Unruly Congress 4-2010 9-14-2008

Comments on facts left out:

New Speaker for Congress
April 30, 2010
OSAGE CONGRESS

(4-15-10) Faren Revard Anderson was nominated and voted into the Speaker’s position on Thursday morning by a majority of her Congressional colleagues. Anderson serving a 4 year term will follow Archie Mason, who announced earlier this year he would step down from this position. Mr. Mason has been the First Speaker since July 05, 2006.

In addition to Anderson’s new role as Speaker she will continue serving as Chairperson for both the Appropriation and Cultural Committee until after the elections. She is also the Vice-Chair of Congressional Affairs and an active committee member on the Commerce and Economic Development and the Education committees.

Faren is the youngest of the Osage Legislators, a local resident, she and husband Glade made their home south of Pawhuska. Although she will not seek another term in this year’s election, she has achieved many accomplishments during her political term. Many acknowledge her for being the first to initially honor our Osage Service men and women during the Congressional sessions and for her Legislative works such as; the Open Meetings Act, the Village Chapels, the Independent Press Act,the first to Chair Public Hearings in the Community along with sponsoring numerous appropriations budgets over the last year.

Comment of Fact:  by Sandra

What is not said: She did achieve many things that are more to the negative than positive. She did sponsor several Bills and some unacceptable to the Constitutions of the Osage Nation. The public Hearing she Chaired was a bomb, without prior discussions with the Chief with the lack of complete accurate information.

Her voting record should be of concern to the people as she supported all of Kugee Supernaws private war against the Chief and the Executive Branch. As Chair of the Appropriations Committee she was single handily instrumental in holding up the 2009/2010 budget fiasco with consequences detrimental to the operations and funding programs of the Nation, causing the employee end of the year bonus to be given out after the New Year.

Check out her voting record and you will be amazed where her obligation was. We can not support Faren Anderson if she decides to ever run for office again – she has a record – so to speak.

Thank you, Speaker Anderson for stepping forth to lead and complete this legislative year for the First Osage Congress. We encourage you and wish you a successful term.

Update #49

The views, opinions and commentary in this update are those of Congressman Red Corn. They are his alone, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Osage Nation Congress.

Funding for Osage News cut

Funding to distribute the Osage News was cut out of the Communications Budget yesterday by a close vote in the Government Operations Committee.  The budget had previously been advanced, but was brought back for Committee consideration.  A motion was made to cut 102,000 from the budget (the amount allocated to distribute the newspaper).  The measure passed 3-2. Voting for the cut was Congresspersons Supernaw, Branstetter (tie-breaker) and Shackelford.  Voting against the cut was Congressman Freeman and Speaker Mason.

The previous day on a similar failed measure, I had removed myself from vote and debate, as my spouse owns a newspaper that circulates in the same general area.  I abstained from both votes.  During debate on Tuesday, at least one Committee member expressed displeasure with recent Osage News content.

I support the funding of the printing of the paper, as I believe the Congress will prevail in the pending court action.

The fate of the Osage News is unclear, as the Committee left intact both salaries and other operation expenses.  If the case drags out, we will have two employees preparing content for a paper that cannot be printed or mailed. 

I have fully supported the Independent Press Act (including override) in hopes of bringing balanced coverage to the Osage News.  The appeal to the court on behalf of the Executive Branch to declare the Act unconstitutional is being considered by the court, and a ruling is expected soon. 

Actions on Palace Grocery

 The Palace Grocery has been one of two success stories over the past year.  Once a consistent money-loser, the Palace has not requested any tribal funds in FY2008 or FY2009.  They did request to retain 2008 earnings to diversify and expand operations.  I supported that retention, although in today’s committee action those profits were removed from the 2009 budget.

I think this sends the wrong signal to the Palace.  Work hard, make tough decisions, reorganize, and stop the bleeding, and your reward is to have your profits immediately taken by the Nation.  The Palace intended to use those profits to expand the sale of non-perishables, i.e. paper goods, to the Nations programs and entities.  The Palace also intended to expand the market to include other nearby tribes.  The Commerce Committee’s actions today remove last year’s profits and could slow or endanger the success of the expansion effort, in my opinion.

The person responsible for the turnaround is Ms. Jackie McCann , an Osage from Pawhuska.  She comes from a long line of Osage cooks; her Aunt Marion Cass and Lily Cunningham among them.  Jackie left a distinguished career with Wal-Mart, have served as manager of Supercenters and Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets.  To my knowledge, there is no Osage person with more retail grocery experience to be had.  Jackie and her expertise are directly responsible for the turnaround at the Palace, in my opinion.

There’s an old adage in investing; cut your losses, and let your profits run.  We are not letting our profits run in Fairfax .  If our strategy is to remove profits from a properly managed and growing business we are destined to fail miserably, as each and every business will have its profits milked off by the Nation before they can be reinvested. 

We should remember that the Palace Grocery is wholly owned by the Nation.  If  Ms. McCann retains those funds in Palace accounts and reinvests them for expansion, they still belong  to the Nation.  We didn’t need the $218,000 – we have approximately $27 million in the bank.

Voting for the removal of profits were Congresspersons Supernaw, Simms, Shackelford and Red Eagle.  I voted no.  A motion to reinstate the funds as a tribal contribution failed by an identical vote

As always, please call or email with your questions, comments, or concerns.

With respect,

Raymond Red Corn
Osage Nation Congress
918-287-7400
rredcorn@gmail.com
rredcorn@osagetribe.org

I just read the Tulsa World newspaper on the Tribal newspaper and now I have received your  information on this committees intent, when many of us including myself worry about another example of disregard for the majority of the Osage people no matter where they live.  This newspaper keeps the People of the Osage Nation involved and informed on the goings on.  Surprisingly, more people get information from MY website than other forms of information gathering.

I have updated my site and have more fodder to add.  When they want facts they look to me for what the Congress and Executive branches are up to, because they know I speak the truth good or bad it is always the truth.
 
The paranoia in the Congress and those that want to make or keep trouble on going should be moved aside and let those that want to keep the spirit high and do the work that the people elected you for. I ask for some good and positives actions coming from this Congress before you begin to receive Petitions from the people.

You know, all this self-centeredness and paranoia will be the downfall of the Osage Congress, especially while you all continue to exclude the people.  You may not see this, but those in the peanut gallery are watching and waiting for someone to take the initiative to put your actions of their dissatisfactions with actions of their own.  You all have a lot to answer for, from the people.

(Q.) - I would like to know from you, why, when the Executive branch budgets are referred to “recommendations” instead of the (normal) submitting of budgets.  You should be familiar with the proper submission of budgeting.  This is bad business grammar etiquette.

Palace Grocery store deserves their money to expand their plans for the future and stealing this money from on of the Nations businesses is beyond common sense and bad for future business.  This type of actions will not benefit any economical development.   

I am having a difficult time digesting this decision.   I say give their money back.

Who put the kink in future economical planning – You the Congress will be the reason for no future business ventures in this Nation.     “The First Osage Nation Congress”

(Q.) - I would like to know how much and or if you are giving more money to the American Legion 198 money (to squander) for 2009.  (rumor): I understand they have no idea where their (2008)  money went and there is no accounting available.  You know, they have a history of foreclosure and bad accounting or keeping themselves budgeted.  There are other ways to help.  I say no to funds to the Legion.  No other area Legion is receiving money.

Just for your edification – I plan to continue to write about what is going on and will include the differences in salaries given and taken from the Executive vs. Congress.