Bob Shiles
Staff writer
PEMBROKE — Although it met for two budget work sessions this past week, the Lumbee Tribal Council still has not completed its fiscal budget for 2012-13, a document that was supposed to have been completed and approved by Oct. 1.
Tribal Speaker Pearlean Revels contends the budget is almost complete, but puts the blame for the delay directly on the shoulders of Tribal Chairman Paul Brooks. Revels said Brooks has not provided some of the information council members have requested to aid them in the budget-planning process.
Brooks, on the other hand, argued that he has provided council members with all of the information they need to carry out their legislative responsibility of putting together the tribe’s annual budget.
“I have given them everything. I have provided my proposed budget as required by the constitution. … They have more than enough information to pass a budget,” Brooks said. “… They have had a proposed budget since July and have failed for the first time in 11 years to pass a budget before the start of the current fiscal year. They are stalling this budget process to the detriment of the services to the people and are attempting to hold the administration hostage by threatening to cut specific staff people from the budget.”
Revels said the chairman has prohibited tribal staff from attending council meetings to answer questions that council members have about finances and tribal programs.
“It’s our authority and responsibility to monitor tribal finances,” she said. “It’s his responsibility to come before the council to answer questions about how money is being spent.”
In one of the latest clashes between the chairman and council, Brooks filed a petition late last month asking the tribe’s Supreme Court to prevent the council from spending tribal funds to research or establish a “Tribally Designated Housing Entity” to administer funds the tribe receives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In his petition, Brooks contended that authorizing money to be spent in such a way is beyond the Tribal Council’s scope of authority and is unconstitutional.
Brooks filed the petition after all but five of the tribe’s 21 council members voted Nov. 29 to obtain the services of Brian L. Pierson, an attorney from Wisconsin who is an expert on Indian housing issues, to provide information about the process for creating the housing entity. The creation of such an entity would allow an independent board — rather than the tribal government — to receive federal housing money and oversee the administration of the tribe’s housing programs. Currently the financial management and administration of the tribe’s housing programs is the responsibility of the tribal chairman and executive branch of tribal government.
As of the middle of last week, Lumbee Supreme Court Chief Justice Gary Locklear was not ready to commit the court to ruling on the chairman’s petition.
“Not every filing has merit,” he said.
Locklear said the court’s five justices will probably schedule a hearing on the petition.
As of Friday, The Robesonian could not find out from tribal officials whether a hearing has been scheduled.
Speaking as a member of the Lumbee Tribe and not as a judge, Locklear expressed concern in what he perceives as the tribe moving in a direction that is not in the best interest of tribal members.
“Our government is pretty dysfunctional right now,” he said. “In Washington you see a two-party system trying to work things out. Here we have only one party, we are all Lumbees, yet with 21 council members and a chairman all having their own opinions it looks like we have a 22-member party system.
“In my opinion, there’s a lot of personalities involved and that’s hurting the Lumbee people.”
Locklear said that even though he has a personal opinion on issues affecting the tribe, when he is sitting on the bench he makes his rulings based on tribal law.
“The law is the law,” he said. “In (the case of Brooks’ petition), for instance, there are a lot of gray areas.”
Continue to stand firm Chairman. You will earn the respect that the "Revels Follower's" so desperately wants, but will never get!
It is such a discrace at what the council are doimg and we need to vote to lower the amount of members and most of these problems would not happen.
Last weeks meeting in the beautiful lumbee turtle building was terrible. The tribal me,bers walked out.which in the end only hurts the lumbee people seekimg help.
Everyone on the council should at least have a four year college degree because if you listen to these members talk they get mad and argue like kids because they cant get their point across in an educated manner.
I am so happy for all the people living in the community behind the tribe building. They were taken out of apartments, old homes and trailers and given a chance at life to have somethimg to call their own.
Mr. Brooks is there to make sure this help is still there in the future and to help the rest of the lumbees get houses. Single wide trailers are not for a family of four.
I commend Mr. Brooks, I commemd the lumbee community and I hope the council remembers they are in those positions of honor to serve the communities.
Hey, David, how 'bout a special thanks to the one's paying for it? The taxpayers!
Have you given much thought about all "other" poor people in Robeson who would like a free welfare community, and be able to get out of their old homes, and trailers?
If Jesus were here living in an old trailer, your club would deny him a "new" place to live since he doesn't qualify for a lumbee card. Imagine that.............
99% of the Lumbee people DON'T LISTEN TO THEM ANYHOW BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING FOR THEM. I know I will never pledge allegiance to the Lumbee Flag. I will NEVER listen to their courts....I don't have to. I am not federal recognized and do not live on a reservation. But I will the USA flag. No one is listening to them and no one is trusting them. I only know of several Lumbees who could make the people listen and unite them. But, they don't even want to give them a job. They are so popular that they are literally stopped in the street and asked question. Bet ya, noo one does tat to Chairman Brooks....maybe it would pay to get those ladies on HIS SIDE.
While the Lumbee Government has a whole thinks they are talking to a "bunch of ignorant indians" The truth is that there are thousands reading this who are MORE INTELLIGENT that the ones operating the Tribal Government. Hey, they don't even require a High School Diploma or a GED to work in that office and one person without a high school diploma (isn't even HUD certified)makes over $50,000 a year!
There are ALOT of people (even some of the origional 22 that are having their names removed from the rolls of the Lumbee Tribe. If federal recognition ever did come about THOUSANDS would opt-out and claim "bi-racial."
We who are "educated" are thankful to the Editor and his staff for keeping an accurate track of the accounts, those who care and those who do not give a FLIP up on the issues.Ir haS BEEN TOLD THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO MEET WITH OBAMA. Maybe he can make them all GROW UP!
I see this article talks about "money" The BUDGET. But, what about the THREE people that BROOKS fired especially RL who had dedicated her life to Tribal Enrollment? We have already heard of the Townsends being back in that Tribal office. Did they bring the check for the over $80,00 that they owe?
Gosh, didn't we get enough of them the last time?
Only 8% of 55,000 vote in the last election. That shows you just "how many does care and how many don't give a FLIP."
Shut the place down, give the money back to the only onew who know legally how to spend it...The North Carolina Indian Housing Auhority. Save the government MILLIONS and let those who know how to do their job keep them.
The North Carolina Indian Housing Authority would never put up with the close fo 1 million dollars in mechancial liens place on the Boys& Girls Club behind the tribal offices by at least 13 contractors and the numerous liens files agaist the new housing project behind the office complex.
If the NCIHA was involved...none of this would have happened. I know the staff and their "certifications make what we having in our housing program/tribalcouncil look like a bunch of idiots!
Thank you Mr.Douglas for printing the TRUTH and educating the people.
the 200 year old U.S government is dysfuntional
since the executive branch and legislative has
been fighting for weeks over the fiscal cliff?
The lumbee government is only 12 years old.The
US government hasn't passed a budget in 3 years.
As i understand it, the tribal council passed a
continuing resloution which keeps spending at last
year level.Services are being provided.
I believe the tribal council has the responsibilty
to appropriate, legislate and oversight. They are
being hinder by a man who got less than 7% of the
registered voters. Lowest amount of any chairman
ever elected.I believe many of his relatives did
not vote for him.Given this, he should be looking
for ways to work with tribal council.