Oneida Business Committee (2025)

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Public Packet

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Oneida Business Committee

Emergency Meeting

11:30 AM Thursday, April 03, 2025

BC Conference Room, 2nd floor, Norbert Hill Center

Agenda

Meeting agenda is available here: oneida-nsn.gov/government/business-committee/agendas-packets/.

Materials for the “General Tribal Council” section of the agenda, if any, are available to enrolled members

of the Oneida Nation; to obtain a copy, visit the Government Administrative Office, 1st floor, Norbert Hill

Center and present a valid Tribal I.D. or go to https://goo.gl/uLp2jE. Scheduled times are subject to

change.

CALL TO ORDER

II.

OPENING

III.

ADOPT THE AGENDA

IV.

NEW BUSINESS

Adopt resolution entitled Withholding Pay - Oneida Business Committee Council

Member - Marlon Skenandore

Sponsor: Lisa Liggins, Secretary

ADJOURN

Posted on the Oneida Nation’s official website, www.oneida-nsn.gov pursuant to the Open Records and

Open Meetings law (§ 107.14.)

The meeting packet of the open session materials for this meeting is available by going to the Oneida

Nation’s official website at: oneida-nsn.gov/government/business-committee/agendas-packets/

For information about this meeting, please call the Government Administrative Office at (920) 869-4364 or

(800) 236-2214

Oneida Business Committee

Emergency Meeting Agenda

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April 03, 2025

Public Packet

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Adopt resolution entitled Withholding Pay - Oneida Business Committee Council Member - Marlon...

Business Committee Agenda Request

1. Meeting Date Requested:

04/03/255

2. General Information:

Session:

☒ Open

☐ Executive – must qualify under §107.4-1.

Justification: DRAFT materials/discussion

3. Supporting Documents:

☐ Bylaws

☐ Fiscal Impact Statement

☐ Contract Document(s) ☐ Law

☒ Correspondence

☐ Legal Review

☐ Draft GTC Notice

☐ Minutes

☐ Draft GTC Packet

☐ MOU/MOA

☐ E-poll results/back-up ☐ Petition

☒ Other: Draft Letter to Councilman Skenandore

☐ Presentation

☐ Report

☒ Resolution

☐ Rule (adoption packet)

☐ Statement of Effect

☐ Travel Documents

4. Budget Information:

☐ Budgeted

☒ Not Applicable

☐ Budgeted – Grant Funded ☐ Unbudgeted

☐ Other: Describe

5. Submission:

Authorized Sponsor:

Lisa Liggins, Secretary

Primary Requestor:

Additional Requestor:

(Name, Title/Entity)

Additional Requestor:

(Name, Title/Entity)

Submitted By:

LLIGGINS

Public Packet

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Oneida Nation

Chairman

Oneida Business Committee

To:

Oneida Business Committee

From:

Tehassi tasi Hill, Chairman

Date:

April 3, 2025

Re:

Calling for an Emergency Oneida Business Committee meeting –

Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 11:30 a.m.

Per the Open Records Law 7.14-4. Emergency Meetings. Emergency meetings of

the Oneida Business Committee (OBC) shall be held upon at least twenty-four (24)

hours advance public notice unless, for good cause, such notice is impossible or

impractical.

In accordance with the above section, I am calling for an Emergency OBC meeting

to be held, Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. This meeting is to take formal

action regarding the absence of Councilman Marlon Skenandore.

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PO Box 365 • Oneida, WI 54155‐0365

oneida‐nsn.gov

Public Packet

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Memorandum

To:

Oneida Business Committee

From: Lisa Liggins, Secretary

Date: April 3, 2025

Re:

Adopt resolution entitled Withholding Pay - Oneida Business

Committee Council Member - Marlon Skenandore

Background

The Oneida Business Committee met on April 3, 2025, at the regularly

scheduled Business Committee Work Session to discuss the absence of

Councilman Marlon Skenandore.

The Oneida Business Committee reviewed and discussed the attached draft

resolution and correspondence and requested the Chairman to call an

emergency meeting to take formal action regarding the same.

The Chairman called an emergency meeting for 11:30 a.m. on April 3, 2025.

Requested Action

Adopt resolution entitled Withholding Pay - Oneida Business Committee Council

Member - Marlon Skenandore and approve the correspondence.

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Public Packet

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Oneida Nation

Post Office Box 365

Phone: (920)869-2214

Oneida, WI 54155

BC Resolution # Leave this line blank

Withholding Pay - Oneida Business Committee Council Member - Marlon Skenandore

WHEREAS,

the Oneida Nation is a federally recognized Indian government and a treaty tribe

recognized by the laws of the United States of America; and

WHEREAS,

the Oneida General Tribal Council is the governing body of the Oneida Nation; and

WHEREAS,

the Oneida Business Committee has been delegated the authority of Article IV, Section 1,

of the Oneida Tribal Constitution by the Oneida General Tribal Council; and

WHEREAS,

members of the Oneida Business Committee are elected to office by the members for three

(3) year terms in accordance with the Constitution and the Election Law; and

WHEREAS,

the General Tribal Council has adopted three (3) actions which provide direction regarding

the expectations of members of the Oneida Business Committee –

 Position Descriptions setting responsibilities and expectations;

 Salary identifying compensation for carrying out responsibilities and expectations;

 Removal Law identifying how members can address issues of failure to meeting the

responsibilities and expectations; and

WHEREAS,

the position description for a Council Member identifies that he or she “must at all times act

in the best interests of the Oneida [Nation],” Position Description (1), and are required “to

keep themselves informed on the department’s problems and progress,” Position

Description (3); and

WHEREAS,

pursuant to Article III, Section 3 of the Tribal Constitution which provides that “Regular

meetings of the Business Committee may be established by resolution of the Business

Committee”, the Oneida Business Committee has adopted resolutions which set forth the

regular meeting and executive session discussion schedule for the Oneida Business

Committee at which each member is required to be present unless on approved travel, at

an approved meeting, or an pre-approved time off, Resolution # BC-11-13-24-K, Setting

the Oneida Business Committee Regular Meeting and Executive Session Discussion

Schedule; and

WHEREAS,

pursuant to Section 117.6. of the Oneida Business Committee Meetings law which provides

that the annual schedule for regular meetings of the Oneida Business Committee be

presented by the Secretary for approval by the Oneida Business Committee, OBC

November 13, 2024, meeting minutes, p. 12; and

Public Packet

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BC Resolution # _______

Withholding Pay - Oneida Business Committee Council Member - Marlon Skenandore

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WHEREAS,

the Oneida Business Committee has adopted schedules each year for Work Sessions,

Nation Building Schedules among other regular activities, OBC November 13, 2024,

meeting minutes, p. 12; and

WHEREAS,

Council Member Marlon Skenandore failed to be present at the Executive Session meeting

on March 25th and the Regular Session meeting on March 26th without notifying the Oneida

Business Committee of his absence; and

WHEREAS,

Council Member Marlon Skenandore has failed to be present at the work session on March

6th without notifying the Oneida Business Committee of his absence: and

WHEREAS,

the Legislative Procedures Act creates a Legislative Operating Committee and delegates

duties and responsibilities to that entity which is made up of Council Members of the Oneida

Business Committee, Legislative Operating Committee, 1 O.C. 109.4; and

WHEREAS,

the Legislative Operating Committee has adopted meeting schedules as well as schedules

for Public Meetings to receive public comment on proposed legislation, community

meetings to receive input from members on subjects, work sessions to go over proposed

legislation with legal counsel, community work sessions to discuss specific issues on

legislation, among other meetings related to their duties under the Legislative Procedures

Act; and

WHEREAS,

Council Member Marlon Skenandore failed to be present at the March 19th Legislative

Operating Committee meeting resulting in canceling that meeting because of a lack of

quorum caused by his unexcused absence; and

WHEREAS,

Council Member Marlon Skenandore failed to be present at the April 2nd Legislative

Operating Committee meeting without providing notice of his absence; and

WHEREAS,

Council Member Marlon Skenandore has failed to be present at drafting sessions of the

Legislative Operating Committee on March 25, 2025, regarding the draft Short Term Rental

Law; and

WHEREAS,

Council Member Marlon Skenandore has failed to be present at community meetings of

the Legislative Operating Committee on March 19, 2025, regarding the Elder Protection

Law, the Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Law Amendments, and the Indian Preference in

Contracting Law Amendments; and

WHEREAS,

the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Legislative Operating Committee Chairman have

contacted Council Member Marlon Skenandore to identify when he will be returning to his

duties and have not received a specified date of return; and

WHEREAS,

Council Member Marlon Skenandore has not requested a medical leave of absence and

has no accrued time available to cover his time out of the office; and

WHEREAS,

the Oneida Business Committee has agreed to utilizing the opportunity of meeting and

discussion, listening to others and expressing one’s own viewpoints as a method of coming

to one-mind regarding decision-making and failure to participate in this process as an

elected official leaves a voice out of the decision-making process and those ideas or

concerns that are an integral part of coming to agreement on an action; and

Public Packet

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BC Resolution # _______

Withholding Pay - Oneida Business Committee Council Member - Marlon Skenandore

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100

101

102

103

104

105

WHEREAS,

the Oneida Business Committee has determined that the General Tribal Council did not

intend to provide a salary for Oneida Business Committee members who fail to be present

at meetings, work sessions, Legislative Operating Committee meetings, work meetings

and community meetings; and

WHEREAS,

the Oneida Business Committee determined that some action must be taken as elected

officials to uphold their responsibilities to the Nation; and

WHEREAS,

Council Member Marlon Skenandore has notified the Oneida Business Committee by email on April 3, 2025, that he agrees with the actions of the Oneida Business Committee

that he has not earned the salary for pay periods ending March 29th and April 5th; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, directs that the salary of Council Member Marlon Skenandore shall

be withheld for the pay period ending March 29, 2024, and for pay period ending April 5, 2024, as he failed

to meet his duties and responsibilities as an elected member of the Oneida Business Committee.

Public Packet

Marlon Skenandore, Council Member

[insert address]

[insert work email address]

[insert personal email address]

RE: Attendance

Dear Mr. Skenandore:

April 3, 2025

The Oneida Business Committee met on April 3, 2025, at the regularly scheduled

Business Committee Work Session to discuss your ongoing absence from your duties

on the Oneida Business Committee. Since March 19, 2024, you have not appeared for

scheduled meetings of the Legislative Operating Committee and Oneida Business

Committee. You have also been absent from work meetings of the Legislative Operating

Committee.

In addition to the more formal meetings of the Oneida Business Committee and

Legislative Operating Committee, we also note that you have missed the following

meetings.

 State of the Tribes Leaders Breakfast appointment on March 18th.

 Crucial Conversations training which was scheduled specifically around BC on

March 21st and 24th with no notice given regarding your absence.

 Westwood 3rd grade Oneida Culture Presentation on March 21st. Your assistant

Fawn Billie was able to arrange for Brandon Yellowbird Stevens, Vice-Chairman

and Jonas Hill, Council Member to cover this event.

 GLIFC-Tribal Elder Food Box Program standing meeting on March 25th.

 Hunger Relief Federation monthly call on March 27th.

 Rapid Fire appointment on March 31st.

 Recycling and Solid Waste work meeting on March 31st.

 NFL Draft Updates appointment on March 31st.

 Legislative Operating Committee, Legislative Reference Office and Law Office

Probate Discussion appointment on April 1st.

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During this period of your absence Tehassi Hill, Chairman, Brandon YellowbirdStevens, Vice-Chairman, and Jameson Wilson, Council Member/Legislative Operating

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Public Packet

Committee Chairman, have contacted you regarding your attendance at meetings and

your lack of presence in the office. We have also attempted to provide coaching,

assistance, guidance and support to you before and during this time.

The Oneida Business Committee for this term has committed to discussion which

includes each of us speaking out a subject or issue, expressing our opinions, and

listening to each other to allow us as a body to formulate solutions with one-mind. This

is a time-consuming process, but all of us agree that better decisions are made when

we use our historical methods of governance processes. Your voice and ideas are

missing from this process which causes gaps in coming together with one-mind to

provide governance for the Oneida Nation and its members.

We do not believe that the General Tribal Council’s action in identifying a salary for a

full-time member of the Oneida Business Committee applies if you are not present. As

such, we have adopted resolution # BC-04-03-25-A Withholding Pay – Oneida Business

Committee Council Member – Marlon Skenandore, which withholds pay for the two pay

periods you were not at work and did not have personal or vacation accrued to cover

the hours. (See attached.)

We remind you that the Oneida Nation does provide Employee Assistance Services that

are available should you need assistance. The Oneida Nation Employee Assistance

Program can be reached at (920)490-3706; if carrying the Nation’s health Insurance,

another option is Aurora Employee Assistance Program which can be reached at

(800)236-3231. In addition, if you do not feel you can return to work, please contact the

Human Resources Department to file a Leave of Absence and notify the Secretary of

your actions.

We regret that this action was taken; however, as elected officials we have a

responsibility to represent the membership, and we believe you must participate to carry

out that duty.

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Sincerely,

[insert signature block – 9 BC members]

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This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.