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Please stay tuned for rescheduled event in Spring of 2023!
Please see the following letter regarding the passing of Chief Bill G. Follis.
The Modoc Nation has joined the Tribal Amicus Brief filed today with the United States Supreme Court in Haaland v. Brackeen on behalf of 497 Tribes and 62 Tribal and Native Organizations in support of the Federal and Tribal Defendants. Each Tribe and organization signed on individually in support of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the law’s focus on the best interests of Native children. This is likely the most tribal signatories that have ever joined together on a single Supreme Court brief and it highlights Indian Country’s unity in protecting and defending Native children, Native families, and tribal sovereignty.
An incredible amount of briefs are continuing to be filed in support of ICWA. The full suite of amicus briefs highlight the broad support for ICWA from states, Congress, former foster children, parent and child advocates, child welfare experts, legal scholars, historians, medical professionals, and more – it’s an absolute avalanche of strategic, targeted support for ICWA. We appreciate the efforts of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and the attorneys who have worked tirelessly on this great effort in support of tribal sovereignty.
Oral argument has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
Chief: Robert Burkybile
Second Chief: Gina McGaughey
Secretary/Treasurer: Ramona Rosiere
Council Member: Jessica Mullin
Council Member: Braxton Graham
Judge: Jack Shadwick
Please see the following order granting ex parte emergency restraining order in the court of the Modoc Nation, Miami, Oklahoma.
This list represents all the individuals 18 & over as of August 4, 2022, who meet all the requirements in the Modoc Constitution as amended in 2020, who are duly recognized as members of the Modoc Nation. Any person not on this list shall not be allowed to attend nor vote on any Modoc Election and will be removed from tribal property at the discretion of the Nation.
Please see the following court order filed today in the Court of the Modoc Nation.
Please see the following letter to all Modoc Nation members regarding what is at stake at the upcoming annual meeting and election on August 6, 2022 at 9am.
Please see the following Order of Contempt from the court of the Modoc Nation (Case No. CIV-22-001).
Election Commission Statement here….
Please see the following notice regarding the rescheduled Annual Tribal Council Meeting on August 6, 2022.
Please see the following memo regarding topics for discussion for the enrollment committee meeting scheduled for July 25, 2022.
Please see the temporary order and continuance of hearing from the court of the Modoc Nation (Case No. CIV-22-001).
The Election Commission has voted to grant a grace period for candidacy applications, due to the application attachments’ ambiguity. We are aware that some members are currently transitioning from temporary to permanent status and are still securing paperwork. Therefore, all applications and documentation must be received by 4:00 PM CST Friday, July 22, 2022.
We want to thank those potential applicants who have reached out with your intentions and questions. We would ask that any additional applicants please email us with your intentions as soon as possible as we secure and finalize all documentation throughout the upcoming week. Prior applicants that have submitted their application in March will need to re-submit the new, revised application that can be found on www.modocnation.com. There are new pages that have been added and will need to be included with the paperwork to be selected and approved. Questions regarding the application may be directed to Kayla Medlin (kayla.medlin@modocnation.com) and/or Lisa Graham (lisa.graham@modocnation.com).
The Election Commission is an independent body and works under the constructs of the Modoc Constitution and Modoc Election Ordinance. All inquiries received will remain confidential. We are dedicated to the integrity and progress of this election. Your Election Commissioners are working diligently to conduct an authentic and reliable 2022 Modoc Election.
We thank you for your patience and understanding in this matter. And good luck to all potential election candidates.
Respectfully,
The Election Commission
July 11, 2022
Please see the following memo regarding recent actions and upcoming hearing.
Our annual meeting will be held on August 6, 2022, at 9:00am CST at The Gathering Place. The Modoc Nation Elected Council has selected Kayla Medlin and Lisa Graham as Election Commissioners and Jack Shadwick to be the Alternate Commissioner, if needed.
The Elected Council Candidate Application and Election Ordinance are attached for any Modoc Nation member wanting to be on the Verified Ballot. Applications and Background Check Consent Forms must be submitted to electioncommission@modocnation.com or mailed to 22 N. Eight Tribes Trail, Miami, OK 74354, attention: Election Commission.
Applications must be completed and received by July 15, 2022, at 4:00 p.m.
If you have any questions after reviewing the attachments, please let us know by emailing: electioncommission@modocnation.com
Thank you,
Election Commission
Please see the following presentation regarding enrollment discrepancies.
Please see the following update regarding ongoing enrollment reviews.
Please see ruling from the trial court of the Modoc Nation (Case No. CIV-22-001).
Our annual meeting will be held on August 6, 2022, at 9:00am CST at The Gathering Place. The Modoc Nation Elected Council has selected Kayla Medlin and Lisa Graham as Election Commissioners and Jack Shadwick to be the Alternate Commissioner, if needed.
The Elected Council Candidate Application and Election Ordinance are attached for any Modoc Nation member wanting to be on the Verified Ballot. Applications and Background Check Consent Forms must be submitted to electioncommission@modocnation.com or mailed to 22 N. Eight Tribes Trail, Miami, OK 74354, attention: Election Commission.
Applications must be completed and received by July 15, 2022, at 4:00 p.m.
If you have any questions after reviewing the attachments, please let us know by emailing: electioncommission@modocnation.com
Thank you,
Election Commission
The election is August 6th, 2022. The Tribal Registrar and Staff are working overtime to ensure every enrollment file that can be completed will be completed before this date. We have been working diligently the past several weeks going through each enrollment file. We are ensuring each file has every required document and/or record present and accounted for, pursuant to our enrollment ordinance. We encourage every applicant or Modoc Member to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance in completing your enrollment file. Please email the Tribal Registrar. registrar@modocnation.com
As the Tribal Registrar determines files are complete and have established eligibility for enrollment, she will be recommending approval by the Enrollment Committee in a series of upcoming meetings listed below.
Schedule of Upcoming Meetings
July 6th 6:00 pm
July 13th 6:00 pm
July 25th 6:00 pm
Aug 3rd 6:00 pm
*All meetings will be open to public via Teams. A link and call info will be provided.
Respectfully,
Chief Bill Follis
2nd Chief Robert Burkybile
Sec Ramona Rosiere
Mona Craven
Tyler Scifers
From the office of Chief Bill Follis
June 8, 2022
Please see Resolution No. 22-20 regarding Civil Trespass on Tribal Property Ordinance
Please see Resolution No. 22-21 regarding Public Demonstration Ordinance
The Enrollment Committee is in receipt of the enrollment audit report from the governmental auditing firm, WIPFLI LLP. As previously announced, the next steps in our enrollment review will be for the Enrollment Committee to consider the findings of the independent audit and verify tribal enrollment.
The Enrollment Committee will meet on June 8, 2022. This meeting will be streamed online in real time for members and applicant members only. Login instructions will be emailed to members and applicant members, and will posted on the Nation’s website.
The Nation has appointed local attorney Alyssa Campbell, Esq. to serve as Tribal Registrar for the presentation of the enrollment records to the Enrollment Committee.
Enrollment Decisions Following the Independent Audit, and Appeals from Adverse Enrollment Decisions.
May 13, 2022
The Enrollment Committee is issuing this memorandum to all enrolled members and temporarily enrolled members of the Modoc Nation to describe the procedures for the Enrollment Committee and, upon appeal, the Tribal Council to review recommendations for enrollment made by the Tribal Registrar. The independent auditor Wipfli LLP is auditing the procedures used by the Tribal Registrar to issue temporary enrollment decisions and to make enrollment recommendations to the Enrollment Committee. Upon release of the independent audit, the Enrollment Committee will consider the Tribal Registrar’s enrollment recommendations.
STEP 1: The independent enrollment audit by Wipfli LLP is underway and will be concluded before the end of May 2022.
STEP 2: The Enrollment Committee members will each receive a copy of the completed independent audit, and each enrollment application that will be reviewed by the Enrollment Committee.
STEP 3: The Chairperson of the Enrollment Committee will schedule a public meeting for the Enrollment Committee members to consider each enrollment application. Given the large number of enrollment applications, the public meeting may be continued from time to time until the Enrollment Committee has considered each enrollment application.
Enrolled members and temporary members of the Modoc Nation may attend the public meeting. The Enrollment Committee will not consider additional information from the enrollment applicant that was not submitted to the Tribal Registrar, so no public testimony will be allowed at the public meeting. Any member that interrupts or disrupts the public meeting will be removed.
STEP 4: A member of the Enrollment Committee will draft a written decision for each enrollment application. The written decision may approve the enrollment application, disapprove the enrollment application, or vacate the Tribal Registrar’s recommendation and remand the enrollment application to the Tribal Registrar for further investigation. The written decision will be circulated to the Enrollment Committee for review and finalization. Once finalized, the written decision will be delivered to the enrollment applicant.
STEP 5: The Enrollment Committee will inform any applicant whose enrollment application was disapproved by the Enrollment Committee that s/he may appeal the decision of the Enrollment Committee to the Tribal Council. Procedures for appeals of the Enrollment Committee decision will be established by the Executive Council.
Enrollment Decisions Following the Independent Audit, and Appeals from Adverse Enrollment Decisions.
May 2022
TO: Modoc Tribal Council
FROM: Modoc Elected Council
DATE: May 7, 2022
RE: Tribal Council Petitions
The Elected Council was informed that some people may have been under the misconception that there was an Annual Meeting for the Tribal Council today. On April 21, 2022, the Elected Council adopted Resolution 22-16 resolving that the Annual Meeting will be postponed and rescheduled to Saturday, August 6, 2022. We provided a general notification to all Tribal Council members and temporary members on April 26, 2022. We apologize if people missed the notification.
The decision to postpone the Annual Meeting was not made lightly. Your Elected Council representatives need to insure the integrity of our elections by enabling an independent government auditing firm to evaluate the irregular temporary enrollment decisions of the Tribal Registrar. The enrollment inquiry is a serious matter that requires us to move deliberately and cautiously so that the Nation can have finality on this issue.
There are numerous requirements in the Nation’s Constitution for calling and conducting an election at an Annual Meeting of the Tribal Council. For instance, there must be appropriate notice of time and place of the meeting announced by the Secretary/Treasurer of the Elected Council through certain channels of communication. The Secretary/Treasurer did not announce an Annual Meeting for today. The gathering today was also not a Special Meeting of the Tribal Council, which may be called at the discretion of the Chief. Chief Follis did not call a Special Meeting. None of your Elected Council representatives were present at the meeting today because it was not an official meeting of the Modoc Nation government or the Tribal Council of the Modoc Nation.
The Elected Council will ensure that the entire Tribal Council is kept apprised of the enrollment audit, and that the entire Tribal Council will receive notice for the Annual Meeting at which the next Elected Council representatives will be elected by the duly enrolled members of the Modoc Nation.
We look forward to settling the outstanding concerns about enrollment and proceeding quickly, but responsibly, to elections for our representatives on August 6, 2022.
The Annual Meeting has been postponed and rescheduled to Saturday, August 6, 2022 at 9am. Doors open at 8:15am.
Please see resolution for full details.
May 3, 2022
The following memo is the official response to the above Tribal Council Petitions.
May 2, 2022
Please see the following memo regarding Tribal office buildings.
Click on the button below to open (and download if desired) the election guide containing candidate and election information.
Important information about the day:
We will be mailing out a hard copy of this as well.
For any questions, please don’t hesitate to email or call:
Email: electioncommission@modocnation.com
Office phone: 918-994-1819
The Enrollment Committee would like to apologize for any confusion surrounding the scheduling of this meeting. As we were testing requirements for setting up the Teams Meeting, a test email was erroneously sent to a large number of you. Once the correct meeting was sent out, we immediately began receiving requests for a call-in number for those individuals that may not have internet access.
The meeting is set for Wednesday (06/08/2022) from 6:00-8:00 CST. Below is the link to join the Teams meeting, as well as a call-in number to listen to the meeting on your phone. There are no registration requirements for the meeting. Click the link below or dial into the conference line number (+pin) and you will be admitted to the meeting.
Please feel free to share the meeting link or call-in info number to those who may not be included here.
A few items to know:
•All Attendees will be muted
• 2nd Chief, Robert Burkybile will preside over the meeting
• Chat has been disabled
Or call in (audio only)
+1 956-413-8056, Phone Conference ID: 122 417 397#