Poor Managers
Let Greektown Flagship Sink With Rats On Board
Tom Biron wrote:
Degree 1: Let's begin with our error in making payments on time. Aaron Payment is our namesake on this issue and a realistic moment in time to start detailing our own satire. During his watch we fell behind more than ever before on critical payments required to keep our Greektown business holdings firmly under our own Boards control. He inherited the problem but he was already heavily invested in it as a sitting Board member when he took the oath of office. I assume our Tribal Chairpersons do take an oath.
Degree 2: So, the first degree of separation between us and Greektown became a fact of reality when we failed to meet requirements set forth by legislation which eventually led us into bankruptcy. The next degree is found in our Board structure. The separation of powers is non-existent. Our Board does whatever it wants no matter. This administrative monster is uncontrollable and has been out of whack since our current tribal structure was recognized by the feds about 30 years ago.
Degree 3: The one consistent member of this structure is Bernard Bouschor. He has been there all along and is still there. The only leave of absence he has taken was during the "Err-in-Payments" watch. I like this metaphor because it emphasizes the relationship between Aaron's administration and the bankruptcy problems created while he presided over them. Bernard's role can be followed throughout this historic era of Casino development and loss. During this time our tribal Board became nothing more than a mouthpiece for the tribal chair and it still remains that way today.
Degree 4: Bonnie McKerchie led the Casino development surge here locally and set up the most successful Casino to date right here in Sault Ste. Marie long before Greektown was ever conceived (based on initial decade of development). This relationship is critical because without our local Casino profits we would never have been able to buy our way into Greektown. Our credibility was both peaked and ruined by the Greektown fiasco. A careful review of those days will show the real figures of how much money was being drained off our tribal resources in order for Bouschor to get involved in Greektown. That is when he and his lawyer convinced the Board to give him full decision making power over anything and everything the tribe would become involved in. And they agreed. Look at who was on the Board at that time to see who was involved. Also, look at their administrative managers for the rest of the story.
Degree 5: Detroit was looking for ways to develop their economy at that time and went out of their way to become the Casino market in this state and region. The Bouschor administration went out of its way to make deals that would limit the market to just our tribe at first but soon found themselves in a deal that included big time Casino developers who eventually opted for a third of the market and our tribe had no choice but to tag along since we had already burned so many bridges with other tribes and agencies who could have been even better partners than what we ended up with. That was when all hell broke loose and the money in Detroit reportedly started flowing to the tune of $300 million a year. Aaron stated at a Board meeting that our annual profit would be about 45 million. This was before any deal was made or Casino was built. All of our development efforts were directed away from our local communities and downstate without any accountability whatsoever.
Degree 6: Detroit is still in trouble and we are in much more trouble because we allowed ourselves to become wholly dependent upon that economy during the Bouschor and Payment eras. Had we focused on local development and stayed out of the big time Casino games what might have happened? Well, what is happening in Detroit will also happen here soon because that is the way of this administration. GM, the Auto dealer, is being scrutinized mercilessly and being told to get rid of the Board as it stands. I must venture a guess that we have also been told to get rid of our weakest links but because of the Bouschor and Payment influences it seems we cannot, probably because our elected officials will not leave. The ties are too deep. The only way out of the quagmire for our tribe appears to be to let it all go. Let it go down and the people connected by these six degrees of separation will go down with it. That is their payoff. These are the real ties that binds us to this fiasco. It all comes back around to letting the Greektown flagship sink with the Rats on Board. Until we do that we will have to accept the relationship that we have with that fiasco and the Rats on Board.
Now there is some talk about Aaron calling for the Boards removal. If this is true then he is correct but he should rethink his role in spearheading the effort. The work is already done on this no brainer. We are the biggest losers in this reality show. But the extra weight hanging around will be there until we let our Board members go. They will continue to drag us down as long as they are in place. So, while the Board continues flailing around doing the "End of the era dance" with each other there really is nothing we can do but wait until another court decides it is over. How long will it take? It depends on how much more tribal resources become available to this Board. If they can muster another loan or sell what is left etc. etc. than we will have to deal with their incredible denial problems for some time but I think the word is out on these guys. The new tribal chair has also been fooled and looks as though he is in it for the long haul which means we probably have another 3 years if they can stay in power.
I for one think the court will take this Greektown Casino away fairly soon for one reason and one reason only. Our Board is inept and cannot manage it no matter what comes. That is obvious and the other relationship that we cannot deny is that they are not willing to resign or accept blame for the failure of so many ventures during the past 30 years. Others see this and wheels of justice are grinding so we should see a takeover soon. It might be called a sale or hostile but six degrees of separation are at work here no matter what anyone calls it. Our Board structure is defunct and will continue to ruin our tribal credibility as long as it is in place.
Lets take the hint from GM Auto and other big organization who are either recognizing the need for change or are being forced into it by others who can think outside the box for them. Lets get rid of this Board now. The best way to do this is to ask that each Board member and the new Chair turn in a voluntary resignation with a stipulation.
The stipulation can read something like this:
I know my role in the tribal Board of Directors is corrupt by the history of developmental problems caused by past Board members and that they are being carried on within the faulty Board decision making structure that I now participate in. Should the community desire, I will resign but I ask that my role be carefully evaluated for merit and fault in matters that are causing this tribe to lose their credibility and resources to the tune of nearly 1 billion dollars. Should the tribal citizenship decide they want me to continue in my role I will carefully consider that option but I can not promise that my role as tribal leader has not been damaged sufficiently enough to affect my responsibilities as representative of our 30,000 plus citizens. Until the final evaluations of my actions as Board Director is completed I will take an unpaid leave of absence but remain available for all hearings and audits as required by court order and tribal community mandate.
Tom,
That’s the way to pull the rats out of their holes and expose them for what they have become.
It is hard to believe these people can even look themselves in the mirror without seeing what they have become in the eyes of the members.
Then again when they really can't look past their own reflection because of the power, greed and money, they need to resign and step down.
Will the Tribal Chairman and Board of Directors do that? We doubt it.
Will the members come together and remove them? We would look forward to it.
In fact we would be more then happy to participate in this process to the fullest, along with some very upset family members and friends.
Unity over stupidity!
Miigwech Tom for your analyzing insight!
UNITE!
Posted by
UNITE |
Thursday, April 16, 2009 3:16:00 AM
It is kind of surprising that you would write about Bonnie McKerchie as if she were some kind of saint. Yes she may have done good things starting the casino. But, at that time, a Casino in this area would make money no matter what as it was the biggest in the area and closest to the Mack Bridge for downstate patrons. You also need to remember that she was a brutal tyrant. A brutal one. She treated people far worse than BB ever did. When the State police and detectives all came up here years ago to do the investigations of the Board of a Michigan Gaming license they talked to people all over the community. They came back and said that Bonnie McKerchie, hands down, was the most hated person in the EUP.
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 16, 2009 6:10:00 AM
How deplorable of you to talk of the deceased like that Aaron
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 16, 2009 7:36:00 AM
Our deaths do not erase our history.
Call Rose LaVictor of the Sault who worked for Bonnie at the Sault and ask her for her opinion.
Isn't this DJ Hoffmans Aunt and wasn't he part of her ego tripping group?
While it is respected Bonnie has passed on, it does not erase the bad things she did if she worked at the casino.
If BB were to pass away today, would we forget about his wrong doings?
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 16, 2009 10:43:00 AM
Tom wrote:
Thanks for the publication on your site. Interesting feedback, both pro and con. The con is emotially laden with anger with nothing of substance to respond to by way of resolutuion of these problems. I do think my presentation hit a sore spot. Pro responses are supportive for tribe and family members (of the writers) and they seem to be genuine in their wish to remove the Board now. One question asked was :Do I really think I am helping? My answer is yes. Until someone or group comes forth with answers to the problems tribal members must say something about the ongoing ruin of our tribe in forums not controlled by the powers that be. Who is responsible for the problems we are facing? All of us are now at this stage of the game. All Tribal citizens must be aware of this crisis in factual terms being shared with courts in our bankruptcy process. That is the only source of information I want now. Anything coming from the Board is useless unless it carries the seal of the bankruptcy court. The underlying truth of this set of issues is that the Tribal Board cannot manage this outcome to a satisfactory closure for tribal members who have trusted them to manage business ventures for the past 20 years. They have lost everything and ran the flagship aground after weighing it down with debt load to the tune of a billion dollars. What is missing is obvious. There is no information available to tribal citizens about the problems as they developed and there is no plan for resolution that tribal members can review and comment upon in this ongoing case study. We get anger and "What ifs?" from a few speakers but nothing of substance. That is the problem we face now. It is still business as usual for this Board structure and that is why it must be reconfigured into an accountable legislative branch of our government. If we have to wait until these guys leave we will lose more than we can afford in credibility terms and further our business sector demise via greater accumulated debt load. While they remain in place it allows them to practice 'no accountability' for the tribal community. After decades of massive loss in financial disasters tribal community accountability is the only answer to our problems. These elected officials must be reigned in now. Either way, whether we remove them or wait until the bankruptcy court rules, this is just the beginning of a sweeping change taking place within our tribal government because the Board can no longer just borrow against assets without answering questions and providing the court accountants with information relevant to their legal questions. Accountability is now being required and tribal citizens must be given copies of those reports so we can decide whether or not our elected officials are doing their job in our best interests. And we need it before they make decisions. Everyone knows that is not their past practice. But they must be called on the carpet now for a full accounting for the tribal membership.
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 16, 2009 11:36:00 AM
You sure are ruthless Aaron. Did people talk about your Mom like that?
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 16, 2009 12:41:00 PM
We are over a billion dollars in debt and the sad thing about Geektown Casino is the very same people that started all this mess are still getting paid for their failed efforts.
Bernard Bouschor is suing the Sault Tribe members for over 3 million dollars, while he sits on the Sault Tribe Board drawing $70,000.00 plus a year from the Tribal members?
The Greeks stole 268 million dollars from the Sault Tribe members with Bernard Bouschor and the Tribal Board of Directors help. The Greek now owns part of the Geektown Casino.
Like our Tribal Government the State and Federal Government are nowhere to be found when it comes to accountability for all the taxpayers money. And they say Indians are dumb?
Do yourself a favor and keep your hard working taxpayers stimulus money for the Sault Tribe. The average everyday poor Tribal member will not see any of your dirty money anyways!
Nancie
Posted by
Nancie |
Monday, April 20, 2009 1:19:00 AM