You didn’t have to be a genius to see what was happening in the General Body Meeting Sunday. The Treasurer was the designated target. He was the focus of all the incoming shrapnel and rightfully s
o. Well, on the surface it looked like he had some sense of the problem by repeatedly talking about the Tribe’s “dire” financial situation. He said there was only $307K available. That was the same amount reported a week before the election (February 3) even less according to some sources and it certainly is not accurate now.
Apparently, meeting attendees did not know that Canal Street’s finance hand outs were the preliminary findings reported on February 3. That
Canal Street is aging before our very eyes. Soon, very soon, he’ll be walking with a cane and barking at the moon.
report made by the TA, the Interim Comptroller and the Tribal consultant was a bombshell that revealed that “fraudulent entries were made for those large expenditures.” The final phase of the investigation, (initiated by Carlton Hendricks Jr) was supposed to reveal what “fraudulent entries” were made in that tranche of $4.3M. That never happened.
We just don’t know do we? The women investigating the wrongdoing were fired soon after CK’s crew took over.
It brings to mind the contentious discussion at the General Body
Maddas holds a sign on a pitch folk asking “Where’s the Pow Wow money?” Ask TAT, he’s an expert on missing Pow Wow money. Brian made him Exec Director of the Gaming Authority. The height of absurdity.
Meeting about the missing $113K Pow Wow money raised and deposited into the general fund. It disappeared. The committee had receipts, and the Tribal members voted to force the Council to return the money. That is a rare action taken in this kind of meeting. It may need to happen more often because CK’s Council sycophants are either department heads or holed up in finance. They are loyal only to the chairman. And when you have a Council like this one, dominated by Cliff Walkers, bad stuff happens. As it stands, it’s unclear if the Council voted to restore the money to the committee at last nights Council meeting.
You have a Treasurer who depends on a consulting firm (without a contract) and Mark Harding to direct him. Another rarity was Harding’s presence at the General Boby Meeting. He was there to make sure the treasurer followed the script. And he did. When asked about finance, he explained that the Tribe pays one of the consulting firms $120K a year vs the comptroller’s $140K. So, since they fired the comptroller, he saves $140K because he relies on the firm (that charged us hundreds of thousands for audits 1 year out of 3. He forgot to calculate the 4 (out of 5) women in finance who make a total of $360k a year. They have no degrees, or accounting expertise, just related to the chairman or the Fryes. As a matter of fact, 90% of the professionals hired to clean things up gets harassed and fired. Check the record. We could CONTRACT with an accounting firm for about $100K a year (to do the job of the 4), pay the Comptroller $140K and save $120K. We could also reduce the salary of the Treasurer by $30K.. SAVING $150K — Take the money and expand the (sorely lacking) college and vocational school scholarships and hire a credentialed professional to run the homeless shelter. You know, do something that helps our kids and members in “dire” need.
CS’s plan to get tough on slackers sounded good. Department heads would have to pay their salaries out of their own grants, if not they are fired in 30-days. But then you realize he’s saying what you want to hear and what we have endlessly pounded on REEL WAMPS. He will never follow through. Here’s why. Magpie hasn’t upped his grant in many years. Natana has not either. Both are controversial figures who struggle to adhere to the most basic job responsibilities. Weeden has never received certification as a Tribal Historic Preservation Officer because he has no Bachelors or Masters degrees. But he still gets paid from other grants Indirect Costs. Natana relies on the same source, CK and the general fund to keeps her controversial school open. Moreover, you’re not going to fire the chairman’s uncle and cousin. That’s not in the Paula/Markie script.
Understand that years of paying these two out of grant Indirect Costs is one of the reasons that fund is in the red $700k. That kind of misappropriation gets the attention of you know who. Thus no budget. No budget for the Gaming Authority. No TA, HR Director, Housing Director or Comptroller. No reports on meetings or events on travel. The management structure in non-existent.
WINNIE’S REVENGE TOUR
It was a busy week for the old girl. Her penchant for getting in everyone’s business was on blast. Ladylike she is not and for that she was summarily cussed out.
Poor Winnie. She’s so busy reminding us that she’s the vice chairman, she actually confirms her ineptitude. While Fenton was making his presentation at the meeting, she was running up and down the gym risers hugging people like she had just been released from an institution. Instead of reporting on what she’s doing to improve government services, she rattled on about her fabricated list
THE TRUTH IS NON-NEGOTIABLE
A master of setting bonfires under shady regimes, Pocknett watches for the white flags.
When David Pocknett shows up to a meeting, Council members brace
for impact. Pocknett’s candor is unbridled, as he is guaranteed to ask the questions Tribal members are afraid to ask. After hearing a lot of excuses, Winnie’s nonsense, Fenton’s dog and pony script he asked the obvious. Why are the officer’s taking a salary when we don’t have money. No answer…To Roxane Mills he said, “I’m ashamed of you. Sitting up there agreeing with them on all these things.” Roxanne’s adoration of the chairman and his team is baffling to most. It’s a huge turnaround from her distain for the youngster after the Plymouth Plantation robbery. To the chairman he said, “Say something Brian. Why don’t you say something?” Course Brian told Pocknett to “call me.” To that he said, ” Why should I call you when you’re right here?”
TOTAL RECALL
If you close your eyes and someone reads you the following paragraph, you will swear Cedric Cromwell is still chairman.
Thursday March 13: After crying broke, the treasurer, the chairman and the executive director of the gaming authority headed to the Logan airport by limousine to catch a flight to New York. They ghosted Genting a few weeks ago when they came to town. Now they are desperate to meet with the gaming moguls to beg for money to pay their salaries. Maybe they will do the right thing.
We doubt it. Because we don’t know what they did with the $13 million last year. Why would they course correct now?
You can open your eyes. We’re reliving the nightmare.
