Tribal Members Express Concerns With TEB
A group of Fort Peck tribal members expressed their feelings at the Greet the Dawn building in Poplar on Friday, Oct. 4, to discuss their concerns with the current Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board.
Meeting organizer Michael Youngman explained the reason for the meeting was to hear from residents and determine the interest level of requesting a general council.
Ray White Tail Feather, who served on the TEB for 25 years including as a chairman, said that there needs to be more accountability and respect. He said that the group will hold meetings throughout the reservation to hear people’s concerns.
“The people of the reservation need to be heard,” White Tail Feather said.
Kenny Shields, emcee of the event, added that people have the right for TEB to answer them in a respectful, kind and professional way.
Shields said there’s a need to have an oversight committee consisting of community members. He said concerns include a drug problem, slow response by law enforcement and health care for the elderly. He said if a request for a general council is made, the reasons must be prioritized based on importance.
For a general council to occur, 10 percent of eligible voters must sign it. The request must be for a very specific reason. Either the tribal chairman or the TEB must agree to the general council.
Scott Smoker was one of the individuals who made comments at the gathering. He explained general councils don’t occur happen, but something worthy of such a formal community meeting might be how the tribes is changing Indian Health Services. He noted the resolution reads that the tribes will assume operations on Oct. 2, 2025. He doesn’t feel that’s enough time for the change.
He was disappointed the tribes didn’t inform the public that TEB was considering the change before making its decision. He wished a community meeting was conducted about that issue.
“It affects all of us,” Smoker said. Michelle Trottier mentioned the problems with drugs, alcohol and homelessness in the community.
“Everybody turns a blind eye to it,” she said.
She feels TEB doesn’t follow its own policies when hiring. “It’s just unfair because they pick and choose who they want to go after,” Trottier said of the treatment of employees.
She feels the number of TEB members should be decreased from its current amount.
A communications specialist for the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention program said there are a lot of issues and that employees aren’t being heard. She said that after a staff meeting, employees were treated rudely by TEB members.
She feels the number of TEB members should be decreased from 12 to six elected individuals.
Another woman stressed the need of a meth treatment center in the area. She expressed concern that, if new federal officials are elected, there might be fewer grants available for Native Americans.
“Our council people need to be business-minded,” she said.
