Public Notice - Referendum on the Tribal Council Procedures Act

Apr 25, 2013

Issued by the Tribal Clerk of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
April 23, 2013

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council, working in conjunction with the Governance Committee, puts forth the Final Draft of Amendments to the Tribal Council Procedures Act of 1994. The Amendment shall be called the “SAINT REGIS MOHAWK TRIBE TRIBAL PROCEDURES ACT.”

The Amendments have resulted from input from the Tribe’s Governance Committee, involving many community members over the past several years, input from community members through public meetings held on February 12, 19 and 26th, as well as written and verbal comments received from community members and staff of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe.

The changes being proposed make it much less burdensome for Members to initiate petitions to enact laws, reject laws and place questions before the membership in a referendum process. It also makes the actions of the Tribal Council more transparent by requiring the Council to conduct its business through regularly scheduled meetings that are open to Membership. The Amendments would also require a series of public meetings to review and receive public comments on the annual budgets and set forth standards to allow Members access to public Tribal records. And, perhaps most importantly, the Amendments would require that future amendments be adopted by Referendum. The current “Tribal Council Procedures Act of 1994” has no such requirement, and would allow for amendments by vote of Tribal Council.

Because of the importance of these Amendments, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council has determined that adoption of them must be subject to Referendum and has set the date of the Referendum for June 1, 2013, to be held in conjunction with the Tribal Election scheduled for that date. Voting to take place at the Tribal Community Building, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Public Meetings to present the Referendum Question will be held on May 1, 8, and 22nd at the Tribal Community Building at 6:00 p.m. Members of Tribal Council and the Governance Committee will be in attendance to respond to any questions or concerns.

The following will be the Referendum Question:

"DO YOU SUPPORT THE ST. REGIS MOHAWK TRIBAL COUNCIL ADOPTING THE TRIBAL PROCEDURES ACT?
_YES _NO

An affirmative response shall mean that the Tribal Procedures Act will be adopted through a Tribal Council Resolution and will replace the 1994 Procedures Act and a negative response shall mean that the Tribe will not adopt the Tribal Procedures Act and the 1994 Procedures Act will continue to be the authoritative document for Tribal Council governance.

Copies of the certified Final Draft Amendments may be obtained at the Community Building, or from the Public Information Office. Community members with questions or concerns should contact any member of Tribal Council or the Tribe’s Legal Department at 518-358-2272.