Tribal Council seat vacated

As dictated by the Tribal Constitution, the Tribal Council seat held by Valorie Sheker was officially vacated on Wednesday, May 30, when she did not attend her third straight meeting and Tribal Council voted not to excuse the absence.

Sheker also did not attend the May 2 and May 16 Tribal Council meetings and those absences were, likewise, unexcused.

Tribal Council Vice Chair Reyn Leno read the Tribal Constitution article affecting Sheker's seat during the May 30 meeting.

"If a Tribal Council member fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the Tribal Council without a written excuse accepted by a majority vote of the other members of Tribal Council, that member's seat will be declared vacant and the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with this section."

Sheker was serving her third term - second consecutive -- on Tribal Council and her seat is up for election in September.

A May 31 letter sent to the Tribal membership states that the Tribal chairperson shall recommend a person who meets the requirements of a candidate for Tribal Council to fill the vacancy and serve the remainder of the term upon approval from a majority of the elected members of Tribal Council. The Constitution does not mandate a time period in which that recommendation must occur.