Message from the Chief
As of September 22, the small group that has been blocking access to the Administration Building has left the site peacefully and of their own accord.
Council would like to thank the members of the Wahta Mohawks for your patience and cooperation. We recognize that for many of you it has been a trying and frustrating experience. Wahta Mohawks staff should also be commended for their dedication to continue delivering services to our community despite extraordinary and stressful work conditions and the need to relocate to a temporary location.
Council remains committed to advancing the Administration Code, a key policy for Wahta to maintain good governance. To do so, Council sought the advice of independent experts in community development, as well as legal opinions. We are now in a position to rectify the issues, and our plan to do so will be presented for your consideration in the coming weeks.
During the March elections the following priorities were clear to me and those members of Council now elected:
1. The Administration Code has serious implications that require careful consideration and resolution.
2. The financial affairs of Wahta have to be clarified, budgets need to be adhered to and balanced.
3. Communications to the membership must be vastly improved, recognizing many members use the internet and yet many others still rely on printed information.
4. Opportunities to assist people to learn about their history and cultural background have to continue to be made available.
To achieve these goals, we have a tremendous amount of work to do. Council fully appreciates that many people were concerned about the state of affairs this past summer and took time to voice their opinions. I certainly hope we can maintain that level of involvement as we move forward.
Council continues to work on many other issues. First and foremost though, we are focused on relocating staff back to the Administrative Building, so they can start delivering services from there as soon as possible. It is estimated that it will take a week to restore the building to normal condition. We hope to reopen the building to staff and the community by September 29.
Once again, thank you to all those who have shown concern for Wahta and its ongoing progress. We are encouraged by the fact that we share goals of good governance, transparency, accountability and empowerment, and will work together to realize those goals. This is your community and your land. Let us keep involved and aiming toward building a strong, sustainable future for all Wahta Mohawks.
Regards,
Philip Franks – Chief