SAULT TRIBE FACTS - If it is not a fact it must be fiction................................

Since inception, the so deemed Elder check as been a political football. Initially the Tribe was making money hand over fist. Then came the greed of a few. In order to justify the high salaried employees who sat on the board and reaped every and any benefit possible. They devised a plan.

That plan was to appease the Elders and figure the rest wouldn't complain. Then comes the continual promises around election time to pledge to increase the Elder dividend. All knowing full well that the Tribe was in deep financial trouble and are top heavy. This body knew full well that each and every Member is a stockholder.

Tribe Mails Out 2000 Dividend Checks"Sault Tribe's Elder Dividend Program"

From John Hatch Communications Director Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians NAIIP News Path ~ Sunday, January 7, 2001

SAULT STE MARIE, MI - The Sault Tribe's Elder Dividend Program mailed checks to 2,020 elders Jan. 5. Each check totals $1,280.14 and was sent to tribal elders who turned 60 years of age by Dec. 31, 2000.

This year's Elder Dividend payment totals about $2.8 million and comes from a $19.7 million land settlement the federal government paid to the Tribe in 1997, which the tribal Board of Directors invested and earmarked to fund yearly Elder Dividend payments.
Chairman Bernard Bouschor said the program is an investment that tribal elders can rely on. "It's distributed about $7.9 million to tribal elders since 1998 and it will continue to generate funds for future generations," Bouschor said.

The program is one of several trust accounts the tribe created in the past five years to provide future funds to tribal services. Known as the Tribe's Self-Sufficiency Program, these trusts accounts annually generate millions of dollars to help elders pay for medical supplies, provide elder employment opportunities, help members with college expenses, and provide member funeral benefits.

The Three Kings (Bouschor, Lumsden, and Payment) and their small court. That included Shagen, Paquin and Chase.

Bouschor - A 17-year incumbent who also served as CEO of Northern Michigan Casinos and Greektown.

Lumsden - A three term Board Member. Lumsden was on the board when it created the position of executive director to oversee the tribe’s government programs and services. He applied for the position and was hired by chairman Bouschor.

Paquin - The infamous Chief of Police and longtime Board Member with a tattered background. Currently suspended with pay from his Chief Of Police job. Pending an investigation by the FBI and BIA.

Shagen - He was first elected to the Sault Tribe Board of Directors in 1998 and was again elected to the board of directors in 2003. He also served as Chief Counsel for the Tribe.

Payment - Elected in 1996. Former Vice Chairman under Bernard Bouschor. He also held the seperate position of Deputy Executive Director. As board vice-chairman, Payment helped create and set the salary scale for the position he now holds.

All had high paying jobs and the luxury of making their own rules and wages by sitting on the Board at the same time.

If you are an Elder and think you benefited from this. We are here to tell you that a small group of others benefited big time at your expense. They knew if you could be appeased the others would not complain. They didn't even bother to include the disabled who by tradition are special people.

Not Enough Money

During that time there was really no Board Members who worked full-time for the people. Certain ones figured they needed more money for their now lavish lifestyles. Verbatim from an article in the Detroit News.

"The most recent of the raises came in October 2000 when, with the tribe hundreds of millions of dollars in debt, board members increased their salaries 33 percent. They made the hike retroactive, going back five years.

At the same time, the board gave tribal employees a modest 6-percent raise. It wasn’t retroactive.

The annual salaries of board members jumped from $48,000 to $64,000. Those who had been on the board for five years pocketed $80,000 in back pay.

The raises came at a time when the tribe was contemplating cutting services and staff at several of its businesses. Since the salary increases, the tribe has laid off 170 casino workers.
Because the board meets about six hours a week, the salary increase made board members — who get the equivalent of nearly $200 an hour — among the highest paid legislators in the country.

Tribal spokesman John Hatch insists board members deserve the money because they have responsibilities beyond attending meetings." End of article.

This happened nearly 8 years ago. The Board of Directors have not had a raise since. With the rate of inflation, the rising cost of living, and the rising of Meetings and workshops. The Board is probably at about the right salary. At least some of them. About half the Board consider their political responsibility as part-time.

Rumor Control

There have been rumors that Aaron Payment is working behind the scenes with a certain segment trying to reduce the Board salaries he helped create himself. Again the word is the Elders and a few disgruntled Employees are key in Payment's plan to continue to hijack the Tribe because he lost in the Election. Again Payment uses his false persona to misdirect Tribal Members on the truth.