So we learned some telling information at the Wednesday Emergency Meeting.It’s clear that when Cedric was indicted, the Tribal government collapsed. Gordon was AWOL, Jessie was random and the finance director was doing whatever she wanted. They just plain stopped paying the USDA mortgage on the government center and continued shuffling money from account to account. None of the money came out of the indirect cost revenues associated with grants as intended. That money went to salaries instead.
Probably one of the most disturbing failures was the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars for housing because Gordon and the finance department failed to provide the required audit. The grants lapsed for 3 years. We don’t have to tell you how hurtful that was to many of our members in need.
There’s that number again. Three years. We had no budget, we had no audits, for 3 years. What we have is a rogue finance officer that is now stonewalling outside accountants who are trying to get a head start on the damage. And the damage is humongous. It will come out. Stalling changes nothing it only delays the inevitable.
So Denise Hathaway is following the Gordon Harris playbook. When your bad practices are known, take sick leave. About a week ago Denise took a month of sick leave.
The urgency to keep the government running this way is obvious. Staying power depended on the election committee. The original election committee was all Fryes accept Mingo. Finance is dominated by Fryes. The court staff is Fryes. All but two members on the CDC are Fryes. Even the pantry is Frye full. So the Frybal Council legacy is one of abject incompetence and greed derailed after 11 years.
And the rumors about Denise being fired are not true. Ironically, in a close vote the Council made Denise’s aunt Yvonne Frye Avant interim tribal administrator. Okay, you can believe it. It’s part of the Frye Nepotism Legacy. The interim tribal administrator cannot fire anyone. But why would she?