The new leader of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians of Michigan won't comment on a newspaper reporter's exclusion from a recent tribal council meeting during which he was criticized.

The reporter from The Petoskey News-Review attended the September 13 meeting and heard two tribal elders question Chairman Ken Harrington, who has been on the job for a month. The reported was then removed from the tribal council chambers and from tribal property.

According to the tribal constitution, non-members can be removed from council meetings by a "motion" of the tribal council. The newspaper said no such motion was made before the reporter was removed.

“After looking at the constitution and open meetings statues, I’m tending to believe that (the excusal) was not a justifiable move," council member Melvin Kiogima told the paper.

“In my opinion, I don’t think it was legal,” former vice chairman Bill Denemy Sr said.

Get the Story:
Tribal chairman refuses to comment on legality of reporter's removal from open meeting (The Petoskey News-Review 9/23)

Related Stories:
Little Traverse elders not happy with chairman (9/15)
Little Traverse chair drops wind turbine project (08/25)
Newcomers win Little Traverse Bay Bands election (7/1)
Little Traverse Bay Bands vote in primary election (5/15)