Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River Chippewa Restoration Web Page
ATTENTION ALL TRIBAL MEMBERS!!!
In recent months tribal members have been monitoring the Tribal Council Meeting minutes
to ascertain the direction and activities of the tribal council regarding membership. in May
2000 a tribal wide forum was sponsored by the tribal council to solicit community input into
the longstanding enrollment problems of the tribe. At that time three options were presented
to the membership:
A) Begin disenrollment proceedings.
B) Amend the tribal constitution to address enrollment problems; and
C) Do nothing.
Overwhelming support was shown at this forum to amend the tribal constitution to institute
provision that would provide an end to the longstanding enrollemnt controversy. The council
promised to follow-up this meeting by mailing a tribal wide survey on this issue. To date no
such survey has been mailed nor prepared accordint to sources within the Tribal Enrollment
Office. It is disheartening that the tribal council once again has failed to follow through on yet
another commitment it made to the membership.
Since November 1999 the tribal council has granted membership to at least a hundred new
members depite their awareness of ongoing enrollement problems. Many people feel
uncomfortable with these actions and would like some straight answers on how these actions
fit into the overall paln of the tribal council. According to tribal council minutes 21 members
of the Schramm family have been granted membership and backpay of $88,000.00 each.
According to these minutes Ruth Moses and Sue Durfee, blood relatives of the Schramm
family, made the motion to grant membership and backpay. This action comes despite an
OBVIOUS CONFLICT OF INTEREST that strictly prohibits tribal council members from voting
or taking action that benefit family members.
If you are concerned about these and other issues that affect our tribe please e-mail us
and share your concerns with us. We also invite you to join us to share and receive an update
of activities of the tribal council. This organization welcomes EVERY family and are
interested in your opinions on these issues. Children are ALWAYS welcome.
Please click
here for the Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River Restoration Committee
Mission Statement.
Please feel free to drop an e-mail to
Bruce Hinmon
for more information.
