The Cherokee Tribal Council is experiencing drama. Granted, they’re their own nation, but it’s interesting anyway. Council members voted themselves a $10,000 increase. The raise is retroactive, but who-all gets the raise, and how far back it applies, is the chief’s business to publish if he wishes.
“You’ve opened a door by doing it; and I’m going to question, and I’m going to stay on top of this, and I’m going to refresh our memories, and I’m going to keep the public refreshed,” Teresa McCoy, councilmember from Big Cove, told council during its October 21 meeting. “They’re going to hear about it until they get sick of hearing what council’s doing. You need to go back and read your oath of office.”
McCoy and Brandon Jones were absent when the October 14 vote was taken. McCoy explained she expected no vote, as the measure was advertised as a budget hearing. Bo Crowe, who made the meeting, cast the only vote against. Albert Rose voted for the measure, but in light of new information has changed his stance. He joined the other three to protest the vote, but their request to air their grievance before the board was denied. Ten are seated on council.
The tribe’s Governing Document says the council may approve pay raises, but they are to take effect the instant the next council is seated. Chief Michell Hicks counters the change in dollars is not a raise, but an “adjustment.” He argues an existing ordinance authorizes adjustments which have not been paid since 2007.
All told, the measure will cost tribal members more than $1 million. Before it passed, council members were paid $70-some thousand annually.
“I have people in my community that can’t pay their power bills,” Jones said. “There’s a lot of problems that we’ve gotta fix before I could ever justify a pay increase.”
