Klamath Tribal council Stonewalls Tribal Membership at General Council Meeting
Security guards and metal detectors for members of the Klamath during a general council meeting on May 31, 2014.
Security Guards and Metal Detectors for Tribal membership meeting
JUNE 2ND 2014
(Chiloquin, Oregon)Saturday May 31 A long awaited General Council meeting was held at the Klamath Tribes Administration building that had been originally scheduled for Saturday May 17. The original meeting was rescheduled when the Klamath Tribal Council misinformed the public regarding accusations of “threats” toward Tribal Council. According to Klamath Tribal Councils press release, “some Klamath Tribes members have been campaigning to organize a hostile takeover of the meeting. Threats included chaining and padlocking doors to force the Tribal Council and meeting attendees to remove Gentry from the council and to overturn the results of a recent referendum vote.”
Klamath members were “wanded” and searched by security hired from Medford before entering the front doors, and asked to provide Klamath Tribal ID to Chairman Gentry’s wife, Mary Gentry, prior to entering the auditorium. Everyone was asked to sign in and wear a name tag. Signs were posted on the front door of the Administration building that read “video/audio recording is NOT permitted, unless specifically authorized by the Klamath Tribes.”
Approximately 100 eligible voting tribal members were in attendance, many who wanted accountability and answers from their elected officials regarding the recent illegal referendum that granted Chairman Gentry signatory authority to sign the “Proposed Upper Klamath Basin Comprehensive Agreement” on behalf of membership. This agreement, now called the “Klamath Water Recovery and Economic Restoration Act of 2014”, was introduced May 21st to Senate by Senators Wyden, Merkley, Boxer and Feinstein.
Every opportunity membership had to discuss the referendum was denied by Chairman Gentry at the General Council meeting. Though membership rights have been compromised by tribal negotiators, the outstanding concern Klamath tribal members have is that their elected leaders did not properly follow the laws of the Klamath constitution regarding a referendum vote. Throughout the meeting, the Klamath Tribal constitution, bylaws and Roberts Rules of Order were only acknowledged by Chairman Gentry when the rules benefited council and were denied when rules were invoked to conduct General Council business.
“This is a dictatorship!” exclaimed Ramona Mason a Klamath Tribal member.
When addressing Klamath Tribal Council regarding their disrespectful behavior toward membership, elder Heidi Kimbol stated,
“You all look very bad.”
Looks like court, not a general meeting of tribal members…
Klamath Tribes General Council meetings were established to give tribal members the power to discuss issues, make important decisions for their community and to conduct business accordingly. Only limited authority has been granted to tribal council and membership reserves majority sovereign authority to themselves.
But at Saturday’s meeting it was clear that the Klamath Tribal council has abused their authority, publically displaying their unethical treatment of the general membership. And membership finally had the opportunity to unify and vocalize how discontent they are with how their elected leaders conduct themselves.
The General Council meeting began at 10:00 am and finally ended at approximately 5:00 pm, commencing with Councilman Don Gentry’s wife, Mary Gentry, accusing a young woman of “stealing from the tribe.” When asked for clarification on what Mrs. Gentry was referring to, she stated the woman stole coffee cups from a previous public event, cups which were provided for any guests in attendance, free of charge.
Though security was originally hired to prevent a “hostile takeover” of the meeting, the only event where security needed to intervene concerned the Chairman’s wife, Mary Gentry, who was ranting, crying and shaking as she was escorted outside of the building.
Media Contact: Kayla Godowa (541)-844-6114
Rowena Jackson: (541)-246-0281
Danita Herrera: (541)-852-6106
Posted on June 2, 2014, in Indian Act Indians and tagged Klamath, Klamath general meeting, Klamath Tribal Council. Bookmark the permalink. 14 Comments.
Warrior Publications 
Another example of common abuse of authority under the foreign elected system. Besides organized crime, indigenous communities elected and appointed government and their associated boards, commitees or senates are the last. System where crooks, illiterate, unethical and indifferent councillors, chiefs and chairs are elected to positions of power that contro all revenues and agreements, litigation and treaty and land claims with little to no accountability or transparency
We can’t expect effective and humane policy without representatives who understand, witness, and investigate the experience that they control. Then you have the representatives who take advantage of their positions to suppress the voice of their own people for their own pompous gains, it has no native spirit in my book!
that’s why people need to attend all meetings and vote always……….common sense
No one was escorted out. Mary has the authority asked by the council to sign people in as her position is Members Benefits and Enrollment Coordinator. (The Dept. that issues tribal I.D. Further more the tribal members voted yes to proceed with signing which was not illegal. To make these accusations while attending a members meeting that you are not enrolled member of. The Klamath Tribes should only allow Enrolled Tribal Members to attend. Further more this is the most dishonest account of those proceedings that day.
Seems pretty obvious ther chairman’s wife in question is in conflict in more ways than one. Not only is it unethical to be in a dual relationship she would be seen as biased because of her relationship to the chairman in question. Another shining example of Native Indigenous communities following foreign systems of governance and administration courtesy of BIA and generations of colonialism. The relation or associate of the chairman’s wife highlights that bias, favortism, exclusion and lateral violence is healthy in this tribe
We apparently need changes, but I doubt if anyone really threatened them of bodily harm. I think it was only a threat to their BIG HEADED AUTHORITY they think they have over us all. It’s not right to be against your own TRIBE. I think they should Resign asap if they are threatened in any way, shape or form. Cause if they are for real in danger why stay? But it’s not the case, I think it was advised by a Legal Dept of their choice. What a joke, if your members aren’t happy on the job your doing, the last thing on earth you should do is FORCE YOUR IDEAS on them. It will never be a sucessful endeavor either way like this!!!
I believe, overall, the meeting was a good meeting, despite the anger and concerns about the need for security, the angry shouts and accusations directed toward the Tribal Council throughout the meeting, and the contentious verbal confrontations that occurred immediately after the meeting was adjourned.
The motions and actions of the Tribal Council and the Tribal Council budget were reviewed and discussed, updates on important issues were provided, and several motions were passed. The only motions not recognized were those that were in direct violation of the Constitution of the Klamath Tribes.
I encourage all enrolled Klamath tribal member to come and exercise their right and responsibility to participate in their governmental process at the next meeting scheduled for June 21, 2014.
A lie and made up fictitious events to frustrate and get naive people to hate with the haters, but why? How is this about the tribe anyway? Sounds like they have a personal problem with Mary. No names of other members? No mention of other topics discussed. Defamation, libel and slander of the Gentry’s is the focus of this link. Which are criminal and punishable by law. Say all you want..this is evidence here.
Wow, really? Im not a klamath memeber but i am a decendent with the 1/8 blood requirment. Im enrolled GR My kids and husband are enrolled klamath so was my grams all of them and i live in chiloquin ill go to any god dang meetings i please. Don ur wife is relative of mine and you all actually advocate for me not to attend ..! Its about bad AG don. Ou all never even talj about the change that NEEDS to happen here and everywhere Western AG id on its way out listen to the people were trigng to tell you all for a long time! Yall are trippin you cant squeez blood from a we are educated tribal mothers we aint going No where wete here for the kids and unless you got tribal babies see you r way out cause yiu are a NON Factor your blood ends with you.lol lawyer up that only flys with you rich white californians people gotta have money for ur bunk ass law suites. Poor NDN for life
The only threats I see are council threatening to file suits against their own people. The only hostile take over I see is council refusing to follow the tribes constitution.
quit fighting and start doing good for the future of your children. get away from government handouts and start using your resources on your land. things will never be like the old ways, so start using your knowledge and get some revenue going without federal help, involve your kids, involve your elders. start growing alfalfa, feed ranchers cattle, you have the resources to bottle your own water and sell it. take tourists on horseback rides, utilize your land. teach your children how to break a green horse and to care for it so they can lead the people on rides on horses they trained. a good start would be to fix up the rodeo grounds across the road from the tribal offices. start using that casino money for something good instead of squirreling it into some pockets
Very good article. I’m glad that day happen. Some members and security were witness to who really was the disgruntle member, had to be escorted out. I’m pretty sure that was the same meeting a relation to the chairman got smart to an Elder female during council meeting. Now that was a disgrace. Again… very good article.. and this doesn’t even touch what all is going on in our tribe with this setting council.
Actually i was standing next to mary when she was escorted out by security. She indeed was yelling, crying,shaking, and had lunged toward the daughter of a well known Klamath tribal elder. Mary was accusing this tribal elders daughter for stealing a coffee cup, a gift for guests and members. As i mentioned i was actually standing next to her, she was yelling, “those cups were for tribal members you theif.” Mary and her husband are very protective of their political stance, and if you don’t agree with them, then you do not matter tp them. It even reflects in the way they treat you while they ate supposed to be doing their jobs and being professional. The tribal elders daughter does not agree with their political stance.
hi im from chuachula chuchanshi and im looking into the dam project your working on we have one here in fresno and I also want to get it drained and obtain fresh water. gsunset72@gmail.com