Local tribe holds monthly Council Meeting; newly-elected council still unable to take office

A recent election continues to cause dispute within a local tribe. Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe members are banding together in support of their newly-elected council that still has not been seated more than two months after their recent election.

Quechan Tribe members and their newly-elected council are repeatedly hopeful that their next meeting will finally allow them to take office only to face disappointment.

Tribe members say Thursday’s meeting had one item on the agenda–a resolution. According to a Quechan Tribe member, the resolution was signed by nearly every attendee of the meeting, ordering the Quechan President and Vice President to seat the new council.

Tribe members say that resolution was not met and that the former council continues to challenge the December 5 election. Four new council members were elected and only one former council member was reelected.

According to the Quechan Constitution, the new council should have been seated January 2. Now, more than a month later, the former council is still seated. Tuesday’s meeting saw a huge turnout of tribal members in attendance hoping to have their voices heard.

“Everybody has a different opinion, but yet they’re not here to form it,” expresses newly-elected council member Marsha Hill. “That was one thing that I suggested. ‘Come, come. Come see what’s going on. Come see what’s taking place for yourself and then you decide what’s right and wrong.’ Both groups feel that what we’re doing is right. You know. We both feel that we have every right to be taking the actions that we’re taking.”

Wednesday morning the newly elected-council and Quechan Tribe members hoped to continue the agenda from Tuesday’s meeting but found a note pinned to the Administration Building stating that the tribal office and other tribal facilities including the Senior Center and Childcare Center would be closed until further notice.

Now, the newly-elected Quechan Council is left hoping for a resolution.

As this story develops, News 11 continues to reach out to President Jackson and Vice President Jack for comment, but still have yet to hear back.

This is a developing story.