CTZ.2.3.010 Members

(a) Authority. The authority of the Citizenship Committee is derived from Subchapter CTZ.1.3 of Chapter CTZ.1 of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Tribal Code of Law (LCOTCL), which was enacted by Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board Resolution No. 04-20 and approved by the Secretary of the Interior on October 13, 2004. The Citizenship Committee serves at the pleasure of the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board.

(b) General Powers. The day-to-day activities of the Committee shall be managed by the members of the Committee. The members of the Committee shall be vested with the authority necessary to effectuate its powers as delegated by the Citizenship Code, Chapter CTZ.1, and as set forth in these By-Laws. The members of the Committee are bound by a code of ethics signed by each member of the Committee.

(c) Membership. The Committee shall be composed of seven members. Each member of the Tribal Governing Board shall appoint one member to the Citizenship Committee. The members of the Citizenship Committee shall serve terms concurrent with the term of the appointing Tribal Governing Board member.

(d) Duties and Powers. The members of the Committee shall in all cases act as a Committee. A member of the Committee must act as directed by a majority vote of the Committee. A member's failure to act as directed by the Committee shall be grounds for removal by a majority vote of the Tribal Governing Board.

(e) Compensation. Members of the Committee shall be paid their actual and reasonable expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting where a quorum is present at a rate periodically approved by the Tribal Governing Board.

(f) Quorum. Four members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business in any regular or special meeting. The acts of the majority of members present at a meeting when a quorum is present shall be the act of the Committee. Once a quorum is lost, the meeting shall be considered adjourned.

(g) Voting. The voting of the Committee will be by majority vote with a quorum present. A Committee member shall abstain from, and shall exercise recusal from any Committee decision pertaining to the citizenship file of an immediate member of his or her family. An immediate family member hereby includes the Committee member's mother, father, brother, sister, daughter, son, grandmother, grandfather, grandchildren, aunt, uncle, first cousin, significant other and anyone else in an obvious conflict of interest situation. An obvious conflict of interest situation shall be determined by a majority vote of the Committee. If a Committee member does not abstain or recuse himself or herself from a Committee decision pertaining to the citizenship file of an immediate family member, the Committee can take a majority vote to recuse said Committee member who is in conflict.

(h) Meetings.

(1) Regular Meetings. The monthly regular meeting of the Committee is scheduled for the 2nd Thursday of the each month; however the Committee shall not meet less than once every three months.

(2) Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Committee may be called at the request of the Committee Chairman, by four members of the Committee or by the Tribal Chairman.

(A) Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of any special meeting shall be given at least three days prior, thereto, by written notice delivered personally by certified mail or by e-mail to each member at his or her address for such notice. The order of business to be transacted at any regular or special meeting of the Committee shall be specified in the notice of such meetings.

(3) Emergency Meetings. An emergency meeting may be called at the discretion of the Committee Chairperson, by four members of the committee or by the Tribal Chairman.

(4) Meeting Order of Business. All meetings of the Committee (Regular, Special, and Emergency) are closed. The order of business for all Committee meetings shall be as follows:

(A) Call to order

(B) Roll call

(D) Reading of previous meeting's minutes

(E) Old business

(F) New business

(G) Adjourn

(5) Closed Meeting. All meetings of the Committee (Regular, Special, and Emergency) shall be closed.

(i) Election of Officers. On a biennial basis, the members of the Committee shall elect a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary in August after the Tribal election and subsequent inauguration. Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor has been duly elected by the Committee, or until removed.

(j) Vacancies and Removals.

(1) Any vacancies on the Citizenship Committee shall be filled within fourteen days by the Tribal Governing Board member who originally appointed the individual whose position is vacant. If the Tribal Governing Board member fails to fill the position within fourteen days, the Tribal Governing Board shall make such appointment by majority vote.

(2) The Citizenship Committee may, by affirmative vote of the majority of its members, recommend to the Tribal Governing Board removal of any member from the Citizenship Committee based upon the following reasons for good cause:

(A) If a Committee member is absent for more than three consecutive regular meetings without a valid excuse;

(B) If a member of the Committee violates a provision of this ordinance;

(C) If a member acts unethically, or fails to abide by the confidentiality requirement pursuant to Section CTZ.2.1.080 of this ordinance; or

(3) The Tribal Governing Board may, upon its own action by a majority vote, remove any member of the Committee for due cause.

(k) Resignation. Any member of the Committee may resign his or her appointment at any time. Such resignation shall be submitted in writing to the Tribal Governing Board. The resignation shall take effect with the appointment of a successor.