A Resolution requesting the Secretary of the Interior to retain all trust funds derivedfrom oil taxes, oil lease bonus payments, and oil production by the Three Affiliated Tribes in a trust fund until tribal members have approved a plan for the use of these funds.
WHEREAS, an Indian General Council meeting was held on June 8, 2008, at the New Town Civic Center in New Town, ND to discuss matters of mutual interest among members of the Three Affiliated Tribes, and
WHEREAS, considerable discussion was held concerning the anticipated income the Three Affiliated Tribes will receive from oil and gas leases, oil taxes and oil revenues, and
WHEREAS, the Three Affiliated Tribes do not have the administrative capacity to administer these anticipated revenues and the Three Affiliated Tribes do not have a constitution or tribal codes that provide regulations for the use, accounting or reporting to the shareholders, the tribal members, of these revenues, and
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the Three Affiliated Tribes does not provide for separation of powers and the Three Affiliated Tribes Business Council can use the revenues as they choose without consultation with the tribal members, and
WHEREAS, the oil is a nonrenewable resource that can only be preserved by depositing oil revenues in a trust fund that can grow and also provide a reliable revenuefor the tribe, and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that by this means the people in attendance at the June 8, 2008, meeting hereby request our Trustee, the Secretary of the Interior, to deposit all trust income from the leasing, taxing and production of oil and gas on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation into a special trust fund, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that no expenditures be made from the trust fund until the tribal membership has approved a plan for the use of the revenues or until the Three Affiliated Tribes amend their constitution to provide the same, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this action taken at this General Indian Council meeting this day be communicated to all tribal members wherever situated by any means available to make known the action taken herein and to enlist their support in this effort either in a collective manner by enacting similar Resolutions or in an individual manner by indicating their approval of this action.
CERTIFICATION
We, the undersigned, serving as Chairperson and Secretary at said meeting do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was adopted by an affirmative vote of 30 members in favor and none opposed.
