Constitution:
I believe in amending the constitution by AMENDMENTS – not replacements. The project itself was titled the Constitutional Amendment process. (Click for PDF) In fact, one amendment that I have been advocating for the Board to send to the Membership is that of Term Limits. (Click for PDF)
Separation of Powers:
I have not wavered in my belief in a separation of powers. I have posted on this site in the past, as well as listed my beliefs on this matter on my website. I truly did not understand how badly the Tribe needs this separation to ensure accountability until I witnessed it firsthand as a member of the Board. We Need Accountability!
Chairman/CEO:
A Constitutional Amendment to separate the Chairman and CEO was approved by 70% of the Voting Membership thus making it Tribal Law. The Resolution to request this Constitutional Amendment was drafted by the Tribe’s legal department and approved by the Board of Directors.
So Yes, I intend on ensuring that Tribal Law is adhered to. (Click for PDF)
The amendment allows for the tribe to hire a tribal administrator (aka CEO or Executive Director) to run the day-to-day activities of the tribal government. This is not a new type of structure for most governments. In fact, most municipal, city and tribal governments operate under a similar format. This is commonly referred to as a “council-manager” form of government.
Executive Director Compensation:
Recently posts have been made asserting improprieties regarding the Executive Director Compensation and unauthorized signatures or approval. While the amount has been distorted by individuals that are “staying out of the election” I assure you that any compensation for any individual employee(s) has been authorized and approved in an annual Budget approved by the Board of Directors as a whole.
Regarding the signature authority of the Vice Chairperson, Legal has opined that:
“Resolution 2002-12 has not been rescinded; it remains in effect and authorizes the Vice-Chairperson to sign documents on behalf of the Tribe provided that (1) the document is one that is within the authority of the Chairperson to sign and (2) the Chairperson is absent and unavailable to sign.” (Click for PDF)
Blue Cross Blue Shield:
DJ Hoffman Approved BCBS and it cost the Tribe money.
The Board of Directors, by a vote of 10-0, approved the switch to Blue Cross Blue Shield.
This action was taken after the Board had multiple presentations, and bids, over the course of a 1.5 year period. Below you will see the video from the meeting, in which the Tribal Attorney acknowledges that the switch will save $1.9 million dollars.
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Conclusion:
I understand that during Tribal Elections or elections in general, there are individuals that are supporters and there are those that are not. I would hope that people can agree to disagree in a civil manner without casting aspersions or generating rumors.
I will continue to push forward with members of the board who wish to be progressive. We will work to ensure the protection of services for the membership of the tribe. Make no mistake when I say we, No one does anything alone to make this tribe move forward, it takes a majority of the board as well as the membership. But make no mistake, one person can make a difference, whether on the board or not!
If you are looking for a Board Member that will work diligently and push to move our Tribe forward then please consider casting one of your two votes for me, DJ Hoffman.
If you have questions, please feel free to ask me directly at (906) 203-0510, or djwhoffman@hotmail.com.