April 13, 2012 –
MAYETTA: Election notices were mailed out this week to tribal members for the 2012 Tribal Council/Ethics Commission Election that will elect four members to the Tribal Council (vice-chairperson, treasurer, council person #2 and council person #3) and six members to the Ethics Commission.
Election information is also now available on the pbpindiantribe.com website athttp://www.pbpindiantribe.com/elections.aspx
About the Ethics Commission
The first Ethics Commission was elected for the first time in staggered terms in 2008 and 2009 and created a Code of Ethics with the purpose of investigating and hearing complaints against Nation officials. The Tribal Council funds the Commission at a level sufficient to satisfy Constitutional and statutory obligations. Commissioners are not paid for their service but do receive expense reimbursements incurred in performing their official duties.
The Ethics Commission is elected by the Nation’s General Council and all six positions are available this year. Since no tribal members declared their candidacy for the two open seats that were available in the last July 23, 2011 election that election was cancelled and the four commission members who are finishing out their terms agreed to serve as a four-person commission until their terms are up this election. The filing fee for declaring a candidacy for the Ethics Commission election has also been reduced to $50 from the original $150 fee to file.
Terms for the Chairperson and Secretary will expire in July 2015; the Vice Chairperson and Commissioner #1 in 2014 and Commissioners #2 and #3 in 2014.
About the Tribal Council
The Tribal Council is the elected government of the Nation. Its primary duties are to author the Nation’s laws and policies and to serve as the decision-making authority on budgets and investments.
The Tribal Council consists of seven members who have paid positions. The terms are staggered and members serve for four years. The Chairman and Secretary and Position #1’s terms will expire in 2014. The Vice chairperson, Treasurer, Position #2 and Position #3 terms will expire in 2016. Each Tribal Council member has responsibility for certain duties listed in the Potawatomi Constitution. One of their main duties is to protect the health, peace, morals, education and welfare of the tribe.