"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokee Council Upholds Vetoes

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA – The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council voted to uphold three legislative vetoes made by Principal Chief Chad Smith and passed a tribal hunting and fishing code. The Chief also invited the public to the dedication of the “Place Where They Play,” Sequoyah School’s new multi-purpose facility, on Friday, December 15 at 5:30 p.m.

As dictated by the Cherokee Constitution, the post of Attorney General is appointed by the Principal Chief. A proposed amendment to make the Attorney General position an elected one was vetoed by Chief Smith and sustained by the Tribal Council with a vote of 15-2.

“I am very glad to have the issue resolved once and for all,” said Diane Hammons, Cherokee Nation Attorney General. “I am looking forward to fully developing the Office of Attorney General for our Nation.”

A second veto addressed unresolved problems with a proposed redistricting plan which would affect tribal districts and the election process. Many council members indicated that it was too close to next spring’s election to change voting districts and the veto was sustained. The current election law calls for voting districts in the next Cherokee Nation election to be the same as they were in the last election. In sustaining the third veto, the Council voted not to give a controversial second bonus to Cherokee Nation employees.

The Council also passed hunting and fishing code which will enable the Cherokee Nation government to negotiate agreements with other state entities regarding hunting and fishing within the tribe’s jurisdictional boundaries as well as on trust land.

Chief Smith invited everyone to the dedication of the “Place Where They Play,” a multipurpose facility built by the Cherokee Nation at Sequoyah Schools. The facility will host middle school classes and community events, as well as Sequoyah basketball games. Chief Smith also honored three Cherokee veterans, Vietnam War veteran Jim Sisco, World War II veteran Atha Meigs, and National Guard serviceman and Cherokee Nation employee Keith Danner, Jr.

In other business, the Council voted to authorize grant applications to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding wastewater and a grant request by Cherokee Nation Enterprises to the U.S. Department of the Interior to further study wind energy alternatives.

“The end goal of the wind (energy) project is to see how we can subsidize our buildings and casinos with alternative energy options,” said Cara Cowan Watts, Council representative for Rogers County.

The Council amended their agenda to unanimously vote Angela Pettit as the employee representative on the Cherokee Nation Industries board of directors.

The entire December 12 Cherokee Nation Tribal Council meeting can be viewed on the Cherokee Nation’s council minutes web site.

The next Cherokee Nation Tribal Council meeting is scheduled for January 15 at 6 p.m. in the Tribal Council Chambers at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex on Highway 62 south of Tahlequah.