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February 2023 Open Meeting Summary


Tribal Open Meeting Summary 2/3/2023 held at the tribal office and via Zoom


  1. CM’s Susan, Chris, Marion, Marie, Robert, and Glenn were present. VC Cheryl served as a proxy for CoC Dalton and conducted the meeting. 2C Alan and John were present. Elder Larry was present. Chief Hatcher was present.

  2. Members present include Randi C, David B, Debbie B, James G, Aaron F, Rebecca F, Joshua W, Nancy J, Clay G, and Starla C.

  3. Financial Report (as of 2/2/2023 at 6:15 pm)

  4. General Fund: $26,094.05

  5. Building Fund: $3267.00

  6. Cemetery Fund: $407.00

  7. Old Business

  8. Online Votes

  9. 1/17 Allow David H to bring trees for the longhouse to the tribal grounds

  10. Susan-yes, Chris-yes, Marion-yes, Glenn-yes, Marie-yes, Robert-yes, VC Cheryl (Dalton)- yes

  11. 1/25 Approve January 2023 Open Meeting Summary with change

  12. 2 should be Clayton G, not J

  13. Susan-yes, Chris-yes, Marion-yes, Glenn-yes, Marie-yes, Robert-yes, VC Cheryl (Dalton)- yes

  14. New Business

  15. Committee Reports

  16. Buildings & Grounds: Glenn

  17. Work Day 2/4/2023 at 9 am

  18. Arts & Crafts: Susan

  19. I was approached by the director of OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute)

  20. Want to partner up to do classes

  21. This could lead to more opportunities for us

  22. 2C Alan: I have grapevines if anyone needs them

  23. Grants: VC Cheryl

  24. Working on a number of grants for community projects

  25. CCU is working on a sustainability grant

  26. Development of a museum exhibit

  27. Michelle: I received an email about a grant opportunity for setting up EV stations

  28. VC Cheryl: it could come from FEMA too because we’re on the evacuation route

  29. Marion C: Amazon is ending Smile; they will possibly help for a few months

  30. Pauwau: Michelle

  31. Working on budget

  32. Need a story on the history & traditions of the drum for the program book

  33. 2C Alan: talk to Andy SPell about the drum

  34. Like the idea of Jr HM/HL as long as they are interested

  35. Drum: Glenn

  36. Follow-up with Red Oak: not taking contracts this year

  37. On ladies drumming: they are not opposed, but not for

  38. Edisto said no women on the drum

  39. Andy said he wouldn’t dance if the drum were female

  40. Chris H: I can call a man about being HM who has a drum

  41. Michelle: check his availability and pricing

  42. Files: VC Cheryl

  43. Meeting 2/4 at 1 pm - until for work day

  44. Susan: expiration date on Honorary Membership

  45. I suggest 5 or 7 years to keep from making new cards/ certificates every 2 years

  46. VC Cheryl: we were trying to decide on who determines the length

  47. 2C Alan: if they want to really be a member, the number of years on the certificate won’t matter

  48. Marie: Council can ask at any time that the TRB be opened

  49. I suggest making it 5 years and then removing them if they aren’t active

  50. Chief Hatcher: why would Council care about the number of years?

  51. Marion: I don’t think it needs an expiration date

  52. Marie: we need to be able to track them

  53. VC Cheryl: Make it 5 years; we will vote in committee tomorrow

  54. 2C Alan: after 5 years and not proven themselves, I’d vote against them for full membership

  55. 2C John: if honorary is at the discretion of the Chief, he has the ability to remove them

  56. Susan: they also signed a membership agreement

  57. 2C John: if the term is at the discretion of the Chie, why not make it permanent?

  58. Chief Hatcher: they’d still have the certificate

  59. Marie motioned; Susan seconded to make honorary membership a 5-year term

  60. Susan-yes, Chris-yes, Marion-yes, Glenn-yes, Marie-yes, Robert-yes, VC Cheryl (Dalton)- yes

  61. Chief Hatcher: it would have to be a joint resolution

  62. Marion: motion to open the TRB for Dr. Clary, Dr. Rich, Dr. Dillian

  63. Susan: hold until the meeting tomorrow and have the percentage of core: non-core

  64. We can discuss this by email

  65. Marion: motion rescinded

  66. Chief Hatcher: who is in charge of ID cards?

  67. Susan: we haven’t picked a new chair yet

  68. Newsletter

  69. Susan: Lindsey S said she would do it if contacted

  70. Tribal Secretary’s note: discussed it with her on 2/18; she will do it

  71. Family Day 2/18

  72. 2C John: we will need a vegan option

  73. Chief Hatcher: we need a grill or a pull-behind grill

  74. VC Cheryl: motion to buy a grill for future events with a lock and chain after pricing them out

  75. Marie: I will donate the lock and chain

  76. Marion: I have a friend who makes them; need to know the size

  77. 2C Alan: and charcoal vs gas vs hybrid

  78. VC Cheryl: I retract the motion until the price limit is set

  79. Chris H and Marion C to get prices and find sizes

  80. 2C John: I’ll call my cousin to see if he’ll bring his

  81. 2C John: Richard will bring the grill out

  82. Elder Larry: I have a couple of contacts too

  83. VC Cheryl

  84. 3/18: Spring Equinox

  85. I discussed with Marion about doing some plant identification and fishing

  86. The goal is to get our young people engaged

  87. 2C Alan

  88. I’m waiting on a call from the state museum

  89. I met with the Chicora in January about joining us

  90. The Fechers and Watts are here

  91. They will come in as honorary and go from there

  92. 7-20 want to join us

  93. Joshua W: 3rd year at USC

  94. Excited about upcoming projects and I want to contribute

  95. Rebecca, Aaron, Colby F

  96. Rebecca is a history teacher in NC; interested in history and language

  97. VC Cheryl: SC Indigenous Education Task Force: correcting the narrative in our locality and then helping other tribes

  98. Aaron is a teacher of sociology and works for the US government

  99. I want to jump in and help out

  100. Chief Hatcher: before you can become a full member, you will have to rescind your Chicora membership

  101. Rebecca F: we have

  102. 2C John

  103. I’m still working on the CCU Archiving Project

  104. You can donate items or have them documented and returned

  105. VC Cheryl

  106. We will continue the community planning project tomorrow, 11-1 pm

  107. We need to develop a steering committee made up of tribal members

  108. We need to look at the grant guidelines

  109. Ideas: museum exhibit, plant identification, rain gardens

  110. Chief Hatcher

  111. All Chiefs & First Ladies were invited to the State of the State address

  112. The reception was at the Governor’s mansion

  113. Looks like we’re going to be able to put a few things on the table

  114. I met with Attorney General and told him that he needed to change the way Indians are treated

  115. Now we have a meeting with him

  116. Superintendent of Education: I told her that there are no recognized tribes in the textbooks

  117. She was surprised; I put her in touch with Dr. Rich

  118. SCIDC

  119. I found out that the grant they got was $80k in arrears

  120. I removed the director and assistant; I hired a new director

  121. I want to have an election and have them elect a leader

  122. SCIDC is responsible for funding education for Native children

  123. I need to discuss graveyards with the AG

  124. Glenn: did Maranda and Bill get in touch with you?

  125. Chief Hatcher: yes; some calls were getting returned

  126. Elders

  127. Chief Hatcher: don’t you have to trim the hooves on a horse?

  128. Elder Larry: yes

  129. Chief Hatcher: what happens to ones in the desert?

  130. Elder Larry: they trim themselves

  131. VC Cheryl: how hard would it be to bring the horse here for the Equinox?

  132. Elder Larry: weather permitting, I will bring it

  133. Nancy J: it would look good if Council/ the governing body got on the horse

  134. Chris H

  135. Next pauwau meeting?

  136. Michelle: Thursday, 2/9 at 6:30 pm

  137. Chris: contact got back with me; he’s 47 miles away

  138. Think you could take the cost of lodging and cash to pay him

  139. Roughly $750 + $223

  140. They would use a hand drum on Thursday/ Friday

  141. They would use a regular drum on Saturday/ Sunday

  142. Michelle: we’ll continue the discussion in the pauwau meeting

  143. Chief Hatcher

  144. Please sign the 2023 pauwau program book for Judge Bernie

  145. Next meeting 3/3/2023



Marion motioned to close the meeting; Susan seconded.

Susan- yes, Glenn-yes, Marie-yes, Robert-yes, Marion-yes, VC Cheryl (Dalton)- yes

The meeting adjourned at 8:47 pm.

Respectfully submitted by Michelle Hatcher on 2/22/2023 at 3:56 pm.


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