SRMT March Monthly Meeting

By Isaac White.

The monthly meeting for the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe began with a presentation from Shawn McMahon on the BOCES Trades program. During the presentation, the benefits of BOCES training and the expansion of the curriculum and options for BOCES Trades were highlighted and well received by community members in attendance.

The real-life application of skills learned at BOCES that can lead to employment for those students in BOCES training was a focal point. The culinary program offered at BOCES and the connection with the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort for those culinary students to refine and experience real-world working situations in the kitchen, hotel management, and a number of other hospitality services are options for students.

BOCES also offers a number of other programs including building trades and during the presentation the community learned that students in the building and construction trade program build a house every year that is then sold.

Adult learners are also afforded the opportunity to take advantage of the high-level educational services at BOCES with a small tuition fee. According to the presentation, upon graduation services, many employers are waiting in the parking lot for recent graduates looking to hire.

The Office of Boards and Commissions made a presentation to update the community on their work, followed by the Election Board making a presentation to update the community regarding their work. It was learned that the Election Board is looking for alternates on the board and community members were encouraged to apply for these positions. In more Election Board news, the board announced that Tribal Caucus has been moved in accordance with changes in the Tribal Election Ordinance. The new Tribal Caucus will be held on April 15, 2023, at the Tribal Administration Building.

During the presentation by the Election Board, a young community member questioned why there is an age minimum of 30 to run for SRMT Elected positions but no age maximum. One Tribal Chief expressed that young people may not have the emotional capacity or life experience to effectively hold an elected position with the SRMT. A community members expressed how she was offended by the age maximum, in light of our Mohawk values respecting Elders for their wisdom, life experience as knowledge holders. After an extended conversation in which the uproar over an age max was settled, a potential program to have more representation of youth in Akwesasne was discussed.

One subject that was brought up by a member of the Tribal Council was having primaries in SRMT politics. This raised conversation yet no definitive idea of how such a system would be implemented was offered. An offshoot of this discussion resulted in the same council member stating that whoever wins an election should have at least 50 percent of the total votes at the end of ballot counting. When asked if that meant 50 percent of the entire enrolled members of the SRMT, the Tribal Chief said no, just 50 plus one on the total number of votes.

The SRMT Tribal Court was again a topic of discussion as there were action items taken by Tribal Council regarding the Court from a previous monthly meeting. Documents were provided to those in attendance that reported all Tribal Court funding from the U.S. Department of Justice.

As Indian Time reported previously on the Tribal Court Justice Survey, one document highlighted that a consultant who assisted in the community presentation of the Court survey was paid $114,000 from November 24, 2020, to September 30, 2023.

The discussion on the Tribal Court continued, with community members reviving their concerns and disappointments with the body. Further action was requested by community members regarding the origination of the court and more detailed information regarding the authorities of the Tribal Court. One community member contended that all judges for the Tribal Court should be elected. This particular Akwesasronon expressed their opposition to some of the judges of the Tribal Court being political appointees and not elected by the people of Akwesasne. The construction of a jail in Akwesasne was another concern raised by a community member.

Another point of displeasure expressed by a community member was the overrepresentation of SRMT employees at the meeting. They continued by stating that only a handful of people in the meeting were not employees of the SRMT.

Following the Tribal Court issue the renovation project at the former IGA was discussed. One community member expressed her hope that enough Akwesasronon are employed on the renovation project. Tribal Council assured those in attendance that the percentage of Mohawk workers on the project is much higher than is required by law. When asked if the project was going to require any more money that was already allocated from the ARPA funds, the council affirmed that would not happen and the only money to be spent on the project is what has been already approved.

Indian Time will be covering the April Monthly Meeting.