Elders of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians don't think the tribe should change the salaries for its council members.

Council members currently receive a base salary of $18,000, plus $17,000 for legislative leader and $3,400 for both the treasurer and secretary. They also receive $150 a day for meetings or training and $100 a day for travel.

A proposed statute would set a base salary of $25,000, which would cover travel expenses, meetings and training. Elders say that would amount to a raise for council members.

"Council is not a job, it's a service -- an elected position," Bea Law said at a council meeting, The Petoskey News-Review reported. "With the way the economy is now, I think you're doing yourselves a great disservice, especially if you want to get re-elected.

Council members said the $25,000 base salary was a starting point. They also said changing the structure would save the tribe money in the long run.

Get the Story:
Tribal council and elders spar over a possible raise for tribal council (The Petoskey News-Review 10/11)

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Little Traverse Bay Bands considers change in council salaries (10/4)