By Donna Hales

Phoenix Staff Writer



Cherokee construction subcontractors and workers won’t be the only ones to get a chance to work on a $5 million casino project for the Cherokees.

Nine of 17 Cherokee Nation Councilors voted against an amendment to proposed legislation on the Tribal Employment Rights Office, or TERO.

At issue — allowing only TERO vendors licensed by the tribe to be hired to get $5 million in subcontract work at the new casino in Ramona.

Councilor Chuck Hoskin Jr., one of the eight councilors backing the Indian contractors, says TERO contractors are those certified by Cherokee Nation as a majority Indian-owned company, which mostly are majority Cherokee-owned.

The $5 million would include dirt work, landscaping, concrete and asphalt work. The building will be a metal facility, much like the Cherokee casino in Fort Gibson.

Councilor Bill John Baker said it’s not fair to allow that $5 million, which will turn around seven times in the communities — to $35 million, go to contractors outside the area.

“Why send that money off to contractors in Phoenix, Dallas, Kansas City or Oklahoma City — where the money won’t reach the Cherokee people?” Baker said. “These are tough economic times.”

Flintco Construction will probably get a lot of the contracts — “and Flintco won’t hire Cherokees,” Baker said.

One of the chief opponents of the proposed amendment, Councilor Cara Cowan Watts, said “grandstanding” a last-minute proposal was not the answer. She did not want to discuss the amendment.

Baker said Watts has kept the issue from being voted on.

“She came up out of the blue with a supposedly new TERO proposal that mirrors what the chief wanted eight years ago and didn’t get,” Baker said.

He also said that plan was written by Secretary of State Melanie Knight.

Baker said Cowan might call it grandstanding, but to him councilors are elected to provide opportunities to “our own people.”

Cherokee Contractor Steven Springwater of Park Hill said he sees a drastic change for Cherokee people if the nine councilors who voted against the proposed legislation continue to do so.

“I just think the way it’s been voted — it’s really made me aware. You’ve got to pay attention what’s going on.”

There were 50 or 60 contractors at a recent standing-room-only meeting, he said.

“We’ve got to be more aware and make our voice heard,” he said. “We need to be hiring Cherokees.”



Voting



Voting for an amendment to allow only Indian subcontractors to do subcontract work on the new $5 million Ramona casino:

• Yes: Cherokee Nation Councilors Bill John Baker, Jody Fishinghawk, Tina Glory-Jordan, Curtis Snell, Joe Crittenden, David Thornton, Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Speaker Meredith Frailey.

• No: Cherokee Nation Councilors Cara Cowan Watts, Bradley Cobb, Harley Buzzard, Chris Soap, Janelle Fullbright, Don Garvin, Jack Baker, Julia Coates and Buel Anglen.



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