Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council wields its power after members return to office
The council authorized payments to Trustland Consultants and filled an open seat on the Northern Cheyenne Development Corporation
The Northern Cheyenne Tribe passed three resolutions on Monday to move tribal government operations forward after more than a year of turmoil that culminated in the removal of the tribal president last week.
Eight tribal council members unanimously approved hiring a contractor to perform work for the council on legal, accounting and other administrative matters, such as drafting policy and consulting on tribal affairs.
That contract was awarded to Trustland Consultants LLC, which is owned by Steve Kelly and shares the name with an oil construction business he operates in North Dakota. Kelly told Buffalo’s Fire on Tuesday that his work with Trustland Consultants is solely to advise the tribe on government matters, “Trustland Consultants was my first company,” Kelly said. “I use it to do my legal work, advocacy work and consulting work. It has nothing to do with Trustland Oil. Zero."
The tribe’s interim president, Ernest Littlemouth, Sr., has full authority to approve spending under the contract, the council said in the meeting, and he would have oversight on the two other actions made by the council.
In September, a tribal appellate judge sided with the council in a yearlong dispute during which eight elected members lost their seats and then, after returning to office, removed from power the man that had ousted them from the council.
That man, former president Gene Small, has said he is contesting his removal from office, and he has reportedly refused to clear his office in the Little Wolf Capitol Building.
At Monday’s meeting — which was held off-site, as the Capitol building is closed due to safety concerns following Small’s removal — the council voted 7-0 to create a procurement specialist job to assist with spending approved by the council. That person would report to the council and president’s office. Councilor Nizhoni Friesz abstained.
During the motion to adjourn, councilor Torrey Davie suggested that Cordell Little Coyote be appointed to an open seat on the Northern Cheyenne Development Corporation. Afterward, council held an executive session in which it unanimously approved Little Coyote to the seat.
Video from both meetings were posted on the Tribal Council of the Northern Cheyenne Nation Facebook page.
Bret Anne Serbin contributed additional reporting for this article.
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