May 2025 Open Meeting Summary

Tribal Open Meeting Summary 5/2/2025  held at the tribal office and via Zoom

1. CM’s Robert, Marion, Emily, Glenn, and CoC Susan were present. 2C Alan served as a proxy for CM Rebecca. Elders Larry J, Phil W, and Scott B were present. Judge Ronnie, 2C Alan, and AC Cheryl were present.

2. Members Lisa L, Steven T, nancy J, Clayton G, Dr. Tracey G, Julie W, Dr. Carolyn D, Jerri H, Josh W, and Tim H were present. NALMS members Kelly S and Perry T were present.

3. Financial Report (as of 5/1/2025 at 6:27 pm)

   1. General Fund: $42,064.94

      1. Purchases for B&G from Amazon need to be transferred back here: $462.13

   2. Building Fund: $51,155.68

   3. Cemetery Fund: $447.00

   4. Grant Fund: $18,938.24

      1. The amount does not include demonstrator and admin invoices from Youth Weekend

4. Old Business

   1. Unveiling of the historical marker: remove from agenda; already done

   2. Online Votes

      1. 4/24: Approve April Open Meeting Summary with below change

         1. 5(a)(i): added honorary certificates

         2. Robert-abstain, Marion-yes, Emily-yes, Glenn-yes, 2C Alan (Rebecca)-yes, CoC Susan-yes

   3. TN Land: return receipt received

      1. Insurance for the land is $500/year

         1. CoC Susan- Chief Hatcher said to take care of it and negotiate later

         2. CoC Susan: TN life estates are supposed to pay for insurance and taxes

            1. Donna said she couldn’t get insurance because the property wasn’t in her name

         3. CoC Susan motioned to pay $500 for this year’s insurance; Marion seconded

            1. Robert-yes, Marion-yes, Emily-yes, Glenn-yes, 2C Alan (Rebecca)-yes, CoC Susan-yes

            2. AC Cheryl or Michelle to pay the premium online

   4. Bathhouse Project: AC Cheryl: CMA grant is coming

      1. The grant is for the survey and an engineer

   5. Bookcases: Marion: Debbie donated 2; just need to figure out how to get them down here

      1. CoC Susan: I’ve got some

5. New Business

   1. Receipts

      1. Fuel: $34.79 check 1085 from B&G Fund

   2. Committee Reports

      1. Buildings & Grounds: Glenn

         1. Nothing available

      2. Arts & Crafts: Elder Phil

         1. I’m thinking of having earring classes

         2. AC Cheryl: have an Arts & Crafts day with a trip to the museum (or to here) for gourds

         3. Jerri H: or talking sticks

         4. AC Cheryl: rattles too

   3. Grants: Michelle

      1. CMA Grant:  should hear something soon; assured it was processed

         1. Grant is for the survey & engineer

      2. ACLS Digital Seed Grant: We did not receive

      3. NFWF Grant: resubmitting

         1. Grant is for rain, three sisters, and medicinal gardens

      4. Justice Outside: update on youth events for 2025

         1. AC Cheryl: Justice Outside representatives said they were willing to fund us for 6 years

   4. Newsletter & Communications

      1. Linkpod: one link to access each of social media pages and websites

         1. $37 one-time setup

         2. Marion motioned to set up Linkpod; Robert seconded

            1. Robert-yes, Marion-yes, Emily-yes, Glenn-yes, 2C Alan (Rebecca)-yes, CoC Susan-yes

         3. Update 5/19/2025: we have unlimited QR Code capability

      2. QR Code maker

         1. AC Cheryl: use Canva for QR

   5. Pauwau: Michelle

      1. Randi dropped from the PW committee for school

      2. We selected Dr. Tracey G

         1. We need Tribal Council to confirm Dr. Tracey

         2. Robert-yes, Marion-yes, Emily-yes, Glenn-yes, 2C Alan (Rebecca)-yes, CoC Susan-yes

      3. Looking for new stories of local cultural history & language

      4. Looking for pictures of traditional suks

      5. Next meeting: 5/8 at 6:30 pm; we need a Constable to attend the meeting

      6. CoC Susan: I contacted Aki for T-shirt and book pricing; she may be able to get us a better deal

         1. Marion: are we going to get more kids’ sizes?

            1. CoC Susan: yes

   6. Drum: Glenn

      1. Nothing new

   7. Files: Michelle

      1. Files:

         1. Honorary: Allison McCune

         2. 3 minor-age members

      2. Files meeting: currently, 7 cards to make

         1. Jerri H: I need a new card

   8. Longhouse Project

      1. Workday 5/17?

         1. Marion; I’m having surgery on 5/12; won’t be able to lift

         2. AC Cheryl: I’ll be in Chicago

         3. CoC Susan: I’ll be moving things out the house

         4. CoC Susan: let’s plan for around the solstice in June

   9. Woccon Language

      1. CoC Susan: I brought the list of Catawba words

6. Reminder: Summer Solstice is 6/21

7. CoC Susan

   1. 6/2: South Conway Elementary Art in the Yard: 2 presentations (30 minutes each)

      1. Return receipt

      2. Smaller tool for chopping wood

      3. 2 30g of wood pieces

      4. Dreamcatchers and mandalas

         1. AC Cheryl: hang it in the other building

   2. Mitchell Brigman passed

   3. Tree in Island Green: someone messaged about a tree

      1. We were all over this area

      2. Chris Judge said the tree probably wasn’t but 50-70 years old

      3. Marion: people are using “Indian” to keep things from being developed over

8. Elders

   1. Scott: the closest constables are Greta and Dan

      1. CoC Susan, Michelle: the meetings are by Zoom, not in-person

9. AC Cheryl

   1. We have a donation coming from the Justice Outside grant

      1. $200 was given to Dr. Carolyn and she’s giving it back to create a small business startup fund for tribal members

         1. Example: Judge Ronnie could establish a LLC for his presentations

            1. CoC Susan: so if I wanted to do genealogy?

            2. AC Cheryl: yes

            3. AC Cheryl: yes; we are required to do with something that benefits the tribe

            4. Susan motioned to develop a policy letter and plan for a workshop for small business startup; Marion seconded

            5. Robert-yes, Marion-yes, Emily-yes, Glenn-yes, 2C Alan (Rebecca)-yes, CoC Susan-yes

            6. AC  Cheryl: yes

            7. Like the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce, we could have our own chamber

            8. Schedule a meeting during the week with 2-3 weeks notice- June?

         2. CoC Susan: motion to proceed to create a workforce development/ small business startup; Marion seconded

            1. Marion: we need policy letters to do this

            2. AC Cheryl: yes; we are required to do with something that benefits the tribe

            3. Susan motioned to develop a policy letter and plan for a workshop for small business startup; Marion seconded

            4. Robert-yes, Marion-yes, Emily-yes, Glenn-yes, 2C Alan (Rebecca)-yes, CoC Susan-yes

            5. AC  Cheryl: yes

            6. Like the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce, we could have our own chamber

            7. Schedule a meeting during the week with 2-3 weeks notice- June?

            8. CoC Susan: can we have a workshop on it and use SBA people?

            9. AC  Cheryl: yes

            10. Like the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce, we could have our own chamber

            11. Schedule a meeting during the week with 2-3 weeks notice- June?

10. Judge Ronnie: I want to build a hut/ suk on the grounds and need to use my materials quickly

    1. Day camp for 10 kids and they can help work on the hut and do other activities

       1. Glenn motioned to allow Judge Ronnie to build the hut; Robert seconded

          1. Robert-yes, Marion-yes, Emily-yes, Glenn-yes, 2C Alan (Rebecca)-yes, CoC Susan-yes

    2. AC Cheryl: after talking with Palmetto Works, they start planning their summer activities in January

       1. To structure a week-long camp, it would help to get the longhouse, bathhouse, etc… done

          1. Judge Ronnie: I worked with Wildlife Action and Placard

             1. AC Cheryl: to be fair, you were just showing up and not doing things like insurance, porta potties, registration, etc…

       2. AC Cheryl: what about asking Palmetto Works kids to come out to your camp?

          1. Judge Ronnie: I’ll consider it, but have to discuss it with my wife

11. Kelly from NALMS

    1. North American Lake Management Society

       1. 12 regional directors

       2. Having a conference in Myrtle Beach on 11/4-7/2025

       3. CoC Susan: you can set up an information booth at the pauwau

       4. AC Cheryl: we can meet at a later date to discuss more

12. CoC Susan: we got a framed copy of the signed treaty alliance (TASCN)

Marion motioned to close the meeting; Robert seconded.

Robert-yes, Marion-yes, Emily-yes, Glenn-yes, 2C Alan (Rebecca)-yes, CoC Susan-yes

The meeting adjourned at 8:34 pm.

Respectfully submitted by Michelle Hatcher on 5/21/2025 at 5:44 pm.