February 9, 2024. The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board Meeting February 6, 2024 posted by the tribe on Facebook and YouTube demonstrates the need for a Tribal Member Portal on https://www.saulttribe.com/. In our view, too much private information was shared at this meeting that can be used against the tribe's business operations and in a court of law.
At a minimum, needed on our Member Portal is:
1. Tribal Board Meetings.
2. Access to member's enrollment records.
3. The ability to confirm and update member's mailing addresses.
4. Postings for Committee Member Openings, with the ability to apply on-line or to provide letters of support for others seeking to volunteer on a committee as required by our constitution.
5. Qualified Tribal Members seeking to run for Tribal Board or Chairperson should have a page that allows them to gather the needed signatures for their petitions to run for office as required in the Tribal Election Code Chapter 10.112 Section 5 "Nomination of Candidates".
6. Tribal Members should have the ability to add a bank account for direct deposit payments of college scholarships,Youth Development Fund Payments, Elder Dividends and other payments due to members from the tribe.
7. Just as important as all of the above we want access to all tribal records as allowed in the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Constitution's Article III By-Laws added to the member portal.
We find this to be a "Reasonable Request" in 2024.
ARTICLE III TRIBAL RECORDS.
SECTION 1. ALL BOOKS, RECORDS AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS OF THE SAULT STE. MARIE TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS, INCLUDING THE TRIBAL ROLL, SHALL BE OPEN TO INSPECTION BY TRIBAL MEMBERS UPON REASONABLE REQUEST TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
