District 1 special election set for Jan. 7

Scott Csernyik

11/8/2002 12:00:00 AM

A special election for Saginaw Chippewa voters in District 1 has been slated for Jan. 7 following the recent removal of representative David Otto from office.

Nominating petitions were made available at the Tribal Clerk's Office on Oct. 28. Petitions need to be returned by Nov. 27 at 5 p.m. To vote in the special election, District 1 members need to be registered to vote by Nov. 27.

Otto, who served as sub-chief, was removed from office following a 10-0 vote during an Oct. 21 special session for evidence supporting misconduct in office. The motion to approve his removal was made by District 1 representative Bernie Sprague and supported by District 1 representative Lindy Hunt.

District 1 representative Robert Pego Sr. was sworn-in as sub-chief after receiving five votes, topping District 1 repesentative Tim Davis' three votes and two for Sprague. Hunt nominated Pego for the position, which was seconded by District 2 representative Connie Freiburger. District 1 representative Gerald Slater nominated Davis, which was supported by District 1 representative Delmar Jackson Sr. Sprague was nominated to the position by District 1 representative Sue Durfee and was supported by District 3 representative Ronald Jackson.

Freiburger was selected as secretary, a position formerly held by Pego, for Executive Council after a first vote yielded a tie of three votes each between her and Sprague. During the second vote, the Saganing representative notched six votes to Sprague's four. During the first vote, District 1 representative Diana Quigno-Grundahl and Hunt were also considered for the position, with each receiving two votes.

For the secretary position, Sprague nominated Quigno-Grundahl and was supported by Durfee; Davis nominated Freiburger and was supported by Slater; Quigno-Grundahl nominated Sprague, which was supported by Durfee; and Freiburger nominated Hunt, with support coming from Delmar Jackson Sr.

Durfee was nominated by Hunt as chaplain, following Freiburger's elevated duties to Executive Council with support for the nomination coming from Quigno-Grundahl.