Continued from last comment at http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/03/conversation-march-2018.html
I KNOW how bad it is... How many times have I fallen asleep with tears in my eyes over what I have watched it become over the years and promised myself that the next day I will think of something. Now it's come down to certain illegalities that they are and have been engaging in since the beginning of the new government that I don't dare mention here because of the harm it will cause if I do. To have to come out of Colorado, 630 miles door to door to try and get something about it before it's too late should tell you something. This is the very last election cycle where something can be done about it while there's still time. And I know, and most others in the know also know, that time is running out and at the moment we face a horde of professional Indians who are looking for very high paying jobs with their sights trained right on the Mineral Estate.
I agree with everything you've said. I agree that this election cycle is most likely our last chance. That the Mineral Estate as we know and enjoy it is living on borrowed time. Here our own people are blindly (some not so blindly) doing the bidding of Federal Government in effectively end our Mineral Estate. And doing so under the guise of "sovereignty." (I would just like to see it last out my parents lives if nothing else. Don't know what they'll do.)
Let me just say this, the waste of money by our tribe is worse than you think. And I don't mean faulty programs or bad investments. I mean WASTE. Simple waste. $22 mil on LLCs, that's nothing. And I don't believe one person in government or running for anything know how bad it is. They know it's bad but the pervasiveness of it, at everything we do, at every instance, no one including the people I support in government have a clue. Honestly its almost not believable.
The sad part is no one wants to hear about it either. They just trot out those favorite phrases of the Osage, "It'll all work out." and "Everything'll be okay." They don't want to hear it and they aren't going to hear it. I guess it's much like how no one wants to hear that their child is slow. But... you've got to hear it, face it and accept it so you can get on track in which they can succeed. Otherwise they're just going to continue to fail, just like the Osage Nation.
Thank you for affirming not only what I know is going on but what else is going on in the background as well. One member of Congress said years and years ago, that behind every door in the Osage Nation government that you open is a pile of poop; badly run, mismanaged and costing way too much. The elected officials bear the responsibility for this whether they accept that responsibility or not and that's why I've been trying so hard to get them to consider a Congressional Oversight Hearing beginning with the LLCs. You even mention it and you can feel that there's no interest whatsoever and if I'm really truthful, it seems to me that staunch resistance of this kind stems from fear.
I know the Facebook phonies have been hard on you and I have to wonder what their real motivation is. You must know that all of them are Osage Nation failures trying to be relevant in some way. People are just reluctant to point out how many jobs they have lost or how much they have cost the Osage Nation. The Treasurer fiasco alone cost $500,000 to straighten out. These jerks have come from or married in to good Osage families and people just don't want to embarrass these people who are not really responsible. Keep up the good work and shine the light on the darkness within.
Thank you. I just can't let this go. It's too important to me. It's practically in my bones. I just can't let us founder. I have to do all that I can to stop it from happening and it will if we who know what's really going on don't stop these people from destroying the rest of everything we've got left to take us into the future. That will be unthinkable. If we don’t pull together there won't be anything to salvage. It's imperative. If the Feds walk and it's looking like they will and soon, we've got to be there ready to stop these people from robbing us of what's left of what's there now. We have to figure out what to do and what's necessary to lay down a real business foundation and not leave it up to them because before we know it, they will melt away into the night like the thieves they are and have been all along and it will be over for all of us. No one has to tell me that I’m not the best or the most worthy person to be doing this but I am here, front and center, and I am entirely committed to making it come out right for all of us. We have to do this. We have the talent, the intellect and the capability and we have to get it done properly. At this point in time, they haven’t left us any other choice.
I have been waging this battle for 14 years. The one thing I have learned is that reason and fact don't matter. That's counter to my entire way of thinking and I would go as far to say that's counter to the historical way of Osage thinking/philosophy. Historically we were a very pragmatic people. It appears we are colonized now and I guess we have largely taken the mindset of the dominate culture. I guess it's the nature of the Western mind that when confronted with facts that are counter to their beliefs and preconceived notions people become even more set in their ideas and ideologies. That's not Osage but that's what 14 years of fighting have taught me.
There is a Russian parable that speaks to the heart of this matter. It goes:
There once was a very shy man who developed a pimple on his ass. He ignored it in hopes that it would just go away, but after awhile it became very large and so painful he could neither sit nor walk. He goes to the doctor, the doctor operates, and he dies.
Why did he die? Because he didn't share critical information in a timely manner with those who could resolve the problem.
I have, somewhat, of a theory as to how we got where we are today. It's just a layman's theory based solely on observation so feel free to rake me over the coals for it.
Historically, our bands weren't that close. Often to the point of disliking each other. Espically way back there, and much to the chagrin and frustration of the French and Spanish colonist. The Big and Little bands would not recognize or honor agreements each made with whatever the colonist of the day was. Later during Kansas and Oklahoma reservation times nothing had changed. Much to the dismay and aggravation of the agent and the traders when we go out on hunt the Grayhorse and Hominy camps would camp together but Pawhuska would have it's own camp. Point being not getting along was OKAY. Didn't mean we hated each other, it just meant disagreement was a fact of life and nothing to worry about. Keep in mind that we always had ceremonies of unity, and not just ceremonies of marriage but grand peace and war ceremonies that couldn't take place without everyone represented. We had to have these to remind us we were still one people. That's how deep our inter-tribal division were. Our elders knew we needed reminding that we were all Osage. Again, the point being DISAGREEMENT WAS OKAY and a normal way of life.
Fast forward to our dances, which largely replace the peace ceremony and the idea of oneness is still promoted. And that was and is a good thing.
Now move forward further into the twentieth century. As our culture is devastated and the colonist ways largely embraced, our dances (a modified peace ceremony with emphasis on unity) became, for many people, the prevalent if not only aspect of our culture. By the late twentieth century for many people this was and is the only culture touchstone left. And what does that touchstone reinforce, that unity and friendly relations take president above all else.
How many times have we heard, under those arbors, "we have to be nice to one another." We have to get along. Modern Osages have taken that outside the arbor. A place that historically, I don't think, it was ever intended to be. They have taken it so far that any disagreement or difference of opinion is a cultural faux-pas. It is to many Osages all that to is left of our culture and it's all they know, pepper that with Western greed and it becomes a witches brew of disaster.
So, how do you progress when discussion and dissension are dis-allowed by the current culture?
Feel free to disagree. This is just my half a century of observation, historical knowledge and witness to change speaking. I fully accept that I may be wrong and totally expect everyone will be outraged. That's fine it's just my opinion. But I do think it's helpful to at least give some context and discuss ideas about how and why we got where we find ourselves today.
Lol it appears we are colonized what’s that mean we always had politics with in the tribe that’s a load of crock if I ever heard you know and I know if you do not understand our politics then you do not understand our Culture. Some of us are still pragmatic . There is a rhyme and reason for everything happening and there are no accidents in life A conscious choice was made with the very intent to accomplish the very same thing that is going on here
And that's yet another problem; lack of information sharing. With the Osages, knowledge is, and has always been power. Knowledge is only shared with those deemed worthy enough in with which to share it. An open government, like ours is supposed to be, is counter to that very philosophy and without it, a three part form of government fails especially if one or more parts hold more knowledge and power than the other or others. The one thing about this form of government is that it must maintain an even balance of power between all three branches or it's doomed to fail. So many times over the years the USA has gone on a "Nation Building" mission with other countries that it's taken under its wing and where the formula is tampered with and gets out of balance, the governments involved consistently fail over and over again. More often than naught, it's the Executive Branch that takes on more power in these instances and then it really becomes a modified form of a dictatorship with the only real input of the people being at election time but often those elections aren't legitimate because those in power see to it that they aren't free or fair. When the people who live in these countries have wanted something by way of governance that does not suit the agenda of the United States which is usually big business interests in that logistical area, the U.S. actually encourages aberrance to the formula to take place and then it fails as a democracy and becomes something else entirely. We've seen "strong arm", so called “democratic” forms of government take root throughout the Americas, known as Banana Republics. This was also true with Vietnam, see the Pentagon Papers and Russia during the period known as "Glasnost" where the Harvard Institute for International Development was involved. See “The Harvard Boys Do Russia” at https://www.thenation.com/article/harvard-boys-do-russia/ We have to learn from history here and can't repeat it.
Historically our bands were not that close why? We had ttwo bands if I have is correctly it was the haves and have nots. The Big Osage And Little Osage. Some of our families left for Ok, right. Those that chose not to follow made a choice not to. Fast forward here we are, in short. It’s has always been a struggle since before time as told by my elder. She was right and she warned me. To the poster above I happen to agree with you 9:58 am. But the truth is here front and center and now the calling out has begun. Because the truth is inevitable, bound to happen. We want a better leverage of fair control just not one sided. There are only several ways to go about thru legislation and we take a hard look at what is so flawed an corrupted by our own people does not fly in the face of this Osage. My pragmatism only goes so far. If it wasn’t for Tina Allen running and I am holding out for her but she’s going to need support because there are so old Beatty’s that live at home who think they know everything but they do not. And will bully. And to be more truthful, I if we cannot right the wrong we will hit replay.
A working democracy is only as good as the people who involve themselves in it and participate in a committed manner who will not allow themselves to be ignored by the elected officials of that government. That's why this form of government can be seen to be a good fit for the Osages if we can do it right as per the remarks of Anonymous, May 1, 2018 at 9:58 AM. This too IS a form of government THAT EMBRACES DISSENT because it's of the people and not all of the people can agree on everything at the same time.
It's a wonderful thing when a democracy really works because it's as living and breathing and dynamic as the human beings who form it and bring it to life. One of my favorite quotations is from the film, the English Patient, "We are the real countries, not the boundaries drawn on maps with the names of powerful men." The only form of government that secures that such a reality can ever take place is a true working democracy where all of the people and their interests are represented and served. It was more than just heartbreaking to find out from Maria Whitehorn’s remarks during the Northern California Osages’ recent meeting because she made the statement that she had to come all the way out there (1250 miles) just to find out what the Executive Branch of our government is doing! It was shocking and information sharing is of the utmost importance to the future growth and well being of our fledgling democracy. So what’s my big problem with Wilson Pipestem? He sits on the Honoring Nations Board of Governors. It’s the yearly award program associated with The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. This is a Harvard School of government program. It does not come from the Harvard School of Business. Even the Justices of our own Osage Nation Supreme Court have been affected by the platitudes about Native American business success that the Harvard Project has been putting out there, namely that businesses fail if the Native American government has any involvement with them whatsoever. In other words, total hands off. Well we did that with one of the Harvard men who write for the Harvard Project, Jonathan Taylor, sitting on the Board of the Osage, LLC and we’re now down $19,000,000 as a result. I have a tendency to take a massive loss like with a few hard feelings. I think I have a right and I think you do too.
You are so very very welcome! You can also thank my sweet Mother, Annette Moncravie Gore, because if it weren't for her visible distress at losing Kent Radcliff's wonderful OSA Discussions Blog, I would never have looked into finding something to try and replace it. She will have been gone from all of us, one year on May 17. Please remember her in your thoughts and prayers.
My favorite story about the "old ways" is that you had the ability to "vote with your moccasins." Back then, if you found yourself under the leadership of a Chief you didn't like or agree with, you could pick up and move to come under another the umbrella, so to speak, of another Chief who you more nearly agreed with or respected. There were more Chiefs than just one back then.
"So, how do you progress when discussion and dissension are dis-allowed by the current culture?" This is the best question I've seen in a long time. We need to take a look at what is really going on behind the scenes. One remarkably beautiful thing about the Osages is that they embrace their own despite whatever personal failures may have taken place and are willing to give each person multiple chances to regain their footing in the community. This is a profoundly kind approach toward living with one another and it isn't to be discounted nor should it ever take a back seat because it's a very good way to live. It becomes problematic however when forgiving is taken to mean that the same behavior can be repeated and tolerated. We are called to forgive but we are not called to excuse bad behavior nor are we called accept it over and over again it in the future because "so and so" is just being "so and so" and that's the way they are. Unconditional love doesn't mean unconditional acceptance of bad behavior. When it does then it's enabling behavior and that gets into the territory of addiction. At some point, lines have to be drawn and standards have to be set that include reminding those who have done things wrong that they are doing them again and that there will be consequences that are in place to stop what's taking place from ever happening again. If this establishment of a fabric of healthy good behavior to counter bad behavior isn't in place, it eventually shreds the whole societal fabric and leaves the group without a true moral compass and rudder which should not and must not be tolerated because it's just too destructive for everyone. Those who can’t see what is best and don't take steps to protect themselves and the whole of society from this kind of moral deterioration from within are caught in the twilight of adolescence and never grow up to accept responsibility for their actions until, in some cases, they are old men and women. Tragically, there are those walking among us who take large advantage of the situation and never achieve true adulthood at all. That’s why we must remain free to determine when what is taking place is wrong and most importantly and without the threat of societal disapproval, we must be able to speak freely about it so corrections can be made in time and things put right again.
We can choose to learn from the yesteryears and evolve because as I have said the future is today. People do not like to live in moment because the cycle has not been broken and we need to evolve.
Total Truth. A ground breaking on a new Fairfax Wellness Center day before yesterday, grand opening ribbon cutting in Hominy yesterday. Millions and more Millions. It's all about us-us-us and to hell with you-you-you if you don't live in OC. More and more the Osage youth will have to pay for in the years to come. Don't know where that snaggletoothed West woman is coming from but she's right in there along with that Sell-ina Blanco who's had how many jobs with the Nation and been fired from every one of them? Three? Four? A real teat-sucker with big time attitude because she's related to the BIG Reds on Rez campus. GAG! HURL!
Bureau of Indian Affairs nominee finally lands confirmation hearing "The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has scheduled a May 9 confirmation hearing for Sweeney" https://www.indianz.com/News/2018/05/01/bureau-of-indian-affairs-nominee-finally.asp
Re Bluestem ranch: I am just looking at this from a simple cattle woman’s point of view. It takes time to make a profit in the cattle business. If you do it right, you sell your calves, pay your expenses, reinvest, then pay yourself. BSR has huge start up cost because it is a huge ranch. It will take time (not 100 years). I understand the frustration of a previous poster’s comment,”the Blustem ranch only has the potential to ‘make a profit’ when the fair cost of the use of land is not accounted for.” I just want to pose this question, where would the money for the lease come from? The BSR would be given the money from the nation. Let’s receive $xxxx from the nation, then turn around and pay the nation the exact same $xxxx. Cutting off one end of the blanket to sew on the other end. At least for those first several years of start up, that would not make sense to me. Maybe in the future, this is something that could be reconsidered. Bluestem ranch is doing well. I personally know how hard the board works, not for serving themselves, but for serving the Osage people. I do not think BSR will fail. The only thing that could cause problems is overstepping of elected officials (Buffalo anyone?) to serve their own egos or agendas. But if it does, at least we will have cattle and land to sell. I understand the frustrations we all have with our government’s irresponsibility. This is not what we should be about, but here we are. I appreciate every posters information and point of view as it helps me keep informed. I would also appreciate any replies or conversation this comment.
"Cutting off one end of the blanket to sew on the other end." I love this analogy. Now this phrase speaks out to us from a woman with a very rare commodity in the Osage Nation government; common sense. How many times in the past has our government done this very thing with business ventures of one kind or another?
We just do not have the structure avail to us. Numbers speak volumes and some of us understand the first five years will be telling in any business. Yes this is our asset does not change the facts or the truth how underhanded this deal was. Do I have faith in this Board, I do. My interest is that asset to be successful, but how is it structured? I want to be sure how we vest it comes back to the people right? A lot of people do not understand accounting as I do. So when we take these risks is Congress informed ? What they are how it is going to work and so forth. Shares anyone? Loan?. Contributions? You know as well there is a huge gap in accountability to communication to no accountability to the people, the Osage people.
To poster at 10:10, I completely agree. The structure of bsr is ambiguous. Why Is it under the umbrella of tallgrass llc? Probably because chief has his buddies there. He can have more oversight. Chief claims that the board tells him nothing and keeps him in the dark, but all meetings are public. Chief, congress members, and members of Osage nation are welcomed to every meeting. With such a huge investment, they should all be involved. Maria Whitehorn attends the meetings, and a few congress members occasionally attend. I encourage all candidates running for an office to attend a meeting (not just bsr board meeting, but any board meeting). We the people are here to keep our government in check.
My problem with the purchase of the Bluestem Ranch has been and is today that we overpaid for the land by as much as three times what it was worth in a bid that the seller structured in order to create urgency which is the oldest real estate trick in the book. Now we're saddled with it and if we fail to make payments on the loan that is going to pay for it, our Casino revenue has been put up as collateral for the loan and not the property itself, if I have it correctly from a legitimate source. Where in the National Indian Gaming Act does it permit this kind of business agreement? It's being sold as worth it because the land is all contiguous or one big chunk of property but I would entirely prefer to own three to four times the amount of land in various locations throughout Osage County for what was paid for the Bluestem Ranch. Now here is a deal with a big ticket item where the Osage people should have been allowed to vote on it in a Special Election.
As for all of the Board meetings, since they now involve so much of our money, they should also be broadcast live like the Congressional and Mineral Council meetings and then posted for on-demand listening. Too much of importance to the future of the Osage Nation goes on in these meetings and we are on a need to know basis. We need to know what they are doing, especially with the massive losses racked up by these LLCs.
My point too. Where in the law does it say we use the Casino as collateral? Our money is to be vested for the soul business of making capital not on pet projects. Or for that matter not to be used as a revolving credit card. You can say all day long we are here for you, the Government is the people all day long but actions speak volumes. Speak to us by way of our Newspaper, News letter. We need to open those lines of communication. Here’s a example red flags went up almost immediately when Carol Leese was hired. No one did the diligence and as of yet no accountability for that 20,000,000 that is gone and yet we are applying more funding to the One’s Llc with what guarantees that money will come back to us if the doors were to shut tomorrow. We need some admissions that our Congress doesn’t know when this endless round table will end and do not or not aware of the logistics. Time to put paper and pen together and start your fingers and let them do the diligence and stop financing projects they no nothing about before the diligence is done. Someone’s hans got greased with the BSR.because this practice of pushing legislation is not unheard of in politics. 75,000,000 in reclamation fee is , I cannot say what I really want to say smh.
You and me too! I would really at times like to lay out a pleasant stream of the old rancid using every colorful word I can think of especially on the way they throw our money around and I mean shockingly large sums of it and seemingly without a care.
The ranch will fail because it is the only asset of the Tallgrass LLC. TG can not pay it's people or bills and when they default on their contracts the government will want their money back. I've heard between $1.2 to $1.8 million dollars is what TG owes. The Bluestem Ranch has assets and capital, so the ranch is left holding the bag. The Chief insisted to Congress that the ranch be made a part of Tallgrass LLC from the moment they bought it. Hhhmm. Why would you want a $74 million dollar asset put under the "guidance" of those thieves on the TG board? There was something strange about that.
Tallgrass was always his baby. Kugee was involved too as the legislative sponsor and saw it as a measure to move assets away from the doomed Osage, LLC. Kugee didn't realize that it would go the same way as OLLC, nor did the rest of us at the time. According to the legislation I've been able to find they've been given + or - $1,650,000 since about 2015 when this one was finally put up on the table.
I am beginning to think we face a double edge sword here. The Mineral Estate is and has been out of balance for quite sometime as well. Coincidence no communication form the M.C. The thing we got going for us we are in this quagmire together. Well we need to turn a upside down face to a winning frown, transform ourselves from “stupid to “smart”. When do we start learning from our mistakes. yes we have rich history but let’s use it to our benefit rather hinder us so we can move to a brighter future. Just to add a note the M.E is not dead we are still in it’s infancy. We need to grow and nothing stays the same if we do nothing you get nothing from nothing.
Tallgrass Economic Development LLC was a work of fiction from day one. It operated with the same real management of Osage LLC (the Enterprise Board) and the same assets. Both of the subsidiaries of Tallgrass remained under Osage LLC for a very long time and to this day are nothing more than assumed names for Osage Innovative Solutions, LLC and Osage Pinnacle Design Group, LLC.
If you listen to the Commerce and Economic Development Committee sessions you will learn that the entire intent of forming Tallgrass was in efforts to shield what assets remained of Osage LLC against potential liabilities. This would never have worked, as even an incompetent attorney can see through such a ruse and pierce the corporate veil and have both entities treated as one.
In any case, the plan to shield assets was further jeopardized when Osage LLC was made a subsidiary of Tallgrass. I don't know who is providing the legal advice driving these decisions but their relationships with the Osage Nation should not just be terminated, they should be disbarred.
Members of the Enterprise Board that resigned over evidence of fraud were right to do so. I had considered pointing them to this evidence much earlier but assumed my input would be taken as sour grapes. I also believed these criminal acts would become apparent to the more competent and qualified - and more recently appointed - Enterprise Board members in time.
When the Osage/Tallgrass debacle finally comes crashing down due to an inability for some of the subsidiaries to pay their bills, expect the assets of ONES and Bluestem Ranch to be attached to settle the debts. Why? Because each company is required by its Operating Agreement to operate via direction from an independent board but certain members of the Enterprise Board do not understand the concept of "arms length" operations. The Enterprise Board has always exerted direct control over the subsidiary companies, thus defeating any pretext that these are separate entities but only alter egos of the parent.
And this is why it is sooooo important to understand the structure. I have a problem with members leaving because of fraud. You right the wrong and expose it, but then I don’t know what I don’t know.
Here’s a solution, we open up another Llc to cover up the corruption that is happening in front of our faces, Osage’s sticking it to Osage’s you cannot make this up if there is no more evidence to shut this Government down, because everyone is involved area conflict of interest Interest and contrary to what this Government was supposed to be. I recalled when we were setting up the Osage Llc, I said great here we go the Ute way and open up house with as many Llc’s as we can to cover up the very same thing that is going on in Indian Country. Just another word, these are separate entities and should be considered so, yet the Nation is throwing money after money at them, mind you red flags are waving again, So if all owners are not liable and are protected from personal liability or debts and claims. That means the assets are attached and become the BSR responsibility because it is under their umbrella, This was designed to work the revenue from with in. So which LLC or should I say who has been treating these LLC like their personal affairs?
Strange. How are you a managing board and an "arms length" board at the same time? The governing documents call for a board that manages the LLCs. You can't have it both ways. Whatever this Harvard Project economic model is, it doesn't work for us because apparently, we don't know how to make it work. They need to kill these business entities. They're eating us alive. There is a time to admit failure and the time is now before everyone lands in jail including the elected officials who have continued to fund these damnable entities. At some point there won't be any excuses because they'll run out of them and that will be that.
Therein lies the quandary. The Enterprise Board is intended to be a managing board by its Operating Agreement, but each subsidiaries Operating Agreement requires it to have a separate managing board. The employees having titles of CEO, CFO, General Manager, etc. actually have very limited power and it is up to the board of each company to make the significant management decisions. The problem is that most of the people who've been hired to run these companies have never seen the Operating Agreement, much less bothered to read or understand it.
Osage LLC and Tallgrass LLC have been run as if the subsidiaries do not exist but are just divisions of a single entity. The problem with this is that the failure to maintain arms length business dealings defeats any legal protection each company's Operating Agreement may otherwise have provided. This mismanagement results in the assets of all of the entities being treated as a common pool when it comes to settling debts.
This isn't a problem caused by the Harvard Project model. The structure of the companies isn't unworkable as defined in the Operating Agreement template used. The problem is the people running the companies do not understand how to properly manage them in accordance with the Operating Agreement.
So in the end these LLCs are just banks basically but without a limit, because if you look at this from this point of view essentially they can operate as long as the arm is not cut off (money) meaning the nation because the last result would to have to go BSR for their assets. Now I do not want to say they do not know how to meet the standard of the operating agreement. I think they do and are working the operating agreement to their benefit at the expense of the people. When that happens which is not allowed, that’s where the conflict lies because there is fraud. My opinion of course.
I know for a fact that those charged with running these businesses do not, as a rule, know how to comply with the Operating Agreement. They were so ignorant of the difference between Limited Liability Companies and Corporations as to not understand that LLCs have an Operating Agreement whereas only Corporations have By-Laws and were engaged in drafting By-Laws for OLLC and Tallgrass. This effort was only taken up after they could not locate the By-Laws for these LLCs.
The failure of these companies is to be expected when people who are ignorant of how various types of businesses operate are put in charge.
Clearly, what we need to do is downsize to the level of what can be understood by the Boards involved with our businesses. I'd be happy if we had one successful business established in 12 years in Osage County on the ground besides the ranching operation. If we are putting people in who cannot understand the Harvard model and it's governing documentation for running these businesses then put something in place that can be understood and don't give the LLCs any more money until it can be understood and followed. Put in Board members who are willing to share information when things are that bad and not hold back due to "sour grapes' or whatever other excuse is put up as a good reason not to get to the bottom of these problems and fix them.
Get Eddy Red Eagle out of there too as the Chairman on ONES, LLC and even as a member of that Board or any other. If ever there was one who shouldn't be there it's him. He foolishly voted for every single appropriation that came up for Osage, LLC while he was in office as a member of Congress for the first six years of the Osage Nation government. His being at the top on that Board and not one single business venture started since 2012 should tell you a lot.
Just great! Day before yesterday, I found out that the Chief signed bill ONCR 18-14 where the Osage Nation Congress is listed as permitted to partial disclosures in a Confidentiality Agreement executed with the State of Oklahoma on March 2, 2018. This legislation is another bill that authorizes a limited waiver of Sovereignty. In this case, to the State of Oklahoma. See https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/legislation
Why would the Congress not be entitled to full disclosure where legal agreements are concerned especially when it is required to waive our sovereign immunity associated with such agreements?
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 people should vote to give away our right without the knowledge there of is completely idiotic. Tina give me word I’ll take this to a new level if need be. But this would have to be discussed behind doors. Yes if we cannot right side this Government it’s going down. I am hoping when M.Whitehorn becomes Chiek she reverses and gives the power back to the people.
It appears that someone has something to hide or there of is worried that things will be found out and the Osage are going to be mad as he ll so see the corruption that has been building for so long. This is what happens when you build a foundation on lies.
Section I. -- "...from suit or process in any forum..."
We are members "in and of" the Nation and we do have a say in how the Nation is abusing its power with incoming revenue spending. With our individual rights, we can change or correct the constitution through petitions and special elections.
Not even the President is "Above the Law," and he's about ready to realize that. The Nation with its written sovereignty phrase is not "Above the Law."
We make up the Nation, the Nation is not "Pawhuska" or Osage County. Eliminate members out of the county and see how much Federal aid comes in. There is power in numbers (i.e. voting).
And there you have it! Well said. This isn't the first time they've done this with horrible consequences of late for the Osage people but more on that later.
What do you mean the president is above the law lol he hasn’t done anything to be above the law lol, So what is the President about to realize that he has not realized already that we don’t as a people already know becwe mirror exactly what’s going on in Washington we have a lot swamp. Ignorance is bliss. We make up the Nation no, the Chief and his cronies makes up the Nation and that attitude ie, behavior needs changing we are not going to sit idle any more. Sovereignty is used like a wet sponge and you know who is going to get squeezed out the Osage and it already has happened. Don’t sell yourself cheep. Or tell lies. Oh we can do something about it, well here’s living on a hope and prayer for all of you. I am voting for Maria Whitehorn, Tina Allen has given me faith but I will not hold my breath. This is not a threat to this Nation we call our Government. I feel we are going to here some painful truth about our Government when Maria Gets settled in as Chief her priority should be accountability to the Osage people should be her priority. No pain no gain, we deserve the truth. We need a Government for the people of the people by the people. Our Government was built on a huge lie and you know and I know it. I am hoping that Tina when she gets in Congress she rips everyone a new one and kicks a ss. Did we have a say in any of the huge purchase for example the Airpark, the lake, the mound, Rhe Ranch And lord knows we have been complaining about the One’s and going on death ears open up the books give us real figures. Tangible ones that we can work with, that ain’t happening. You don’t know what you do not know right, example you spouting off about the President doesn’t have anything to do with us and hope he will see we are not a race of people but a Government to Government will be realized. And , our Sovereignty will always be in tact. Btw. I am sorry if I am brash, I wasn’t born off a turnip truck I am Osage and the wool will not be pulled over my eyes. I know my rights were abrogated. In totality let me summarize we have huge issues, a lot of waste. No accident and designed to function and this is where we are at. It’s posted, from the OSA to this site. You go to face book you get feel good stories or let’s see how many likes we can get. Let’s turn this baby around or shut her down because this is not the Government the Osage’s voted for you know it and I know it. So can we do right it’s hard to say but we shall see this coming elec
Note: I spoke with a member of Congress day before yesterday and was under the impression that the bill, ONCA 18-10 was the one that we were discussing as to the waiver of sovereign immunity and that it had been signed by the Chief. This was a complete misunderstanding. ONCA 18-10, is listed as "Withdrawn by Sponsor 4/18/2018." I apologize for the confusion and make this correction.
I'm glad about this confusion because this one bill points up one more time how secretive the Osage Nation has become even between the Branches of government. I damn well want my representatives in the Congress to know what's going on in agreements with the State of Oklahoma and everybody else that we waive our sovereignty for and I mean down to the very last word in these agreements. These elected officials in government are getting to be a cloak and dagger nightmare. What happened to the Sunshine Laws we used to have or don't they count for the Legislative Branch? More evidence of how bad it is up on the Hill and over at the Bank Building where Congress has relocated. What are these members of Congress thinking about by voting for a thing like this? Of course, the only one who voted no was Shannon Edwards. She's doing so good of late, you'd think she was running for Congress in June.
For all you Stargazers, the InSight spacecraft will soon peer deep into the interior of Mars early on May 5, 2018. See http://astronomy.com/news/2018/04/insight-spacecraft-will-soon-peer-deep-into-the-interior-of-mars
See the FY2018 Tribal Revenue Appropriated Document shown below that was originally and responsibly posted by Congresswoman Shannon Edwards earlier on today. Her further remarks are as follows:
"We are in debt! Some necessary, some optional. The known trade off when the Nation borrowed up to $175m was required belt tightening for a number of years, which I don't see happening. Projected tribal revenue for FY19 is currently about $6m less than FY18. The next Congress is going to have a real fiscal challenge."
Total Tribal spending for the government is $38,825,000. This figure does not include $25,969,000 in non-Tribal revenue that benefits those who live in Osage County. Direct assistance to each and every Osage Nation member is coming in at $17,850,000. By and large, spending for Osage County is plus or minus $64,794,000. As an Osage Nation member, does something in these numbers look unfair or upside down?
What spending should go? That spent directly on the Osage people or on the Osage Nation government? You know my answer. The Osage people FIRST. The Osage government second.
They've had a field day with our money and enough is, by God, enough. The numbers don't lie. Start sending that money where it's needed and won't be wasted. Give it to the Osage people who it belongs to in the first place.
Point of fact: Congresswoman Edwards has tried over the years to reduce the salaries of the 12 members of the Osage Nation Congress. Initially, compensation was set at $56,000 plus a benefit Credit (Additional wages) of $9,000 to equal $65,000. At one point she tried to put through legislation that would have reduced salaries to $53,000 plus a $3,000 benefit credit which went nowhere. Now the rank and file member of the ON Congress makes $65,000 plus $8,400 in a benefit credit or cash equivalent plus additional $2,100 for travel to equal $75,500 a year per member. This comes to a whopping $906,000 just for the members of Congress alone.
Kind of like what happens behind closed doors when spending on Osage Nation members who live outside of the Osage is brought up --->>> https://www.facebook.com/NTDLifeOfficial/videos/643526432825488/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDIxNjYyMTk1OToyMTMyNDQ5MDA2NzcyMjk5/?id=100000216621959 :) :) :)
With regard to the new Candidate Forum scheduled for tomorrow:
See https://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/photos/a.153834188010750.33094.134873493240153/1785194791541340/?type=3&theater&ifg=1
The additional information states that The Osage News will also live stream the event.
There are a number of concerns that I have with this event. According to the Osage News article, "...the way the law is currently written, it prohibits the Editorial Board and Editor from participating in any political campaign or “political activity,” such as a debate." See http://www.osagenews.org/.../osage-news-editorial-board.../ Taping this event on a live stream basis by the Osage News may well violate that prohibition since the editor may have to approve of such activities in order for them to take place as the person in management with authority at the Osage News. In addition, the Campaign Election Code of the Osage Nation prohibits any candidate from the use of Osage Nation resources for campaign purposes. A strict reading of the law may include participating in a debate or forum that is using Osage Nation cameras, video taping equipment and internet capability that are resources of the Osage Nation that may become a violation of the law which may place the candidates who participate in this event in a position to have their campaign/s invalidated by the Election Board. I really think that the Attorney General of the Osage Nation needs to take a closer look at both the Free Press Act and the Osage Nation Election Code including the Rules and Regulations of the Osage Nation Election Board before any such events are scheduled in the future.
Watched the Candidate Forum today and they were poorly run with that Bristow guy looking like a big bully. should have seen his looks into the camera. Weird and they put a guy like that on one of the Boards and Commissions. No League of Women Voters people there, long convoluted questions that were hard to understand for the candidates and the audience alike and the whole deal without the microphone hand held couldn't even hear half of the responses of the candidates. Some of them spoke too fast to hear, some looked like they were afraid and others just seemed like they were uncomfortable other than Eli Potts and Kugee Supernaw who both seemed cool and calm. I didn't get anything much out of it and it certainly wasn't a good venue for the candidates to shine. This is what happens when you have amateurs running the show. Boo! Boo!
Some of the problems were caused by an agenda that divided the candidates into 2 groups with group 1 to speak first the Group 2 second. Then they totally ignored the grouping and got all confused on who was in each group. The questions were not vetted beforehand and some were actually inept. Also the Osage News that had bowed out of the originally scheduled debate because they said they were discouraged by law from participating in a political debate, controlled the filming and poor sound system. The moderators had been on facebook even today to post that they were against all the incumbents. A biased debate was expected by everyone who follows these things and they got it. Osage Impaction needs to clean up their act.
Woohoo! It looks like Trumpism is contagious. One of the organizers of todays debate is on Facebook putting out the story that the debate is the largest ever."History has just been made! We had 12 congressional candidates in attendance. 72 Osage nation constitutions were in attendance. This is the largest candidate forum ever held!" What a crock! Remember when we had over 30 candidates and the Osage News had a large crowd at the Cultural Center. Then to compound the error, when a constituent questions the quoted statement, she is met with a rude denial. ( I have my own facts- I make them up myself.)
That sounds about right. Most of them looked like they were afraid that they would be sucker punched. All in all it was a poor and unprofessional showing of substandard questions and the whole organization of the event. One in particular looked like she was walking up to face a firing squad. It was too bad because if the League of Women's Voters had been there, it would have been a different event altogether.
I couldn't even hear the candidates! What kind of a deal was that? We have some really good candidates that did beautifully out in California and Texas but this was just weird. How does anyone develop a topic or answer a question adequately in only one minute? It was shallow and mindlessly planned from a group that didn't know what they were doing.
One thing about Tina Allen. She's been there as one of the most interested and involved members of the Osage Nation there is and she has been so over the last 12 years. She's not a come-lately like some would suggest but has been around from before this government was even formed. She keeps up with everything of an important political nature going on and more and reports it here to this Osage Blog that she has created in service to the Osage people. She probably knows almost as much about the legislative side of the Osage Nation and their activities as any incumbent candidate running for Congressional office today. She cares, she's there for all of us on a daily basis and she can prove it. Remember that when you fill out your absentee ballot or vote in Pawhuska in June.
Why didn't she attend the Congressional debate/forum? I was very interested in supporting Blogger Tina, in fact I went to the gathering just to meet her and ask some questions. If she can't attend that event to meet people I'm not sure how effective she would be as a Congressperson. Sorry you lost my family's vote yesterday.
Lol she has been more right than wrong about our Government and has been a voice you know it and I know it. I get you are disappointed. She is an oak. I’ll stand by her, I know she has to travel and we don’t know what we don’t know.
All right! Thank you for your support and I'm sad to know that I've lost votes as a result of not attending the Forum yesterday. I came back to Pawhuska on April 13 for the Candidate Orientation and stayed the entire weekend in Skiatook waiting for the debates to be rescheduled that never were by this new group. On my way back to Colorado, I fell in the airport bathroom and injured my spine. In order not to reinjure my back with the carrying of luggage and so forth and to make sure that I am recovered enough to be there in Pawhuska on election day, I have had to decline the invitation to come back in for the event. Due to some of the Election Board rules and regulations about using Osage Nation resources as a candidate and in order to not violate them, I also have had some important concerns about attending the forum yesterday.
Sorry about your accident. Hope you will fully recover, and soon enough so you can be at your booth. You have my vote, your participation on this blog and your bluntness shows more about you than me just reading about you on a post card. Good Luck.
Thank you. I will so appreciate your vote in the upcoming election. I'm a truth teller, it's true but often times when the elephant is in the room, there is no other way to deal with the situation/s. We have seen so much corruption in the irresponsible loss of $20,000,000 of our money and so much more corruption that can't be written here, selfishness where those who are in control of our money and who are paid lavishly by the Osage Nation government so foolishly spend it and yet want to make us feel unworthy in wanting all of us who live outside of Osage County to have so little of it when they refuse to read the Preamble of the Constitution that they have pledged to uphold, "Having resolved to live in harmony, we now come together so that we may once more unite as a Nation and as a People, calling upon the fundamental values that we hold sacred: Justice, Fairness, Compassion, Respect for and Protection of Child, Elder, All Fellow Beings, and Self." I care about this government, about our Culture, our education, and our traditions or I wouldn't be running for office. The Osage Nation government MUST be there to support all three now and in the future and must not continue to be run into the ground with overwhelming debt, bad business diversification and investment plans with implementation involving recklessness and unacceptable risk. It must not continue the current pattern of government bureaucratic growth which is already twice to three times the size needed to service the Osage people at a cost that is scandalous and fiscally harmful to the entire government entity with payments for bonuses and increases in salaries guaranteed by law coming in yearly between $250,000 to $350,000 a year! Those who would criticize us who live on the outside when they are running an operation like this behind the guise of a government have nothing whatsoever to say to any of us who justifiably and rightfully criticize them. Someone has to be there in the Congress to take back what we were promised that is written in plain English in the Osage Nation Constitution. Being a constituent seeking representation just isn't enough because they simply refuse to listen to what you say to them and to what you want them to do or not do.
NOTE: My campaign video will not be seen on the Facebook page of the Osage News. The Editorial Board reviewed my request today at the Board meeting. The Editor sent this response to me via e-mail:
Good afternoon,
The Osage News Editorial Board has denied your request to publish your candidate video on the Osage News Facebook page. It was discussed at our meeting today that it would be best to follow the guidelines of the Osage Nation Election Office when it comes to allowing candidate postings on Social Media during election season. The Editorial Board feels that by allowing candidates to post their videos to the Osage News Facebook page would be tantamount to a free advertisement, and we cannot appear to be partial to any candidate. If we allow a candidate to record his/her own video and then we post it for them, then we will have to allow everyone else to post their own productions. We cannot allow your video to be posted to our Facebook page, and I have deleted it.
As a side note, I do not mind recording your video prior to Election Day. If you know when you will be in Pawhuska, we can work on scheduling a time to record your video.
I have attached the Election Office’s policy and procedure on Social Media and highlighted what we will be amending our policy to include.
Sincerely,
Shannon Shaw Duty Editor xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Does this seem a bit biased against those who run for Osage Nation elected office who live out of State?
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE -- DUE TODAY: This is my letter to Dr. B J Howerton, MBA on the "CATEX" situation:
Dr. B J Howerton, MBA
I am an Osage Mineral Estate Headright Owner writing to express my support to amend its categorical exclusions (CATEXs) under the National Environmental Policy Act where the Osage Mineral Estate is concerned.
Four years ago our Osage Mineral Estate was booming with oil and gas income higher than it has ever been in history and wells were being approved in the hundreds by the Osage Agency Superintendent. The estate was as healthy and prosperous. Soon the Bureau began a plan to layer one series of regulations on the Osage Mineral Estate after another. Not long after, litigation ensued and environmental rules and regulations were adopted that I still don’t quite understand if they are valid or invalid. The result has been devastating. Leases are being approved at 5 or less a month. Many of our oil and gas producers have not left but have fled the Osage as a result of the business environment being so unstable and we are in a downward spiral in a manner that is totally unacceptable on the part of the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs that has a legal Trust obligation, responsibility and duty of loyalty putting us first above all that is owed to the Osage Nation, the Osage Mineral Estate, and in particular to the Headright owners who are the beneficiaries of the Osage Mineral Estate Trust. This obligation includes the support and development of the Osage Mineral Estate not its decimation and destruction.
I am but one person who is asking for your consideration in this matter. Like many, I am of retirement age and depend on the income that I receive from the quarterly Headright payment checks. Many others with families will also be affected as well. We are the ones on the ground who are losing this battle with the layers upon layers of unnecessary and overweening regulations that are killing our Mineral Estate and therefore our source of financial support.
Please include the Agency’s responsibilities as set out in 25 CFR 226 as a Categorical Exclusion as per the proposal made by the Osage Nation Minerals Council.
Thank you,
Tina R. Allen, Osage Headright Shareholder
(Sent via e-mail to bj.howerton@bia.gov and MUST BE RECEIVED TODAY, MAY 7, 2018!)
You still have time to send by letter and have it be postmarked today!
Dr. B J Howerton, MBA Branch Chief -- Environmental and Cultural Resource Management C/O Department of the Interior 12220 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192
"Many of our oil and gas producers have not left but have fled the Osage..." (I'm sure I get the jesture but how will the Dr. interpret it?) Thank you for your efforts as a caring Osage.
Apparently, from the e-mail correspondence I have been receiving of late, there has been a change on the ground as to how many Osage Nation members are included in the application of Federal Grants that we have received. At this point in time, it's being disclosed that "all the current grants are based on the Indian populations within the areas served by the grant program." There apparently has been a change from the time when the entire population of the Osage Tribe/Nation used to be put forward on grant applications to the Federal government.
The Nation wants the benefit of claiming a large population but only those in Osage county see any services. Even then only a few select families reap any special services. It all depends on one's family name and relations.
The Nation wants to use non-shareholders to out vote shareholders on mineral matters tha same way they created the ONG. The Feds will eventually cut off all funding and services to all tribes. This has been the plan for the last twenty years.
The only people unaffected will be the Osage government employees and politicians. They are going to ensure that they will survive any cut backs and empower themselves with more casino money. All other Osages will be left with nothing but the word "Osage" attached to their name and thus being Osage is meaningless.
I have been tapped on the shoulder, so to say, by a member of Congress who insists that this is the truth though I have been told over the years as if it's gospel, from equally credible sources, that all members of the Osage Nation have been included for grants and Federal funding. I am working on getting information about a number of the grants and will research this when I come back into Pawhuska in June. Surely the grant for the Language App would have included all of us as a total population but until I see the applications for all of the grants and other Federal funding we have in place, I am taking the prudent path of noting that this new information has come in to me and until I have it in writing, I will leave it as so noted. I believe in trust with verification so I want to leave it this way and move forward until I have more hard information and the paperwork sitting in front of me.
To the poster above I had similar thoughts when I looked at the videos. A lot of the people running now have never held an elected position but have worked sometimes for years in the Osage Nation. That is they have been employed for years and have done nothing noteworthy in those years. Why would anyone think that would change? One is pushing another budget procedure. This would be the 4th in recent years. The fireman is ready to stick anyone over 40 in a nursing home and he want to serve a nation with traditional values of respect for all and especially our elders. What is this nation coming to?
Change comes slow for the Osage, because we have those who want to keep the status quo, keep the money rolling at any cost, sound familiar, tax and spend. It is so easy to do when there is no check and balances. We all predicted this Government of greed based on lies in the first place, is so corrupt. In terms, not a nice one, but they are playing house with our money. With no boundries. My point, I am hoping a few newly elected candidates gets into Congress and tears a new a-- hole into our very flawed Constitution that has enabled this behavior to continue. What is really bad is its Osages sticking it to Osages. The Haves and Have nots. I hate to say but it looks like we are a wel-fare state. We fit the profile. Listen the money from the Casino's was to go to the Osage. Yes we want our communities to be well supported, but that comes by way of the private sector. We're not even close. This was expected,instead we got something entirely different. So I am hoping change comes. Remember, everyday is a chance to do something about yesterday and if we cannot conquer our problems within the next few months after our elections in June, all I have to say is good luck to the new candidates because a storm is brewing and has for some time like twelve years and I hold a piece that can undo this government, we've done it before and we can do it again.
Remember to vote those judges out of office. Those goofs ruled the Chief's office doesn't have to present a budget for his office. So the child welfare office has lost employees because the executive branch needs more money. This is happening to all departments. People lose jobs when Chief Melon Head needs more money for his whims. $27,000 per student for the Immersion school? The certified teachers can't speak Osage except at a baby level, and the good speakers aren't certified teachers. That school has no certification with the State. What happens when these kids go back to public school? They can't prove they've received any kind of education. Stop the madness. Vote those judges out along with GSB.
How dare those people? When we're out here with children and we get no help at all. Melon Head? I've got another name for it. Get everyone of those judges out top to bottom and that includes both of those corrupt Chiefs.
Something seriously needs to be done, we lost our reservation status thanks to Jim Gray. Did not bells start ringing also when he had us all sign a new membership card? Is this what we wanted? No!!! There are a lot of Osage’s who do not live with-in and that we do pay attention to what is happening as well back home. Does not make us less Osage or that we do not have Great Pride in those who live with-in our communities in Osage Country. We are all comprised of our culture thanks to our ancestors, our fore fathers. We all know our clans and we understand and appreciate what we have. I for one not be where I am at had we not left the Reservation and join the Military, because really there was no work to be had back in the day. We had a family to feed. So, I know the inside and out of the politics with in our Nation and the root of the problem. Is it not bad enough that you and not all but it only takes one to spoil it for the rest because when nothing is done to root out the problem the one becomes complicit. I can tell you this, the wool has not been pulled over my eyes. In fact, my eyes have been wide open since the beginning of this Government. Our Government needs to atone, just a matter of how and when. I can say this with absolute truth “ Even the best lies are mixed with truth”. You know the same complaint that we are discussing is the very same thing they wer saying about the Mineral Council before we became a Government? Do you see the “Hypocrisy”? I am afar but very close, smh. So I am asking you what is it the Osage should do, I am not one to hang onto the teet of the Government sorta speak. I believe you build your way. But, when I see a principal and people so decided, then the principal is corrupt. You have to acknowledge the problem before it can be resolved or that one exists and the facts of the “matter”, Lol, like that word does it sound soooo familiar btw, speaks for themselves. We are in dramatic times with regards to our politics and culture, no doubt. So I ask what can our Government the Osage Nation can do. What you do not understand is because you don’t know what you don’t know, so how is it you don’t know, it is because of the status quo, which must change. The Judges had no choice to rule any other way because where lies in the answer is to change our Constitution “The Principal “. When we do that, bring back our core principles Less should we forget our culture because truth matters. Integrity goes a long way and I am a long way and there is a lot less of it. Politics getting in the way of who we are as a people.
Campsites on Campus on election day, June 4: http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/05/22/election-candidates-pick-their-campsites-election-day-pawhuska/
This is of LARGE interest where a Compact with the State of Oklahoma to get involved in Sports Betting is concerned. See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/supreme-court-rules-federal-ban-on-sports-gambling-is-unconstitutional_us_5af9987ae4b0e57cd9fbd5c0
See http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/casinos_tourism/here-s-where-u-s-states-stand-on-sports-betting/article_ded1316c-1227-506c-aee6-7270f245408c.html
This, coupled with the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem in Israel, indicates it's well worth watching seriously: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/10/risk-of-war-in-the-middle-east-grows-after-us-exit-from-nuclear-deal.html
Do any of you realize what is going on with Osage LlLC and TED. OMG. Like we said doing the same thing over and over agin is the meaning of insanity. All a sham and scheme. Osage’s sticking it to the Osage now that we are going to get some tough cookies in Congress to obvious. Ha ha ha. Read at Osagenews.com for yourselves. This is too obvious. Just wait till common sense hits the wall when we get new candidates in the M.C.
Unable to produce financial reports in regards to an audit request is this for real, oh this is doable right , prove it , this is BS.Standing Bear said he was no going to sign off on any more financial laugh out loud they are busted. Yep you are right Congress is about to change alright and you just might be right about closing this Government down. They have squandered for self gain and Congrees is a vote of no confidence. This is definitely what the Osage did not sign up for.
Jim Parris isn't just dishonest; his statements indicate that he is grossly incompetent as an accountant and manager. The government customer at Tinker AFB may be pleased with the completion of contracts, but that customer doesn't care that the company has underbid the work and is going bankrupt in performing the contracts.
Parris' claims that the government customer is pleased with contract performance is belied by the contracting officer from Tinker AFB contacting AG Holli Wells on May 10 “discussing ‘a number of ongoing issues with multiple delivery orders for different projects on Tinker AFB.’ He states, ‘Osage-Tallgrass needs to understand the severity of the current situations.’” If Tallgrass Construction LLC (actually Osage Pinnacle Design Group LLC) was performing well on the contracts as Parris claims then the contracting officer would not be reaching out to the ON in efforts to resolve on-going problems.
Why do these problems now exist? Any fool can win work when he grossly underbids it. This approach only works so long as someone else is willing to foot the bill (in this case the ON). Work began to be underbid once Pinnacle Design Group LLC was no longer involved with Tallgrass in committing fraud against the government. At least when Tallgrass was illegally fronting work bid by PDG and PDG was performing the work in whole the contracts were being successfully performed and not losing money (other than the failure of OLLC/Tallgrass to account for G&A costs).
Parris continues to try to blame unidentified "past management" when he has been chairman of the Enterprise Board when all of the failing contracts were developed. The Enterprise Board is THE MANAGER under the Operating Agreement and the members are ultimately responsible for the failure to oversee the lower-tier management.
Ultimately, the Tallgrass companies wouldn't be losing money if they had even one person on staff who understood cost accounting at the level needed for compliance with government regulations and the Defense Contract Audit Agency guidelines. OLLC acquired this capability with the purchase of Echota Technologies Corporation and then turned around and eliminated it in favor of cronyism with Sharon Bertram of Compass Consulting.
THUMBS UP! I have had enough. Get rid of all of it and be done with it dammit! How many more times do we have to read about millions more down the drain with boat loads of promises that all will be well if we just wait this much longer and pay this much more money? Get us out of this miserable business of establishing businesses with this diversification plan when we have no clue how to go about it with Board members who either lie about the reality on the ground or don't even have the ability to assess it. We have the right to hold the Osage Nation government accountable even if the men and women running don't think we do. We do and if they don't show some sense in the next few weeks, they'll probably all go to prison. People are watching this thing, and I mean closely.
BTW, with regard to the threat of the government and other harmed parties attaching the assets of Bluestem Ranch, I warned of this likelihood before Bluestem was made a subsidiary of Tallgrass. This decision was nothing other than pure foolishness and demonstrates a lack of understanding regarding how to structure and operate businesses in order to protect their assets should one entity fail.
Another major failing of Jim Parris as Chairman of the Enterprise Board has been his lack of understanding of maintaining "arms length" operation of the businesses. By exerting direct control of the subsidiaries the sham of claiming separate identities is exposed and it is easy for creditors to pierce the corporate veil and attach the assets of every other entity.
The train wreck of OLLC/Tallgrass will eventually come to an end and the dust will settle. However, before the ON gets involved in any more business ventures they need to identify and hire management having a proven background with cost accounting for government contracting.
Dammit is right! I don't want to read about snippets of what's been going on piecemeal on blogs and facebook websites! I by God want all these people hauled before the Osage Nation Congress in a formal Oversight Committee Hearing with testimony given in a free and open manner in the Congressional Chambers broadcast to all the Osage people just like the hearing and removal tribunal was for John Red Eagle. At this point with all that's gone on and is going on today, we have the right to demand it and I'm demanding it! "We have the right to hold the Osage Nation government accountable even if the men and women running it don't think we do." We have the right to know what they've been doing with our money. I want to know what's been going on in an official capacity to determine wrongdoing and have these people dealt with in a punitive manner. If we don't have some word about this in a week I say, vote them all out of office who are currently running and get in a new group who will get to the bottom of this, find out exactly what went wrong and set things right again so that we have the mistakes identified for future reference so we won't continue make them over and over again. If we don't have an oversight committee in Congress, CREATE ONE! They created an official Congressional Membership Committee, they can create an Oversight Committee just as easily. This step should have been taken right after we found out about Osage LLC., and the loss of $19,000,000 years ago.
Here's another conundrum: How do you become a member of a managing enterprise board and at the same time maintain an "arms length" operation of the businesses? That's like saying that you are mandated to have to wade in and pull out the grass from the bottom of the Koi pond but at the same time, you're forbidden to enter the water.
There is no conundrum. Each business has a board in accordance with its Operating Agreement. Each of those boards is responsible for the direct oversight of the respective business. The higher level board provides direction and management influence to the subsidiary boards based on review of management reports and financial statements but is not directly involved with making operating decisions or exerting direct managerial control.
If the businesses had been managed in accordance with the Operating Agreement for each company then there would have been a separate board for each subsidiary. This structure did exist with some of the acquired subsidiaries for a time, but then members of the Enterprise Board did not understand how to properly manage the businesses and exerted direct control, undermining the boards and managers of those acquired subsidiaries.
Both publicly traded and privately held corporations having subsidiary businesses manage their affairs at "arms length" every day. They do this in order to protect the assets of the parent corporation, the other subsidiaries, and their own personal wealth.
It is the same way, at least in principle, by which the Commerce Committee manages (or fails to do so) the OLLC/Tallgrass entities. It is 100% possible to effectively manage businesses in this manner, but it requires appointing and/or hiring competent and capable board members and officers to manage the affairs of the subsidiaries.
To use your analogy of removing the grass from the Koi pond, while you specifically may be forbidden from entering the water there is nothing to prevent hiring another person to do it for you.
Thank you for all responding but but but, we have the money it’s a open revolving credit card remember or you did not get the memorandum? You can blame the one and only GSB. This money is gone and we know how it happened centered all around Jim Parris and co-horts. Cronyism is a huge problem alright and we have been talking about this for some time right, since the Government opened. Then you have members in our Congress who just throws money after money without doing the diligence. Does anybody have true business background, I do!!!! Enough common sense. Does anybody have a guesstimate as to how much we’ve lost all together since the Osage LLC to the backseat? Like I said a long time ago for every dollar that is spent match for the Osage. This is how you stop the spending in our Government. How much Capital are we bringing to support any of these Ineffectual LLC s? How Capital is our Government bringing period? What kind of tax revenue are we bringing in to support our Government? My bet none compared to what we are spending. These are real questions in real time my brother and sister Osage’s.
I can lay out the specific violations of federal law which lead to OLLC/Tallgrass gaining the federal contracts they have obtained. However, much of the communications between the parties involved were conducted via text messages and many of the e-mails and other evidentiary material has been intentionally deleted.
Ultimately, the fraud involves using the Osage companies as fronts to illegally obtain 8(a) set-aside contracts for the benefit of third party "partners" (as Jim Parris refers to them) that are actually subcontractors operating at no risk. The Osage companies are obligated to pay these lower-tier companies even if it costs more for them to do the work than the government is paying to the Tallgrass subsidiaries.
One way to mitigate damages is to enquire of the federal agencies involved (specifically the Oklahoma Office of the SBA and the contracting officers involved) if they have not been contacted previously and advised of the fraud perpetrated to obtain the blanket contracts. If they won't provide an answer in the affirmative while not under oath, then I am certain they will when deposed or during the trial (for I know for a fact they were so informed). By allowing the IDIQ contracts to remain in force after being made aware of the fraud perpetrated to obtain them, the government officials have made themselves culpable for any damages incurred.
BS. To the poster @ 8:56 am. Just more excuses stupid is what stupid does how can a board function if there is no verification in the first place to make a formidable decision as too? And I happen to agree with Osageblogger. I said a while back we need to investigate what happened on all sides of this I like how the above person used “koi pond”. Well how can a contract become profitable when it’s underbid. What’s left on the table? Then these contracts will not be profitable period. We bid always with the Government, the local governments in the construction business. So who didn’t read the Contracts and not understand the outcome of the risk? Worse is, how do we hold each and everyone accountable? Because as it looks because how our Laws are written our money lost and a spank on the butt.
Be very afraid because just the facts as they are and I said it before just confirmed, by poster @ 9:07 am. This would happen. Front money in the guise of. And who was culpable our Government. This alone is a huge blemish on the Osage why because it’s our money and this Government was doomed to fail built on lies as a huge front to support only those who live in Osage Counry. Because this is not looking pretty period. The feds should come in and shut it down before we lose anymore funding. This was a illegal take period you know it and I know it when we had a Government that was functional the M.C. Long live the Osage Tribe and the 1906 act as amended. My eyes are wide open and now I’m one pissed off Tallchief.
"By allowing the IDIQ contracts to remain in force after being made aware of the fraud perpetrated to obtain them, the government officials have made themselves culpable for any damages incurred." I agree and the government and the elected officials in Congress need to get in front of all this as soon as possible in a formal oversight Congressional Hearing. There is no longer any excuse for delaying about getting to the very bottom of what has been happening and if they don't accept this responsibility then they could lose everything they've got and go to jail in the offing. There's more but let's focus on getting them to the Hearing Table as soon as possible. If they don't get ahead of this thing now, if it all comes out in another Court venue there will be serious consequences for every elected official we've had since this 8a business started. An argument can be put forward that they made an attempt to correct the problem by creating Tallgrass and in so doing, tried to correct and sort out what went wrong with the Osage, LLC. Now that Tallgrass is on the ropes, they have no possible excuse available. At some point they have to behave responsibly with regard to the loss of this much money overall ($22,000,000?). If they don't, then the elected officials are now and may have been for some time involved in willful neglect of duty to protect our gaming revenue from being lost this irresponsibly just to keep other Osages out of court and jail and without having to deal with the consequences of their actions as Enterprise Board members. This is rising to the level of a criminal organization and it has to stop immediately. At some point, when you tolerate, and in this case, hide or even worse; ignore wrongdoing for this length of time, it becomes a criminal matter.
There is a Special Session to sort out this LLC business out on June 5, 2018, the day after the Election. See 12th Special Session information at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/sessions
I hope then that they have the good sense to begin to set up an oversight hearing too.
I don't care about the electons at this point get rollibg with the oversight hearing today. I don't want to see GSB get elected period or Whitehorn because they are apart of this problem. This is just to much to come out like this. How can anyone vote at this point?
On the surface it would appear that an effort was made to right the ship by creating Tallgrass Economic Development LLC, but that is not actually what happened. Tallgrass was created in an effort to protect the remaining assets of OLLC. However, the board members of Tallgrass continued to operate OLLC even though they were not member of the OLLC board, nor were they then permitted by ON law to sit on two boards at the same time.
This is a train wreck of epic proportions. I've never seen any business so mismanaged.
To the poster who does not understand "arms length" operation of a parent and subsidiary businesses, there is a wealth of information on the topic available by performing a Google search. You should also have learned about this in business school if you are indeed a competent and qualified manager.
"To use your analogy of removing the grass from the Koi pond, while you specifically may be forbidden from entering the water there is nothing to prevent hiring another person to do it for you."
We did hire another person to do it for us. And another one and another one and now the pond is overgrown with grass and the koi are floating dead on the surface. We don't know how to get the right people and I don't care what the excuse is then or now. We don't know how to make this thing work. We need to back away from this concept until we can have a formal hearing to determine what went wrong and why. That's it!
Wise words indeed. There is no better course of action that to stop the train wreck, learn what went wrong, what skills are needed, and how to recruit the right people.
Not so simple sounds great but at this point Until you acknowledge the problem, Jim P is in denial. Obviously the Chief is seeing the writing on the wall. I just do not understand how nobody was being let’s say not scrutinizing the performance of the contract. Given the vulnerability of the Osage LLC/ Ted LLC why would we involve the Bluestem Ranch And to be honest this is news to me it’s a arm considering all the politics around these two agencies. Was the risk ever assessed? This is a gross abuse of our Casino money not to be abused in this manner. I do not trust this Government. I have no confidence in this Government to do what is right for the few as opposed for the greater need for all. Failing hugely in its promise from the start in 2006. This is t Monopoly money folks
osageblogger May 19, 2018 at 8:15 AM - "If we don't have some word about this in a week I say, vote them all out of office who are currently running and get in a new group who will get to the bottom of this"
Sadly, I don't see much hope of change with most of those running other than Allen and Potts. Knowing most the rest my adult life, and some in childhood, it's just gonna be more of the same, sorry to say.
The flaw is with the system. That's what's broken. And worse still, the system has corrupted the culture (it has become a culture based around cronyism, where else can you get such salaries and benefits). Now the employees (LLC and governmental) and the Nation hold each other hostage. Each threatening the other with revolts or cuts. The employee class is so large they can throw out elected officials if they don't get what they want. And in order to keep power and stifle change the Nation bribes (PTO) the employees for their support. How can anything change in that type of dynamic?
Then we need full disclosure on how much actual paid time off each employee takes and I mean getting installed time card machines that each one has to punch in and out for every time they arrive in the morning, leave at lunch, arrive back to the office after lunch and when they leave the office every single official work day.
The flaw is the a Constitution that has allowed for this behavior to exist. This was no accident. I have studied since 2006 in depth. Inlook to Tina and Potts as to judge “Gorsuch”. If we cannot turn this around I’m shutting this Government down. I have the tools too. It’s bad enough I know the end game and so does everyone else. Stop protecting the status quo, meaning each other and the cronyism. It’s not like what you are saying isn’t the truth but because this Government like so many was predictable. Ask yourself why? This Government was built on a lie . The answers are there and I have them and it took awhile but I found the loophole how this happened because we had a existing Government and we still do.
Might I say though we have literally two Governments that’s not the loophole. More of a conundrum we are in but non the less. I do hold high regard for Tina and Potts is what I meant to say.
Yes you are right, but I do believe we can do better, but years have passed. And I get you want to turn this around. And I get policies were ignored had they been followed. Surly you understand it is always harder to do what is right as there is truth even in a lie. I know and you know and I know, let’s get you in the door.
I don't agree that the flaw is in the system. It's with those who run this government who refuse to take the necessary steps to protect our money from those who are behaving in an irresponsible manner with it. To give you an example, a small three part form of government would have gotten an oversight committee in place over the loss of $100,000. We haven't even got a hearing in a Congressional Committee going in all this time and we have lost TWO HUNDRED AND TEN TIMES THAT MUCH (210)! AND PROBABLY MORE ON THE WAY THE VERY NEXT DAY AFTER THE ELECTION! ($700,000)! That's why this form of government works to protect the government from family influence and to protect the families from the government influence (punitive actions taken in court when the laws are broken) if the TOOLS AVAILABLE ARE SET UP AND IN PLACE TO WORK PROPERLY. An OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IN CONGRESS SHOULD ALREADY HAVE BEEN SET UP YEARS AGO TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INVESTIGATIVE ARM OF THE CONGRESS, THE OFFICE OF FISCAL AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW (OFPR). It should have been meeting at least twice every month to make reports to the Oversight Committee on its findings and review any actions that should be taken by the Committee. The Committee is then in a position to report its findings with either no concerns shown or items of concern to watch or to have action taken on, and this public report, posted to the website of the Congressional Oversight Committee, due every two weeks, should be going out to both the Osage Nation members and the ON Attorney General's Office.
The beauty of this idea is that we don't have to hire anyone to take care of this situation; no other department, division, office etc., needs to be employed. The Congress is already there being paid and so is the OFPR. Add another Congressional Committee with the specific and singular duty and responsibility of fiscal Oversight to the roster and we're in business.
I understand what your saying osageblogger but at it's essence, the stated intent even before the constitution was written was, the Nation is there to create jobs for citizens of the Nation. That was trod out at every meeting they had.
Now the employee class is there to reap benefit from the Nation and the Nation by virtue of those benefits to reap stability (via vote) from employees. That symbiotic relationship keeps this nation in a state of stasis, disallowing change or development beyond the status quo. And any threat to the flow of dollars or casting of votes is sure to be defeated in the Nation's Courts and in the court of public opinion. A reasonable budgeting amendment was passed with 82% approval, only to be vacated by the court. One congress member stands up to the previously illustrated dynamic and suddenly the popular refrain is we must vote by on-rez - off-rez, 1/3, something or other, change horses in the middle of the stream, nonsense. (This coming from a person, me, who always supported district voting and who never supported membership drives.)
To put a finer point on it, the rational for creating the system was flawed or broken from the beginning. The system now is just a reflection of that original stated intent, that being, to employee the electorate. We created a government that creates jobs, that intern support the entity that created them. It's self fulfilling downward s**t-spiral.
And mark my words, the Nation is going to have no choice but to reach into Minerals to feed the beast of their own creation. We got to keep them salaries growin for those that never left and benefits flowin to those that ain't never gonna set foot here. #sh*t-spiral
You'd be surprised what pink slips can do with employees who refuse to go with the program and make compliance with such employment policies. If they all quit then we start over. Game resets as a much lower cost and those employees can never again be hired by the Osage Nation government again. Tough policies yes but needed before this government goes belly up and it's close to that right now with this 8a contracting situation happening.
No. The Nation was created to serve the Osage people. Having the employees eat up every available dollar we have coming in with two to four months off depending upon the situation, plus stealing time in between, is not and has never been the program. Make any excuse you want to make. If this continues, those who care about this government and its future will be forced to go outside to get it sorted out even if it means shutting it all down and starting over with a group of only a few fiscally responsible Osages in charge if that's what it takes to prevail against this corruption that is overwhelming everything associated with the Osage Nation government. If this happens, people in our government will be going to jail, make no mistake. And I mean more than just a few.
Note: I use the term employee generically. In "employee" I include LLCs and the many, many paid boards.
2:55 ~ "No. The Nation was created to serve the Osage people." That's a noble sentiment but unfortunately it bares no resemblance to the reality on the ground. I argue it was never intended to serve the Osage people. It was always intended that in serve SOME of the Osage people.
One half the population you keep happy with cushy jobs. The other half with nice entitlements. The problem is you can't keep that up without ever increasing revenues. Ergo - broken system, whoever is in office.
Bring it all down, go outside the system, send them all to jail, I'm fine with all of it. Just don't delude yourself that they system has more than a snowballs chance in hell of being righted from the inside.
Employees vote, far flung members who only signed up because they thought they would be getting some of that bid oil cash don't. That's reality.
Bleak, yes. Do I just feel like arguing today, yes. Reality, though, yes.
All one has to do is look at the moral matrix to understand the foundation this Government was founded and yes it is flawed by all accounts. We are out of balance because of. To poster@ 2:30 pm. I truly believe you are right. How many licks does it take to get to the center of the lollipop,keeps coming to mind. In all it’s grandiosity The Nation did profess Jobs. Listen Jobs are not created by the Government , the private sector brings Jobs. Government has proven so just take one look at the M.E. Proof. At this point anything Government touches the word in our case, it destroys. To: poster @ 2:55 pm. You are absolutely right it’s been done before we can do it again. Our rights have been abrogated in the worst way. Still asking can someone tell me what capital we are bringing to supplement our spending? Only then can we understand where we stand once the facts are out. This is all relative to weather we want this Government or not. Because we do not know what we don’t know but I can surmise we are taking in way less then we are spending and I’ll be famed if we become a wel-fare state.
3:40 pm you are right. Go back in history that’s what this group who decided to become a Government the Nation said the very same thing about our original Government the M.C.
Kinda of like we are spinning the money wheel if you have. Almost everything we own is rented by us, go figure. Then you the Casino money which is only to be used for profit, where’s the profit, right into the regulated pockets of the Nation.
"Now the employees (LLC and governmental) and the Nation hold each other hostage." That's got to stop immediately. This government has to be based on laws and everyone following them, not bullying tactics holding sway and the whole government at a disadvantage.
"Employees vote, far flung members who only signed up because they thought they would be getting some of that bid oil cash don't. That's reality." That's just more disinformation about the real care and concern most of us have about the Osages and our Osage heritage. Before the Constitutional government came into being the only ones who had any real buy-in were those with a headright annuity check. The rest of us were shut out. Our personal family motto was, "You'll find out when and if you get the check." It was harsh and ugly and wrong especially for those of us who live outside of the Osage with only family members whose attitude and level of attempt to share anything with us about our being Osage was nil, especially when over the years, we have had a sincere interest in what it means to be Osage. We can build on this and that's what we thought the new government was going to be about. It's not too late by any means.
warning Osageblogger your beginning to sound like a politician. Just putting that out there. It’s fine you want to correct current events but you cannot challenge the truth if you ar not willing to share why it was the way it was. Remember, those of us and there are many that still feel that this is indeed a De Facto Government. And I will explain, in short , many were not kept from signing the roles it was a conscious decision made on their own behalf. Tell me differently or share, but I am not wrong. Why do you think we have the problems we have today, you cannot acknowledge what you don’t understand. I It’s about the haves and have nots and now look at where we are at. The wool sorta speak is not pulled over my eyes ,why do you think the ME is so guarded? Shoulda woulda coulda. Ok, now that we got that cleared. So you tell me how my vote in this Government did not happen ? I know what shut out is from this TallChief. Inclusive, that was the key to our heritage and culture and not up to Government to make sure who knew who we are it was taught from our elders. Inclusion = Only because dollars sprung up with the Casinos did eyes start popping out of their heads. That’s when everything went hokey pokey . And that’s putting it nicely. We have been operating under that guise of inclusive burning through our Casino money is what has happened. Inclusive = excuse to, why because if the Osage isn’t there, the federal Government is there to assist with or without the help of the Osage Tribe. Regardless if you are Indian or not. No it was no harsh and wrong. They , these families had every opportunity to come here from Missouri, Kansas back in the day and fast forward to now. You about to lose my vote.
Like it or not. I'm not afraid to tell the truth. This is what happened in my family and as a politician, I fully intend to make changes to the status quo such as it is today to make sure that we all have the fair shake that we, no matter where we live, were promised we would have when the new government came into being with the vote on the Constitution. It's only "us" when those of us who live on the outside want something in an equitable manner from those who don't want us to have it who live in the Osage. Then and only then, does it become "us" who live at home and "them" who live away from home.
Remember, $64,794,000 is appropriated for the government to be spent in Osage County and $17,850,000 in direct services is appropriated for all Osage Nation members including those who live in Osage County. For all we know, 75% of the last figure could be being spent on those who live in Osage County as well. Not right and I have every intention of rectifying the situation if I am elected to serve ALL OF the Osage people as a member of Congress.
Even Harvard has been fooled by these people who have taken over the spending in the new government: "No matter how difficult the process, the new government would be a government OF and FOR all Osages." https://hpaied.org/publications/osage-nation-governmental-reform-initiative and click on the yellow square for the PDF to come up. Let me say this again: EVEN HARVARD!
Has he fallen off his rocker again? This man has big troubles down in little China, I suspect. Once the money trail follows back to him, he’s caught red handed. I do not say this lightly. FOIA’s may be headed his way with the shut down by the SBA in tow.
The word is that he may have really hurt himself so let's not go where we appear to be going. I've just had a bad fall myself and my spine is still in such a bad way, I'm not sure when the pain will stop and the injury finally resolved.
Ok I get what you are saying but come on addiction does not discriminate. He’s our Chief regardless how we feel. Right. His failure and it is, is all of ours. The same goes for President Trump.
Just help me understand. Are you saying that because someone is a drunk or Trump is ate up with weakness of character or just down right despicable, it is all our fault?
Just got the fliers from the Revards in regards to them running for council. We definitely need experience but how does your experience differ from our existing and prior M.C’s and how do you plan on moving the M.E into a profitable estate considering the restraints the BIA has on the estate?
This comment has been transferred to the Shareholder page on the Osage Blog at https://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/osage-shareholder-matters-may-2018.html
I am completely comprised thank you. We have a council a working council doing all that they can under the constraints of the BIA. But I like what I am hearing form them both. Listen I am shocked to read what has been known for some time we were underpaid by the HPP settlement, I believe much more than sixty million. Reason for the question mark on the flier, just the first I am hearing acknowledgement not even a word from our current M.C is appalling. You get the feeling that the M.C is stonewalling the rest of the Headright Owners as if they have forgotten who we all are? But worse no communication and it is there fault the status quo has not changed you cannot change what you do not acknowledge. Out with old in with the new. Chang is needed in the worse way. Listen ai own oil wells in Texas I get quarterly updates everything is current and updated this is no way to run a multi billion Estate. There’s a lot we can do. So forgive me if I give them a second look, because I do with the exception of Cynthia and Stephanie I really have no confidence in the M.C. In no way silence is golden, especially when we are in this together title or not we all have the same common interest. I do understand the nepotism and cronyism exists to our detriment in many ways, I also understand a lot needs to change. For example, my thought are to return the Government back to the M.C. Can we have change yes we can and long over due.
I've got no problem with the Revards. I like the Revards. Furthermore, I admire the Revards. I've known a number of them who live in Osage County, Texas and in California and they are well educated intelligent Osages who we should be proud to have serve in our government.
Comments about the candidates for Osage Minerals Council are posted on the Shareholder page on the Osage Blog at https://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/osage-shareholder-matters-may-2018.html
You mean enough nepotism with the current Chief? He made a job for one son, run a guy off and gave his wife that job, and installed his son in law at the CEO of gaming. And you are worried about some Revards? Please. Geoff is the King of lining his own pockets, and benefiting his family while in office. Oh and his girlfriend has a pretty good job with the Nation too.
Thank God for this Blog and being able to post here without joining + having anonymous comments for all. That new group Osage Impact on Facebook is so controlled the only one who can begin a topic is the moderator. How does that play out in the land of free speech in the Osage? Buh
I agree. The Osage News is currently controlled by the Chief. Have you noticed all the articles that make it clear Tony Whitehorn is Maria Whitehorn brother in the articles about the Tallgrass LLC? When Chief was fighting with at ranch board he would call the News and add stuff to the article to make the story even worse. The article even stated at the bottom that Chief had called to add his two cents. I never saw where the ranch board was asked any follow up questions or if they approved what was published. The Osage Impact is so biased with Chief it's ridiculous. Remember he was in Congress voting to give Tallgrass money all those years ago. I'm not thrilled with either candidate for Chief but for heaven's sake the only source of news for Osages should be unbiased. Thankfully I live around here so it's hard to sway me because I see what is happening.
There is another source of Osage news. Kugee's Notes to the Nation. A tell it like it is newsletter alternative, if your tired of the Osage News tell it like it ain't.
Yep. Couldn't say it better myself. Still smarting over the way that little curtsy and sashay took out the second Chief's debate. I loved seeing the Chief sweat in the first debate and couldn't wait for round 2. At the Northern California meet he looked like he'd been seated over in the corner. Maria Whitehorn looked great and and made even greater points when she started speaking to the gathering.
WARNING -- IF YOU ARE GOING TO THE ELECTION AND STAY OUTSIDE, BE SURE TO WEAR BUG SPRAY! My mother got bit by a tick while sitting outside waiting for the election results in 2002. We came back home to Colorado and within a few days she was horribly ill. The tick was infected with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and she nearly died. She was in the hospital for 13 days and it took all summer for her to recover. Read this article about a related Rickettsial disease: https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/25/health/tick-disease-prevention-tips/index.html See also http://www.news9.com/story/29774284/oklahoma-victim-of-rocky-mountain-spotted-fever-is-warning-others
People don't like the LLC boards, they are paid by the chief in order to curry political favor not do a good job. Someone in accounting said 2 out of every 60 dollars brought in by gaming goes to a Standingbear/Lookout or Red Corn. If you want the status quo. the purchase of the ranch may sound like a good idea, did you know it was pushed through by the chief's henchmen without so much as a business plan. their only response on how the tribe would be paid back was to have tours. The chief is running using your money to get back in office. Maria, is honest and won't lie to get in office. If you want the chief and the rest of his drunken staff running the tribe into the ground vote for him again. Im voting to sweep them all out. Don't be fooled.
If the Chief is taking two for himself, then one of those dollars can go towards the constituency. It’s not that we hate the LLC’s. It is the fact that they are surely poorly managed. The left does not know what the right is doing. You cannot run a business if you do not know what you are doing but in this case, underbidding without doing a risk assessment. Was doomed from the get go. I definitely want a special council to look into this matter. In addition the Government needs to apologize to their own people and explain how they are going to rectify with minimal resources as possible.
The last election there was so much more candidates running for Chief and Assistant Chief, what happened this election? If you don't want the Chief re-elected, you only have one choice.
As for the MC ballot, the current MC took most of the slots up. I don't know the Revards, but I voted for both of them because of their experience and the ME's future depends on the competency, knowledge and experience of the oil and gas industry.
In both the Nation and the MC, we are voting for those we believe (or hope) will bring more transparency, accountability, competency (common sense), and communication in many aspects.
It seems if it's not "written" then it will not be done? Let's put words like "audit," "risk assessment," "oversight committee" in the Constitution to make it "law."
As soon as the votes are counted, we will have an idea of where we stand and where we are going.
Right, thought the same thing if I had the chance to run I would have put my name in at the time but I had huge family issues. I literally had six members in my family who fell ill one after the other. Two of the critical but stable waiting for transplants. So obvious my priorities shifted fast.
We have been asking for transparency for so long that because we have had nothing , zilchola, I have lost confidence in their ability to do other wise. Silence is not golden. Problem is and the excuse you get our hands are tide because of the BIA. THE ONLY THING STANDING IN THE WAY OF YOUR GOAL IS THE BULLSHIT STORY YOU KEEP TELLING YOURSELF AS TO WHY YOU CAN’T ACHIEVE IT.
Listen Helen Keller achieved her bachelors degree in arts. Mozart was composing by 5. And there are many people with achievements and this is where we are at, our Mineral Council has failed on so many levels.
The chief has repaid many families he promised jobs to. Jobs that were already filled by Osages. And he has protected them for serious flaws. Olivia Gray's daughter was reportedly pinching children in the immersion school, when it was reported to chief he threatened everyone involved to say nothing or get fired. Gray then violated HIPPA laws by revealing the DV client to a crowd at a pow wow by dressing her , then allowed a transvestite in the shelter and they went on to expose themselves to children. Of course chief defended her again. Wonder what she has on him to keep her job. The chief's staffers spend most of their time dating subordinates ....chief hired his mistress as a highly paid assistant. Disgraceful.
Continued from last comment at http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/03/conversation-march-2018.html
ReplyDeleteI KNOW how bad it is... How many times have I fallen asleep with tears in my eyes over what I have watched it become over the years and promised myself that the next day I will think of something. Now it's come down to certain illegalities that they are and have been engaging in since the beginning of the new government that I don't dare mention here because of the harm it will cause if I do. To have to come out of Colorado, 630 miles door to door to try and get something about it before it's too late should tell you something. This is the very last election cycle where something can be done about it while there's still time. And I know, and most others in the know also know, that time is running out and at the moment we face a horde of professional Indians who are looking for very high paying jobs with their sights trained right on the Mineral Estate.
I agree with everything you've said. I agree that this election cycle is most likely our last chance. That the Mineral Estate as we know and enjoy it is living on borrowed time. Here our own people are blindly (some not so blindly) doing the bidding of Federal Government in effectively end our Mineral Estate. And doing so under the guise of "sovereignty." (I would just like to see it last out my parents lives if nothing else. Don't know what they'll do.)
DeleteLet me just say this, the waste of money by our tribe is worse than you think. And I don't mean faulty programs or bad investments. I mean WASTE. Simple waste. $22 mil on LLCs, that's nothing. And I don't believe one person in government or running for anything know how bad it is. They know it's bad but the pervasiveness of it, at everything we do, at every instance, no one including the people I support in government have a clue. Honestly its almost not believable.
The sad part is no one wants to hear about it either. They just trot out those favorite phrases of the Osage, "It'll all work out." and "Everything'll be okay." They don't want to hear it and they aren't going to hear it. I guess it's much like how no one wants to hear that their child is slow. But... you've got to hear it, face it and accept it so you can get on track in which they can succeed. Otherwise they're just going to continue to fail, just like the Osage Nation.
Thank you for affirming not only what I know is going on but what else is going on in the background as well. One member of Congress said years and years ago, that behind every door in the Osage Nation government that you open is a pile of poop; badly run, mismanaged and costing way too much. The elected officials bear the responsibility for this whether they accept that responsibility or not and that's why I've been trying so hard to get them to consider a Congressional Oversight Hearing beginning with the LLCs. You even mention it and you can feel that there's no interest whatsoever and if I'm really truthful, it seems to me that staunch resistance of this kind stems from fear.
DeleteI know the Facebook phonies have been hard on you and I have to wonder what their real motivation is. You must know that all of them are Osage Nation failures trying to be relevant in some way. People are just reluctant to point out how many jobs they have lost or how much they have cost the Osage Nation. The Treasurer fiasco alone cost $500,000 to straighten out. These jerks have come from or married in to good Osage families and people just don't want to embarrass these people who are not really responsible. Keep up the good work and shine the light on the darkness within.
DeleteThank you. I just can't let this go. It's too important to me. It's practically in my bones. I just can't let us founder. I have to do all that I can to stop it from happening and it will if we who know what's really going on don't stop these people from destroying the rest of everything we've got left to take us into the future. That will be unthinkable. If we don’t pull together there won't be anything to salvage. It's imperative. If the Feds walk and it's looking like they will and soon, we've got to be there ready to stop these people from robbing us of what's left of what's there now. We have to figure out what to do and what's necessary to lay down a real business foundation and not leave it up to them because before we know it, they will melt away into the night like the thieves they are and have been all along and it will be over for all of us. No one has to tell me that I’m not the best or the most worthy person to be doing this but I am here, front and center, and I am entirely committed to making it come out right for all of us. We have to do this. We have the talent, the intellect and the capability and we have to get it done properly. At this point in time, they haven’t left us any other choice.
DeleteI have been waging this battle for 14 years. The one thing I have learned is that reason and fact don't matter. That's counter to my entire way of thinking and I would go as far to say that's counter to the historical way of Osage thinking/philosophy. Historically we were a very pragmatic people. It appears we are colonized now and I guess we have largely taken the mindset of the dominate culture. I guess it's the nature of the Western mind that when confronted with facts that are counter to their beliefs and preconceived notions people become even more set in their ideas and ideologies. That's not Osage but that's what 14 years of fighting have taught me.
DeleteThere is a Russian parable that speaks to the heart of this matter. It goes:
DeleteThere once was a very shy man who developed a pimple on his ass. He ignored it in hopes that it would just go away, but after awhile it became very large and so painful he could neither sit nor walk. He goes to the doctor, the doctor operates, and he dies.
Why did he die? Because he didn't share critical information in a timely manner with those who could resolve the problem.
I have, somewhat, of a theory as to how we got where we are today. It's just a layman's theory based solely on observation so feel free to rake me over the coals for it.
DeleteHistorically, our bands weren't that close. Often to the point of disliking each other. Espically way back there, and much to the chagrin and frustration of the French and Spanish colonist. The Big and Little bands would not recognize or honor agreements each made with whatever the colonist of the day was. Later during Kansas and Oklahoma reservation times nothing had changed. Much to the dismay and aggravation of the agent and the traders when we go out on hunt the Grayhorse and Hominy camps would camp together but Pawhuska would have it's own camp. Point being not getting along was OKAY. Didn't mean we hated each other, it just meant disagreement was a fact of life and nothing to worry about. Keep in mind that we always had ceremonies of unity, and not just ceremonies of marriage but grand peace and war ceremonies that couldn't take place without everyone represented. We had to have these to remind us we were still one people. That's how deep our inter-tribal division were. Our elders knew we needed reminding that we were all Osage. Again, the point being DISAGREEMENT WAS OKAY and a normal way of life.
Fast forward to our dances, which largely replace the peace ceremony and the idea of oneness is still promoted. And that was and is a good thing.
Now move forward further into the twentieth century. As our culture is devastated and the colonist ways largely embraced, our dances (a modified peace ceremony with emphasis on unity) became, for many people, the prevalent if not only aspect of our culture. By the late twentieth century for many people this was and is the only culture touchstone left. And what does that touchstone reinforce, that unity and friendly relations take president above all else.
How many times have we heard, under those arbors, "we have to be nice to one another." We have to get along. Modern Osages have taken that outside the arbor. A place that historically, I don't think, it was ever intended to be. They have taken it so far that any disagreement or difference of opinion is a cultural faux-pas. It is to many Osages all that to is left of our culture and it's all they know, pepper that with Western greed and it becomes a witches brew of disaster.
So, how do you progress when discussion and dissension are dis-allowed by the current culture?
Feel free to disagree. This is just my half a century of observation, historical knowledge and witness to change speaking. I fully accept that I may be wrong and totally expect everyone will be outraged. That's fine it's just my opinion. But I do think it's helpful to at least give some context and discuss ideas about how and why we got where we find ourselves today.
Lol it appears we are colonized what’s that mean we always had politics with in the tribe that’s a load of crock if I ever heard you know and I know if you do not understand our politics then you do not understand our Culture.
DeleteSome of us are still pragmatic .
There is a rhyme and reason for everything happening and there are no accidents in life
A conscious choice was made with the very intent to accomplish the very same thing that is going on here
And that's yet another problem; lack of information sharing. With the Osages, knowledge is, and has always been power. Knowledge is only shared with those deemed worthy enough in with which to share it. An open government, like ours is supposed to be, is counter to that very philosophy and without it, a three part form of government fails especially if one or more parts hold more knowledge and power than the other or others. The one thing about this form of government is that it must maintain an even balance of power between all three branches or it's doomed to fail. So many times over the years the USA has gone on a "Nation Building" mission with other countries that it's taken under its wing and where the formula is tampered with and gets out of balance, the governments involved consistently fail over and over again. More often than naught, it's the Executive Branch that takes on more power in these instances and then it really becomes a modified form of a dictatorship with the only real input of the people being at election time but often those elections aren't legitimate because those in power see to it that they aren't free or fair. When the people who live in these countries have wanted something by way of governance that does not suit the agenda of the United States which is usually big business interests in that logistical area, the U.S. actually encourages aberrance to the formula to take place and then it fails as a democracy and becomes something else entirely. We've seen "strong arm", so called “democratic” forms of government take root throughout the Americas, known as Banana Republics. This was also true with Vietnam, see the Pentagon Papers and Russia during the period known as "Glasnost" where the Harvard Institute for International Development was involved. See “The Harvard Boys Do Russia” at https://www.thenation.com/article/harvard-boys-do-russia/ We have to learn from history here and can't repeat it.
DeleteHistorically our bands were not that close why?
DeleteWe had ttwo bands if I have is correctly it was the haves and have nots.
The Big Osage And Little Osage.
Some of our families left for Ok, right. Those that chose not to follow made a choice not to.
Fast forward here we are, in short.
It’s has always been a struggle since before time as told by my elder.
She was right and she warned me.
To the poster above I happen to agree with you 9:58 am.
But the truth is here front and center and now the calling out has begun.
Because the truth is inevitable, bound to happen.
We want a better leverage of fair control just not one sided.
There are only several ways to go about thru legislation and we take a hard look at what is so flawed an corrupted by our own people does not fly in the face of this Osage. My pragmatism only goes so far.
If it wasn’t for Tina Allen running and I am holding out for her but she’s going to need support because there are so old Beatty’s that live at home who think they know everything but they do not. And will bully.
And to be more truthful, I if we cannot right the wrong we will hit replay.
A working democracy is only as good as the people who involve themselves in it and participate in a committed manner who will not allow themselves to be ignored by the elected officials of that government. That's why this form of government can be seen to be a good fit for the Osages if we can do it right as per the remarks of Anonymous, May 1, 2018 at 9:58 AM. This too IS a form of government THAT EMBRACES DISSENT because it's of the people and not all of the people can agree on everything at the same time.
DeleteIt's a wonderful thing when a democracy really works because it's as living and breathing and dynamic as the human beings who form it and bring it to life. One of my favorite quotations is from the film, the English Patient, "We are the real countries, not the boundaries drawn on maps with the names of powerful men." The only form of government that secures that such a reality can ever take place is a true working democracy where all of the people and their interests are represented and served. It was more than just heartbreaking to find out from Maria Whitehorn’s remarks during the Northern California Osages’ recent meeting because she made the statement that she had to come all the way out there (1250 miles) just to find out what the Executive Branch of our government is doing! It was shocking and information sharing is of the utmost importance to the future growth and well being of our fledgling democracy. So what’s my big problem with Wilson Pipestem? He sits on the Honoring Nations Board of Governors. It’s the yearly award program associated with The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. This is a Harvard School of government program. It does not come from the Harvard School of Business. Even the Justices of our own Osage Nation Supreme Court have been affected by the platitudes about Native American business success that the Harvard Project has been putting out there, namely that businesses fail if the Native American government has any involvement with them whatsoever. In other words, total hands off. Well we did that with one of the Harvard men who write for the Harvard Project, Jonathan Taylor, sitting on the Board of the Osage, LLC and we’re now down $19,000,000 as a result. I have a tendency to take a massive loss like with a few hard feelings. I think I have a right and I think you do too.
To Tina Allen, you are right as I have been saying the powers that be is out of balance.
DeleteSocialism never works.
Oh by the way thanks for this wonderful site.
DeleteSee https://hpaied.org/honoring-nations/board-of-governors
DeleteYou are so very very welcome! You can also thank my sweet Mother, Annette Moncravie Gore, because if it weren't for her visible distress at losing Kent Radcliff's wonderful OSA Discussions Blog, I would never have looked into finding something to try and replace it. She will have been gone from all of us, one year on May 17. Please remember her in your thoughts and prayers.
DeleteMy favorite story about the "old ways" is that you had the ability to "vote with your moccasins." Back then, if you found yourself under the leadership of a Chief you didn't like or agree with, you could pick up and move to come under another the umbrella, so to speak, of another Chief who you more nearly agreed with or respected. There were more Chiefs than just one back then.
Delete"So, how do you progress when discussion and dissension are dis-allowed by the current culture?" This is the best question I've seen in a long time. We need to take a look at what is really going on behind the scenes. One remarkably beautiful thing about the Osages is that they embrace their own despite whatever personal failures may have taken place and are willing to give each person multiple chances to regain their footing in the community. This is a profoundly kind approach toward living with one another and it isn't to be discounted nor should it ever take a back seat because it's a very good way to live. It becomes problematic however when forgiving is taken to mean that the same behavior can be repeated and tolerated. We are called to forgive but we are not called to excuse bad behavior nor are we called accept it over and over again it in the future because "so and so" is just being "so and so" and that's the way they are. Unconditional love doesn't mean unconditional acceptance of bad behavior. When it does then it's enabling behavior and that gets into the territory of addiction. At some point, lines have to be drawn and standards have to be set that include reminding those who have done things wrong that they are doing them again and that there will be consequences that are in place to stop what's taking place from ever happening again. If this establishment of a fabric of healthy good behavior to counter bad behavior isn't in place, it eventually shreds the whole societal fabric and leaves the group without a true moral compass and rudder which should not and must not be tolerated because it's just too destructive for everyone. Those who can’t see what is best and don't take steps to protect themselves and the whole of society from this kind of moral deterioration from within are caught in the twilight of adolescence and never grow up to accept responsibility for their actions until, in some cases, they are old men and women. Tragically, there are those walking among us who take large advantage of the situation and never achieve true adulthood at all. That’s why we must remain free to determine when what is taking place is wrong and most importantly and without the threat of societal disapproval, we must be able to speak freely about it so corrections can be made in time and things put right again.
DeleteWe can choose to learn from the yesteryears and evolve because as I have said the future is today.
DeletePeople do not like to live in moment because the cycle has not been broken and we need to evolve.
Chief s are evolving with our money and we are not
DeleteFunny!
DeleteTotal Truth. A ground breaking on a new Fairfax Wellness Center day before yesterday, grand opening ribbon cutting in Hominy yesterday. Millions and more Millions. It's all about us-us-us and to hell with you-you-you if you don't live in OC. More and more the Osage youth will have to pay for in the years to come. Don't know where that snaggletoothed West woman is coming from but she's right in there along with that Sell-ina Blanco who's had how many jobs with the Nation and been fired from every one of them? Three? Four? A real teat-sucker with big time attitude because she's related to the BIG Reds on Rez campus. GAG! HURL!
DeleteTrump Backs State-Level Marijuana Regulation, Lifting Pot Stocks
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-13/trump-to-give-states-latitude-on-legal-marijuana-senator-says
Bureau of Indian Affairs nominee finally lands confirmation hearing
ReplyDelete"The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has scheduled a May 9 confirmation hearing for Sweeney"
https://www.indianz.com/News/2018/05/01/bureau-of-indian-affairs-nominee-finally.asp
Re Bluestem ranch:
ReplyDeleteI am just looking at this from a simple cattle woman’s point of view. It takes time to make a profit in the cattle business. If you do it right, you sell your calves, pay your expenses, reinvest, then pay yourself. BSR has huge start up cost because it is a huge ranch. It will take time (not 100 years). I understand the frustration of a previous poster’s comment,”the Blustem ranch only has the potential to ‘make a profit’ when the fair cost of the use of land is not accounted for.” I just want to pose this question, where would the money for the lease come from? The BSR would be given the money from the nation. Let’s receive $xxxx from the nation, then turn around and pay the nation the exact same $xxxx. Cutting off one end of the blanket to sew on the other end. At least for those first several years of start up, that would not make sense to me. Maybe in the future, this is something that could be reconsidered. Bluestem ranch is doing well. I personally know how hard the board works, not for serving themselves, but for serving the Osage people. I do not think BSR will fail. The only thing that could cause problems is overstepping of elected officials (Buffalo anyone?) to serve their own egos or agendas. But if it does, at least we will have cattle and land to sell.
I understand the frustrations we all have with our government’s irresponsibility. This is not what we should be about, but here we are. I appreciate every posters information and point of view as it helps me keep informed. I would also appreciate any replies or conversation this comment.
"Cutting off one end of the blanket to sew on the other end." I love this analogy. Now this phrase speaks out to us from a woman with a very rare commodity in the Osage Nation government; common sense. How many times in the past has our government done this very thing with business ventures of one kind or another?
DeleteWe just do not have the structure avail to us.
DeleteNumbers speak volumes and some of us understand the first five years will be telling in any business.
Yes this is our asset does not change the facts or the truth how underhanded this deal was.
Do I have faith in this Board, I do.
My interest is that asset to be successful, but how is it structured?
I want to be sure how we vest it comes back to the people right?
A lot of people do not understand accounting as I do.
So when we take these risks is Congress informed ? What they are how it is going to work and so forth.
Shares anyone?
Loan?.
Contributions?
You know as well there is a huge gap in accountability to communication to no accountability to the people, the Osage people.
To poster at 10:10, I completely agree. The structure of bsr is ambiguous. Why Is it under the umbrella of tallgrass llc? Probably because chief has his buddies there. He can have more oversight. Chief claims that the board tells him nothing and keeps him in the dark, but all meetings are public. Chief, congress members, and members of Osage nation are welcomed to every meeting. With such a huge investment, they should all be involved. Maria Whitehorn attends the meetings, and a few congress members occasionally attend. I encourage all candidates running for an office to attend a meeting (not just bsr board meeting, but any board meeting). We the people are here to keep our government in check.
DeleteMy problem with the purchase of the Bluestem Ranch has been and is today that we overpaid for the land by as much as three times what it was worth in a bid that the seller structured in order to create urgency which is the oldest real estate trick in the book. Now we're saddled with it and if we fail to make payments on the loan that is going to pay for it, our Casino revenue has been put up as collateral for the loan and not the property itself, if I have it correctly from a legitimate source. Where in the National Indian Gaming Act does it permit this kind of business agreement? It's being sold as worth it because the land is all contiguous or one big chunk of property but I would entirely prefer to own three to four times the amount of land in various locations throughout Osage County for what was paid for the Bluestem Ranch. Now here is a deal with a big ticket item where the Osage people should have been allowed to vote on it in a Special Election.
DeleteAs for all of the Board meetings, since they now involve so much of our money, they should also be broadcast live like the Congressional and Mineral Council meetings and then posted for on-demand listening. Too much of importance to the future of the Osage Nation goes on in these meetings and we are on a need to know basis. We need to know what they are doing, especially with the massive losses racked up by these LLCs.
DeleteMy point too.
DeleteWhere in the law does it say we use the Casino as collateral?
Our money is to be vested for the soul business of making capital not on pet projects.
Or for that matter not to be used as a revolving credit card.
You can say all day long we are here for you, the Government is the people all day long but actions speak volumes.
Speak to us by way of our Newspaper, News letter.
We need to open those lines of communication.
Here’s a example red flags went up almost immediately when Carol Leese was hired.
No one did the diligence and as of yet no accountability for that 20,000,000 that is gone and yet we are applying more funding to the One’s Llc with what guarantees that money will come back to us if the doors were to shut tomorrow.
We need some admissions that our Congress doesn’t know when this endless round table will end and do not or not aware of the logistics.
Time to put paper and pen together and start your fingers and let them do the diligence and stop financing projects they no nothing about before the diligence is done.
Someone’s hans got greased with the BSR.because this practice of pushing legislation is not unheard of in politics.
75,000,000 in reclamation fee is , I cannot say what I really want to say smh.
You and me too! I would really at times like to lay out a pleasant stream of the old rancid using every colorful word I can think of especially on the way they throw our money around and I mean shockingly large sums of it and seemingly without a care.
DeleteThe ranch will fail because it is the only asset of the Tallgrass LLC. TG can not pay it's people or bills and when they default on their contracts the government will want their money back. I've heard between $1.2 to $1.8 million dollars is what TG owes. The Bluestem Ranch has assets and capital, so the ranch is left holding the bag. The Chief insisted to Congress that the ranch be made a part of Tallgrass LLC from the moment they bought it. Hhhmm. Why would you want a $74 million dollar asset put under the "guidance" of those thieves on the TG board? There was something strange about that.
DeleteTallgrass was always his baby. Kugee was involved too as the legislative sponsor and saw it as a measure to move assets away from the doomed Osage, LLC. Kugee didn't realize that it would go the same way as OLLC, nor did the rest of us at the time. According to the legislation I've been able to find they've been given + or - $1,650,000 since about 2015 when this one was finally put up on the table.
DeleteI am beginning to think we face a double edge sword here.
DeleteThe Mineral Estate is and has been out of balance for quite sometime as well. Coincidence no communication form the M.C.
The thing we got going for us we are in this quagmire together.
Well we need to turn a upside down face to a winning frown, transform ourselves from “stupid to “smart”.
When do we start learning from our mistakes. yes we have rich history but let’s use it to our benefit rather hinder us so we can move to a brighter future.
Just to add a note the M.E is not dead we are still in it’s infancy.
We need to grow and nothing stays the same if we do nothing you get nothing from nothing.
Tallgrass Economic Development LLC was a work of fiction from day one. It operated with the same real management of Osage LLC (the Enterprise Board) and the same assets. Both of the subsidiaries of Tallgrass remained under Osage LLC for a very long time and to this day are nothing more than assumed names for Osage Innovative Solutions, LLC and Osage Pinnacle Design Group, LLC.
DeleteIf you listen to the Commerce and Economic Development Committee sessions you will learn that the entire intent of forming Tallgrass was in efforts to shield what assets remained of Osage LLC against potential liabilities. This would never have worked, as even an incompetent attorney can see through such a ruse and pierce the corporate veil and have both entities treated as one.
In any case, the plan to shield assets was further jeopardized when Osage LLC was made a subsidiary of Tallgrass. I don't know who is providing the legal advice driving these decisions but their relationships with the Osage Nation should not just be terminated, they should be disbarred.
Members of the Enterprise Board that resigned over evidence of fraud were right to do so. I had considered pointing them to this evidence much earlier but assumed my input would be taken as sour grapes. I also believed these criminal acts would become apparent to the more competent and qualified - and more recently appointed - Enterprise Board members in time.
When the Osage/Tallgrass debacle finally comes crashing down due to an inability for some of the subsidiaries to pay their bills, expect the assets of ONES and Bluestem Ranch to be attached to settle the debts. Why? Because each company is required by its Operating Agreement to operate via direction from an independent board but certain members of the Enterprise Board do not understand the concept of "arms length" operations. The Enterprise Board has always exerted direct control over the subsidiary companies, thus defeating any pretext that these are separate entities but only alter egos of the parent.
And this is why it is sooooo important to understand the structure.
DeleteI have a problem with members leaving because of fraud.
You right the wrong and expose it, but then I don’t know what I don’t know.
Here’s a solution, we open up another Llc to cover up the corruption that is happening in front of our faces, Osage’s sticking it to Osage’s you cannot make this up if there is no more evidence to shut this Government down, because everyone is involved area conflict of interest
Interest and contrary to what this Government was supposed to be.
I recalled when we were setting up the Osage Llc, I said great here we go the Ute way and open up house with as many Llc’s as we can to cover up the very same thing that is going on in Indian Country.
Just another word, these are separate entities and should be considered so, yet the Nation is throwing money after money at them, mind you red flags are waving again,
So if all owners are not liable and are protected from personal liability or debts and claims.
That means the assets are attached and become the BSR responsibility because it is under their umbrella,
This was designed to work the revenue from with in.
So which LLC or should I say who has been treating these LLC like their personal affairs?
Oh it would help to see what the operating agreement said.
DeleteIn reality that makes us co-owners because it’s our money they are vesting.
DeleteCheck and balances.
DeleteNumbers speak.volumes. Numbers do not lie people do.
Congress should be asking for records.
This is pathetic.
Strange. How are you a managing board and an "arms length" board at the same time? The governing documents call for a board that manages the LLCs. You can't have it both ways. Whatever this Harvard Project economic model is, it doesn't work for us because apparently, we don't know how to make it work. They need to kill these business entities. They're eating us alive. There is a time to admit failure and the time is now before everyone lands in jail including the elected officials who have continued to fund these damnable entities. At some point there won't be any excuses because they'll run out of them and that will be that.
DeleteTherein lies the quandary. The Enterprise Board is intended to be a managing board by its Operating Agreement, but each subsidiaries Operating Agreement requires it to have a separate managing board. The employees having titles of CEO, CFO, General Manager, etc. actually have very limited power and it is up to the board of each company to make the significant management decisions. The problem is that most of the people who've been hired to run these companies have never seen the Operating Agreement, much less bothered to read or understand it.
DeleteOsage LLC and Tallgrass LLC have been run as if the subsidiaries do not exist but are just divisions of a single entity. The problem with this is that the failure to maintain arms length business dealings defeats any legal protection each company's Operating Agreement may otherwise have provided. This mismanagement results in the assets of all of the entities being treated as a common pool when it comes to settling debts.
This isn't a problem caused by the Harvard Project model. The structure of the companies isn't unworkable as defined in the Operating Agreement template used. The problem is the people running the companies do not understand how to properly manage them in accordance with the Operating Agreement.
Harvard = socialism
DeleteNever works.
It’s about the green backs.
Funneling money in the guise of.
Well said 1:31 am.
DeleteThe meat pie is in the operating agreement if we do not know what the ingredient is how would you know how to operate?
So in the end these LLCs are just banks basically but without a limit, because if you look at this from this point of view essentially they can operate as long as the arm is not cut off (money) meaning the nation because the last result would to have to go BSR for their assets.
DeleteNow I do not want to say they do not know how to meet the standard of the operating agreement. I think they do and are working the operating agreement to their benefit at the expense of the people. When that happens which is not allowed, that’s where the conflict lies because there is fraud. My opinion of course.
I know for a fact that those charged with running these businesses do not, as a rule, know how to comply with the Operating Agreement. They were so ignorant of the difference between Limited Liability Companies and Corporations as to not understand that LLCs have an Operating Agreement whereas only Corporations have By-Laws and were engaged in drafting By-Laws for OLLC and Tallgrass. This effort was only taken up after they could not locate the By-Laws for these LLCs.
DeleteThe failure of these companies is to be expected when people who are ignorant of how various types of businesses operate are put in charge.
Clearly, what we need to do is downsize to the level of what can be understood by the Boards involved with our businesses. I'd be happy if we had one successful business established in 12 years in Osage County on the ground besides the ranching operation. If we are putting people in who cannot understand the Harvard model and it's governing documentation for running these businesses then put something in place that can be understood and don't give the LLCs any more money until it can be understood and followed. Put in Board members who are willing to share information when things are that bad and not hold back due to "sour grapes' or whatever other excuse is put up as a good reason not to get to the bottom of these problems and fix them.
DeleteAnd I mean no money appropriated at all for ONES, LLC because it's on the same path as we write as Osage, LLC and Tallgrass is today.
DeleteGet Eddy Red Eagle out of there too as the Chairman on ONES, LLC and even as a member of that Board or any other. If ever there was one who shouldn't be there it's him. He foolishly voted for every single appropriation that came up for Osage, LLC while he was in office as a member of Congress for the first six years of the Osage Nation government. His being at the top on that Board and not one single business venture started since 2012 should tell you a lot.
DeleteMore on Tallgrass:
Deletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/05/09/tallgrass-llc-lays-two-high-profile-employees-cut-back-costs/
Just great! Day before yesterday, I found out that the Chief signed bill ONCR 18-14 where the Osage Nation Congress is listed as permitted to partial disclosures in a Confidentiality Agreement executed with the State of Oklahoma on March 2, 2018. This legislation is another bill that authorizes a limited waiver of Sovereignty. In this case, to the State of Oklahoma. See https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/legislation
ReplyDeleteWhy would the Congress not be entitled to full disclosure where legal agreements are concerned especially when it is required to waive our sovereign immunity associated with such agreements?
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 people should vote to give away our right without the knowledge there of is completely idiotic.
DeleteTina give me word I’ll take this to a new level if need be.
But this would have to be discussed behind doors.
Yes if we cannot right side this Government it’s going down.
I am hoping when M.Whitehorn becomes Chiek she reverses and gives the power back to the people.
Chief.
DeleteIt appears that someone has something to hide or there of is worried that things will be found out and the Osage are going to be mad as he ll so see the corruption that has been building for so long.
DeleteThis is what happens when you build a foundation on lies.
Section I. -- "...from suit or process in any forum..."
DeleteWe are members "in and of" the Nation and we do have a say in how the Nation is abusing its power with incoming revenue spending. With our individual rights, we can change or correct the constitution through petitions and special elections.
Not even the President is "Above the Law," and he's about ready to realize that. The Nation with its written sovereignty phrase is not "Above the Law."
We make up the Nation, the Nation is not "Pawhuska" or Osage County. Eliminate members out of the county and see how much Federal aid comes in. There is power in numbers (i.e. voting).
And there you have it! Well said. This isn't the first time they've done this with horrible consequences of late for the Osage people but more on that later.
DeleteWhat do you mean the president is above the law lol he hasn’t done anything to be above the law lol,
DeleteSo what is the President about to realize that he has not realized already that we don’t as a people already know becwe mirror exactly what’s going on in Washington we have a lot swamp.
Ignorance is bliss.
We make up the Nation no, the Chief and his cronies makes up the Nation and that attitude ie, behavior needs changing we are not going to sit idle any more.
Sovereignty is used like a wet sponge and you know who is going to get squeezed out the Osage and it already has happened.
Don’t sell yourself cheep. Or tell lies.
Oh we can do something about it, well here’s living on a hope and prayer for all of you.
I am voting for Maria Whitehorn, Tina Allen has given me faith but I will not hold my breath.
This is not a threat to this Nation we call our Government.
I feel we are going to here some painful truth about our Government when Maria Gets settled in as Chief her priority should be accountability to the Osage people should be her priority.
No pain no gain, we deserve the truth.
We need a Government for the people of the people by the people.
Our Government was built on a huge lie and you know and I know it.
I am hoping that Tina when she gets in Congress she rips everyone a new one and kicks a ss.
Did we have a say in any of the huge purchase for example the Airpark, the lake, the mound, Rhe Ranch And lord knows we have been complaining about the One’s and going on death ears open up the books give us real figures. Tangible ones that we can work with, that ain’t happening.
You don’t know what you do not know right, example you spouting off about the President doesn’t have anything to do with us and hope he will see we are not a race of people but a Government to Government will be realized. And , our Sovereignty will always be in tact.
Btw.
I am sorry if I am brash, I wasn’t born off a turnip truck I am Osage and the wool will not be pulled over my eyes.
I know my rights were abrogated.
In totality let me summarize we have huge issues, a lot of waste.
No accident and designed to function and this is where we are at.
It’s posted, from the OSA to this site.
You go to face book you get feel good stories or let’s see how many likes we can get.
Let’s turn this baby around or shut her down because this is not the Government the Osage’s voted for you know it and I know it.
So can we do right it’s hard to say but we shall see this coming elec
All right!
DeleteNote: I spoke with a member of Congress day before yesterday and was under the impression that the bill, ONCA 18-10 was the one that we were discussing as to the waiver of sovereign immunity and that it had been signed by the Chief. This was a complete misunderstanding. ONCA 18-10, is listed as "Withdrawn by Sponsor 4/18/2018." I apologize for the confusion and make this correction.
DeleteI'm glad about this confusion because this one bill points up one more time how secretive the Osage Nation has become even between the Branches of government. I damn well want my representatives in the Congress to know what's going on in agreements with the State of Oklahoma and everybody else that we waive our sovereignty for and I mean down to the very last word in these agreements. These elected officials in government are getting to be a cloak and dagger nightmare. What happened to the Sunshine Laws we used to have or don't they count for the Legislative Branch? More evidence of how bad it is up on the Hill and over at the Bank Building where Congress has relocated. What are these members of Congress thinking about by voting for a thing like this? Of course, the only one who voted no was Shannon Edwards. She's doing so good of late, you'd think she was running for Congress in June.
DeleteThank you Osageblogger.
DeleteYW!
DeleteFor all you Stargazers, the InSight spacecraft will soon peer deep into the interior of Mars early on May 5, 2018. See http://astronomy.com/news/2018/04/insight-spacecraft-will-soon-peer-deep-into-the-interior-of-mars
ReplyDeleteBreaking News on Mineral Estate matters is located at http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/02/osage-shareholder-matters-february-2018.html
ReplyDeleteSee the FY2018 Tribal Revenue Appropriated Document shown below that was originally and responsibly posted by Congresswoman Shannon Edwards earlier on today. Her further remarks are as follows:
ReplyDelete"We are in debt! Some necessary, some optional. The known trade off when the Nation borrowed up to $175m was required belt tightening for a number of years, which I don't see happening. Projected tribal revenue for FY19 is currently about $6m less than FY18. The next Congress is going to have a real fiscal challenge."
See:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2124566350893898&set=p.2124566350893898&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2124566810893852&set=p.2124566810893852&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2124567004227166&set=p.2124567004227166&type=3&theater
Total Tribal spending for the government is $38,825,000. This figure does not include $25,969,000 in non-Tribal revenue that benefits those who live in Osage County. Direct assistance to each and every Osage Nation member is coming in at $17,850,000. By and large, spending for Osage County is plus or minus $64,794,000. As an Osage Nation member, does something in these numbers look unfair or upside down?
DeleteOmg
DeleteWhat spending should go? That spent directly on the Osage people or on the Osage Nation government? You know my answer. The Osage people FIRST. The Osage government second.
DeleteThey've had a field day with our money and enough is, by God, enough. The numbers don't lie. Start sending that money where it's needed and won't be wasted. Give it to the Osage people who it belongs to in the first place.
DeletePoint of fact: Congresswoman Edwards has tried over the years to reduce the salaries of the 12 members of the Osage Nation Congress. Initially, compensation was set at $56,000 plus a benefit Credit (Additional wages) of $9,000 to equal $65,000. At one point she tried to put through legislation that would have reduced salaries to $53,000 plus a $3,000 benefit credit which went nowhere. Now the rank and file member of the ON Congress makes $65,000 plus $8,400 in a benefit credit or cash equivalent plus additional $2,100 for travel to equal $75,500 a year per member. This comes to a whopping $906,000 just for the members of Congress alone.
DeleteIn addition, the Speaker and 2nd Speaker get an additional $3,000 expense allowance.
DeleteKind of like what happens behind closed doors when spending on Osage Nation members who live outside of the Osage is brought up --->>>
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/NTDLifeOfficial/videos/643526432825488/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDIxNjYyMTk1OToyMTMyNDQ5MDA2NzcyMjk5/?id=100000216621959
:) :) :)
With regard to the new Candidate Forum scheduled for tomorrow:
ReplyDeleteSee https://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/photos/a.153834188010750.33094.134873493240153/1785194791541340/?type=3&theater&ifg=1
The additional information states that The Osage News will also live stream the event.
There are a number of concerns that I have with this event. According to the Osage News article, "...the way the law is currently written, it prohibits the Editorial Board and Editor from participating in any political campaign or “political activity,” such as a debate." See http://www.osagenews.org/.../osage-news-editorial-board.../ Taping this event on a live stream basis by the Osage News may well violate that prohibition since the editor may have to approve of such activities in order for them to take place as the person in management with authority at the Osage News. In addition, the Campaign Election Code of the Osage Nation prohibits any candidate from the use of Osage Nation resources for campaign purposes. A strict reading of the law may include participating in a debate or forum that is using Osage Nation cameras, video taping equipment and internet capability that are resources of the Osage Nation that may become a violation of the law which may place the candidates who participate in this event in a position to have their campaign/s invalidated by the Election Board. I really think that the Attorney General of the Osage Nation needs to take a closer look at both the Free Press Act and the Osage Nation Election Code including the Rules and Regulations of the Osage Nation Election Board before any such events are scheduled in the future.
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/04/06/osage-news-editorial-board-cancels-future-candidate-debates/
DeleteWatched the Candidate Forum today and they were poorly run with that Bristow guy looking like a big bully. should have seen his looks into the camera. Weird and they put a guy like that on one of the Boards and Commissions. No League of Women Voters people there, long convoluted questions that were hard to understand for the candidates and the audience alike and the whole deal without the microphone hand held couldn't even hear half of the responses of the candidates. Some of them spoke too fast to hear, some looked like they were afraid and others just seemed like they were uncomfortable other than Eli Potts and Kugee Supernaw who both seemed cool and calm. I didn't get anything much out of it and it certainly wasn't a good venue for the candidates to shine. This is what happens when you have amateurs running the show. Boo! Boo!
DeleteSome of the problems were caused by an agenda that divided the candidates into 2 groups with group 1 to speak first the Group 2 second. Then they totally ignored the grouping and got all confused on who was in each group. The questions were not vetted beforehand and some were actually inept. Also the Osage News that had bowed out of the originally scheduled debate because they said they were discouraged by law from participating in a political debate, controlled the filming and poor sound system. The moderators had been on facebook even today to post that they were against all the incumbents. A biased debate was expected by everyone who follows these things and they got it. Osage Impaction needs to clean up their act.
DeleteWoohoo! It looks like Trumpism is contagious. One of the organizers of todays debate is on Facebook putting out the story that the debate is the largest ever."History has just been made! We had 12 congressional candidates in attendance. 72 Osage nation constitutions were in attendance. This is the largest candidate forum ever held!" What a crock! Remember when we had over 30 candidates and the Osage News had a large crowd at the Cultural Center. Then to compound the error, when a constituent questions the quoted statement, she is met with a rude denial. ( I have my own facts- I make them up myself.)
DeleteThat sounds about right. Most of them looked like they were afraid that they would be sucker punched. All in all it was a poor and unprofessional showing of substandard questions and the whole organization of the event. One in particular looked like she was walking up to face a firing squad. It was too bad because if the League of Women's Voters had been there, it would have been a different event altogether.
DeleteI couldn't even hear the candidates! What kind of a deal was that? We have some really good candidates that did beautifully out in California and Texas but this was just weird. How does anyone develop a topic or answer a question adequately in only one minute? It was shallow and mindlessly planned from a group that didn't know what they were doing.
DeleteOne thing about Tina Allen. She's been there as one of the most interested and involved members of the Osage Nation there is and she has been so over the last 12 years. She's not a come-lately like some would suggest but has been around from before this government was even formed. She keeps up with everything of an important political nature going on and more and reports it here to this Osage Blog that she has created in service to the Osage people. She probably knows almost as much about the legislative side of the Osage Nation and their activities as any incumbent candidate running for Congressional office today. She cares, she's there for all of us on a daily basis and she can prove it. Remember that when you fill out your absentee ballot or vote in Pawhuska in June.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't she attend the Congressional debate/forum? I was very interested in supporting Blogger Tina, in fact I went to the gathering just to meet her and ask some questions. If she can't attend that event to meet people I'm not sure how effective she would be as a Congressperson. Sorry you lost my family's vote yesterday.
DeleteLol she has been more right than wrong about our Government and has been a voice you know it and I know it.
DeleteI get you are disappointed. She is an oak. I’ll stand by her, I know she has to travel and we don’t know what we don’t know.
I think this site proves more than enough you can count on her.
DeleteNot only that she will be there on June 4th with a booth.
All right! Thank you for your support and I'm sad to know that I've lost votes as a result of not attending the Forum yesterday. I came back to Pawhuska on April 13 for the Candidate Orientation and stayed the entire weekend in Skiatook waiting for the debates to be rescheduled that never were by this new group. On my way back to Colorado, I fell in the airport bathroom and injured my spine. In order not to reinjure my back with the carrying of luggage and so forth and to make sure that I am recovered enough to be there in Pawhuska on election day, I have had to decline the invitation to come back in for the event. Due to some of the Election Board rules and regulations about using Osage Nation resources as a candidate and in order to not violate them, I also have had some important concerns about attending the forum yesterday.
DeleteMy camp # is 8 and I will see you then.
DeleteSorry about your accident. Hope you will fully recover, and soon enough so you can be at your booth. You have my vote, your participation on this blog and your bluntness shows more about you than me just reading about you on a post card. Good Luck.
Delete
DeleteThank you. I will so appreciate your vote in the upcoming election. I'm a truth teller, it's true but often times when the elephant is in the room, there is no other way to deal with the situation/s. We have seen so much corruption in the irresponsible loss of $20,000,000 of our money and so much more corruption that can't be written here, selfishness where those who are in control of our money and who are paid lavishly by the Osage Nation government so foolishly spend it and yet want to make us feel unworthy in wanting all of us who live outside of Osage County to have so little of it when they refuse to read the Preamble of the Constitution that they have pledged to uphold, "Having resolved to live in harmony, we now come together so that we may once more unite as a Nation and as a People, calling upon the fundamental values that we hold sacred: Justice, Fairness, Compassion, Respect for and Protection of Child, Elder, All Fellow Beings, and Self." I care about this government, about our Culture, our education, and our traditions or I wouldn't be running for office. The Osage Nation government MUST be there to support all three now and in the future and must not continue to be run into the ground with overwhelming debt, bad business diversification and investment plans with implementation involving recklessness and unacceptable risk. It must not continue the current pattern of government bureaucratic growth which is already twice to three times the size needed to service the Osage people at a cost that is scandalous and fiscally harmful to the entire government entity with payments for bonuses and increases in salaries guaranteed by law coming in yearly between $250,000 to $350,000 a year! Those who would criticize us who live on the outside when they are running an operation like this behind the guise of a government have nothing whatsoever to say to any of us who justifiably and rightfully criticize them. Someone has to be there in the Congress to take back what we were promised that is written in plain English in the Osage Nation Constitution. Being a constituent seeking representation just isn't enough because they simply refuse to listen to what you say to them and to what you want them to do or not do.
My new campaign video is up and online at https://www.facebook.com/Tina-Allen-for-Osage-Nation-Congress-1991667341099728/
DeleteCorrection to the Campaign Video: the Bluestem Ranch cost $74,000,000 not $176,000,000. This was a mistake. I apologize, I misspoke.
DeleteNOTE: My campaign video will not be seen on the Facebook page of the Osage News. The Editorial Board reviewed my request today at the Board meeting. The Editor sent this response to me via e-mail:
DeleteGood afternoon,
The Osage News Editorial Board has denied your request to publish your candidate video on the Osage News Facebook page. It was discussed at our meeting today that it would be best to follow the guidelines of the Osage Nation Election Office when it comes to allowing candidate postings on Social Media during election season. The Editorial Board feels that by allowing candidates to post their videos to the Osage News Facebook page would be tantamount to a free advertisement, and we cannot appear to be partial to any candidate. If we allow a candidate to record his/her own video and then we post it for them, then we will have to allow everyone else to post their own productions. We cannot allow your video to be posted to our Facebook page, and I have deleted it.
As a side note, I do not mind recording your video prior to Election Day. If you know when you will be in Pawhuska, we can work on scheduling a time to record your video.
I have attached the Election Office’s policy and procedure on Social Media and highlighted what we will be amending our policy to include.
Sincerely,
Shannon Shaw Duty
Editor
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Does this seem a bit biased against those who run for Osage Nation elected office who live out of State?
Not just a little bit biased, but a LOT!
DeleteTIME IS OF THE ESSENCE -- DUE TODAY: This is my letter to Dr. B J Howerton, MBA on the "CATEX" situation:
ReplyDeleteDr. B J Howerton, MBA
I am an Osage Mineral Estate Headright Owner writing to express my support to amend its categorical exclusions (CATEXs) under the National Environmental Policy Act where the Osage Mineral Estate is concerned.
Four years ago our Osage Mineral Estate was booming with oil and gas income higher than it has ever been in history and wells were being approved in the hundreds by the Osage Agency Superintendent. The estate was as healthy and prosperous. Soon the Bureau began a plan to layer one series of regulations on the Osage Mineral Estate after another. Not long after, litigation ensued and environmental rules and regulations were adopted that I still don’t quite understand if they are valid or invalid. The result has been devastating. Leases are being approved at 5 or less a month. Many of our oil and gas producers have not left but have fled the Osage as a result of the business environment being so unstable and we are in a downward spiral in a manner that is totally unacceptable on the part of the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs that has a legal Trust obligation, responsibility and duty of loyalty putting us first above all that is owed to the Osage Nation, the Osage Mineral Estate, and in particular to the Headright owners who are the beneficiaries of the Osage Mineral Estate Trust. This obligation includes the support and development of the Osage Mineral Estate not its decimation and destruction.
I am but one person who is asking for your consideration in this matter. Like many, I am of retirement age and depend on the income that I receive from the quarterly Headright payment checks. Many others with families will also be affected as well. We are the ones on the ground who are losing this battle with the layers upon layers of unnecessary and overweening regulations that are killing our Mineral Estate and therefore our source of financial support.
Please include the Agency’s responsibilities as set out in 25 CFR 226 as a Categorical Exclusion as per the proposal made by the Osage Nation Minerals Council.
Thank you,
Tina R. Allen, Osage Headright Shareholder
(Sent via e-mail to bj.howerton@bia.gov and MUST BE RECEIVED TODAY, MAY 7, 2018!)
You still have time to send by letter and have it be postmarked today!
DeleteDr. B J Howerton, MBA
Branch Chief -- Environmental and Cultural Resource Management
C/O Department of the Interior
12220 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192
I have only as of now seen your above letter.
Delete"Many of our oil and gas producers have not left but have fled the Osage..." (I'm sure I get the jesture but how will the Dr. interpret it?) Thank you for your efforts as a caring Osage.
It's the simple truth. We've all watched it happen over the last four years and it's been horrible.
DeleteYou're welcome.
Apparently, from the e-mail correspondence I have been receiving of late, there has been a change on the ground as to how many Osage Nation members are included in the application of Federal Grants that we have received. At this point in time, it's being disclosed that "all the current grants are based on the Indian populations within the areas served by the grant program." There apparently has been a change from the time when the entire population of the Osage Tribe/Nation used to be put forward on grant applications to the Federal government.
ReplyDeleteThe Nation wants the benefit of claiming a large population but only those in Osage county see any services.
DeleteEven then only a few select families reap any special services. It all depends on one's family name and relations.
The Nation wants to use non-shareholders to out vote shareholders on mineral matters tha same way they created the ONG.
The Feds will eventually cut off all funding and services to all tribes. This has been the plan for the last twenty years.
The only people unaffected will be the Osage government employees and politicians. They are going to ensure that they will survive any cut backs and empower themselves with more casino money. All other Osages will be left with nothing but the word "Osage" attached to their name and thus being Osage is meaningless.
And we must not let it continue to go in this direction. The people FIRST, the government second!
Delete
DeleteI have been tapped on the shoulder, so to say, by a member of Congress who insists that this is the truth though I have been told over the years as if it's gospel, from equally credible sources, that all members of the Osage Nation have been included for grants and Federal funding. I am working on getting information about a number of the grants and will research this when I come back into Pawhuska in June. Surely the grant for the Language App would have included all of us as a total population but until I see the applications for all of the grants and other Federal funding we have in place, I am taking the prudent path of noting that this new information has come in to me and until I have it in writing, I will leave it as so noted. I believe in trust with verification so I want to leave it this way and move forward until I have more hard information and the paperwork sitting in front of me.
This is wonderful!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/osagenation/photos/a.755309157812729.1073741828.706989499311362/1991762734167359/?type=3&theater&ifg=1
See Campaign Videos recorded in locations outside of Osage County at
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqnHVKuieoq-baIfGKGmVBg
(Be sure to click on the photo of the video and it will begin to play.)
All of them are over here
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/pg/OsageNews/videos/?ref=page_internal
To the poster above I had similar thoughts when I looked at the videos. A lot of the people running now have never held an elected position but have worked sometimes for years in the Osage Nation. That is they have been employed for years and have done nothing noteworthy in those years. Why would anyone think that would change? One is pushing another budget procedure. This would be the 4th in recent years. The fireman is ready to stick anyone over 40 in a nursing home and he want to serve a nation with traditional values of respect for all and especially our elders. What is this nation coming to?
DeleteChange comes slow for the Osage, because we have those who want to keep the status quo, keep the money rolling at any cost, sound familiar, tax and spend.
DeleteIt is so easy to do when there is no check and balances.
We all predicted this Government of greed based on lies in the first place, is so corrupt.
In terms, not a nice one, but they are playing house with our money.
With no boundries.
My point,
I am hoping a few newly elected candidates gets into Congress and tears a new a-- hole into our very flawed Constitution that has enabled this behavior to continue.
What is really bad is its Osages sticking it to Osages.
The Haves and Have nots.
I hate to say but it looks like we are a wel-fare state.
We fit the profile.
Listen the money from the Casino's was to go to the Osage.
Yes we want our communities to be well supported, but that comes by way of the private sector.
We're not even close.
This was expected,instead we got something entirely different.
So I am hoping change comes.
Remember, everyday is a chance to do something about yesterday and if we cannot conquer our problems within the next few months after our elections in June, all I have to say is good luck to the new candidates because a storm is brewing and has for some time like twelve years and I hold a piece that can undo this government, we've done it before and we can do it again.
More like a spending efficiency problem from the political factuon.
DeleteRemember to vote those judges out of office. Those goofs ruled the Chief's office doesn't have to present a budget for his office. So the child welfare office has lost employees because the executive branch needs more money. This is happening to all departments. People lose jobs when Chief Melon Head needs more money for his whims. $27,000 per student for the Immersion school? The certified teachers can't speak Osage except at a baby level, and the good speakers aren't certified teachers. That school has no certification with the State. What happens when these kids go back to public school? They can't prove they've received any kind of education. Stop the madness. Vote those judges out along with GSB.
DeleteThanks I keep on forgetting about them as well.
DeleteHow dare those people? When we're out here with children and we get no help at all. Melon Head? I've got another name for it. Get everyone of those judges out top to bottom and that includes both of those corrupt Chiefs.
DeleteSomething seriously needs to be done, we lost our reservation status thanks to Jim Gray.
DeleteDid not bells start ringing also when he had us all sign a new membership card?
Is this what we wanted?
No!!!
There are a lot of Osage’s who do not live with-in and that we do pay attention to what is happening as well back home. Does not make us less Osage or that we do not have Great Pride in those who live with-in our communities in Osage Country. We are all comprised of our culture thanks to our ancestors, our fore fathers. We all know our clans and we understand and appreciate what we have.
I for one not be where I am at had we not left the Reservation and join the Military, because really there was no work to be had back in the day. We had a family to feed. So, I know the inside and out of the politics with in our Nation and the root of the problem.
Is it not bad enough that you and not all but it only takes one to spoil it for the rest because when nothing is done to root out the problem the one becomes complicit.
I can tell you this, the wool has not been pulled over my eyes. In fact, my eyes have been wide open since the beginning of this Government.
Our Government needs to atone, just a matter of how and when.
I can say this with absolute truth “ Even the best lies are mixed with truth”.
You know the same complaint that we are discussing is the very same thing they wer saying about the Mineral Council before we became a Government?
Do you see the “Hypocrisy”?
I am afar but very close, smh.
So I am asking you what is it the Osage should do, I am not one to hang onto the teet of the Government sorta speak.
I believe you build your way.
But, when I see a principal and people so decided, then the principal is corrupt.
You have to acknowledge the problem before it can be resolved or that one exists and the facts of the “matter”,
Lol, like that word does it sound soooo familiar btw, speaks for themselves.
We are in dramatic times with regards to our politics and culture, no doubt.
So I ask what can our Government the Osage Nation can do.
What you do not understand is because you don’t know what you don’t know, so how is it you don’t know, it is because of the status quo, which must change.
The Judges had no choice to rule any other way because where lies in the answer is to change our Constitution “The Principal “.
When we do that, bring back our core principles Less should we forget our culture because truth matters.
Integrity goes a long way and I am a long way and there is a lot less of it.
Politics getting in the way of who we are as a people.
Campsites on Campus on election day, June 4:
Deletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/05/22/election-candidates-pick-their-campsites-election-day-pawhuska/
The Osage Nation is hiring! See https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs?clientkey=C7F1082DFD630A67D2F9CB5635D8679F&jpt=
ReplyDeleteThis is of LARGE interest where a Compact with the State of Oklahoma to get involved in Sports Betting is concerned. See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/supreme-court-rules-federal-ban-on-sports-gambling-is-unconstitutional_us_5af9987ae4b0e57cd9fbd5c0
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/casinos_tourism/here-s-where-u-s-states-stand-on-sports-betting/article_ded1316c-1227-506c-aee6-7270f245408c.html
DeleteThis, coupled with the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem in Israel, indicates it's well worth watching seriously:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/10/risk-of-war-in-the-middle-east-grows-after-us-exit-from-nuclear-deal.html
Do any of you realize what is going on with Osage LlLC and TED. OMG.
ReplyDeleteLike we said doing the same thing over and over agin is the meaning of insanity.
All a sham and scheme.
Osage’s sticking it to the Osage now that we are going to get some tough cookies in Congress to obvious.
Ha ha ha. Read at Osagenews.com for yourselves. This is too obvious.
Just wait till common sense hits the wall when we get new candidates in the M.C.
Unable to produce financial reports in regards to an audit request is this for real, oh this is doable right , prove it , this is BS.Standing Bear said he was no going to sign off on any more financial laugh out loud they are busted. Yep you are right Congress is about to change alright and you just might be right about closing this Government down.
DeleteThey have squandered for self gain and Congrees is a vote of no confidence.
This is definitely what the Osage did not sign up for.
Jim Parris isn't just dishonest; his statements indicate that he is grossly incompetent as an accountant and manager. The government customer at Tinker AFB may be pleased with the completion of contracts, but that customer doesn't care that the company has underbid the work and is going bankrupt in performing the contracts.
DeleteParris' claims that the government customer is pleased with contract performance is belied by the contracting officer from Tinker AFB contacting AG Holli Wells on May 10 “discussing ‘a number of ongoing issues with multiple delivery orders for different projects on Tinker AFB.’ He states, ‘Osage-Tallgrass needs to understand the severity of the current situations.’” If Tallgrass Construction LLC (actually Osage Pinnacle Design Group LLC) was performing well on the contracts as Parris claims then the contracting officer would not be reaching out to the ON in efforts to resolve on-going problems.
Why do these problems now exist? Any fool can win work when he grossly underbids it. This approach only works so long as someone else is willing to foot the bill (in this case the ON). Work began to be underbid once Pinnacle Design Group LLC was no longer involved with Tallgrass in committing fraud against the government. At least when Tallgrass was illegally fronting work bid by PDG and PDG was performing the work in whole the contracts were being successfully performed and not losing money (other than the failure of OLLC/Tallgrass to account for G&A costs).
Parris continues to try to blame unidentified "past management" when he has been chairman of the Enterprise Board when all of the failing contracts were developed. The Enterprise Board is THE MANAGER under the Operating Agreement and the members are ultimately responsible for the failure to oversee the lower-tier management.
Ultimately, the Tallgrass companies wouldn't be losing money if they had even one person on staff who understood cost accounting at the level needed for compliance with government regulations and the Defense Contract Audit Agency guidelines. OLLC acquired this capability with the purchase of Echota Technologies Corporation and then turned around and eliminated it in favor of cronyism with Sharon Bertram of Compass Consulting.
THUMBS UP!
DeleteI have had enough. Get rid of all of it and be done with it dammit! How many more times do we have to read about millions more down the drain with boat loads of promises that all will be well if we just wait this much longer and pay this much more money? Get us out of this miserable business of establishing businesses with this diversification plan when we have no clue how to go about it with Board members who either lie about the reality on the ground or don't even have the ability to assess it. We have the right to hold the Osage Nation government accountable even if the men and women running don't think we do. We do and if they don't show some sense in the next few weeks, they'll probably all go to prison. People are watching this thing, and I mean closely.
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2018/05/18/osage-congress-to-consider-dissolution-of-osage-and-tallgrass-llcs/
BTW, with regard to the threat of the government and other harmed parties attaching the assets of Bluestem Ranch, I warned of this likelihood before Bluestem was made a subsidiary of Tallgrass. This decision was nothing other than pure foolishness and demonstrates a lack of understanding regarding how to structure and operate businesses in order to protect their assets should one entity fail.
DeleteAnother major failing of Jim Parris as Chairman of the Enterprise Board has been his lack of understanding of maintaining "arms length" operation of the businesses. By exerting direct control of the subsidiaries the sham of claiming separate identities is exposed and it is easy for creditors to pierce the corporate veil and attach the assets of every other entity.
The train wreck of OLLC/Tallgrass will eventually come to an end and the dust will settle. However, before the ON gets involved in any more business ventures they need to identify and hire management having a proven background with cost accounting for government contracting.
Dammit is right! I don't want to read about snippets of what's been going on piecemeal on blogs and facebook websites! I by God want all these people hauled before the Osage Nation Congress in a formal Oversight Committee Hearing with testimony given in a free and open manner in the Congressional Chambers broadcast to all the Osage people just like the hearing and removal tribunal was for John Red Eagle. At this point with all that's gone on and is going on today, we have the right to demand it and I'm demanding it! "We have the right to hold the Osage Nation government accountable even if the men and women running it don't think we do." We have the right to know what they've been doing with our money. I want to know what's been going on in an official capacity to determine wrongdoing and have these people dealt with in a punitive manner. If we don't have some word about this in a week I say, vote them all out of office who are currently running and get in a new group who will get to the bottom of this, find out exactly what went wrong and set things right again so that we have the mistakes identified for future reference so we won't continue make them over and over again. If we don't have an oversight committee in Congress, CREATE ONE! They created an official Congressional Membership Committee, they can create an Oversight Committee just as easily. This step should have been taken right after we found out about Osage LLC., and the loss of $19,000,000 years ago.
DeleteHere's another conundrum: How do you become a member of a managing enterprise board and at the same time maintain an "arms length" operation of the businesses? That's like saying that you are mandated to have to wade in and pull out the grass from the bottom of the Koi pond but at the same time, you're forbidden to enter the water.
DeleteThere is no conundrum. Each business has a board in accordance with its Operating Agreement. Each of those boards is responsible for the direct oversight of the respective business. The higher level board provides direction and management influence to the subsidiary boards based on review of management reports and financial statements but is not directly involved with making operating decisions or exerting direct managerial control.
DeleteIf the businesses had been managed in accordance with the Operating Agreement for each company then there would have been a separate board for each subsidiary. This structure did exist with some of the acquired subsidiaries for a time, but then members of the Enterprise Board did not understand how to properly manage the businesses and exerted direct control, undermining the boards and managers of those acquired subsidiaries.
Both publicly traded and privately held corporations having subsidiary businesses manage their affairs at "arms length" every day. They do this in order to protect the assets of the parent corporation, the other subsidiaries, and their own personal wealth.
It is the same way, at least in principle, by which the Commerce Committee manages (or fails to do so) the OLLC/Tallgrass entities. It is 100% possible to effectively manage businesses in this manner, but it requires appointing and/or hiring competent and capable board members and officers to manage the affairs of the subsidiaries.
To use your analogy of removing the grass from the Koi pond, while you specifically may be forbidden from entering the water there is nothing to prevent hiring another person to do it for you.
Thank you for all responding but but but, we have the money it’s a open revolving credit card remember or you did not get the memorandum?
DeleteYou can blame the one and only GSB.
This money is gone and we know how it happened centered all around Jim Parris and co-horts.
Cronyism is a huge problem alright and we have been talking about this for some time right, since the
Government opened.
Then you have members in our Congress who just throws money after money without doing the diligence.
Does anybody have true business background, I do!!!! Enough common sense.
Does anybody have a guesstimate as to how much we’ve lost all together since the Osage LLC to the backseat?
Like I said a long time ago for every dollar that is spent match for the Osage. This is how you stop the spending in our Government.
How much Capital are we bringing to support any of these Ineffectual LLC s? How Capital is our Government bringing period?
What kind of tax revenue are we bringing in to support our Government?
My bet none compared to what we are spending.
These are real questions in real time my brother and sister Osage’s.
I can lay out the specific violations of federal law which lead to OLLC/Tallgrass gaining the federal contracts they have obtained. However, much of the communications between the parties involved were conducted via text messages and many of the e-mails and other evidentiary material has been intentionally deleted.
DeleteUltimately, the fraud involves using the Osage companies as fronts to illegally obtain 8(a) set-aside contracts for the benefit of third party "partners" (as Jim Parris refers to them) that are actually subcontractors operating at no risk. The Osage companies are obligated to pay these lower-tier companies even if it costs more for them to do the work than the government is paying to the Tallgrass subsidiaries.
One way to mitigate damages is to enquire of the federal agencies involved (specifically the Oklahoma Office of the SBA and the contracting officers involved) if they have not been contacted previously and advised of the fraud perpetrated to obtain the blanket contracts. If they won't provide an answer in the affirmative while not under oath, then I am certain they will when deposed or during the trial (for I know for a fact they were so informed). By allowing the IDIQ contracts to remain in force after being made aware of the fraud perpetrated to obtain them, the government officials have made themselves culpable for any damages incurred.
BS. To the poster @ 8:56 am. Just more excuses stupid is what stupid does how can a board function if there is no verification in the first place to make a formidable decision as too? And I happen to agree with Osageblogger.
DeleteI said a while back we need to investigate what happened on all sides of this I like how the above person used “koi pond”.
Well how can a contract become profitable when it’s underbid. What’s left on the table? Then these contracts will not be profitable period.
We bid always with the Government, the local governments in the construction business.
So who didn’t read the Contracts and not understand the outcome of the risk?
Worse is, how do we hold each and everyone accountable? Because as it looks because how our Laws are written our money lost and a spank on the butt.
Be very afraid because just the facts as they are and I said it before just confirmed, by poster @ 9:07 am.
DeleteThis would happen. Front money in the guise of.
And who was culpable our Government.
This alone is a huge blemish on the Osage why because it’s our money and this Government was doomed to fail built on lies as a huge front to support only those who live in Osage Counry.
Because this is not looking pretty period.
The feds should come in and shut it down before we lose anymore funding.
This was a illegal take period you know it and I know it when we had a Government that was functional the M.C.
Long live the Osage Tribe and the 1906 act as amended.
My eyes are wide open and now I’m one pissed off Tallchief.
"By allowing the IDIQ contracts to remain in force after being made aware of the fraud perpetrated to obtain them, the government officials have made themselves culpable for any damages incurred." I agree and the government and the elected officials in Congress need to get in front of all this as soon as possible in a formal oversight Congressional Hearing. There is no longer any excuse for delaying about getting to the very bottom of what has been happening and if they don't accept this responsibility then they could lose everything they've got and go to jail in the offing. There's more but let's focus on getting them to the Hearing Table as soon as possible. If they don't get ahead of this thing now, if it all comes out in another Court venue there will be serious consequences for every elected official we've had since this 8a business started. An argument can be put forward that they made an attempt to correct the problem by creating Tallgrass and in so doing, tried to correct and sort out what went wrong with the Osage, LLC. Now that Tallgrass is on the ropes, they have no possible excuse available. At some point they have to behave responsibly with regard to the loss of this much money overall ($22,000,000?). If they don't, then the elected officials are now and may have been for some time involved in willful neglect of duty to protect our gaming revenue from being lost this irresponsibly just to keep other Osages out of court and jail and without having to deal with the consequences of their actions as Enterprise Board members. This is rising to the level of a criminal organization and it has to stop immediately. At some point, when you tolerate, and in this case, hide or even worse; ignore wrongdoing for this length of time, it becomes a criminal matter.
DeleteThere is a Special Session to sort out this LLC business out on June 5, 2018, the day after the Election. See 12th Special Session information at https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/congress-legislative-branch/sessions
DeleteI hope then that they have the good sense to begin to set up an oversight hearing too.
I don't care about the electons at this point get rollibg with the oversight hearing today.
DeleteI don't want to see GSB get elected period or Whitehorn because they are apart of this problem. This is just to much to come out like this. How can anyone vote at this point?
This committee better be prepared no excuses not to be. Thank you so much Osageblogger.
DeleteCall the Feds
DeleteI just saw this quote on a Facebook page:
Delete"Common sense is so rare it should be classified as a Super Power."
Lol
DeleteThis is so convoluted.
DeleteOn the surface it would appear that an effort was made to right the ship by creating Tallgrass Economic Development LLC, but that is not actually what happened. Tallgrass was created in an effort to protect the remaining assets of OLLC. However, the board members of Tallgrass continued to operate OLLC even though they were not member of the OLLC board, nor were they then permitted by ON law to sit on two boards at the same time.
DeleteThis is a train wreck of epic proportions. I've never seen any business so mismanaged.
To the poster who does not understand "arms length" operation of a parent and subsidiary businesses, there is a wealth of information on the topic available by performing a Google search. You should also have learned about this in business school if you are indeed a competent and qualified manager.
"To use your analogy of removing the grass from the Koi pond, while you specifically may be forbidden from entering the water there is nothing to prevent hiring another person to do it for you."
DeleteWe did hire another person to do it for us. And another one and another one and now the pond is overgrown with grass and the koi are floating dead on the surface. We don't know how to get the right people and I don't care what the excuse is then or now. We don't know how to make this thing work. We need to back away from this concept until we can have a formal hearing to determine what went wrong and why. That's it!
Wise words indeed. There is no better course of action that to stop the train wreck, learn what went wrong, what skills are needed, and how to recruit the right people.
DeleteNot so simple sounds great but at this point Until you acknowledge the problem, Jim P is in denial.
DeleteObviously the Chief is seeing the writing on the wall.
I just do not understand how nobody was being let’s say not scrutinizing the performance of the contract.
Given the vulnerability of the Osage LLC/ Ted LLC why would we involve the Bluestem Ranch And to be honest this is news to me it’s a arm considering all the politics around these two agencies.
Was the risk ever assessed?
This is a gross abuse of our Casino money not to be abused in this manner.
I do not trust this Government. I have no confidence in this Government to do what is right for the few as opposed for the greater need for all. Failing hugely in its promise from the start in 2006. This is t Monopoly money folks
When are you going to get that they don't want to let everyone down?
DeleteBut they did.
DeleteYes. They did and we have to have the truth now and get this thing stopped before everyone ends up in jail.
DeleteWhat a toxic legal environment ripe for abuse.
Deleteosageblogger May 19, 2018 at 8:15 AM - "If we don't have some word about this in a week I say, vote them all out of office who are currently running and get in a new group who will get to the bottom of this"
DeleteSadly, I don't see much hope of change with most of those running other than Allen and Potts. Knowing most the rest my adult life, and some in childhood, it's just gonna be more of the same, sorry to say.
The flaw is with the system. That's what's broken. And worse still, the system has corrupted the culture (it has become a culture based around cronyism, where else can you get such salaries and benefits). Now the employees (LLC and governmental) and the Nation hold each other hostage. Each threatening the other with revolts or cuts. The employee class is so large they can throw out elected officials if they don't get what they want. And in order to keep power and stifle change the Nation bribes (PTO) the employees for their support. How can anything change in that type of dynamic?
Then we need full disclosure on how much actual paid time off each employee takes and I mean getting installed time card machines that each one has to punch in and out for every time they arrive in the morning, leave at lunch, arrive back to the office after lunch and when they leave the office every single official work day.
DeleteThe flaw is the a Constitution that has allowed for this behavior to exist. This was no accident. I have studied since 2006 in depth.
DeleteInlook to Tina and Potts as to judge “Gorsuch”.
If we cannot turn this around I’m shutting this Government down. I have the tools too.
It’s bad enough I know the end game and so does everyone else.
Stop protecting the status quo, meaning each other and the cronyism.
It’s not like what you are saying isn’t the truth but because this Government like so many was predictable.
Ask yourself why?
This Government was built on a lie .
The answers are there and I have them and it took awhile but I found the loophole how this happened because we had a existing Government and we still do.
Might I say though we have literally two Governments that’s not the loophole.
DeleteMore of a conundrum we are in but non the less.
I do hold high regard for Tina and Potts is what I meant to say.
Yes you are right, but I do believe we can do better, but years have passed. And I get you want to turn this around. And I get policies were ignored had they been followed.
DeleteSurly you understand it is always harder to do what is right as there is truth even in a lie.
I know and you know and I know, let’s get you in the door.
I don't agree that the flaw is in the system. It's with those who run this government who refuse to take the necessary steps to protect our money from those who are behaving in an irresponsible manner with it. To give you an example, a small three part form of government would have gotten an oversight committee in place over the loss of $100,000. We haven't even got a hearing in a Congressional Committee going in all this time and we have lost TWO HUNDRED AND TEN TIMES THAT MUCH (210)! AND PROBABLY MORE ON THE WAY THE VERY NEXT DAY AFTER THE ELECTION! ($700,000)! That's why this form of government works to protect the government from family influence and to protect the families from the government influence (punitive actions taken in court when the laws are broken) if the TOOLS AVAILABLE ARE SET UP AND IN PLACE TO WORK PROPERLY. An OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IN CONGRESS SHOULD ALREADY HAVE BEEN SET UP YEARS AGO TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INVESTIGATIVE ARM OF THE CONGRESS, THE OFFICE OF FISCAL AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW (OFPR). It should have been meeting at least twice every month to make reports to the Oversight Committee on its findings and review any actions that should be taken by the Committee. The Committee is then in a position to report its findings with either no concerns shown or items of concern to watch or to have action taken on, and this public report, posted to the website of the Congressional Oversight Committee, due every two weeks, should be going out to both the Osage Nation members and the ON Attorney General's Office.
DeleteThe beauty of this idea is that we don't have to hire anyone to take care of this situation; no other department, division, office etc., needs to be employed. The Congress is already there being paid and so is the OFPR. Add another Congressional Committee with the specific and singular duty and responsibility of fiscal Oversight to the roster and we're in business.
DeleteI understand what your saying osageblogger but at it's essence, the stated intent even before the constitution was written was, the Nation is there to create jobs for citizens of the Nation. That was trod out at every meeting they had.
DeleteNow the employee class is there to reap benefit from the Nation and the Nation by virtue of those benefits to reap stability (via vote) from employees. That symbiotic relationship keeps this nation in a state of stasis, disallowing change or development beyond the status quo. And any threat to the flow of dollars or casting of votes is sure to be defeated in the Nation's Courts and in the court of public opinion. A reasonable budgeting amendment was passed with 82% approval, only to be vacated by the court. One congress member stands up to the previously illustrated dynamic and suddenly the popular refrain is we must vote by on-rez - off-rez, 1/3, something or other, change horses in the middle of the stream, nonsense. (This coming from a person, me, who always supported district voting and who never supported membership drives.)
To put a finer point on it, the rational for creating the system was flawed or broken from the beginning. The system now is just a reflection of that original stated intent, that being, to employee the electorate. We created a government that creates jobs, that intern support the entity that created them. It's self fulfilling downward s**t-spiral.
And mark my words, the Nation is going to have no choice but to reach into Minerals to feed the beast of their own creation. We got to keep them salaries growin for those that never left and benefits flowin to those that ain't never gonna set foot here. #sh*t-spiral
Timeclocks the employees would never stand for it and the elected officials would simply cave just like they did with the PTO.
DeleteYou'd be surprised what pink slips can do with employees who refuse to go with the program and make compliance with such employment policies. If they all quit then we start over. Game resets as a much lower cost and those employees can never again be hired by the Osage Nation government again. Tough policies yes but needed before this government goes belly up and it's close to that right now with this 8a contracting situation happening.
DeleteNo. The Nation was created to serve the Osage people. Having the employees eat up every available dollar we have coming in with two to four months off depending upon the situation, plus stealing time in between, is not and has never been the program. Make any excuse you want to make. If this continues, those who care about this government and its future will be forced to go outside to get it sorted out even if it means shutting it all down and starting over with a group of only a few fiscally responsible Osages in charge if that's what it takes to prevail against this corruption that is overwhelming everything associated with the Osage Nation government. If this happens, people in our government will be going to jail, make no mistake. And I mean more than just a few.
DeleteNote: I use the term employee generically. In "employee" I include LLCs and the many, many paid boards.
Delete2:55 ~ "No. The Nation was created to serve the Osage people." That's a noble sentiment but unfortunately it bares no resemblance to the reality on the ground. I argue it was never intended to serve the Osage people. It was always intended that in serve SOME of the Osage people.
One half the population you keep happy with cushy jobs. The other half with nice entitlements. The problem is you can't keep that up without ever increasing revenues. Ergo - broken system, whoever is in office.
Bring it all down, go outside the system, send them all to jail, I'm fine with all of it. Just don't delude yourself that they system has more than a snowballs chance in hell of being righted from the inside.
Employees vote, far flung members who only signed up because they thought they would be getting some of that bid oil cash don't. That's reality.
Bleak, yes.
Do I just feel like arguing today, yes.
Reality, though, yes.
All one has to do is look at the moral matrix to understand the foundation this Government was founded and yes it is flawed by all accounts.
DeleteWe are out of balance because of.
To poster@ 2:30 pm.
I truly believe you are right.
How many licks does it take to get to the center of the lollipop,keeps coming to mind.
In all it’s grandiosity The Nation did profess Jobs.
Listen Jobs are not created by the Government , the private sector brings Jobs.
Government has proven so just take one look at the M.E. Proof.
At this point anything Government touches the word in our case, it destroys.
To: poster @ 2:55 pm.
You are absolutely right it’s been done before we can do it again.
Our rights have been abrogated in the worst way.
Still asking can someone tell me what capital we are bringing to supplement our spending?
Only then can we understand where we stand once the facts are out.
This is all relative to weather we want this Government or not.
Because we do not know what we don’t know but I can surmise we are taking in way less then we are spending and I’ll be famed if we become a wel-fare state.
3:40 pm you are right.
DeleteGo back in history that’s what this group who decided to become a Government the Nation said the very same thing about our original Government the M.C.
Kinda of like we are spinning the money wheel if you have. Almost everything we own is rented by us, go figure.
DeleteThen you the Casino money which is only to be used for profit, where’s the profit, right into the regulated pockets of the Nation.
Long over due is accountability and transparency. We have a problem. That’s not happening.
Delete"Now the employees (LLC and governmental) and the Nation hold each other hostage."
DeleteThat's got to stop immediately. This government has to be based on laws and everyone following them, not bullying tactics holding sway and the whole government at a disadvantage.
"Employees vote, far flung members who only signed up because they thought they would be getting some of that bid oil cash don't. That's reality." That's just more disinformation about the real care and concern most of us have about the Osages and our Osage heritage. Before the Constitutional government came into being the only ones who had any real buy-in were those with a headright annuity check. The rest of us were shut out. Our personal family motto was, "You'll find out when and if you get the check." It was harsh and ugly and wrong especially for those of us who live outside of the Osage with only family members whose attitude and level of attempt to share anything with us about our being Osage was nil, especially when over the years, we have had a sincere interest in what it means to be Osage. We can build on this and that's what we thought the new government was going to be about. It's not too late by any means.
Deletewarning Osageblogger your beginning to sound like a politician.
DeleteJust putting that out there.
It’s fine you want to correct current events but you cannot challenge the truth if you ar not willing to share why it was the way it was.
Remember, those of us and there are many that still feel that this is indeed a De Facto Government.
And I will explain, in short , many were not kept from signing the roles it was a conscious decision made on their own behalf. Tell me differently or share, but I am not wrong.
Why do you think we have the problems we have today, you cannot acknowledge what you don’t understand. I
It’s about the haves and have nots and now look at where we are at.
The wool sorta speak is not pulled over my eyes ,why do you think the ME is so guarded?
Shoulda woulda coulda.
Ok, now that we got that cleared.
So you tell me how my vote in this Government did not happen ?
I know what shut out is from this TallChief.
Inclusive, that was the key to our heritage and culture and not up to Government to make sure who knew who we are it was taught from our elders.
Inclusion = Only because dollars sprung up with the Casinos did eyes start popping out of their heads.
That’s when everything went hokey pokey . And that’s putting it nicely.
We have been operating under that guise of inclusive burning through our Casino money is what has happened.
Inclusive = excuse to, why because if the Osage isn’t there, the federal Government is there to assist with or without the help of the Osage Tribe. Regardless if you are Indian or not.
No it was no harsh and wrong. They , these families had every opportunity to come here from Missouri, Kansas back in the day and fast forward to now.
You about to lose my vote.
Like it or not. I'm not afraid to tell the truth. This is what happened in my family and as a politician, I fully intend to make changes to the status quo such as it is today to make sure that we all have the fair shake that we, no matter where we live, were promised we would have when the new government came into being with the vote on the Constitution. It's only "us" when those of us who live on the outside want something in an equitable manner from those who don't want us to have it who live in the Osage. Then and only then, does it become "us" who live at home and "them" who live away from home.
DeleteRemember, $64,794,000 is appropriated for the government to be spent in Osage County and $17,850,000 in direct services is appropriated for all Osage Nation members including those who live in Osage County. For all we know, 75% of the last figure could be being spent on those who live in Osage County as well. Not right and I have every intention of rectifying the situation if I am elected to serve ALL OF the Osage people as a member of Congress.
Even Harvard has been fooled by these people who have taken over the spending in the new government:
Delete"No matter how difficult the process, the new government would be a government OF and FOR all Osages."
https://hpaied.org/publications/osage-nation-governmental-reform-initiative and click on the yellow square for the PDF to come up.
Let me say this again: EVEN HARVARD!
What's this about happy hour Chief Stumbling Bear falling off the bleachers at Fairfax this last weekend? How many saw his swan dive?
ReplyDeleteHas he fallen off his rocker again?
DeleteThis man has big troubles down in little China, I suspect.
Once the money trail follows back to him, he’s caught red handed.
I do not say this lightly.
FOIA’s may be headed his way with the shut down by the SBA in tow.
The word is that he may have really hurt himself so let's not go where we appear to be going. I've just had a bad fall myself and my spine is still in such a bad way, I'm not sure when the pain will stop and the injury finally resolved.
DeleteHe reeked of alcohol. If I hadn't lost all respect for him I would have assisted in getting him up off the ground.
DeleteOk I get what you are saying but come on addiction does not discriminate.
DeleteHe’s our Chief regardless how we feel. Right. His failure and it is, is all of ours.
The same goes for President Trump.
Just help me understand. Are you saying that because someone is a drunk or Trump is ate up with weakness of character or just down right despicable, it is all our fault?
DeleteTut-tut!
DeleteJust got the fliers from the Revards in regards to them running for council.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely need experience but how does your experience differ from our existing and prior M.C’s and how do you plan on moving the M.E into a profitable estate considering the restraints the BIA has on the estate?
This comment has been transferred to the Shareholder page on the Osage Blog at https://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/osage-shareholder-matters-may-2018.html
DeleteThere are waaayyy to many Revards in office and at the administration levels at the Osage offices and the casinos.
ReplyDeleteEnough with the nepotism and their $100,ooo salaries.
I am completely comprised thank you.
DeleteWe have a council a working council doing all that they can under the constraints of the BIA.
But I like what I am hearing form them both.
Listen I am shocked to read what has been known for some time we were underpaid by the HPP settlement, I believe much more than sixty million. Reason for the question mark on the flier, just the first I am hearing acknowledgement not even a word from our current M.C is appalling. You get the feeling that the M.C is stonewalling the rest of the Headright Owners as if they have forgotten who we all are? But worse no communication and it is there fault the status quo has not changed you cannot change what you do not acknowledge. Out with old in with the new. Chang is needed in the worse way. Listen ai own oil wells in Texas I get quarterly updates everything is current and updated this is no way to run a multi billion Estate. There’s a lot we can do. So forgive me if I give them a second look, because I do with the exception of Cynthia and Stephanie I really have no confidence in the M.C.
In no way silence is golden, especially when we are in this together title or not we all have the same common interest. I do understand the nepotism and cronyism exists to our detriment in many ways, I also understand a lot needs to change.
For example, my thought are to return the Government back to the M.C. Can we have change yes we can and long over due.
I've got no problem with the Revards. I like the Revards. Furthermore, I admire the Revards. I've known a number of them who live in Osage County, Texas and in California and they are well educated intelligent Osages who we should be proud to have serve in our government.
DeleteMay 22, 2018 at 7:54 AM
DeleteFound the Revard!
Looking for a cushy job, eh?
Just go to HR. They will create a job for you at 100k to start and with bonuses and raises every six months.
Comments about the candidates for Osage Minerals Council are posted on the Shareholder page on the Osage Blog at https://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/osage-shareholder-matters-may-2018.html
DeleteYou mean enough nepotism with the current Chief? He made a job for one son, run a guy off and gave his wife that job, and installed his son in law at the CEO of gaming. And you are worried about some Revards? Please. Geoff is the King of lining his own pockets, and benefiting his family while in office. Oh and his girlfriend has a pretty good job with the Nation too.
DeleteGirlfriend?Son too?
DeleteTUT-TUT!
DeleteThank God for this Blog and being able to post here without joining + having anonymous comments for all. That new group Osage Impact on Facebook is so controlled the only one who can begin a topic is the moderator. How does that play out in the land of free speech in the Osage? Buh
ReplyDeleteI agree. The Osage News is currently controlled by the Chief. Have you noticed all the articles that make it clear Tony Whitehorn is Maria Whitehorn brother in the articles about the Tallgrass LLC? When Chief was fighting with at ranch board he would call the News and add stuff to the article to make the story even worse. The article even stated at the bottom that Chief had called to add his two cents. I never saw where the ranch board was asked any follow up questions or if they approved what was published. The Osage Impact is so biased with Chief it's ridiculous. Remember he was in Congress voting to give Tallgrass money all those years ago. I'm not thrilled with either candidate for Chief but for heaven's sake the only source of news for Osages should be unbiased. Thankfully I live around here so it's hard to sway me because I see what is happening.
DeleteThere is another source of Osage news. Kugee's Notes to the Nation. A tell it like it is newsletter alternative, if your tired of the Osage News tell it like it ain't.
DeleteWhat our newspaper is biased well yes it is.
DeleteHow do they get paid, exactly. Fair and balanced not.
I agree, Kugee's Notes to the Nation are highly recommended for news and issues related to the Nation and the work of the Congress.
DeleteThere is no defending the Osage News. That is a tragedy turned over to an immature editor under the thumb of the Chief.
ReplyDeleteYep. Couldn't say it better myself. Still smarting over the way that little curtsy and sashay took out the second Chief's debate. I loved seeing the Chief sweat in the first debate and couldn't wait for round 2. At the Northern California meet he looked like he'd been seated over in the corner. Maria Whitehorn looked great and and made even greater points when she started speaking to the gathering.
Delete
ReplyDeleteWARNING -- IF YOU ARE GOING TO THE ELECTION AND STAY OUTSIDE, BE SURE TO WEAR BUG SPRAY! My mother got bit by a tick while sitting outside waiting for the election results in 2002. We came back home to Colorado and within a few days she was horribly ill. The tick was infected with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and she nearly died. She was in the hospital for 13 days and it took all summer for her to recover. Read this article about a related Rickettsial disease: https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/25/health/tick-disease-prevention-tips/index.html
See also http://www.news9.com/story/29774284/oklahoma-victim-of-rocky-mountain-spotted-fever-is-warning-others
People don't like the LLC boards, they are paid by the chief in order to curry political favor not do a good job. Someone in accounting said 2 out of every 60 dollars brought in by gaming goes to a Standingbear/Lookout or Red Corn. If you want the status quo. the purchase of the ranch may sound like a good idea, did you know it was pushed through by the chief's henchmen without so much as a business plan. their only response on how the tribe would be paid back was to have tours. The chief is running using your money to get back in office. Maria, is honest and won't lie to get in office. If you want the chief and the rest of his drunken staff running the tribe into the ground vote for him again. Im voting to sweep them all out. Don't be fooled.
ReplyDeleteIf the Chief is taking two for himself, then one of those dollars can go towards the constituency.
DeleteIt’s not that we hate the LLC’s. It is the fact that they are surely poorly managed.
The left does not know what the right is doing.
You cannot run a business if you do not know what you are doing but in this case, underbidding without doing a risk assessment. Was doomed from the get go. I definitely want a special council to look into this matter.
In addition the Government needs to apologize to their own people and explain how they are going to rectify with minimal resources as possible.
The last election there was so much more candidates running for Chief and Assistant Chief, what happened this election? If you don't want the Chief re-elected, you only have one choice.
ReplyDeleteAs for the MC ballot, the current MC took most of the slots up. I don't know the Revards, but I voted for both of them because of their experience and the ME's future depends on the competency, knowledge and experience of the oil and gas industry.
In both the Nation and the MC, we are voting for those we believe (or hope) will bring more transparency, accountability, competency (common sense), and communication in many aspects.
It seems if it's not "written" then it will not be done? Let's put words like "audit," "risk assessment," "oversight committee" in the Constitution to make it "law."
As soon as the votes are counted, we will have an idea of where we stand and where we are going.
Right, thought the same thing if I had the chance to run I would have put my name in at the time but I had huge family issues. I literally had six members in my family who fell ill one after the other. Two of the critical but stable waiting for transplants.
DeleteSo obvious my priorities shifted fast.
If I could put my name on the ballot I would.
DeleteWe have been asking for transparency for so long that because we have had nothing , zilchola, I have lost confidence in their ability to do other wise.
DeleteSilence is not golden.
Problem is and the excuse you get our hands are tide because of the BIA.
THE ONLY THING STANDING IN THE WAY OF YOUR GOAL IS THE BULLSHIT STORY YOU KEEP TELLING YOURSELF AS TO WHY YOU CAN’T ACHIEVE IT.
Listen Helen Keller achieved her bachelors degree in arts.
DeleteMozart was composing by 5.
And there are many people with achievements and this is where we are at, our Mineral Council has failed on so many levels.
"family issues." - I believe in prayer and I will add you and your family in my prayers.
DeleteThe chief has repaid many families he promised jobs to. Jobs that were already filled by Osages. And he has protected them for serious flaws. Olivia Gray's daughter was reportedly pinching children in the immersion
ReplyDeleteschool, when it was reported to chief he threatened everyone involved to say nothing or get fired. Gray then violated HIPPA laws by revealing the DV client to a crowd at a pow wow by dressing her , then allowed a transvestite in the shelter and they went on to expose themselves to children. Of course chief defended her again. Wonder what she has on him to keep her job. The chief's staffers spend most of their time dating subordinates ....chief hired his mistress as a highly paid assistant. Disgraceful.
Isn't this Jim Gray's daughter too?
DeleteOmg why is this coming out now and not then!
DeleteOsage Blog Conversation continues at http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2018/06/conversation-june-august-2018.html
ReplyDelete