Letters to the Editor

Chairman's removal sought

Editor's Note: The following is a petition being circulated as part of an effort to have Tribal Chairman Waldo Walker removed from office.

Editor:

The Washoe Tribe is a sovereign nation, committed to self-sufficiency. Through self-governance, members play an active role by developing tribal enterprises, participating in government and external affairs and ensuring basic health and family services for our communities.

Expanding economic opportunities and creating innovative tribal business, furthered our goal of economic self-reliance to secure a prosperous future for our next generations. The members continually looked forward to increasing housing, improving educational and job opportunities for our youth and young adults to help prepare these individuals for their future. Also, increasing access to quality health care for tribal members is of prime concern.

With the election of a new tribal chairman, Waldo Walker in 2006, all of these dreams and visions of a better life within our membership and communities were put to the way side. Walker made decisions to eliminate the construction of a casino and Wal-Mart that would have allowed these visions to become a reality.

With his lack of knowledge of tribal politics, his lack of leadership skills, his plan to eliminate the people as the general council, and his broken campaign promises, (stay at home chairman and open door policy), we, the tribal members, feel he is guilty of gross neglect and improper conduct.

The casino and Wal-Mart projects had the potential to help provide:

- Substantial increased income to the tribe

- Income to the tribal people and their families

- Training opportunities in the retail and casino business

- Insurance coverage from these employers had potential to benefit the clinic's third-party billing system increasing healthcare services to all

- Provided career advancement in tribal operations

- Benefitted the Washoe Utility Management Authority program

- Increased income to the Housing Program

- A decrease in Tribal assistance programs

- Offered greater educational opportunities to our students

- Increased community activities for the youth

This list of progress and benefits could go on and on; however, now the tribe is considering negotiations with a gravel pit developer.

We, the members of the Washoe Tribe are demanding the removal of Waldo Walker as chairman of the Washoe Tribe by the Tribal Council under Article V " Vacancies and removal from office, Section 2 of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Washoe Tribe.

As stated in the Constitution, "Any Washoe Tribal Council member or tribal officer may be expelled from office by a two-thirds vote of the Washoe Tribal Council members if in their opinion he is guilty of improper conduct and/or gross neglect of duty; provided, that the accused is given full opportunity to reply to any and all charges at a designated Washoe Tribal Council meeting, and, provided, further, that the accused shall have been given a written statement of the charges against him at least five days before the meeting set for his hearing."

Under the authority of delegation to the people in the Constitution, we, the members of the Washoe Tribe are also demanding that the tribal council schedule an election to fill the vacancy of the chairman's position without delay.

Submitted by Andrea Big Goose

Dresslerville