Fort Yuma Quechan Indian tribe elections holds forum

The Fort Yuma Quechan Indian tribe elections held a forum Saturday to speak about platforms and visions for the tribe.

Positions include the presidency , vice presidency, and five tribal council seats.

The candidates for president include : Michael L. Jackson Sr., Sally A. Decorse, Jordan D. Joaquin, Bernadine Swift Arrow, and Frank R. White.

Vice presidential candidates include Peggy L. Baxter and Virgil S. Smith.

The 21 candidates running for tribal council are: Juliana M. Comet, Gloria L. Bryant, Ez iquiel I. Aguilar, Shannon L. Lapham, Deloni Snowden, Aaron W. Brown, Ina M. Hall, Jonathan E. Koteen, Charles R. Es calanti , Ronda C. Aguerro, Eva L. Castro, George C. Decorse, Melissa K. Mills, Rayna M. Madero, Wayne Chaipos Jr., Marsha A. Hill, Keeny Escalanti Jr., Kirk J. Nerva, Cody L. Hartt, Mark W. White II, Peirce Cachora.

There were 9 candidates at the forum who spoke as to why they should get a position on the tribal council.

George Decorse , said he is a direct descendant from a San Pasqual former council member which he thinks will help his experience if he were elected.

Among Decorse’s platform, he hopes to:

Improve internet service on the reservation

Use the solar energy project to provide job opportunities

Acquire better quality drinking water

Decorse wants to fix the issues with what he says is a conflict of interest in the interview process of payroll employees.

He also says he wants to give the public access to financial audits given to council members.

Gloria Bryant, who is a teacher, accounts for her experience with emergency plans in schools to be beneficial to the council.

Bryant wants to include the Red Cross in emergency plans and make sure the elderly are checked on in an emergency.

Bryant says there is money in California set aside for such things and wants access to that money.

Bryant is also fighting for:

Negotiated teacher salaries

Seeing that the Quechan newspaper is brought back

Fencing to keep recreational vehicles on correct roads in order to prevent damage

Expanding the cemetery

Getting clean water and get the proper allocation of water

Pursuing membership on water board

Developing businesses and trailer parks

Providing assisted living for elderly and handicapped

Eva Castro, who has had a long time role at the Quechan Housing Authority, says she would make empathy, honesty, integrity a priority.

Kirk Nerva served 28 years in the community , 15 of them being with the Sheriff’s Office on the fire protection board.

He says his priorities would be:

Researching health issues

Respectful tribal meetings

Not allowing personal issues including finger pointing

Eziquiel Aguilar wants a strong council in order to obtain the goals of the tribe.

He hopes to:

Rethink water rights

Create more programs to inspire youth and empower people to reduce unemployment

Enhance tribal moral

Build a housing center to help homeless members

Improve healthcare

Jonathan Koteen, who is also running for the council said, “without law and order, how can we progress.”

Cody Hartt served as a gaming agent. He said that in order for them to play a part in schools, people need to be at meetings

If Hartt is elected, he hopes to:

Support the tribe on child welfare issues

Provide foster homes

Reinstate the landfill

Bring back energy at the tribal office

Push electronic voting ordinances

Gain housing for elders

Mark White served on a legislative committee and wants a better budget in order to keep people on track.

He hopes to promote and reward culture preservation and come up with a 4 to 5 year plan to become debt free.

Wayne Chaipos says the massive casino has played positives and negatives to the tribe.

He says the behavior of the tribal council has not been professional and he hopes to better community groups.

Peggy Baxter, running for Vice President, says the recent workings of the tribe have been at an all-time low

She wants to put cigarettes back on the shelves in order to increase funds.

She also says she is frustrated with the current people in power saying they do not know what they are doing right now.

She plans to uphold the constitution and urge respect if elected.