TEB Expects More Information Regarding Housing Commissioners

Members of the Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board are expecting to receive a report from the U.S. Treasury within the next few weeks regarding the Fort Peck Housing Authorities’ finances covering the last several fiscal years.

TEB made the decision in December 2025 to suspend housing commissioners for six months. During a Wolf Point Community Organization meeting in January, tribal chairman Floyd Azure said issues included housing committee members getting paid for too many meetings and meals, bills not being paid and micro- managing. The tribal council reports that if communities wish to reinstate the housing board of commissioners that each community should meet and make recommendations to who they would like to serve on the housing board. A final approval by TEB of these recommendations is needed.

TEB recently received a report of findings from the fee accountant regarding the housing authorities’ past financial actions. The fee accountant reported that the housing board of commissioners spent $994,158.39 on several items such as forensic audits, meals, travel and other various expenses. During the time period, the board of commissioners participated in two out-of-state trips that were labeled policy meetings. The findings read that the policies were never officially updated.

There were several housing authority employees that were terminated after the initial audits were completed even though there weren’t any records or minutes taken to support the decisions. Many special meetings were called with no information provided regarding the topic discussed, except it was explained that emergency meetings are only called if there was a need to address a contract, grant or litigation. Many of the meetings did not meet those criteria, according to the findings.

The findings also claim that members of the board of directors deliberately covered up an “owl system” that records its meetings. The fee accountant noted that the housing authority needs to keep an accurate record of its meetings with minutes as the reports must be shared with the TEB who will approve of the hiring and dismissal of the director. This process didn’t occur.

The fee accountant detailed areas of concern such as audit findings, the installation of a conflict- of-interest policy, updating policies, including TEB pre-approval on travel, approval of training, de- tail accurate duties of the secretary position, review the cause for removal of a board member, review financial misconduct, review audit costs and process, review FPHA financials, reviewing the Board of Commissioners’ conduct during their meeting and explore ways to make the FPHA board meetings more transparent.

The findings read, “Addressing the issue of meals being purchased at every meeting was a negative focus, the total the Board of Commissioners spent on these meals was $1,200 per month and was completely unnecessary. This board was supposed to ensure that houses were built in Poplar, but they were never built despite spending $600,000 on the project. The FPHA and TEB need to eliminate money being spent frivolously, the board of directors should not simply copy and past things from other tribes to pass themselves and charge for it. There are many instances of action being taken without the approval of the TEB.”