Hundreds of local legislators, leaders and community members packed into the Cherokee Central Schools’ High School Arena for the swearing in of Eastern Band of Cherokee’s new executive leadership, tribal council and school board members on Monday morning.
Newly-sworn-in Principal Chief Michell Hicks thanked the community members for their participation in the election and noted the experience of the new council members.
Hicks said all 12 council members either previously served on tribal council or were currently serving.
“That should make every one of us proud. It's leadership and this is a big number, but it spans two centuries,” Hicks said.
Alan B. Ensley who said he has served in public office for 28 years, was one of the re-elected members. He will serve again as vice chief after six years of service in the same office.
“I made one promise to represent every enrolled member that has a card. That’s the only promise that I made,” Ensley said.
“Each of us sitting up here today has the experience to lead this tribe back to what it once was,” he said. I feel comfortable that we can restore the unity between the tribal executive office and the tribal council. I think today is the start of that new beginning.”
Hicks, who was the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians principal chief 2003-2015, received 65 percent of the vote in the September election.
In his inaugural speech, he built on Ensley’s theme of unity for the Cherokee people.
“We’re here today to acknowledge an eternal promise of one people. Not one person, one people,” Hicks said.
Despite campaigning against outgoing Chief Richard Sneed, Hicks acknowledged his work to further the future of the tribe.
“I want to thank Chief Sneed for his leadership over the last few years. And I’ve said this for a long time, every administration gets a foundation. And how we build on that foundation – that is on us. We have to make it better. We have to make it stronger,” Hicks said.
Throughout the election season, the tribal budget was a key topic of disagreement.
Sneed championed diversification of funding streams including long-term projects like casinos in Indiana and Virginia, the world’s largest Buc-ee’s gas station, a Sports Illustrated resort in the Dominican Republic and more.
Sneed drew criticism for these projects with some members calling the moves an over extension of tribal funds.
Hicks nodded to the issue on Monday when he said that he would respect the tribal dollar.
“We must better understand the value of a dollar and we have to treat it with respect. It's our dollar. It's no different than any of these Fortune 500 companies or any of these banks in the United States,” he said. Our dollar is worth as much as theirs and we have to treat it that way.”
Hicks also addressed the balance of power in tribal governance.
“We have to restore our balance in government with our executive office, tribal council and our tribal courts,” Hicks said.
Throughout his speech, he referenced the history of the Cherokee people as they look toward the future.
“For centuries, our people have dealt with dangers, of powers out of our control through our courage, our survival. We have maintained a renewed strength and a government that is strong and continues to be resilient today and in the future,” he said.
Hicks also underscored the need for the Cherokee people to remain strong in the face of challenges from other governments.
“ We're a new generation of Cherokee People, and we must continue to maintain a common voice. A voice that is strong and it's heard and it's echoed, throughout the territory of our ancestral lands. A voice that local state and federal officials hear and they understand that this tribe, we're here to stay. We're not going anywhere, and we are poised to fight battles... that impact the well-being of our people and our sovereign status,” Hicks said.
Immediately following the inauguration, tribal council held the first council meeting in this configuration around the horseshoe. Mike Parker of Wolftown was chosen as the new chairman of Tribal Council.
Here’s the full breakdown of the election as officially certified on Monday morning by the outgoing Tribal Council.
Principal Chief Michell Hicks - 2,254 votes or 65.03 percent
Vice Chief Alan B Ensley - 267 votes or 74.17 percent
Big Cove Perry Shell - 259 votes or 39.6 percent
Big Cove Richard French - 213 votes or 32.57 percent
Birdtown Jim Owle - 576 votes or 32.02 percent
Birdtown Boyd Owle - 573 votes or 31.85 percent
Big Y/Wolftown Bo Crow - 582 votes or 34.52 percent
Big Y/Wolftown Mike Parker - 464 votes or 27.52 percent
Painttown Sean Michael Stamper - 335 votes or 40.41 percent
Painttown Dike Sneed - 211 votes or 25.45 percent
Yellow Hill David Wolfe 260 votes or 33.33 percent
Yellow Hill Tom Wahnetah with 224 votes 28.72 percent
Cherokee County/ Snowbird Adam Wachacha 262 votes or 35.55%
Cherokee County/ Snowbird Bucky Brown 257 votes or 34.87 percent
Referendum Question 1: “Do you support allowing the Tribal ABC Commission to issue mixed beverage permits for the sale of mixed beverages on tribal lands to qualified establishments including but not limited to restaurants, hotels, convention centers and non-profit organizations?”
Yes vote for 2,389 or 68.22 percent
Referendum question 2: “Do you support legalizing the possession and use of cannabis for persons who are at least twenty-one (21) years old, and require the EBCI Tribal Council to develop legislation to regulate the market?”
Yes vote 2,464 votes or 69.98 percent
