By WILL CHAVEZ
Senior Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – At the Jan. 26 Rules Committee meeting, Tribal Councilors chose their new speaker, deputy speaker and secretary as well as 15 chairs and co-chairs for their committees. 
Tina Glory Jordan was chosen as the new speaker, while Chuck Hoskin Jr. was elected as deputy speaker. Jodie Fishinghawk was elected secretary.

Glory Jordan, who replaces Meredith Frailey as speaker, said she looks toward a productive term and is eager to start.

“The council will have a lot on its plate, and I’m honored to be selected as its leader as we work on issues like housing, education and health care,” she said. 

Glory Jordan, Hoskin and Fishinghawk are expected to be elected and sworn in for their respective offices at the council’s Feb.13 meeting.

While nominating Glory Jordan for speaker, Fishinghawk requested the ending date of the speaker’s term be amended from August 2013 to August 2015, causing debate. Cara Cowan Watts said she believes constituents want a two-year term for the speaker because the council now has staggered terms, and a four-year term is “a grab for power.” 

“Essentially, we have a new council every two years not every four years because half of us could potentially turn over. Our leadership then would be acknowledged and reaffirmed or changed every two years as the council is seated and the dynamics of the council changes,” she said. 

Elections will be held for nine of the 17 council seats in 2013 as part of the staggered-term system, as defined in the 1999 Constitution. 

Fishinghawk asked council attorney Todd Hembree if the constitution specifies a two-year or four-year term for the speaker. Hembree said the constitution did not mention either term, and it was up to the committee whether to allow for a four-year term. He said it’s the first time the council addressed a term limit within the staggered-term system. 

Cowan Watts said she didn’t believe it was proper to mix the vote for speaker with a vote on the speaker’s term. She suggested the two questions be divided and voted on separately. 

The committee voted to extend the speaker’s term to August 2015 by a 10-7 vote with Lee Keener, David Thornton, Cowan Watts, Buel Anglen, Jack Baker, Julia Coates and Frailey voting no. 

The committee then voted on the two speaker nominees, Glory Jordan and Thornton. The vote resulted in the 9-8 split. Hoskin was elected deputy speaker by acclamation.

Fishinghawk and Thornton were nominated for council secretary and the term limit for the position was reaffirmed to be one year. Fishinghawk was elected to serve until January 2013 in a 9-8 vote. 

Hoskin was also elected Rules Committee chairman and immediately replaced former Chairwoman Frailey during the meeting. 

David Walkingstick was elected Rules Committee co-chairman by a 9-8 vote. He voted for himself along with Janelle Fullbright, Fishinghawk, Glory Jordan, Frankie Hargis, Curtis Snell, Joe Byrd, Hoskin and Dick Lay. Also nominated for the co-chair spot was Keener. However, he only received eight votes from himself, Frailey, Don Garvin, Thornton, Baker, Coates, Cowan Watts and Anglen. 

The same 9-8 split occurred for nine of the 15 positions considered during the meeting. 

Fishinghawk and Baker were nominated for chair of the Executive and Finance Committee, with Fishinghawk winning by a 9-8 vote. For co-chair, Hoskin and Baker were nominated. Hoskin won by a 9-8 vote. 

Fullbright was the sole nominee for Health Committee chair and was approved by acclamation.
In a 9-8 vote, Lay was elected over Cowan Watts to co-chair the Health Committee. 

Byrd and Coates were nominated for the Education and Culture Committee chair. Byrd was chosen by a vote of 9-8, and Garvin was approved as co-chair by acclamation. 

The Community Services chair and co-chair were also selected by a 9-8 vote. Thornton and Lay were nominated for the chair with Lay being elected. For co-chair, Hargis and Thornton were nominated with Hargis winning. 

Snell and Hargis respectively won the Resources Committee’s chair and co-chair spots by acclamation.

The votes for new council leaders normally occur in August of an election year. However, with a disputed principal chief’s election that lasted until October and two council seats left vacant by former Councilors Bill John Baker and Joe Crittenden, who are now principal chief and deputy chief respectively, the votes could not take place until now.

will-chavez@cherokee.org
918-207-3961