations Committee meeting is a revelation! BKD forecasting Report indicates that (Tribal funding?) cost outlays at the rate we are spending will be $29,000,000 at the end of this year and $35,000,000 for the Executive Branch alone without the other two branches of government spending taken into consideration? I'm going to have to listen to this one again! It should be up on this site later on in the day at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/ See Appropriations Committee Meeting 3.27.18 Revised for the Agenda at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congressional-legislative-branch/committee-information/appropriations
Good! Get a subpoena for the report and the engagement letter and enough of this proprietary nonsense. The Osage people have a right to know what is going on with the spending of our money. Stop slapping this label on top of everything you do that you want to hide from the Osage people Chief! These two above projections are deficit spending!
Clarification: it reads as if this forecast is just spending of $29,000,000 for 2018. What I meant was that this spending is above and beyond what we have to spend in projected revenue therefore, the $29,000,000 is deficit spending or money we don't even have available at all. The same is true of the $35,000,000 figure for 2019.
OK, the recording is now available at https://osage-multimedia.s3.amazonaws.com/media/congress/audio/FY2018/2018-0327_5Con_Appropriations-Pt1.mp3
The discussion on the Capital Needs report (so named, The Strategic Financial Planning Report) begins 35 minutes into the tape. I found it to be very shocking on a number of fronts, not to mention just the shortfall (deficit) numbers for this year and the next. Sitting on a report like this from July of 2017 without the Congress being able to have access to it and the important forecasting information in it as it concerns FY2018, is unconscionable and very much looks like it was being held back and buried until after the election in June 2018 for political reasons on the part of the Executive Branch. A huge thanks is due to Congressman Supernaw for forcing this report to the surface and I expect that any new spending in Legislative Bills in this Regular Session will be severely curtailed until this report can be gone over with a fine tooth comb and the implications of it known to both the Congress and the Osage people.
Don't kid yourself, it would have come out before the next budgeting cycle in September 2018 especially when the funding for the benefits to the membership comes up in the budgets prepared by the Executive Branch.
What's the big hurry on giving the Chief more power in such a short time?
"... under specific circumstances..." (these should be "LISTED" for absolute clarification and understanding, without it, it can only bring future misinterpretations) Too, too much power!
No! The Congress approves any and all limited waivers of Sovereignty with Acts of Congress (ONCA) signed by the Chief. It's simple. It's straightforward. It's honest. It's legal and it conforms to the mandate in the language of the Constitution. No such power to waive sovereignty by the Chief alone. Too, too much power! Agreed!
hat? Consideration of ONCR 17-44, A Resolution to amend Article III, Section 7 of the Osage Nation Constitution to require Justices of the Supreme Court and the Chief Judge of the Trial Court be appointed every six (6) years by the Principal Chief and confirmed by the Osage Nation Congress. (Norris) This only takes away more power from the Osage People and gives it to the Chief and the Osage Nation Congress! NO! NO! NO!
This Norris guy is a nut! Justices are elected to be retained by the constituents all over the USA and there's more possibility for corruption with appointing Justices by the head of a particular Executive Branch than by an election of the people. Happy as hell he isn't running for Congress again!
Chief Justice Drent of the SCOTON in her section by phone justified the way the Constitution is written, in part, because trends in the law need to be paid attention to by the Court. Are we left to gather that trends are more important to her than actual court precedent where the cases and laws of other Courts in other jurisdictions are concerned because our Osage Nation Judicial Branch does not have to pay attention because we are so unique as the Osage Nation that our body of law is so special that we can start from the beginning without reference to any other body of law or Court system? WOW!
That is one long sentence!! Anyway, disregarding precedent in other jurisdictions is stupid, simply because we don't have any in our court. Drent is just making things up as she goes stumbling along - to the harm of our Osage people.
You make me feel like that moment in the film "Social Network" just after losing the race in the Henley Royal Regatta and right after hearing that Facebook has "crossed the Pond" when the Winkelvoss twins finally decide to sue Mark Zuckerberg in Federal Court. The gesture is utterly priceless. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XsebOv3llE and start at 30 seconds. Where spending is concerned, the ON Chief Justice Drent has all but made the Chief a Monarch. I'm beginning to hear strains of... "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLp_Hh6DKWc
To review the past recent comments on the Conversation webpage of the Osage Blog see https://osageblog.blogspot.com/2017/10/conversation-october-2017.html
ReplyDeleteGlad to see the Chief has hopped on this...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/01/25/imperative-entertainment-executives-tour-osage-nation-killers-flower-moon-film/
How is it exactly that the Chief calls a meeting of the Osage Nation Energy Services, LLC Board? If this Board is completely independent of the Chief's influence, they should be calling their own meetings and requesting that the Chief attend, shouldn't they?
ReplyDeletehttps://s3.amazonaws.com/osagenation-nsn.gov/files/departments/ONES/2017-0112_ONES_Agenda.pdf
WTH is this non-disclosure agreement? What aren't they disclosing and to whom? The Osage people? Some other branch, division or agency of the Osage Nation? I'd like to know what the back story is on this deal and don't give them anymore money until we know what's going on with this item on their Agenda.
Deletehttps://s3.amazonaws.com/osagenation-nsn.gov/files/departments/ONES/2017-0213_ONES_Agenda.pdf
This is what happens when you take on too much debt and the market takes a downturn;
ReplyDeletehttp://journalrecord.com/2018/01/30/chesapeake-lays-off-400/
Things are continuing to heat up with the shareholders over here --->>>
ReplyDeletehttp://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/01/osage-shareholder-matters-january-2018.html
OK...here it is! Listen to the Osage Minerals Council voting to send over some document on leasing options including compating/contracting to their attorney for review. I TOLD YOU SO!
DeleteListen in here https://osage-multimedia.s3.amazonaws.com/media/minerals/audio/FY2018/2018-0129_3OMC_Pt2.mp3
And the Chief wants to put these scaliwags in our oilfield when the State of Oklahoma wants us to use our gaming funds to pay for their overspending and budget shortfall? Get out of town Chief and anyone else who brings this state, or any other, to handle our oil and gas business when they can't even manage their own internal finances -- DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! That gaming money by law belongs to Native Americans in general and the Osages in particular.
Deletehttp://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/01/31/state-lawmakers-consider-bills-directly-affecting-indian-country/
Another mention of David Grann's book on the Osage Terror:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/NowReadThisBookClub/about/
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/how-to-write-a-true-crime-tale-according-to-bestseller-david-grann
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/the-next-pick-for-the-pbs-newshour-new-york-times-book-club-is
You see, Lisa Meyers, Lance Morgan isn't quite all he's cracked up to be:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.indianz.com/News/2018/01/31/winnebago-tribe-slams-raid-on-businesses.asp
Heal holistically with marijuana? Now this is a new one on me. As a witness to the Hippy generation and what happened with drugs that began with marijuana, this idea may be a creative one but I know it just won't work.
ReplyDeleteFirst declared candidate running for Osage Nation Congress:
https://www.facebook.com/753839631471238/videos/vb.753839631471238/754136184774916/?type=2&theater
On the lighter side...let the stars tell you or show you how to do it:
ReplyDeletehttps://video.vanityfair.com/series/secret-talent-theatre
Head to Skiatook on the 16th for the Osage County Tourism Forum:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tulsaworld.com/communities/skiatook/news/osage-county-tourism-forum-slated-for-february-at-osage-casino/article_90b6fdd1-3678-52d5-922a-7765dd2cf7c3.html
I've finally decided it's time for me to get involved and do what I can to serve the interests of all of the Osage Nation members no matter where they live throughout the country, to do what I can to restore the power and prestige of the Legislative Branch as the representative body of the Osage people with the ultimate control over how our money is spent on behalf of and on what is really needed for all the people who have an Osage Nation membership. Today I filed to run for the Osage Nation Congress:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/photos/a.153834188010750.33094.134873493240153/1698461666881320/?type=3&theater
Others running who have filed today are located at https://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/
Thank you for stepping up and taking on such a large challenge.
DeleteBut, what do you mean "restore the power" of the Legislative Branch? Seems to me that they have always had the "power" to make their own decisions, have even hired the Nation's lawyer to back them up (against our Chief). The words "restore the power" conflicts with "ultimate control."
I'm not attacking you, I have had the same endeavors you have spoken about on this blog and I wish you the best in this election.
"Questions" coincide with elections.
Good questions. What do you mean when you say they have hired the Nation's lawyer? Who are you referring to? The AG? Because the AG is not in the employ of the Legislative Branch.
DeleteFrom the very beginning when the new government started under Jim Gray as the then Chief, there was a contentious attitude on the part of the Executive Branch where the handing out of money in the Osage Nation Treasury is concerned toward the Legislative Branch. Lawsuits soon began flying from the Executive Branch toward the Osage Nation Congress if Gray didn't get exactly what he wanted and how much as if the guy had never had a rudimentary or even an elementary course in Civics as to how a co-equal Constitutional three part form of government actually works. The Chief is indeed the "Supreme" head of his branch of government and none other whether anyone would like to believe it's to the otherwise.
DeleteSince that time, a number of other challenges to the authority of the Legislative Branch in the Osage Nation's court have taken place with Standing Bear as well. During Congressional Committee meetings, despite the fact that Raymond Redcorn was in Congress, I have listened to him as Asst. Chief threaten to sue the Congress if they made any changes to the budgets of the Executive Branch.
Now, taking a look at the Osage Nation Constitution, that is the highest law of the land, it provides the Chief with a power known as "line item veto" for budgets only. By process of elimination, the only ones who can alter line items in budgets are the members of the Osage Nation Congress because we can't enter into the budgetary process as members of the Osage Nation. There is no provision as to a reason needed to make such changes to line items, only that they can be made or the Chief wouldn't have the power of line item veto in the first place. The only other option, as a result of recent Osage Nation court rulings, is to send the budgets back to the Executive Branch for revision once the Congressional Committees have chosen to do so. They don't have to appropriate every single dime available in the Osage Nation Treasury every six months despite whatever pressure by either the Judicial Branch or the Executive Branch. These two methods will go a long way towards rebuilding the power and prestige of the Legislative Branch of our new government.
The Osage Nation Congress has a choice not to appropriate funding in whole or in part if they are placed under pressure by any other branch of government. They need to exercise that choice now and into the future. If elected, I will work religiously to make that choice happen so that this out of control blind spending and excessive borrowing comes to an abrupt halt for items best left to the choices of future generations rather than just a choice to pay for crushing debt. Some members of Congress would like you to believe that we are a large to very large Tribal community. With only 20,000 to 21,000 members, we are hardly that and with the disproportionate spending on only 17% of that total number, things have to change for the betterment of all of us.
DeleteI'm talking about the power of the purse strings (to open or close) that belong to our Legislative Branch of government despite how many other branches have gained what I believe to be inappropriate and overweaning access to them in the Osage Nation government in recent years.
DeleteWe have to stop non-essential spending, and for the sake of current and future generations, the taking on of additional debt. Some decisions about what new projects we take on have to be left up to future generations who do have the right to have more choices than just to pay for crushing debt.
DeleteThen DO NOT VOTE FOR:
Delete1. ANGELA PRATT (AKA:Pelayo/Gray/Barnes)
2. Alice Goodfox (AKA: Buffalohead/Pledger)
These two women, for no reasonable or logical reason, have been picking and chosing which Osage Women to take down in our Judicial Branch and beyond.
I will not VOTE for them again! I and many other Osage Women will NOT stand for it. Osage women have fought for their education and for their position within the community for years. I will not let power hungry politicians pic and hurt my fellow Osage women just for personal reasons or gain.
I'm voting for both of them for just that reason and in fact, all three of the Supreme Court Justices out of office who have taken away the right of the people to control how the money is spent in the Legislative Branch of the Osage Nation government. I just heard from another candidate that in addition to hobbling our members of Congress in terms of making changes to line items in the budgets because they are disproportionately high in one to the detriment of another of equal importance, and the fact that due to these Supreme Court decisions, they are having to approve budgets and budget changes that send us well over the projected revenue limit that is prohibited by the Constitution, their decisions are allowing the Chief to move money between totally different Executive Branch budgets in totally different divisions! Either they are ignorant or corrupt. In any event, it's unacceptable. Send that one from California/Oregon back to where she came from and the other one back to New Mexico or Arizona or wherever it is that she comes from along with the that male SC Justice. Send him back to Arkansas where he came from as well. They all need to take a course in conservative government accounting and not this creative accounting they allow the Chief to engage in these days. Anywhere else you do things like this with government budgets, it’s malfeasance as a result of misappropriation of public funds. In any event, the Legislative Branch should be in the drivers seat on spending, in full control of the purse stings but as a result of these court decisions on what the Congress is now forced to spend when they know they shouldn’t be spending it, figuratively speaking; they've all been roped to the back of a truck and are being dragged behind at 75 miles per hour! It’s an utter disgrace. Apparently you are very misinformed because these women in the Judicial Branch are diminishing your power as a member of the Osage Nation to have the control over how we spend our money. This is an example of how legal precedent from other governments was swept right off the table even though we were promised during the time of the OGRC that our working constitution was going to be patterned after that of the U.S. Constitution so that there would be legal precedent to fall back on and we wouldn’t be reinventing the wheel with our new government:
Delete“Drent asked Gill what “historical precedents, what actions, what qualities have we inherited from all generations of our government before us and how can that inform us on how we move forward? We would much rather examine how we operated as a Nation back in the day without a federal government telling us how to run our businesses …”
This woman Judge has no idea how we operated before the Federal government had to do with our government because we were run back then by the Non-hon-zhin-ga (Little Old Men) who called the final shots on everything who more nearly resemble our legislature in the modern day because back then Chiefs didn’t possess the highest religious or secular power. Those powers belonged to the Non-hon-zhin-ga. What they said went and the Chiefs back then took their orders and got them done.
You can read both opinions here:
https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/judicial-branch/supreme-court
SCO-2015-01, STANDING BEAR V. WHITEHORN, 03-08-2016 SLIP OPINION
SCO-2016-01 STANDING BEAR V PRATT SLIP OPINION 8-11-17
You can read the synopsis of these two decisions here:
http://osagenews.org/en/article/2016/03/04/supreme-court-hears-oral-arguments-standing-bear-v-whitehorn-case/
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2017/08/14/supreme-court-issues-opinion-declaratory-judgement-case-nations-budgeting-practices/
Again, refer to the Osage Nation Constitution, ARTICLE X - CODE OF ETHICS Section 3. The Conduct of Tribal Officials (elected and appointed) and Employees. I believe this may also a violation of the second sentence of this same Section: “Tribal officials and employees shall not hinder or obstruct the proper administration of the Osage Nation government in the administration of their duties.”
DeleteIf Justice Drent is talking about the 1881 Constitution, women couldn't vote never mind become any other elected or appointed official (Judge) of the then Osage National Council. By the way, in terms of Compensation; the Chief was paid $300 that converts today to $6,520.26. The Assistant Chief was paid $200, Supreme Judges $100 and all per annum. If you think I'm kidding, you can review the actual text of the 1881 Osage Constitutional document right here:
Deletehttps://www.loc.gov/law/help/american-indian-consts/PDF/28014187.pdf
This is the inflation calculator:
http://www.in2013dollars.com/1881-dollars-in-2017?amount=300
HA!
"...governing Osage National Council, which the people had created in 1881, with a constitution that adopted some aspects of that of the United States."
DeleteNot even James Bigheart, President of the Osage National Constitutional Convention, was willing to go completely off road back in 1881 which is to his intellectual credit.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osage_Nation
I live in Osage County. What funding for Osages who live here am I missing out on? I get the health benefit card. Family has received scholarship monies for our educational endeavors. What do you know about funding to Osage County Osages that I do not know anything about and I've lived here my whole life?
ReplyDeleteSee The Osage Nation Resource Directory at http://reader.mediawiremobile.com/PublishingConcepts/issues/101087/viewer
DeleteWith all due respect if you think the language program, the roads department, the elder nutrition center, drug counseling, etc. are a waste of money for those who live here in Osage County, then I must disagree. Most of the programs receive federal funding and benefit more than just Osages. Those federal funds can not be turned into per cap money. As far as the gaming funds used to benefit some of these other programs I'm all for it. We need a language preservation program and a domestic violence shelter. I'm at an advantage because I live here and see the positive things these programs can achieve. Plus it provides employment to a county that has little or no economic development. Not everyone is making $100,00 a year, only those lucky enough to be on Chief's staff get those wages. There are Osages who work for the Nation and still qualify for public assistance such as WIC, child care, and Section 8 housing. Transferring the gaming money into a per capita payment is a nice idea, but a one time $1,000 per capita to every Tribal member equates to 20 million dollars, which is alomost half the budget. Most Osages who work for the Nation would rather have a job than an one time payment.
ReplyDeleteI will thank you for an honest answer because now those of us who live here know exactly what you think. I've tried to put myself in your shoes and try to understand why those who do not live here think those who do live here are living it up and getting wealthy. Again, most of the programs listed in that directory are income based. If you don't have much then you can qualify. Do you know 92% of the children who attend Indian Camp elementary are on a free or reduced lunch? Does that sound like we live better here? Our health is so poor if you move out of the county your life expectancy goes up 10 years.
Do I think we needed a $74 million dollar ranch? No. Is our Chief spending money with no oversight? Yes. Those things we can agree upon.
Again thank you for your honest answers. While we do not agree it is refreshing to hear exactly how you stand.
When did I say anything about a per-capita? How much is being paid out to government-only employees that is from strictly gaming tribal funds? The thing I'm hearing is that they are paid $15 million including benefits and this grows every year by about a half a million for salary increases and bonuses. They don't often answer the phone or return calls from messages left. They sound resentful often times when they do have to do something for you or at least terribly put out. Those boards and commissions have a salary of thousands a year, meet once a month and never is a profit reported from anything they do, in fact, it's usually massive losses if they do receive funding that is far more than unproven business ventures should be given in the first place. This money should be going to help those who also have needs that I guess it's easy for you to pretend don't exist if outside of Osage County. If it weren't for our total numbers, you wouldn't have but a 1/7th of what you are receiving in Federal funding and still appear to feel entitled to all of or as much as possible of the Tribal gaming and other Tribal revenue as you can get funneled your way as well. This government was sold on the fact that it was meant to be for all of us, but that soon changed when the big bucks started rolling in. Those Federal programs don't benefit anyone outside of Osage County and other Tribal members use that money obtained as a result of our total numbers who aren't even Osage!
DeleteWell said.
DeleteThe above poster is not wrong either.
Yes we provide these services but on our dime of which this person does not understand that this revenue is to be spent for profit, not to profit into their pockets all the while saddling the Osage with more debt. With no end or meaning to how why and when, basically the logistics is really important to how it is and why it is we need to spend. And I say yes we can afford a per-cap and it is way long over due. I keep saying as well where is the profit, the capital that is to be made from our gaming enterprises, are we to follow in the same direction as the U.S Government and burn through it like it's no tomorrow? And just for the few that lives in Osage County and support everyone else besides the greater majority of the Osage Tribe?
What is working in our favor and not into our Government coffers or pockets? I can assue you there are not many such as I benefit from the $500 Health card, have my own bennies and personally I would rather say what I want to do with this revenue as opposed to the Osage Government tells me how to use it. Called socialism 101. Especially its our money. Something so wrong with this picture.
To add, it is our Government and we can overturn it. Been there.
DeleteJust thought you should know -- In some instances, even when it's not a requirement for the Federal money that comes in, they use gaming and other Tribal income to match or add to the total amount of funding which is more money going to Osage County Osages alone and not being evenly or fairly divided among all of us Osage Nation members across the board.
Delete"$500 Health Card...I would rather say what I want to do with this revenue as opposed to the Osage Government tells me how to use."
DeleteWhen I worked for the government, we could donate our sick and annual accumulated leave time to other employees in dire need of time off for tragedies in their lives. Employees would donate like two to five hours, but that added up when lots of employees helped.
I'm an elder, so I receive the $1,000 a year. I'm in good health and have basic Medicare, but I don't have a need for any prescriptions so I don't need Medicare Plan D. If the Nation drops the current program I'm on, or forces me to switch to the new Plan F, what happens to the thousands I have in the account? I'm sure it goes back to the Nation. So the money was budgeted for my use?
If I could get the cash in the account, I would get my car fixed which has had the same problems for three years. I would not buy a "statue," how much cost was the last one purchased? But that sounds like a per capita and that's not going to happen.
The Chief appears to take credit for it, but I thought Shannon Edwards is the one who fought for us to get it?
"Are we to follow in the same direction as the U.S. Government and burn through it like it's no tomorrow?"
DeleteWe are there now, and evidently "tomorrow" was not in the planning. There is so much money coming in that there seems to have been no issue in making purchases in the millions of dollars. When my mother wanted something and we couldn't really afford it, she would get it and say "We'll get some more (money). During the transition of getting more (money), we did "without" on a lot of things. I think that might be the thought process of the Nation's spending, more money coming from the Feds, the casinos.
It'd be a miracle if some leader would come in and stop buying statues, buildings, mounds, land for just one year and send out per capita for ONE YEAR! Isn't that what casinos and the LLC intentions were?
The American dream is having children, having a nice home, a car that starts most of the time, some security. But priorities of the tribe are gone, now it's the Nation's priorities. Children needs new clothes each year cause they are continuing growing. How much does a child's coat cost, shoes, clothes. What's the cost if you have three children and they need to be feed three times a day?
Members, you can change things, we can do it together. Your vote counts.
And members need representation from Congress and money spent on them rather than the latest egocentric braggadosage project that the 14 Osage Nation elected officials can come up with to keep the money away from all of us who really need it. Used to be that they would appropriate roughly $5 million a year above what they would spend and then claim that they couldn't get at it after the fact. Then they dumped it into a permanent fund for direct services to the people but the people seem to always be in Osage County. We need to make these officials feel the power of our numbers by our votes who live elsewhere who have needs as great as any in the Osage. If they didn't want this government opened up to those of us who they don't consider to be real Osages then they should never have done so in the first place. They did though and there are consequences for having done so. It was only to have that constitution voted in so that the money could move around among many more people with created government jobs in a complex form of government that a small operation like the old Tribal Council would never have been able to accommodate. We've been had but if they want to keep their big Federal government funding they had better do far more than just for the very young and the old than they do today. Buying the ranch, the mound and the airpark with other properties all over the place including building centers in areas with population numbers that don't justify such a lavish outlay of money is rampant all over Osage County. It's all about them vs. us who made the whole thing possible for them in the first place and it has been that way since the meetings for the strategic plan took place in the first year of Osage Nation operations. We've been scammed so bad and it's only those elected 14 who are making these unfair decisions against the total membership population in favor of so few that they must leave or be put out of office. I'm hearing that it's so bad, you can't even imagine.
DeleteThe buck needs to stop with the congressional committee and or Appropriation committee and Congress needs to do there diligence and remember they work for the very people that put them in the spot they are in, right.
DeleteI didn't vote for this Government and look at what is going on rife with cronyism and nepotism.
"What Capital are we bringing in other than casino money"?
Now there is going to be a 15% cut in federal spending.
That being said, who represents the majority and not the few?
There is no accountability, bottom line, worse if you say no then you fear retaliation. This only happens when everyone knows everyone and this is why we are out of control with spending.
Yes we have a airpark what are the numbers, what are we making, how many of those business that are associated with the Nation that is subsidized by the Nations money?
The Ranch I am sure we are operating in the red?
I know the mound was costly is making us any money? No.
What about the park we purchased is it making money o wil it pay or itself in a 100 years?
Remember our money is to be used for profit not having to chase it down like the Osage llc.
Congress is responsible for not doing the diligenc, so why are we to believe change will happen when we get new members in our Congress? My suggestion take a long hard look at the loopholes in our Constitution find them and close them. Make our money not susceptible to corruption.
What's all this I'm hearing about the Chief wanting $35,000 for the upcoming Inauguration? When will this guy get a clue that we don't want him spending our money lavishly like this? When will he ever learn to poor-boy it for once in his life?
DeleteGeoffrey Standing Bare ain't no poor boy. Get with the program. He's gone from Peter the Great to Alexander the Great in four short years and so has our level of spending and acquisitions. One of those drones he wants flying out over the Bluestem Ranch so bad is going to nuke him accidentally on purpose if he doesn't watch out. It's called Karma, don't you know.
DeleteThere seems to be some confusion on the part of some current members of Congress as to what seats are open this election and who is an incumbent for reelection should they choose to run for office this June of 2018:
ReplyDeleteAlice Buffalohead, incumbent
Ron Shaw, seat recently vacated and open
William “Kugee” Supernaw, incumbent
James Norris, incumbent
Otto Hamilton, running for Assistant Principal Chief, seat open
Angela Pratt, incumbent
Congratulations to the new Mayor of OKC! Another Osage coming to the forefront, David Holt:
ReplyDeletehttp://m.newsok.com/david-holt-elected-36th-mayor-of-oklahoma-city/article/5583375?
Per Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, BIA Eastern Regional Director Eddie Streater has confirmed that he has received the Osage County Commissioners letter of appeal against the Nation's bid to put 75 acres of land in north Tulsa into trust.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/
http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/north-tulsa-land-dispute-sours-relationship-between-osage-tribe-and/article_39a59387-539e-5e3e-a1a0-688620cb16df.html
DeleteSix (now 7) Osage women are the first to file candidacy for Osage Congress so far
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/08/six-osage-women-are-first-file-candidacy-osage-congress-so-far/
Follow this at the Facebook page of the Osage Nation Election Office at https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/
Michael Kidder is #8 to file to run for Congress.
Delete#8 is Eli Potts.
DeleteNot to miss! The Debates for the Chief and Assistant Principal Chief this weekend at the Skiatook, Osage Casino from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m CST. All Debates will be live streamed on the internet. See https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156032071106678&set=gm.1588130414637384&type=3&theater
ReplyDeleteInfo on the North Texas Meeting on April 7, 2018 -->> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1563880453694859&set=gm.1984593631554752&type=3&theater&ifg=1
ReplyDeleteJudge does not recommend utility rate hike to subsidize western wind farm
ReplyDeletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/14/judge-does-not-recommend-utility-rate-hike-subsidize-western-wind-farm/
FYI:
ReplyDeleteThe Bigheart Times has been sold -->>
https://www.facebook.com/Bigheart-Times-130472647019594/
More on the OST back with the BIA -->>
ReplyDeletehttps://www.doi.gov/ost
https://www.doi.gov/ost/itara-consultation-2017-18
"Of that $1.83 billion slated to be cut, $453 million would come from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, more than any other agency or service under the Department of Interior." If the OST becomes part of the BIA in October of this year, what will this mean to the OST with a loss of $453 million?
DeleteSee http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/16/trump-administrations-2019-budget-proposes-steep-cuts-indian-country/
Two things I like about these documents that you can pull down from the internet which is (1) full and open disclosure on the part of the U.S. Government, Department of the Interior, that you simply can't get from the Osage Nation in the same above board manner. Clicking on the link below will take you to a departmental OST Budget Justification for FY2018 (this year) for roughly 6 million Native Americans in population. To obtain such a thing from the Osage Nation with only 21,000 members requires a FOYA (Freedom of Information Act) request from the Osage Congress or the Osage Nation Executive Branch, if you can even get the document/s from them at all!
DeleteSee this year's (2018) Federal Budget Justification of the Department of the Interior at https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/ost_fy_2018_budget_justifications_05-24-2017.pdf
See also (2) the Proposed Budget in Brief (2019) of the Department of the Interior at https://edit.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/2019_highlights_book.pdf
Full and open disclosure with regard to similar yearly budgetary documents of the Osage Nation is another thing I will work to make happen if elected as a member of the Osage Nation Congress.
Including full and open disclosure of employment compensation packages that may include signing bonuses, yearly salary and benefits, additional perquisites like Osage Nation paid golf memberships, paid National affiliations or the like, and golden parachutes.
DeleteBetter late than never -->>
ReplyDeleteSubmit your questions for the Candidates in the Debates tomorrow:
osagenews@osagenation-nsn.gov.
HIGHEST ALERT!
ReplyDeleteNow is the time to ask certain people about their signing bonus, salary amount and benefits...
Congresswoman Shannon Edwards is holding a Committee Meeting Hearing which is very unusual. It's a fact finding mission of some kind that should red flag our immediate attention!
She has called a Congressional Health Committee Hearing for February 20, 2018. The purpose of the hearing is for members to ask questions of those "in the know", so I encourage you to participate. Please message her or any Congress member your questions and concerns. The hearing will be live steamed and taped:
Shannon Edwards
sedwards@osagecongress-nsn.gov
Office: 918.287.5627
Cell: 405.850.6377
The Hearing will be held at 1:00 p.m. at the Osage Nation Capitol Building, 100 West Main in Pawhuska.
The Hearing Notice is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congressional-legislative-branch/committee-information/health-social-services
Well, of course it's been cancelled. Bad weather. We'll keep you posted.
DeleteWe warned you right here on the Osage Blog. They should have been saving instead of spending on everything they could think of in Osage County...
ReplyDeletehttp://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/16/trump-administrations-2019-budget-proposes-steep-cuts-indian-country/
See the Proposed Budget in Brief (2019) of the Department of the Interior at https://edit.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/2019_highlights_book.pdf
DeleteThe Osage News Candidate Debates for Principal Chief and Assistant Chief are set to begin in a few minutes:
ReplyDeleteSee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w56qlDGkMjY
On live now.
DeleteIn and out with streaming so try https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/multimedia/live-media
DeleteBad reception again...
DeleteAnyone else having problems too?
DeleteWhy does the feed always go down when Maria is speaking? This is strange...
DeleteChief has hired Vince Logan and Margo Gray? At what employment compensation that should be fully disclosed to the Osage people. Our money, our need to know and we need to know.
DeleteLouder please!
DeleteNo loan for the Bluestem Ranch, Chief? WTH? Apparently your gaming CEO knows that you have one because he discussed this in the Commerce Committee with the members of the Congress several weeks ago!
DeleteAssistant Chief Debate is now live.
DeleteHA! We can't see those program plans or anything else you send over to the Congress, which you don't do very much of, Chief! You are as transparent to the Osage people as brick wall! Who are you kidding?
DeleteAssistant Chief Debate is now live with opening remarks.
DeleteBoards are appointed by experts? What? The Boards are appointed by the Chief and confirmed by the Congress of which you are a member and have been for the last four years, Mr. Hamilton.
DeleteDon't have the numbers from the Osage,LLC or Tallgrass? How long will it take. It's been 9-10 years so far, Raymond.
DeleteNow we get the truth --->> Federal money coming in to the Osage Nation is $26 million! Do those who live outside the county get anywhere near that in benefits because our numbers on the outside help derive that 21,000 total membership and only 17% are able to use that Federal money.
DeleteCongratulate yourselves, Raymond? You paid three to four times what that Bluestem Ranch land was actually worth at the time it was purchased. The finest moment? Please!!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteReactions?
DeleteConfirmation right here: Chief says they have completed 90% of the 25 year strategic plan in his administration. We are only 12 years out and all of the decisions have already been made and the debt required to make them will leave little, if anything for current and future generations to do but shoulder the burden of crushing debt.
DeleteChief said, "...all that's left is 10% not completed and that's the Minerals Council the minerals estate." The Strategic Plan (of the Osage membership throughout the USA) told you, first and foremost, that we want the Minerals Estate protected and left alone by the new Constitutional government. What strategic plan are you talking about, Chief? The Jim Gray plan?
DeleteWhat a scam
DeleteMaria was very polite about it, but one important series of moments is when the Chief talked about all these "plans" and Maria stated that those plans weren't shared with the Congress because she hadn't seen any of them. This is proof of the disconnect with the Congress on the part of the Executive Branch. The ones in our government who are expected to appropriate funding are kept in the dark on the most important plans, both now and in the future, and yet the Executive Branch will not share them. This can be stopped by the Congress in tabling those spending bills or sending them back to the Executive Branch until they have all the pertinent information they need to do their job properly. If Justice punishes them for trying to do a proper job then further actions can and should be taken against Justice including Congressional Hearings of the members of the AG's Office, if necessary, or the members of the Judicial Branch who insist on stopping them from doing a proper job in the Congressional Appropriations process. Shannon Edwards is going to be using this very tool this Tuesday in the Congressional Health Committee Hearing on February 20, 2018:
DeleteHIGHEST ALERT!
Now is the time to ask certain people about their signing bonus, salary amount and benefits...
Congresswoman Shannon Edwards is holding a Committee Meeting Hearing which is very unusual. It's a fact finding mission of some kind that should red flag our immediate attention!
She has called a Congressional Health Committee Hearing for February 20, 2018. The purpose of the hearing is for members to ask questions of those "in the know", so I encourage you to participate. Please message her or any Congress member your questions and concerns. The hearing will be live steamed and taped:
Shannon Edwards
sedwards@osagecongress-nsn.gov
Office: 918.287.5627
Cell: 405.850.6377
The Hearing will be held at 1:00 p.m. at the Osage Nation Capitol Building, 100 West Main in Pawhuska.
The Hearing Notice is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congressional-legislative-branch/committee-information/health-social-services
Remember that appalling temper tantrum the Executive Branch, under the leadership of Chief StandingBear and Assistant Principal Chief Raymond Red Corn, had when the Congress wanted the program plans and budget justifications for the fiscal year budgeting for 2017?
DeleteSee Executive Branch delivers near-empty boxes to Congress in response to subpoena requests at
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2016/10/20/executive-branch-delivers-near-empty-boxes-congress-response-subpoena-requests/
This childlike foolishness was not just an insult to the members of the Osage Nation Congress, it was a hideously ugly slap in the face to every single member of the Osage Nation represented by the members of the Legislative Branch as our representatives under the Osage Nation Constitution. This kind of behavior is as unprofessional as it gets, in my opinion. From my point of view, bullying the Congress in an attempt to humiliate them in public for doing their job is unethical and clearly within the realm of abusive conduct as so written in the Constitution under Section 3. The Conduct of Tribal Officials and Employees. I believe this may also a violation of the second sentence of this same Section: “Tribal officials and employees shall not hinder or obstruct the proper administration of the Osage Nation government in the administration of their duties.”
Kind of like watching Jim Grey establish the new government bureaucracy and Geoffrey Standing Bear finish off the strategic plan in 12 as opposed to 25 years. Sorry upcoming generations, your contribution will be to pay for it.
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/GuinnessWorldRecords/videos/10155636950094032/
Facebook web page for Association of Osages in Arizona: https://www.facebook.com/groups/740205495991107/
ReplyDeleteThe Texas Osage Association Facebook web page is located at https://www.facebook.com/groups/243867175782985/
DeleteOSAGE VOICE...The Original Facebook Page is located at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433603983522987/
DeleteWah-Zha-Zhe Youth Council Facebook web page is located at https://www.facebook.com/WahZhaZheYouthCouncil/
DeleteThe Northern California Osage Facebook page is located at https://www.facebook.com/groups/46460923890/
DeleteOsages of the Pacific Northwest are located at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/PacificNorthwestOsages/info
DeleteTwo for the United Osages of Southern California:
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/UnitedOsagesofSoCal/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1464299717178210/
Osages Act Now II at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1456490964598602/
DeleteOsage Community for Responsible Citizenry at https://www.facebook.com/groups/yanman/about/
DeleteOsage for Fiscal Responsibility at https://www.facebook.com/groups/234024393278360/about/
DeleteWhat happened to the 22 millikn and Carol Lease ?
DeleteWhat happened to all the millions that was spent on the Llc's and no dividends? Are you serious?
DeleteThrowing money after money and how did this happen I smell corruption you better be lokking into some bank accounts? And fire all the boards BS.
Ask Amanda Proctor. She was and may still be the attorney of record.
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/amanda.proctor.9028
Follow what's happening at the Bluestem Ranch at https://www.facebook.com/osagenation.gov/
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the Quapaw operation. Now at least some of it begins to make sense.
The Osage Shareholders Association Meeting yesterday was well worth the time taken to attend. Susan Foreman, Chairman, gave a very important presentation on natural gas and the lack of oil and gas production in the Osage as a result of the Bureau. They have now made an app available called Zoom that allows you not only to attend the meeting and see it happening live, you can also participate no matter where you live. One participant called in from overseas. If you are an Osage shareholder and interested in the future of the Osage Mineral Estate, this is a business organization worthy of your consideration: https://www.facebook.com/groups/247282649053762/
ReplyDeleteThe Nation should look into this app as a possibility for the membership to interact directly as well. Specifically the Osage Nation Congress during Sessions and Committee Meetings could make use of this app for the membership located all over the world.
My new Facebook Campaign web page is located at https://www.facebook.com/Tina-Allen-for-Osage-Nation-Congress-1991667341099728/
ReplyDeleteGeneva Horse Chief-Hamilton For Osage Congress at https://www.facebook.com/Horse-Chief-Hamilton-For-Osage-Congress-753839631471238/
DeleteChief Geoffrey Standing Bear at https://www.facebook.com/Re-Elect-Chief-Standing-Bear-1380538545537605/
DeleteMaria Whitehorn at https://www.facebook.com/Whitehorn.for.Chief/
DeleteOtto Hamilton at https://www.facebook.com/hamiltonforassistantchief/
DeleteCEO of our Casinos:
ReplyDeleteOsage Nation: A sovereign nation serving its people first
http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/tulsabusiness/osage-nation-a-sovereign-nation-serving-its-people-first/article_4022fd9e-e8a4-5e1f-87d0-8e50d438bbd7.html
Northern California Osage Meeting information is located at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=486448975084841&set=gm.10155733587093891&type=3&theater&ifg=1
ReplyDeleteA dear friend of mine and my Mother's has passed away. Diane Simpkins left us last night. She loved the Osages and everything about them. Ever ready to talk Osage politics, she was open and generous, patient and as grand a woman as I have ever known. When something would come up of importance in the Osage, Mother would instruct me, "Call Diane!" She as much as anyone has helped me through the death of my beloved Mother with undying patience and kindly advice. She had one of the finest gifts a human being can have; she was one of the best listeners I have ever known with a wonderful hearty laugh that I have so enjoyed over the years. When my Mother was honored in September of last year, she gave me the earrings I wore so proudly to the reception at the Wah-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center. See https://www.facebook.com/osagenation/photos/a.798921046784873.1073741829.706989499311362/1723566274320341/?type=3&theater and https://www.facebook.com/osagenation/photos/a.798921046784873.1073741829.706989499311362/1723566254320343/?type=3&theater I mourn her loss and her presence here on earth. I will miss her strength, her council and her steady guiding hand. Fare well my dear friend...forever into the loving arms of God. You have taught me the meaning of friendship over the years and I so appreciate it. I will miss you greatly.
ReplyDeleteSee also https://www.facebook.com/128570947232122/photos/a.330634260359122.74110.128570947232122/1657882717634263/?type=3&theater
DeleteNorthern California Osage Meeting information:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/photos/a.153834188010750.33094.134873493240153/1715336568527163/?type=3&theater
United Osages of Southern California Gathering information:
ReplyDeleteSee https://www.facebook.com/UnitedOsagesofSoCal/photos/rpp.691845747575097/984918888267780/?type=3&theater
See the correction to the meeting date and time shown below:
DeleteUnited Osages of Southern California
2018 Spring Gathering
CANDIDATES FORUM
SATURDAY, April 21, 2018
CARLSBAD SENIOR CENTER
799 PINE AVE.
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA 92008
10:00AM - 5:00PM
UOSC E-mail - socal.osages@gmail.com
UOSC Phone # 760-802-7591- Greg Clavier
For lodging information, please visit www.visitcarlsbad.com
Event Details to Follow, March 2018
See https://www.facebook.com/UnitedOsagesofSoCal/
QUESTIONS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE OSAGE NATION: Spending is important to me as a Congressional candidate and so is fairness. Let's mix it up a little...
ReplyDeleteDo we really need to have attorneys being paid $125,000 a year plus benefits for a part time job?
Do we need to have full disclosure from the Osage Nation as to how many attorneys are actually being paid by the Osage Nation with a total compensation figure, if not a per attorney amount disclosed per year to the Osage people in the pertinent budgets?
Should the Osage people have the salaries and bonuses detailed, line item by line item, in each budget of the entire Executive Branch including the budget for the Office of the Chiefs, the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch like they used to be before the elected and appointed officials of the Osage Nation became afraid of the reaction of the Osage people if they knew?
Do we need to be paying an additional $15,000 a year for those with Doctorate Degrees? $10,000 for Master's Degrees?
Do we really need to be paying salary increases and bonuses at $350,000 a year to those who work directly for the Osage Nation government?
Do we need to have a Human Resources review of the pay scale of those salaries every few years using indexes that involve Federal government workers in areas with salary levels more in line with those who work in Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles?
Do those who work for the Osage Nation government who benefit from these salary increases and bonuses yearly who serve the Osage people actually satisfy the constituents with the professionalism that they should for the amount paid and level of compensation that they receive?
Should we be hearing from the elected officials that there isn't the money to make additional benefits available to the membership because of the current level of spending when to the average member who really studies the situation closely, it looks like they are throwing money at one another if they work directly for the Osage Nation?
For more questions see https://www.facebook.com/Tina-Allen-for-Osage-Nation-Congress-1991667341099728/
DeleteYou really aren't going for the Osage Nation employee vote are you?!! Lol.
DeleteChoices have to be made. Does the government serve us as the Osage people or does it serve itself to our loss and our detriment? If it serves only itself and those who work for it, then the whole concept of this government has been turned upside down. These choices have been made in the past by our elected officials and we all knew that one of these days, it was going to have to hit the fan. You can't keep adding a hard cost from $350,000 a year plus and not have it eventually begin to harm the membership for whom this government was meant to serve. Now we've reached the tipping point and it has to stop. I speak with those from other Tribal communities who have compensation for their government employees at a much more reasonable pay scale and they are shocked to find out what is going on with us. Starting out with ANYONE being paid by the Osage Nation government $125,000 for a part time job! These people in government are taking shameful advantage of the situation and it's about time that someone finally has the guts to call their bluff. This is wrong; we know it and they know it.
DeleteWhy am I asking all these questions? Because, according to the Osage Nation Constitution, I am supposed to be a representative in The Osage Nation Congress. Representing all the Osage people means that what I want isn't important. It's WHAT YOU WANT and how you want to be represented on the floor of the Congress. Somehow this has gotten turned upside down in the last twelve years with the Osage people's representatives voting for what the Executive Branch and the Judicial Branch wants on the floor of the Congress. We have to take back our government and begin to control how our money is spent, what we're spending it on and how much we're spending on a yearly basis. Someone has to be there to remind the others, with the same job description, what we are doing there in the first place and whose business we are there to conduct which is that of all of the Osage Nation members no matter where they live.
DeleteSo who am I voting for as Chief?
DeleteSomeone who will provide full cooperation with full and open disclosure on program plans and budget justifications to the Osage Nation Congress.
Someone who will permit and allow an open policy on anyone working for the Executive Branch to communicate directly with the members of the Osage Nation Congress without running to the Tribal Court at tremendous legal expense as has been seen in the past.
Someone who will be agreeable to changes in the budget line items if such costs there are not fully justified from the point of view of the members of the Osage Nation Congress.
Someone who will stop introducing new programs or projects that we cannot afford.
Someone who will not move money within budgets or between departmental or Branch budgets and who will stay with what has been represented to the Congress and the Osage people on the budgetary page, line item by line item. And who will come back to the Congress if budgetary line item money movement needs to be made to a single budget.
Someone who will return to publishing line item by line item the salary amount for each and every employee in the Osage Nation government in the Executive Branch.
Someone who will stop interfering in the business affairs of the Business Enterprise Boards and the Minerals Council business per the dictates of the Osage Nation Constitution.
Someone who will not request funding in Executive Branch budgets when we don’t have the money to spend.
Someone who will start saving money for future generations instead of spending it all every year on an agenda that we can’t afford now and in the foreseeable future.
Someone who will stop getting new loans for projects we don’t need at this particular point in time and stop placing current and future generations under the burden of crushing debt.
Someone who will fairly distribute Tribal funding ($30 million + or -) in the budgets to benefit more than just the 17% of Osage Nation members living in Osage County.
Someone who will not issue Executive Orders that change or alter the qualifications for member benefits that are not specifically written into Osage Nation law. As an example, like what is in evidence of those changes and alterations now in the qualifications for the Death Benefit for Osage Nation members that are not in the law.
Someone who will not continue to seek and give funding to business entities of the Osage Nation that after a year, do not generate income for the Osage Nation that is not paid back later in some way by the Osage Nation itself. As an example, buying a building and then having the Osage Nation rent it out.
Someone who will not make arrangements to employ or agree to and sign service agreements or contacts that have employment compensation packages that are exorbitant in cost to the Osage members. An example would be signing bonuses, golden parachute packages, paying an employee taking on more than one Director’s position the full salary for every one of those hats when a lesser compensation is more in line with the will of the Osage people and more mindful of their overall needs no matter where they live.
Someone who will fund and protect the benefits for all of the Osage people before that of the Osage Nation government. In other words, the Osage people FIRST, the Osage Nation government second.
Why isn't the Membership Committee Meeting of the Congress being broadcast today?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/events/membership-committee-meeting-11
DeleteAbsentee Ballot mailing for Chief and AP Chief begins today!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/07/absentee-ballot-mailing-begins-feb-26/
Having stayed in our Casinos in Ponca City and Skiatook, I spoke with a couple of the employees who are very concerned about crime in the Tulsa location and the future of our new hotel. I could really sense fear about this area and how dangerous it is with a lot of the drug crimes reported to be happening in the parking lot of our Casino there. Of course, this is a very serious matter and I support our Casino security being armed, especially since this post turned up just recently:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215892287841954&set=p.10215892287841954&type=3&theater&ifg=1
HEADS UP!
ReplyDeleteNative HS and college students (18 - 25 years old)!!! Want to attend a 10 day Native Cultural Preservation & Leadership program in Washington DC and New York City this summer July 2-13!?!? All expenses paid!?!?!?
So far only TWO ppl have applied!!! For 12 slots!!! Apps are due in 2 days!
Well read below!!!
Update: Applications DUE ON WED FEBRUARY 28 at MIDNIGHT EST.
Adzaa Naalani Nez (Randilynn Boucher- Giago) and Elicia Goodsoldier are recruiting Native HS and college students (18 yrs and older) who are interested in attending a 10 day Native American Cultural Preservation and Leadership program in Washington DC and New York City this summer July 2-13. All expenses paid. This year will bring great opportunities including:
Visiting Capitol Hill and meeting Representatives and Native Staffers.
Meeting Natives who live, work and study in Washington, D.C.
Receiving opportunities to meet with lobbying and advocacy groups for Native issues.
Participating in cultural arts workshops designed to promote resiliency and healing. (Led by Randilynn)
Visiting the NMAI, the MET and Museum of Natural History.
If interested please send an email to goodsoldier.elicia@gmail.com Only 12 spots available.
As long as you're enrolled in a state/federally recognized tribe and 18+ yrs high school senior or enrolled in an undergrad program.
Assistant Principal Chief candidates share qualifications, debate education, economic development and water rights
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/26/assistant-principal-chief-candidates-share-qualifications-debate-education-economic-development-and-water-rights/
Two upcoming meetings of the Texas Osages:
ReplyDeleteTexas Osage Association-Houston is hosting Osage Candidates on March 10
See http://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/28/texas-osage-association-houston-hosting-osage-candidates-march-10/
North Texas Osage Spring Meeting on April 7
See http://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/02/28/north-texas-osage-spring-meeting/
Once again, thank God for PBS!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/community/arts-entertainment/oeta-spring-pledge-drive-highlights-local-programming/article_90dea7a9-6c30-564b-b0e3-c1bb41d7819c.html
"The judge's recommendation reads that PSO "failed to prove that this project meets an economic need sufficient for preapproval of this project," and the PSO's economic analysis used "unreasonable data and utilized a flawed planning process.""
ReplyDeleteGood!
Wind Catcher dealt blow after judge's recommendation
http://www.enidnews.com/news/state/wind-catcher-dealt-blow-after-judge-s-recommendation/article_62105715-52c7-5207-8a6f-9b87e1bd9076.html
This whole wind farm industry is a gibs scam. Taxpayer subsidized cash grabs. At least with the wild horses gibs scam they are actually nice to look at.
DeleteThanks for posting the article.
#10 to File for Osage Nation Congress is Colt Herron: https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.687458161304490.1073741826.250250828358561/1785200001530295/?type=3&theater
ReplyDeleteChief Standing Bear upcoming election activities:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/events/196329777793035/
Chief Bragadocciosage's FB page is so full of what he's done to run us into the ground fiscally in the last four years, somebody needs to glitter-bomb the guy before his big head explodes.
DeleteCandidate for Principal Chief, Maria Whitehorn's activities:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/pg/Whitehorn.for.Chief/posts/ https://www.facebook.com/Whitehorn.for.Chief/photos/a.152341028789115.1073741828.129685967721288/152311922125359/?type=3&theater
Hun-Kah Session begins on March 26, 2018. See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/05/congress-meet-2018-hun-kah-session-starting-march-26/
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/23/bills-now-filed-consideration-during-2018-hun-kah-session/
DeleteLet's analyze one of the bills; ONCA 18-05 (Congressman Otto Hamilton): A bill to provide a $1.1 million appropriation to the Osage Nation Environmental Services LLC (ONES). "If passed, the funding would come from the Nation’s Economic Development Fund." Don't get confused on the title of the company. It was Osage Nation Energy Services, LLC., which has changed its name as a method of rebranding, I presume. ONES, LLC was initially created by Geoffrey StandingBear when he was still a member of the Osage Nation Congress in 2012. It has been given an initial contribution of $400,000 to purchase specific real property and another $350,000 for the purchase of more real property. It immediately turned around and bought a building that is predominately rented by the Osage Nation. It was then given the income on all lease revenue to use. This would be OK I guess, if this were Osage Nation Real Estate Property Acquisition LLC., BUT IT ISN'T! To date, I know of no energy service that has been provided anywhere on the planet by this LLC., however the Board has collected a yearly compensation from $16,800 for Board members to $21,000 for the Board Chairman. No money has ever been made and no dividend has ever been returned to the Osage Nation that I know of but such is the compensation to the Board members for attending one meeting a month for the last six years. After proving themselves to be so competent with regard to making a buck for the Osage Nation and the Osage people, now they want an appropriation of $1.1 million! I guess that they think that the name change will turn the trick. I remain very dubious. There is to be an Open House event for the newly named and rebranded, Osage Nation Environmental Services LLC as so touted by Ms. Wahwassuck-Jones on March 28, 2018. See https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1809788485707916&set=gm.2041570962523685&type=3&theater&ifg=1
DeleteOn the notice it says:
NEW NAME
NEW VISION
NEW OFFICE
NEW ENERGY
and last but not least, permit me to add:
NEW MONEY
I say start them out with a quarter of a dollar and see how they do with it before we give them any more of the Osage people’s money!
Cultural Classes:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/photos/a.153834188010750.33094.134873493240153/1726525814074905/?type=3&theater
Tina Allen announces her candidacy for Osage Nation Congress
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/06/tina-allen-announces-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
Current candidates running for office are located at https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.325577477492562.93036.250250828358561/1785313648185597/?type=3&theater
ReplyDeleteTo this list, add Scott BigHorse.
Add also, Congressman Kugee Supernaw at https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.687458161304490.1073741826.250250828358561/1790692280981067/?type=3&theater
DeleteI love this!
ReplyDeleteSee https://resistanceandrenewal.net/2016/02/13/being-a-voice-for-the-voiceless-in-politics-by-alison-hill/#jp-carousel-6743
Learn something!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/photos/a.153834188010750.33094.134873493240153/1727705640623589/?type=3&theater
Eli Potts Facebook page is located at https://www.facebook.com/Potts4Congress/
ReplyDeleteHere'e another glaring example of the in-fighting going on, in this case, over a number of simple questions:
ReplyDeleteOn March 8, 2018 at 8:19 AM, From: Shannon Shaw
Ha.we Congresswoman Edwards,
I have been asked by the Osage News Editorial Board to respond to your email from Feb. 23, 2018.
First, I would like to respond to some of your allegations.
1) Q: This decision deprives the People of a chance to hear from our candidates for office. A: Historically, the Osage News has hosted only one debate for Principal Chief candidates. There will be other candidate forums in Osage County, meet and greets in Oklahoma, possible rallies or candidate forums in Oklahoma, plus candidate meetings/forums/rallies out of state. Plus, the Osage News Candidate Debates for the Chief candidates of Feb. 17 is archived and available for viewing on the Osage Nation website.
2) Q: I was in the News’ Offices in December 2017 when the Editor specifically said the News was going to host two debates for the Chiefs, even though there was not going to be a primary. A: Yes, I remember your visit and you were with Congresswomen Maria Whitehorn (after she had just filed her candidacy), Alice Goodfox and Speaker Angela Pratt. I also remember it was your idea to hold two candidate debates and your idea for the candidates to answer the same question, which we did do and that turned out well. I agreed with you and told you that it sounded like a good idea to hold two candidate debates and that we would probably do that. I did not give confirmation because I knew I would need to check our budget and I would have to check availability at the casino and I would have to check with my Editorial Board.
3) Q: I have spoken with the Casino Executive Staff and they confirmed they have always agreed to cover all costs of the debates at Skiatook. A: I spoke with Kim Pearson, the one person you spoke with of the Casino Executive Staff, and she said she didn’t know the details of the arrangements for the Osage News Candidate Debates to make that declaration to you and she said she did not want to be involved in this discussion. Our main contact has been Ericca Dennis, whom I have signed a contract with to PAY for the event space for the debates. However, your call to Pearson set off a chain reaction and Ms. Dennis has since informed me that the Osage News won’t have to pay for media production (which is about $4,500 a day) and that our event space will be paid for. Until your call to Pearson, we were waiting on a quote from Amy Tallchief for media production for a possible cost of over $9,000. Our sponsorship granted to us from the casino (on Feb. 13) was in the amount of $5,878.90 and that was to assist with food and media production. And since we’ve already used some of it to pay for the food from the Feb. 17 debate, we were not going to have enough money. But apparently, since your call to Pearson, everything is paid for.
4) Q: It looks bad for a tribally funded organization to commit publicly to serving the People and then back out. A: Our job is to serve the people and we consistently do that. We have never missed an issue in my 11 years of working for the Osage News. Events are canceled or moved all the time by tribally funded programs.
Delete5) Q: Please advise if this decision is final. A: It’s final.
6) Q: In the past we have had numerous debates in various locations hosted by various people, and we can certainly fund that effort in lieu of the News if it does not want the honor. A: We began these debates in 2010 because there was a need. We didn’t have to but we recognized the Osage public deserved a chance to know the knowledge of their candidates for office. We believe we have fulfilled that obligation for eight years now.
7) Q: Can you confirm that rule was followed? A: Yes, I asked the questions used in the Osage News Debates for the chief candidates, and I am an Osage tribal member and a voting citizen of the public.
The Editorial Board discussed your letter and recommended I send you this letter. They have read this letter and approved it being sent to you. They also added that they felt your letter was “disappointing” because you are an educated professional. That it was “mean spirited,” “passive aggressive,” your questions and concerns had “punitive” consequences attached to them and that you had “clearly crossed the line of separation of powers.”
They asked me to send this response to the Osage Nation Chiefs Office and the Speaker of the Congress.
Sincerely,
Shannon Shaw Duty
Editor, Osage News
On Mar 8, 2018, at 8:46 AM, Shannon Edwards wrote:
DeleteDoes anyone see a reason in all this rhetoric for the News canceling the Chief’s Debate that it committed to and advertised?
----------------------------
On Mar 8, 2018, at 10:26 AM, Tina R. Allen wrote:
Dear Congresswoman Edwards:
If you’re asking me, the answer is NO, I see no reason for all this rhetoric! In case it’s in any way confusing, let me repeat it again NO!!! For the most part, the recording that went out over the internet was fine when the Chief spoke and sketchy and patchy when Maria spoke. In view of what happened, it’s grossly unfair of the Osage News not to give her a second chance to present her issues to all of the members of the Osage Nation throughout the country and correct the recording mistakes made by the Osage News. If I see this separation of powers nonsense threatened again over legitimate questions that I want you to ask as my representative in the Congress because they are my questions to the Osage News too, I’m going to file a second ethics complaint against (the Editor) for abrogating and arrogating my right as an Osage Nation member to have legitimate questions asked and answered on my behalf by my Constitutional representative in the Osage Nation Congress! Mean? There isn’t anything mean in a single one of those questions. If she thinks handling the business of the Osage Nation membership in a straightforward and professional manner is "mean" then she is no professional herself and should be asked to resign over what I’ve read in this e-mail alone. Same thing goes for the Osage News Board and I very much like some of those people on the Board. Trying to turn these questions around on you in such a deceitful and underhanded manner using the Osage News Board, the Constitution and separation of powers to do it is just despicable!
"It looks bad for a tribally funded organization to commit publicly to serving the People and then back out."
That’s exactly right, not to mention the embarrassment of having it appear that our newspaper is run by people who don’t know what they’re doing. A professional commitment is just that and should be honored by the Editor of our paper without question. She put this flyer out there with the published dates and times! The published flyer IS CONFIRMATION! To cancel, makes her look like a rank unprofessional to everyone. The flyer has gone out all over the internet and there are people who will likely come in to the Skiatook Casino who will not get the word that this debate has been canceled, show up and be furious. Due to you, it’s paid for so what is her problem? I too am just furious about this and would like your permission to publish this e-mail correspondence. Do I have your permission to do so? Please advise.
Allegations indeed!
"That it was “mean spirited,” “passive aggressive,” your questions and concerns had “punitive” consequences attached to them and that you had “clearly crossed the line of separation of powers.” Abject POPPYCOCK!
The text in this e-mail that you have sent to me is the perfect microcosm and affirmation as to why I’m running for office and confirmation to me personally as to why it’s the right thing for me to do. Thank you, Congresswoman Edwards.
As always,
Tina
On Mar 8, 2018, at 10:35 AM, Shannon Edwards wrote:
DeleteYou have my permission. My letter was a public document which was discussed in a public meeting which I was unable to attend. The only motivation is getting information to the Osage voters.
Now this is representation for the Osage Voter.
DeleteSomeone who will stand up to the lol abject:"PoppyCock"!
Tina I am hearing accountability in your voice which is so long over due.
You have my support.
That being said let me add, this was totally biased because if the truth hurts then what is the truth, because then you get into free speech and this is just f-ing crazy because you are a educated professional are you kidding me?!!!!!
DeletePoor choice for words because now you are being sized up?
Tina, this insults my intelligence.
Someone wants to keep you out of the cookie jar.
You bet the Osage Voter has a right to hear those questions you wanted asked. Tina did you post them on this site?
Thank you! I do my very best to honor your faith in me.
DeleteYes. I posted them. You bet I did.
DeleteMore to the point, did the board just call everyone else stupid?
DeleteDiscrimination served on a platter will see it's just deserts.
In other words what goes around comes around,
I want to clarify that these were Congresswoman Edwards' questions asked and answered. From my e-mail to her, it reads as if the questions are mine. They are not, but my questions are exactly the same and if they had received the same response as that of Congresswoman Edwards', had she asked them for me, and there is no reason to think that they wouldn't, I don't want my questions as a constituent answered in this way and then made into a political fight between the Legislative and Executive Branches of government.
DeleteOk makes sense
DeleteLu King is the only Osage News Editorial Board member now left. See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/15/election-policy-osage-news-staff-and-editorial-board-ensure-unbiased-coverage/
DeleteGood that two of them have recused themselves because of being related to respective Candidates but are they going to be appointing interim Editorial Board members during the Election period with only one left in active status? Also, are they still going ahead to have the remaining debates? Nothing about that was mentioned in the article. Very confusing!
The remaining debates are still going to take place for the Congressional Candidates and the Minerals Council.
DeleteTina, you are spot on! Don't take no POPPYCOCK of anyone! "Haters are just confused Admirers"-J Biebz
DeleteNO POPPYCOCK WHATSOEVER! LOL!
DeleteOur Congressional Budget Analyst. We need him on the team. He understands first hand the problems going on fiscally with the Nation right now.
ReplyDeleteEli Potts announces his candidacy for Osage Nation Congress
See http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/09/eli-potts-announces-his-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
Ooh La La! http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/09/coming-soon-casino-near-you-ball-and-dice-games/
ReplyDeleteThe thirteenth to file for Osage Congress is Brandy Lemon.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.687458161304490.1073741826.250250828358561/1792854917431470/?type=3&theater
Hmmm...
ReplyDeletehttp://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/09/tribal-leaders-discuss-deteriorating-relations-trumps-administration-quarterly-uinokt-meeting/
The "Final Tally" of those running for Osage Nation Elected Office not including the Candidates for Minerals Council: https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/a.325577477492562.93036.250250828358561/1796474273736201/?type=3&theater
ReplyDeleteAll Candidate contact information is located at
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/pcb.1797329483650680/1797329323650696/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/OsageElections/photos/pcb.1797329483650680/1797329320317363/?type=3&theater
Michael Kidder announces his candidacy for Osage Nation Congress
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/12/michael-kidder-announces-his-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
Alice Goodfox announces her candidacy for re-election to the Osage Nation Congress
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/14/alice-goodfox-announces-her-candidacy-re-election-osage-nation-congress/
Amanda Proctor announces her candidacy for Osage Nation Congress
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/14/amanda-proctor-announces-her-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
The Osage Nation government offices will be closed Friday March 16 to observe Osage Nation Sovereignty Day.
ReplyDeleteNew flyer from the Osage News on the Debates coming up in April:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/photos/a.153834188010750.33094.134873493240153/1740348556025964/?type=3&theater
Penny Gann, Contracts and Compliance Manager, Grants and Compliance at Osage Nation asked a question of one of the Candidates in the election that referred to a law. When the Candidate asked her to provide information about which law, this was her response: "...but you seem to have all the information you need." "...You can find the law on the ON website." Yet another Osage Nation employee who can't even shift herself to answer a simple question? How many, many, many, many, many times have the members of the Osage Nation had to put up with attitudes like this from Osage Nation employees?
ReplyDeleteAre you surprised? I'm not.
DeleteBut this one and 500 more just like her still get their 3% merit pay bonuses and 3-5% Cost of Living raises and don't think StandingBear cares one bit how they behave on the job as long as they vote for him come election time.
DeleteFor real. I thought the same thing that many of the employees want to keep their jobs so they speak out in favor of Geoff. Word on the street if you want anything from Geoff right now, just ask. JUST ASK!
DeleteOK. Pack up your office and get out of Dodge?
DeleteWhy a cost of living increase in a area that has no cost? To the point, the employees are paid way over and above grade in the area they live in for part time work.
DeleteYou mean like $125,000 for a part time job?
DeleteYep!
DeleteMary Jo Pratt announces her candidacy for Osage Nation Congress
ReplyDeletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/19/mary-jo-pratt-announces-her-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
Thomas Trumbly announces his candidacy for Osage Nation Congress
ReplyDeletehttp://osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/21/thomas-trumbly-announces-his-candidacy-osage-nation-congress/
On the Chief's very long list of Promises Kept that I don't recall were ever made, it states that he is reorganizing the Osage, LLC., to the Chickasaw Nation model. If you've ever seen the original "Alien" film, OLLC like one of those awful creatures that has taken up residence in our Ship of State and we simply cannot rid ourselves of it. Clearly he wants more money for the thing or it wouldn't have appeared on the list.
ReplyDeleteUpdate on the Osage, LLC Cases in Court:
ReplyDeleteIt looks like two have been dismissed and as of the Hearing on Friday, March 16, 2018 at 1:30 PM, the Motion to Dismiss on the third is denied. See
https://www.oscn.net/dockets/Results.aspx?db=osage&number=&lname=Leese&fname=Carol&mname=&DoBMin=&DoBMax=&partytype=&apct=&dcct=&FiledDateL=&FiledDateH=&ClosedDateL=&ClosedDateH=&iLC=&iLCType=&iYear=&iNumber=&citation=
The court obviously did not review the Operating Agreement of Osage LLC else the decision that the company is an instrumentality of the Osage Nation could not have been reached. The Operating Agreement expressly separates the entity of Osage LLC from the Osage Nation - a requirement for participation in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development Program. While the company must be indirectly controlled by members of the tribe (i.e., the majority of the board members must be of the tribe) the company must be a legally distinct entity organized for-profit.
DeleteI am always amused at the gross incompetence of legal representation in Indian country.
Of course, New Market and its officers and directors still have a chance to win the argument on appeal should there be a judgment in favor of the Osage Nation.
So are you saying that the Osage, LLC., Board was managing and running the business and that they are directly responsible for the loss of $19,000,000? What if these guys at the helm of the company are crooks who hide their misdeeds from the Board and the Osage Nation? Who do we see about that?
DeleteWhat you got to be kidding time to investigate with a special council. Any time we get close to exposing the corruption from with in just like the five man boatd, what is going on?
ReplyDeleteGood question.
DeleteToday is the official kickoff of the Spring Regular Session of the Osage Nation government. See https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/news/5th-osage-nation-congress-hunkah-session-starts-march-26th
ReplyDeleteOne bill in particular has drawn my attention. It is ONCA 18-10, An Act to authorize the Principal Chief to issue waivers of sovereign immunity under specific circumstances; and to establish an alternate effective date. (Edwards)
Reviewing the Osage Nation Constitution, ARTICLE XIX - SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY -- Section 1. Immunity of Osage Nation from Suit: As a sovereign Indian nation, the Osage Nation and all administrative offices, departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Osage Nation shall be immune from suit or process in any forum except to the extent that THE OSAGE NATION CONGRESS EXPRESSLY WAIVES ITS SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY. The Osage Nation’s sovereign immunity shall extend to officials and employees of the Osage Nation when acting within the scope of their duties and authority.
ONLY THE PEOPLE can vote to change the terms, conditions and provisions of the Osage Nation Constitution. This Legislative bill directly flies in the face of the highest law of the land associated with the Osage Nation government. What exactly is going on here?
No video yesterday at the time but audio still worked. Apparently you can now see or hear on demand the opening day of Session yesterday at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/sessions
DeleteToday's Agenda and Tracker is located at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/sessions
Just in case you think these politicians are getting too out of hand these days, here's the link to the new Facebook page of the Whistleblower Hotline: https://www.facebook.com/Osage-Nation-Whistle-Blower-Hotline-911154719025712/
DeleteFrom the Election Office:
ReplyDeleteElection Office: Nearly 900 Osage voters need to update addresses
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/03/27/election-office-nearly-900-osage-voters-need-update-addresses/
What? Is it $15,000 or $30,000? Why do we even need $15,000 for an Inauguration? Does this seem excessive to you? Hear this at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/5con-ca-inaugsub_2018-3-27_pt-1/
ReplyDelete$25,000 is what it's sounding like! I want to see a budget with line items for this event, let me tell you!
DeleteAppropriations Committee meeting is a revelation! BKD forecasting Report indicates that (Tribal funding?) cost outlays at the rate we are spending will be $29,000,000 at the end of this year and $35,000,000 for the Executive Branch alone without the other two branches of government spending taken into consideration? I'm going to have to listen to this one again! It should be up on this site later on in the day at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/ See Appropriations Committee Meeting 3.27.18 Revised for the Agenda at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congressional-legislative-branch/committee-information/appropriations
ReplyDeleteGood! Get a subpoena for the report and the engagement letter and enough of this proprietary nonsense. The Osage people have a right to know what is going on with the spending of our money. Stop slapping this label on top of everything you do that you want to hide from the Osage people Chief! These two above projections are deficit spending!
DeleteGood work in the Congress in the Appropriations Committee today! Outstanding!
DeleteClarification: it reads as if this forecast is just spending of $29,000,000 for 2018. What I meant was that this spending is above and beyond what we have to spend in projected revenue therefore, the $29,000,000 is deficit spending or money we don't even have available at all. The same is true of the $35,000,000 figure for 2019.
DeleteOK, the recording is now available at https://osage-multimedia.s3.amazonaws.com/media/congress/audio/FY2018/2018-0327_5Con_Appropriations-Pt1.mp3
DeleteThe discussion on the Capital Needs report (so named, The Strategic Financial Planning Report) begins 35 minutes into the tape. I found it to be very shocking on a number of fronts, not to mention just the shortfall (deficit) numbers for this year and the next. Sitting on a report like this from July of 2017 without the Congress being able to have access to it and the important forecasting information in it as it concerns FY2018, is unconscionable and very much looks like it was being held back and buried until after the election in June 2018 for political reasons on the part of the Executive Branch. A huge thanks is due to Congressman Supernaw for forcing this report to the surface and I expect that any new spending in Legislative Bills in this Regular Session will be severely curtailed until this report can be gone over with a fine tooth comb and the implications of it known to both the Congress and the Osage people.
Don't kid yourself, it would have come out before the next budgeting cycle in September 2018 especially when the funding for the benefits to the membership comes up in the budgets prepared by the Executive Branch.
DeleteWhat's the big hurry on giving the Chief more power in such a short time?
ReplyDelete"... under specific circumstances..." (these should be "LISTED" for absolute clarification and understanding, without it, it can only bring future misinterpretations) Too, too much power!
No! The Congress approves any and all limited waivers of Sovereignty with Acts of Congress (ONCA) signed by the Chief. It's simple. It's straightforward. It's honest. It's legal and it conforms to the mandate in the language of the Constitution. No such power to waive sovereignty by the Chief alone. Too, too much power! Agreed!
Deletehat? Consideration of ONCR 17-44, A Resolution to amend Article III, Section 7 of the Osage Nation Constitution to require Justices of the Supreme Court and the Chief Judge of the Trial Court be appointed every six (6) years by the Principal Chief and confirmed by the Osage Nation Congress. (Norris) This only takes away more power from the Osage People and gives it to the Chief and the Osage Nation Congress! NO! NO! NO!
ReplyDeleteThis Norris guy is a nut! Justices are elected to be retained by the constituents all over the USA and there's more possibility for corruption with appointing Justices by the head of a particular Executive Branch than by an election of the people. Happy as hell he isn't running for Congress again!
DeleteAre they trying to turn the Chief into a Monarch or a Nazi Chancellor in defiance of our Constitutional Democracy?
DeleteChief Justice Drent of the SCOTON in her section by phone justified the way the Constitution is written, in part, because trends in the law need to be paid attention to by the Court. Are we left to gather that trends are more important to her than actual court precedent where the cases and laws of other Courts in other jurisdictions are concerned because our Osage Nation Judicial Branch does not have to pay attention because we are so unique as the Osage Nation that our body of law is so special that we can start from the beginning without reference to any other body of law or Court system? WOW!
DeleteThat is one long sentence!! Anyway, disregarding precedent in other jurisdictions is stupid, simply because we don't have any in our court. Drent is just making things up as she goes stumbling along - to the harm of our Osage people.
Delete
DeleteYou make me feel like that moment in the film "Social Network" just after losing the race in the Henley Royal Regatta and right after hearing that Facebook has "crossed the Pond" when the Winkelvoss twins finally decide to sue Mark Zuckerberg in Federal Court. The gesture is utterly priceless. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XsebOv3llE and start at 30 seconds. Where spending is concerned, the ON Chief Justice Drent has all but made the Chief a Monarch. I'm beginning to hear strains of... "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLp_Hh6DKWc
Osage Blog Conversation continues at http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/03/conversation-march-2018.html
ReplyDelete