Content about Government

The Osage Nation government is on the verge of hitting its spending ceiling of tribal funding for the 2012 fiscal year. As a result, the Second Osage Nation Congress has put all appropriation bills requesting tribal funding for department services and projects on hold pending further input from incoming ON Treasurer Callie Catcher.

The Osage Limited Liability Company survived a Congressional bill vote aimed at dissolving the entity during the March 23 Osage Nation Congressional session.

Amid concerns from some Congress members over the LLC’s reported money loses and number of Osages currently hired under the entity’s structure, the Nation’s economic development entity will continue operating, but its status and performance will be revisited next month. The LLC is slated to present an annual report to ON government officials with a Congressional meeting set for April 11.

Osage Nation Principal Chief John Red Eagle said his administration is “making strides in improving the Nation’s internal operations” and said the Nation is on the threshold of increased opportunities to benefit all Osages.  

For example, Chief Red Eagle said his office is moving forward this year with efforts to build new government campus buildings in the master plan. He made the announcement in his 2012 State of the Nation address during the March 9 Osage Sovereignty Day observance.

An Osage Nation tribal court judge has quashed the 2011 Congressional subpoena served to former Treasurer William Kemble in which the Congress demanded six months worth of emails from Kemble’s work computer concerning any aspect of his job. 

Trial Court Judge Marvin Stepson ruled the written Congressional subpoena ordering Kemble to provide the emails (from February to August 2011) is “vague” and “thus imposes an undue burden or hardship upon the Treasurer” to produce the emails.

In wake of William Kemble’s resignation as Osage Nation Treasurer, the Second ON Congress ended its 15th Special Session investigation to determine whether Kemble should face a removal trial.

Principal Chief John Red Eagle has also formally accepted Kemble’s resignation and announced that ON Comptroller Michael Lewis will serve as interim treasurer. Kemble issued his written resignation on Feb. 8 addressed to Congress, Chief Red Eagle and the Osage Minerals Council.

Osage Nation Treasurer William Kemble resigned from office effective Feb. 9. The announcement comes in the middle of the 15th Special Congressional Session, which was called for investigating whether 11 allegations made against Kemble warrant a removal trial.

Olivia Deal Thompson, an Osage with several years of government work experience turned 100 years old on Jan. 9 and the Second Osage Nation Congress marked the occasion by naming the day in her honor.

Thompson is the last living grandchild of Osage Chief James Bigheart and now resides in Norman. During the 12th Special Session held on Dec. 12, Congressman Archie Mason motioned for Jan. 9 to be declared “Olivia Deal Thompson Day.”

The Grayhorse District can breathe a sigh of relief.

The Second Osage Nation Congress unanimously passed ONCA 12-20 Jan. 20, a bill that appropriates $550,000 to the Grayhorse Five Man Board to begin design and construction on a new Roundhouse for the district.

Upon signature of the Principal Chief, the Osage Nation Properties Department in the Nation’s Executive Branch can begin bidding out construction on the project which will level the current arbor and construct a roundhouse in it’s place.

Osage Nation Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Lohah has selected five ON Congress members to serve on a Select Committee of Inquiry to investigate allegations of whether Treasurer William Kemble should be removed from his post.

In a letter received by the Congressional office Jan. 13, Lohah announces his appointments but stated he had reservations in doing so due to the separation of powers provisions in the Osage Constitution.

Osages who are age 65 and over may receive a $500 increase to their use of the health benefit card program, pending Congressional approval.

The Second Osage Nation Congress will convene for its 13th Special Session on Jan. 4 to set the maximum payable amounts for the Nation’s health benefit card program available to all enrolled Osages.

A Congressional resolution, ONCR 12-05, will be considered to raise the maximum amount for Osages who are age 65 and older to $1,000 in the 2012 calendar year. The maximum amount for those under 65 will remain at $500.

Osage Nation Principal Chief John Red Eagle has appointed two additional people to fill the remaining vacancies on the Nation’s Gaming Enterprise Board and Gaming Commission.

Nicole (Tallchief) Pratt (Osage) has been named to the Gaming Commission. She joins Doug Revard and Fred Beartrack who were named and confirmed to the gaming commission in May.