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Oglala Sioux Tribe's housing director put on leave


The executive director of the Oglala Sioux Tribe's housing director has been put on administrative leave with pay after being forced to resign by the tribal council, The Rapid City Journal reports.

James Berg, a tribal member, tendered his resignation at an August 18 meeting in which complaints about the housing program were aired. Tribal council members had questioned him about grievances, expenditures and evictions, the paper said.

But the next day, the Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing Commission said it wouldn't accept Berg's resignation and put him on leave. The commission chairwoman said only the housing authority can hire and fire people, not the tribal council.

Tribal President Cecelia Fire Thunder has sent mediators to work with the housing authority and the council in hopes of resolving the issue.

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Lakota housing director on leave (The Rapid City Journal 9/2)