September 19, 2023.
Did DJ Hoffman resign or was he removed?
It appears two of our Chairman were removed in 2022 in Closed-Door Meetings. If that is true that has to stop. We are not provided the information about last weeks Tribal Board Meeting so to be honest we have no idea if it was open to the public.
We do not know if DJ resigned or was removed as the social media gossip stated. We did call the Tribe after our emails to our Unit Representatives went unanswered to ask if DJ Hoffman still worked for the Tribe and was told no. The person answering the phone stated "they" were working on a Special Election.
All we do know is that the Tribal Board expects our tribe to get sued and they are circling the wagon to protect our assets. This assumption is based on the the posting below we downloaded last week from the website. While social media posts state the Tribal Board removed DJ Hoffman, no proof has been provided from the Tribe that we can locate.
We have requested comment form our Unit Representatives and the press release.
The resolution below was posted last week and available to be downloaded on Friday September 16 from https://Saulttribe.com
"RESOLUTION NO: _______________ DIRECTING THE TRIBE’S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND GENERAL COUNSEL TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO INSULATE THE TRIBE’S ASSETS FROM OUTSIDE JUDGEMENTS WHEREAS, the Tribe’s Constitution was enacted to protect the Tribe’s property and resources; and WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has been empowered by the Constitution of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians to prevent the sale or deposition of any tribal lands, or other tribal assets. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Tribe’s Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director, and General Counsel are hereby authorized and directed to, within 30 days of this resolution being adopted, develop a plan to make the Tribe’s assets, including cash deposited and held in the Tribe’s bank accounts, to the extent possible, judgment proof. Upon the completion of the before mentioned plan, the Tribe’s Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director, General Counsel shall present the plan to the Board of Directors. C E R T I F I C A T I O N We, the undersigned, as Chairman and Secretary of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, hereby certify that the Board of Directors is composed of 13 members, of whom _____ members constituting a quorum were present at a meeting thereof duly called, noticed, convened, and held on the _____ day of ______________ 2022; that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted at said meeting by an affirmative vote of _____ members for, _____ members against, _____ members abstaining, and that said resolution has not been rescinded or amended in any way. ___________________________ _______________________ DJ Hoffman Kimberly Vincent-Hampton Chairman Secretary Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Chippewa Indians"
We do not know if this was officially signed and executed.
The next Tribal Board Meeting is September 20.