Investments were made without consulting the Seminole Nation General Council, prompting a community meeting Aug. 3.
SEMINOLE, Okla. – A group of Seminole Nation citizens is questioning its leadership’s decision on how to spend a multi-million dollar federal settlement without public input.
“There are a lot of elders who need a lot things and there are a lot of things we could do with that money,” Seminole citizen Lisa Post Oak said. “I’m tired of this. I’ll bet you’re all tired of this. Enough is enough.”
Earlier this year, the Seminole Nation was awarded a $12.5 million settlement stemming from two lawsuits against the federal government for mismanagement of the tribe’s trust fund accounts and non-monetary trust assets.
According to a memorandum dated July 26 from Seminole Nation Treasurer Sherri Little to the General Council and Principal Chief Leonard Harjo, settlement funds were deposited in the tribe’s bank account on July 12. By July 16, the money was distributed between two short-term government overnighter accounts, with $2.5 million going directly into 120-day investments.
Despite the memo’s caveat that the funds will only remain in investments until the legislature decides how to spend the settlement, the decision raised some concern among tribal citizens. The investments were made without consulting the Seminole Nation General Council, prompting a community meeting Saturday afternoon at the Mekusukey Mission’s Council House south of Seminole, Okla. Despite the lack of working electricity at the facility, more than 30 tribal members gathered to voice their concerns in the heat and darkness to a handful of the Seminole Nation’s 28 tribal legislators.
“My job is to inform you of what’s going on,” Ceyvha Band council representative Rosanna Jones said. “We have six council representatives here. Tell us what you want us to do.”
The award is separate from judgment fund the tribe received in 1991 after a dispute with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Trust Fund Management Board that oversees those dollars voted last month to recommend the short-term investment plan introduced by Harjo, but according to Jones, the committee’s chairwoman, the board was specifically told that the legislature did not need to be involved.
“That board didn’t give permission,” Tom Palmer Band representative Dwayne Miller said. “This hasn’t gone before council yet. This is supplemental money, which places it under the jurisdiction of the Seminole Nation General Council.”
Harjo could not be reached for comment.
Earlier in the week, the Seminole Election Appeals Board dismissed a challenge to the tribe’s election by Eufaula Band General Council representative Jeff Harjo. With almost a quarter of the votes cast, the Shawnee, Okla., resident finished second in the principal chief’s race to Leonard Harjo last month and asked that the entire election be invalidated due to multiple potential violations of the tribe’s election code, including allegations of ballot security violations.
In its dismissal, the Election Appeals Board wrote that Jeff Harjo did not meet the necessary burden of proof.
“The Seminole Nation Election Ordinance does not require strict compliance with its dictates,” Election Board attorney Eugene Bertman wrote in the decision. “In fact, not only must an appeal identify how an alleged violation was of a substantial nature to affect the outcome of the election, at the hearing on the appeal, the complainant must show beyond a reasonable doubt that an alleged violation occurred and must show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the alleged violation affected the outcome of the election or had a strong likelihood of affecting the outcome.”
A run-off in the assistant chief’s race is scheduled for Saturday between Lewis Johnson of Wewoka, Okla., and Thomas Yahola of Konawa, Okla. Unlike the primary election, voters must cast their ballots at their assigned precinct. Polling places include the Sasakwa Community Center in Sasakwa, Okla.; the Mekusukey Mission’s North Community Building near Seminole, Okla.; the Strother Community Building in Strother, Okla.; Glorietta Baptist Church in Oklahoma City and Haikey Chapel in Tulsa, Okla.