Tribal Procedures Act Working Group Launches Community Survey
Oct 24, 2023
AKWESASNE -- Tribal members appointed to help update the Tribal Procedures Act are pleased to announce the launch of a community survey. The survey is intended to gain feedback and recommendations from membership on the 2013 Procedures Act, which serves as the governing document for the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. The survey is available on the Tribal Members Portal until Sunday, Tsiothóhrha/December 31st for enrolled members to complete.
First adopted in 1994; the Tribal Procedures Act defines Tribal Council’s general powers and procedures, recall and removal from office, as well as steps for the Tribal Council and individual members to initiate a tribal referendum. It was amended in 2013 to give tribal members a greater voice and to make the tribal government more financially transparent and accountable.
Over the past several years, the Tribal Council has held priority planning sessions and has continually identified the need to update the 2013 Tribal Procedures Act. To help, a callout was conducted and four (4) tribal members were appointed to lead this effort. Their appointment was announced in July 2023, following the adoption of Tribal Council Resolution 2023-30.
The four (4) tribal members were formally introduced at the Kenténha/October 2023 Monthly Tribal Meeting and comprise of Ruth Bell, Amber McDonald, Melissa Ward, and Emily Lauzon. They provided a presentation on the process to be used for updating the Procedures Act, which includes a survey for membership to provide input on proposed amendments.
The Tribal Procedures Act Working Group will launch the survey on Kentenhkó:wa/November 1st. It will be available on the Tribal Members Portal, which can be accessed from the Tribe’s website at www.srmt-nsn.gov. It will also be mailed to households under the Tribe’s jurisdiction; as well as made available at meetings, community events, and other locations.
One consultation meeting has been scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Kentenhkó:wa/November 8th. The meeting is hybrid and will be held in the first-floor meeting room of the Ionkwakiohkwaronon Tribal Administration Building. Tribal members who want to participate in-person do not need to register however, advance registration is required to join virtually by clicking on the following link: https://shorturl.at/gowKM.
The meeting’s purpose is to provide an overview of the Tribal Procedures Act and to identify areas for possible updates. Some initial amendments that are being explored by the Working Group are composition and terms for Tribal Council, referendum threshold for non-budgeted expenditures, and ways to better engage members in tribal meetings.
At the conclusion of the survey intake process on Sunday, Tsiothóhrha/December 31st, additional meetings will be held to present the results and begin drafting proposed amendments. The final draft amendments will be presented to the Tribal Council for initiating the referendum process, with the goal of June 2024 for tribal members to vote on their formal adoption.
For more information on the Tribal Procedures Act Working Group, please access the Tribal Members Portal and view their presentation from the Monthly Tribal Meeting held on Kenténha/October 14th.
To learn more about the 2013 Tribal Procedures Act, please visit https://shorturl.at/iyGQ3.
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The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the duly elected and federally recognized government of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.