PEMBROKE — The Lumbee Tribal Council unanimously approved an amendment Thursday to an Ethics and Conflict of Interest Ordinance, but council members said the changes were too little too late following a recent ruling from the Supreme Court of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Questions of a conflict of interest arose after the court ruled Wednesday to disqualify Ron Oxendine from the race for the next tribal chairman just three weeks before the election is set on Nov. 9.

The eight-page amendment include language specifying what is considered conflicts of interests within the Lumbee Tribal Council, tribal administration as well as the tribal supreme court.

“It’s sad we didn’t have this conflict of interest ordinance before this,” Council Member Wendy Moore said. “Had we had this conflict of interest ordinance, we would have had teeth but it’s a sad day in Lumbee land when these things come to light to the Lumbee public on the 11th hour of an election. I will say publicly, this is a travesty.”

The council voted Thursday to add discussion of the supreme court ruling to the agenda, despite Tribal Speaker Ricky Burnett’s suggested for the matter to first go before committee.

During the discussion, council member Carvicous Barfield called on council members to clarify what ordinance gives the supreme court power to “do what it has done.”

“Mr. (Gerald) Goolsby says that we’re two separate entities and I agree with that but my question to you is this, who appointed these people to these boards,” Barfield said. “They come through us and we take an oath as tribal members to defend the constitution of this tribe. My point is tonight, I’m trying to defend 50-some thousand people. How do you tell 50-some thousand people you don’t know what to do so we’re going to do it for you.”

During the public comments portion, residents spoke out against the decorum of the supreme court proceedings.

“It was like a circus,” Carol Hunt said. “It was nauseating to see how it was carried about.”

“I’m 83 years old,” said Flora Scott. “I still can’t get it in my head that it happened and it’s unnecessary. Why wait until two or three weeks before the election? Tell me that. There’s things going on that’s not right.”

Mark Locklear said the hearings painted the Lumbee Tribe as a “laughing stock.”

“During the supreme court hearing last week, integrity, truth came into question. I’ve been involved in the judicial system for 36 years and I had never seen a court act that way especially when there’s obvious conflicts,” Locklear said.

James B. Hunt, former council member, said the council needs its own lawyer to formulate its laws and regulations.

“We discussed this five years ago. Nothing’s been did about it and as a result, we find ourselves in a predicament and we need a resolution,” Hunt said.

In other matters, the board amended the decorum guidelines for the Lumbee Tribal Constitution Reform Committee allowing members the option to attend meetings in-person or virtually. In June, council members approved an ordinance to establish a Lumbee Tribal Constitution Reform Committee to assist in constitutional reform to update the governing document to better reflect the ever-changing Lumbee society, said Wendy Moore, chair of the Constitution Ordinance Committee.

The new committee will work in conjunction with Tribal Council’s Constitution Ordinance Committee to develop the process and amendments to establish constitutional reform.

In financial matters, the council approved amending budgets making room for more than $500,000 in grant funding.

The first grant awarded comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to expand the HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program. The tribe was awarded $197,130 to address veterans homelessness. $18,400 of the funding will be used toward administrative costs and $178,730 will go toward consumer services.

The Tribe was also awarded $401,844 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of the Low-Income Home Water Assistance program. A total of $40,184.40 will go toward administrative services and $361,559.60 will go toward the water assistance program, which provides funds to assist low-income households with water and wastewater bills.

In other business, the council:

— Approved a resolution to support researchers with the U.S. Environment Protection Agency and the University of North Carolina in their efforts to solicit members of the Lumbee Tribe to participate in a focus group discussion this fall to understand how flood and hurricanes effect the Lumbee community.

— Approved an ordinance supporting the establishment of a indoor and online store what will Lumbee Tribal merchandise. Merchandise will include t-shirts, jackets, hoodies, and decals.

— Gave the Lumbee scholarship committee the authority disperse $500 scholarships to two recipients.

— Approved establishing reporting requirements for the Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program.