Candidate’s Statements–Paula Pechonick, Jenifer Pechonick

Candidate’s Statement
Paula Pechonick

I am Paula Pechonick. I ask for your vote for Tribal Council in the 2016 General Election of our People.

I was raised on my grandmother’s allotment in Oklahoma and learned traditional ways from her. I have served the Tribe in nearly every capacity since I became involved in the government over 30 years ago. I started as a volunteer at the headquarters and attended nearly every Tribal meeting. I believe it is important to learn about how the Tribal Council and Tribal government works by attending meetings and serving on committees if you are think you are interested in an elected position. Elected offices include: Tribal Council – 4 terms (serving as Chief for 1 term), Trust Board – 2 terms, Tribal Court Justice – 1 term; about three decades on Cultural Preservation Committee, Gift Shop, NAGPRA and Elder committees and over three decades with the Bartlesville Indian Women’s Club also serving on the Bartlesville Women’s Clubhouse Board.

I bring to the table experience, leadership, and I love our Delaware People. My primary passion is for the General Welfare of the Delaware Tribe of Indians.

My heart hurts to see the discord with the current administration and thus the General Welfare of our People. Focus on and the presence of the pettiness and deceit hurt the Tribe greatly and this carried into the last two years. The time wasted on these power plays and ego shows and lies and more lies for personal gain takes precious time away from authentic mission of the Tribal Council.

But I have some good news! This election offers the opportunity to bring back success and upward momentum to our Tribe. Vote for experience, leadership and the General Welfare in the 2016 General Election. Make your voice count!

Here’s how:

Do not waste time! Make a point to remind your family members how important their vote is. You don’t have to discuss “politics” or the latest negative talk or even fight but take a moment today to make sure your loved ones who may not read this, send in the request for the absentee ballot or verify they will receive theirs automatically.

Follow up with your loved ones to make sure they send back the ballot!

Please, take a moment to make this a priority and encourage your family and Delaware friends to do the same. I hear a lot of people who moved away or whose family moved away generations ago say they don’t vote because they don’t feel like they pay enough attention to what’s going on. As an informed tribal member encourage them to vote!

Hold the Delaware Tribe of Indians 2016 Election Board accountable to stand firm on the existing, approved election rules which are reviewed prior to the election. Changes to the rules, either official or just simply omitted or not enforced, no matter for how right the reason sounds or how small the change and leaves fraud a way to destroy the integrity of the election process and the results. Follow every word of the election rules that have been set by the Tribal Council and the Election Board. To those who serve, please stand firm on the rules, a change that sounds so great proposed? Approve it! But make it effective after the current election.

One item not defined in the Election Regulations is that the Election Process needs TWO post office boxes. The returned completed ballots are not to be disturbed until Saturday, Nov 5. Historically, the ballots go to the same post office box with all other correspondence. This compromises the integrity of the process. The Tribe must acquire a unique PO Box for ballots only. *** Wanishi! Vote for Paula Pechonick, Tribal Council 2016

Candidate’s Statement
Jenifer Pechonick

Vote for Jenifer Pechonick for Tribal Council 2016 Election

He’! Kulamàlsi hàch? (Hi! How are you?) Ntëluwènsi (My name is) Jenifer Pechonick. I am the daughter of Paula and the late Joe Pechonick, and the successor to a long line of strong Delaware women who came before me…Violet Woody Martin, Minnie Willits, Josie Bullet Elkhair, Mary Brown, Jane Sarcoxie. I ask for your vote in the November 2016 General Election.

I graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State with my BA in Communications. I also have my AA in Early Childhood Development and began the online Master’s Program at University of Colorado at Denver in Public Administration. I have worked in Human Relations, Public Relations, Oil and gas, Insurance and am a small business owner. As a self-employed consultant, my schedule is flexible to dedicate time to what I love, our Delaware People, our Lenape People.

I have served on the Tribal Council, Trust Board and a variety of committees. Though I have always been considered “active” in my Tribe, I served on three (3) Tribal Council Administrations over the years since 2002. My passion: the general welfare of our people and our Tribe. The State of the Tribe requires a number of priorities, each of utmost importance. My experience includes the following areas, all crucial to the State of the Tribe:

1.) Federal Funding. Grants, government contracts, BIA monies, and;

2.) Tribal Sovereignty. To be sovereign, we must act sovereign. Treaty rights, state & federal agencies, diversified economic development, Federal law, and;

3.) Intertribal Relations. Conduct ourselves as to be recognized once again as the Grandfather tribe, Partner with other Tribes to better serve all Native Americans, Current issues Indian Country faces, Work with other Tribal leaders for Indian Country, and;

4.) Intratribal relations. Identify Tribal member needs – our youth, our veterans, our elders, and our leaders; Support our leaders, our scholars, and spiritual advisors. Our government must not forget over 80% of our Tribal population lives too far to attend Tribal meetings in person or utilize many Tribal programs. Our Tribal government has duty to maintain current programs (and bring back historic programs!) and find ways to engage those who live outside where the government stuck us in 1867, and;

5.) Culture. Our language, songs, dances, ceremonies, historian, traditional cloths, medicine, the voices of our ancestors, our cemeteries, and;

6.) Seven Generations. We must always evaluate the effects of our actions and inactions on our successors seven generations into the future, and;

7.) Tribal Operations. Maintain, oversee and grow current tribal operations. Hire Delaware People and treat employees right. Also, Tribal government must be able to depend that Tribal employees are in an environment in which they feel safe to seek help to resolve issues. Further, Tribal members have a right to be treated with respect and find helpful positive employees when they come to the Tribe for assistance, and;

8.) Life after the 1866 Treaty and the 1867 Articles of Agreement. Our complicated but very real “relationship” and all that entails with the Cherokee Nation, our treaty rights as Cherokee citizens as well as our duty and right to maintain our unique and sovereign Tribe, and;

This year, make your voice heard. Support candidates like myself, Paula Pechonick and Annette Ketchum who value communication, honesty, accountability, are open to new ideas and eager to work together to solve tough issues that face us as a People, I know a way we can change the direction the Tribe is headed.

I humbly ask for your vote for me in the 2016 General Council. Together, we can turn our Tribe back on the good path and one day again be known as the Grandfather Tribe. Request your absentee ballot or verify your ballot us is among those which will be automatically sent. Mark your vote on your ballot and send it in before November 5th. I pray for our Election Board to strictly enforce the regulations as written to guard our elections and thus the results from fraud.

Wanishi! Jenifer Pechonick