The Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Photo by Rachel Harris
Black Bull to run for OST Tribal Treasurer
By Melanie Black Bill
For the Native Sun News Today
nativesunnews.today My name is Melanie Black Bull and I am from the Porcupine District. I am currently the Treasurer for the Oglala Lakota Nation. I have a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and a Masters Degree in Lakota Leadership Management. When I took office I took an oath to protect the financial interests of our tribe and in doing so, I have uncovered wrongdoing. Since whistle blowing, certain tribal council members are coercing tribal employees to write complaints against me. I believe it is in retaliation and a vicious assassination of my character, trying to make sure that I never work for the tribe again or be selected in a position of leadership. Some tribal leaders have resorted to defamation of my character in an effort to do so much damage that I may never run for tribal treasurer again nor be selected. Tyler Yellow Boy recently related to me that the Oglala Sioux Tribal Attorney General asked him to write a false statement against me and basically told him that she will force him to write the statement. Tyler is a young man I know through powwows and cultural activities. Since I started, I have seen a lot of people in a different light. I have seen people for who they really are. I had respect for some people and have quickly lost that respect because of their lies and their deceit. Not all council are like this, but a few are. If it has to do with public safety, housing, drug dealers, elderly abuse, micromanaging, bullying tactics, land, leases, jobs for families. For instance, I was threatened to stay out of personnel issues and to fire Bruce Whalen by LaCreek Councilman Dillon. He stated that he would leave me alone if I fired Bruce. I had council members maneuver situations so I could not sit in on interviews, all for the sake of them hiring their own family within the system. The few wanted so much control, it’s scary. The people need to stand up and select an outside firm to do the hiring and do things right to prevent this from happening. Everything, you the people, have stated is true. There is interference from council representatives on a daily basis. This is an example: I didn’t let staff go to Las Vegas last week on a travel trip because all staff are to be treated equally, they get to go to one training that will benefit and enhance their growth and improve their job performance.
Read the rest of the story on the Native Sun News Today website: Black Bull to run for OST Tribal Treasurer (Contact Melanie Black Bull at Melanie@oglala.org) Copyright permission Native Sun News
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