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Adams Lake Band’s leadership in flux

The governance situation at the Adams Lake Indian Band is in a state of upheaval and confusion
89429salmonarmBilly-Robincol
Chief Robin Billy

The governance situation at the Adams Lake Indian Band is in a state of upheaval and confusion following a decision by the band’s community panel to remove three band councillors.

A notice dated Oct. 23 which was posted on the Adams Lake Indian Band website said band councillors Gina Johnny, Brandy Jules and Ronnie Jules were removed, leaving Chief Robin Billy and councillors Greg Witzky and Norma Manuel still in office.

Repeated calls and emails to the band office as well as band councillors and other members were not returned.

Unconfirmed comments posted to the Observer’s website by an individual identifying themselves as Dlou Jules say Chief Billy may have resigned and then recanted his decision. Another comment posted by an individual identifying themselves as Larry J Johnny says band members rejected the decision to remove the councillors by voting against it at a band meeting.

“The vote wasn’t even close. Ninety-five per cent for rejecting the petition to five per cent,” Johnny’s comment reads.

Band meetings scheduled for Oct. 25 and 26 were listed as cancelled on the band’s website, but it appears some type of meeting went ahead regardless.

According to the band’s election rules a band councillor can only be removed from office for violation of the election rules or breaching their oath of office.

The process of removing a council member defined in the election rules begins with a petition signed by 10 electors with a sworn affidavit containing the grounds for dismissal.

A notice on the band’s website dated Sept. 29 states the community panel received a petition for the removal of Ronnie Jules, Brandy Jules and Gina Johnny. The petition was received from Valerie Joan Michel.

The notice says Ronnie Jules was removed for committing five violations,  Johnny was removed for three violations and Brandy Jules for four violations. No details of the nature of the violations were provided in the document.

The community panel is an elected body separate from the chief and council which currently consists of Maryann Yarama, Lynn Kenoras, Hilda Annette Jensen, David Nordquist and Sandra Lund.

The removed councillors’ positions were still listed as vacant on the band’s website as of Nov. 1. Unconfirmed reports from anonymous sources also indicate the band’s offices in both Chase and Salmon Arm are currently closed, with no employees working.

 

Correction: The original version of this article read the petition for the removal of the band councillors was received from Valerie Joan Manuel. In fact the notice posted on the Adams Lake Indian Band website reads it was received from Valerie Joan Michel. We regret the error and apologize for any confusion it may have caused.

 

 



Jim Elliot

About the Author: Jim Elliot

I’m a B.C. transplant here in Whitehorse at The News telling stories about the Yukon's people, environment, and culture.
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