Utes again try to oust leader

FORT DUCHESNE, Uintah County — A third recall attempt is under way to remove Ute Tribe Chairwoman Maxine Natchees just as the veteran tribal leader is telling detractors she has no intention of leaving office.

"We asked her if she would step down," said petition drive organizer Mary Carol Jenkins, "and she said, 'no,' and we said, 'even though the majority of the band don't want you?' And she said, 'I'll never step down.' "

The tribe's Department of Vital Statistics found that 50 of the signatures on the second recall petition are invalid. Petitioners collected 145 signatures and needed at least 123 of the names counted as valid to spawn a recall election against the embattled leader.

According to the official declaration by statistics clerk Babes Secakuku, 28 of the 50 voided signatures were invalidated because the signers either printed their names or wrote them so that she could not read them.

The official determination also found that petitioners failed to include a detailed description of the reasons to justify the recall on every page of the documents being passed around for signatures.

Detractors allege the tribal leader has usurped the powerful position of tribal chair, has approved ordinances that illegally amend the tribal constitution, and has taken revenge against her critics.

Natchees has said she has done nothing wrong and will continue to support the much-touted "financial plan" which was introduced to the Ute Tribe by tribal finance advisor John Jurrius in 2001. The plan was accepted by tribal members through a referendum vote that same year. Her supporters contend that her alliance to Jurrius will continue to ensure the tribe's elders get their $1,500 a month in accordance with the financial plan.

According to Jurrius, the tribe is enjoying enormous financial success with the resurgence of the oil and gas industry in the Basin. But the tribe's rank-and-file membership maintain there is no trickle-down effect when it comes to the money Jurrius reports the tribe has in the bank.

"The ones up there are getting richer while the ones like us are getting poorer," said Ernie Chapoose, who contends that "John Jurrius is at the center" of the two-year-long tribal dispute over leadership and money.

"There's no accountability by Jurrius. We are stockholders and we get nothing in writing from him. "

When Secakuku's findings were presented to the six-member Business Committee, three members — including Natchees, Smiley Arrowchis and Richard Jenks — voted to accept the findings. Committee member Irene Cuch voted against it and member Francis Poowegup was absent due to a death in the family.