1938 Business Committee Resolutions
Author/Creator
Citizen Band Potawatomi
Author/Creator
Citizen Band Potawatomi Indian Tribe of Oklahoma
Date07/01/1938
MediumPaper (onion skin)
ClassificationsArchive
Object numberBC.BCR.1938
Description1938 BUSINESS COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONSRESOLUTION #38-1 - A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE AMENDING PART OF THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS.
Collections
Finding AidSUMMARY: Meeting was called for the purpose of electing a new Tribal Business Committee and to transact such other business as may properly come before the council. Reimbursing Mr. Joe Nona $7 (balance of the amount due him on the money he contributed to send a Potawatomi Delegation to Washington.) No action taken. Report to be made on the accomplishments of the present Business Committee during the past year and same was done. Matter of filling out important papers and treaties in order that they may be kept in safekeeping was discussed motion made. Question brought up BC Members serving only 2 years and suggested if they are valuable to the committee that they should be allowed to serve longer. Motion to incorporate the following resolution in the meeting: Resolution: Be it resolved, that the resolution adopted at the last tribal council meeting amending that part of the constitution and by laws reading be amended as follows: "That there shall be an election of officers every year, each officer serving for as long a period as the tribal court sees fit to elect him to such office" Unanimously voted. Mr. Hector discussed matters of organization, due to widely scattered Potawatomi's, to help in straightening out the census roll in an effort to get all the Potawatomi's on so they may have a part in voting. Next order of business election of officers and nominations for Chairman. Motion made for L.J Brent be selected as Chairman. Vice Chairman- Julie Mallow, Secretary-Alice Wardchow. Suggestion that two nominations one of them should be from the West district in order that any information of value might be passed on to those unable to attend the council meeting. Frank Wano and John Mckinney received the most votes it was unanimously agreed they be the Members of the Committee. McKinney withdrew to allow William Trousdale to take his place. Collection of $11 was taken up in regards to having important papers recorded, Plans were made to raise more money.
TRANCRIPTION:
MINUTES OF THE POTAWATOMI COUNCIL MEETING HELD JULY 1, 1938
AT THE AGENCY COMMUNITY BUILDING
In accordance with the constitution and by-laws, the following notice
was posted ten days in advance, calling together the Citizen Band Pota-
awatomi Indians in General Council.
"NOTICE OF CITIZEN POTAWATOMI INDIAN TRIBAL COUNCIL
In accordance with the by-laws of the Citizen Band of Pota-
watomi Indians of Oklahoma, notice is hereby given that a council
will be held at the Shawnee Indian Agency, Shawnee, Oklahoma,
Friday, July 1, 1938, at 10:00 A.M.
This meeting is called for the purpose of electing a new
tribal business committee and to transact such other business as
may properly come before the council.
A. C. Hector
Superintendent
SHAWNEE INDIAN AGENCY
Shawnee, Oklahoma
June 20, 1938”
The meeting was called to order at 1:00 P.M., at the Agency Community
Building, by Mr. L. J. Brant, Chairman. Approximately sixty members were
in attendance. The minutes of the last council were read and approved.
Mr. Brant brought up the matter of reimbursing Mr. Joe Nona $7, which
is the balance of the amount due him on the money he contributed to send a
Potawatomi delegation to Washington. No action was taken.
Mrs. Hardin asked that a report be made on the accomplishments of the
present Business Committee during the past year and same was done. For the
most part, the report concerned the status of the Potawatomi claims. Mrs.
Brant, who is most familiar with these matters, explained to the group what
action had been taken and just how the matter stood at the present time.
The matter of filing important papers and treaties in order that they
may be kept in safekeeping was discussed and a motion was made by Mrs. Smith
that these papers be made of record. This motion was seconded by Mrs. Goodman
and carried unamiously. It was reported that a fee of $1.25 a page would be
charged for filing these papers. It was agreed that this money would be
raised by the Tribe by holding social functions.
Mrs. Mallow brought up the question of Business Committee Members
serving only two years and suggested that if a member was valuable to the
Committee that they should be allowed to serve as long as the Tribe wished
them to.
Upon motion by Mrs. Mallow, seconded by Mrs. Wardchow, it was unam-
iously voted to incorporate the following resolution in these minutes of
the council.
RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED, That the resolution adopted at the last
tribal council meeting amending that part of the con-
stitution and by-laws reading:
“Each elected officer and member of the Com-
mittee shall remain in office for the full term
or two years”
to read:
“Each elected officer of the Committee be elected
to office for the period of one year, beginning July
First of each year, at which time another election
of officers shall be held and that no member of the
Tribe be allowed to hold office in the Tribe for more
than two consecutive terms. This resolution to become
effective July 1, 1937”
be amended as follows:
“That there shall be an election of officers every
year, each officer serving for as long a period as
the tribal council sees fit to elect him to such
office.”
Mr. Hector was asked to discuss the matter of organization and did so.
He explained to the group some of the difficulties they would have in trying
to organize due to the fact that so many of the Indians are so widely scat-
tered, and having been away so long have lost interest in tribal affairs, but
he urged them all to help in straightening out the census roll in an effort
to get all the Potawatomis on so they might have a part in the voting and
offered any assistance the agency might be able to give.
Mr. Brant announced that the next order of business would be the election
of officers and asked that Mr. Hector take charge. He did so and announced
that nominations were in order for Chairman. The following nominations for
Chairman were made from the floor:
Motion by George Haas that L. J. Brant be selected as Chairman.
There being no other nominations, motion was made, seconded and
unamiously carried that Mr. Brant be Chairman.
For the office of Vice-Chairman, the following nominations were made from
the floor:
Motion by Mrs. Wardchow that Mrs. Julie Mallow be selected as
Vice-Chairman.
There being no other nominations, motion was made, seconded and
unamiously carried that Mrs. Mallow be Vice-Chairman.
For the office of Secretary, the following nominations were made from the
floor:
Motion by Mrs. Goodman that Alice Wardchow be selected as Secretary.
There being no other nominations, motion was made, seconded and
unamiously carried that Mrs. Wardchow be Secretary.
Before the nomination of the two members, Mr. Brant made the suggestion
that since there were to be two members that one of them be from the West
district in order that any information of value might be passed on to those
unable to attend the council meeting.
For the office of Member the following persons were nominated from the floor:
Motion by Mrs. Wardchow that Mrs. Hardin be selected as Member
Motion by Mrs. Smith that Mrs. Goodman be selected as Member
Motion by Mr. Brant that Frank Wano be selected as Member
Motion by John LeClair that William Trousdale be selected as Member
Motion by Joe Higley that John McKinney be selected as Member
Motion by Mrs. Hardin that Theodore Bourassa be selected as Member
Motion was made, seconded and unamiously carried that nominations
cease.
The voting was as follows:
Mrs. Hardin 12 votes
Mrs. Goodman 13
Frank Wano 20 "
William Trousdale 19 "
John McKinney 29 "
Frank Bourbonnais 15 "
Theodore Bourassa 12 "
Frank Wano and John McKinney having received the most votes, it was
unamiously agreed that they should be the members of the Committee.
John McKinney wished to withdraw and it was agreed that since William
Trousdale had the next highest vote that he should take the place of John
McKinney.
The Business Committee is as follows:
Chairman L. J. Brant
Vice-Chairman Mrs. Julia Mallow
Secretary Mrs. Alice Wardchow
Member William Trousdale
Member Frank Wano
In connection with the matter of having the important papers of the
Tribe recorded, a collection was taken up among the members present and
$11 was collected. Plans were made to raise more money to take care of
the fee for recording.
There being no other business the meeting adjourned at 3:00 o'clock.
L. J. Brant
Chairman
Alice Wardchow
Secretary