Aanii Tribal Citizens
"I WANT YOUR VOTE" for Tribal Chairman.
My Indian name Sawgad has been carried down in my family for generations. I have a son Johnathan Frederick Harrington. My mother is Alice Harrington. My father Fred Harrington Sr. passed and his mother Louise Harrington is laid rest at Green Sky Hill. Surviving brothers are Ed Harrington and Fred Harrington Jr. (Tribal Council over 7 yrs). My two nieces are Maria (Fred's daughter) and Kristy (Tim's Daughter), and two nephews Mitch and Gabe. My brother Tim Harrington a former Casino Director and table games dealer has walked on.
First and foremost we are a Tribe a culture, we are indigenous people in a sovereign nation. It is critical we that preserve and that we protect our culture and our language. It is crucial we take care of our members. We do however own and operate businesses. Our Tribe is the second largest employer in Petoskey and Emmet County. Our Tribe has great responsibilities and good leadership is needed to succeed.
I wish to serve as Tribal Chairman with Dexter McNamara as Tribal Vice-Chairman. I am running because I am frustrated and concerned about the current economic status and shortfalls. Concerned Tribal Citizens and our economic status have motivated me to serve as your Tribal Chairman. I believe that the current leadership has shown bad judgment, has made bad choices and has shown poor results.
The future of our Tribe is too important to continue with this leadership.
Our economic shortfalls were predicted by me six years ago. With 25 years business experience I can and will do better. I consider this opportunity to serve our membership an honor and a privilege. I also feel it is my duty to provide leadership necessary to get us through these tough times. I will end my business after 25 successful years. I will dedicate the next four years of my life with my heart and soul for my Tribe. I will serve our Tribal Citizens and Tribal Council with experience and good business ethics .
The success of our New Casino is crucial. Our Casino is a major funding source for our PER CAP, Tribal Government and Health Department. Maintaining and expanding the level of these services is our most important priority. I strongly support Tribal preference. This will ensure jobs! Tribal Citizen jobs now and for the next seven generations! Currently our Government employs appx 175 people or appx 76% and 133 are Tribal Citizens. Of the 450 employees at our Casino a mere 24% are Tribal Citizens. Only 131 are Tribal members. As your Chairman a goal of mine will be creating more jobs for the membership. Focus will be concentrated on raising the percentage of Tribal Citizens working at our Casino. Our philosophy is to employ our people.
Some other areas we feel important are listed below:
***I strongly support our mentoring program of which needs to be utilized and implemented more aggressively. Tribal preference and our mentoring programs compliment each other and will continue to train and employ our families.
***Our Education Department Services need to be a top priority. The educational funding and grant programs must continue without compromise!
***Our Youth and Elder Programs should expand with the changing times. We must invest in our youth and continue to honor and support our elders.
***We strongly support preservation of our Treaty Rights, including our hunting and fishing rights.
***Reactivate our Tribal Energy Work Group and spearhead Renewable Energy programs and ideas for our Tribe. Becoming leaders in this area, we preserve our environment and provide jobs.
*** We will strive to include our members from outside the 27 County service area.
As an Ambassador of the Tribe, I will strive to minimize travel. While travel is needed, the Tribe must come first! As new leadership we will not lose focus of our needs and our businesses.
With my 25 years business experience and Dexter's 7 years Tribal Council Experience, we create an elite team. We have new innovative ideas, strategies and plans for our Tribe. I see opportunities to save money in some of our business adventures while employing our people. We stress the phrase "employ our people" as times are hard and we need to support each other. As Tribal Chairman I will work with our Tribal Council while scrutinizing how our Tribe's money is spent.
Some of my Tribal experiences are:
***LTBB Odawa Trust Fund Board a 4 year term.
***LTBB Odawa Housing Commission 4 years. Currently serving as Vice-Chair, I Devised a plan for the Housing Commission to be self funded.
***I served on a work group for the development of the Community Center at Wah-Wahs-Noo-Da-Ke.
***I am currently serving as project manager for the Pellston School Student-Built home. This provides a home for a Tribal Citizen.
***I served on the Murry Road Housing Development Work Group.
***I served on the LTBB Odawa Energy Work Group. Additionally, I facilitated an informational forum in cooperation with Emmet County officials in 2008.
***Currently I am preparing a report on Windmills in the Great Lakes. This is per request from a member of Gennifer Granholm's "Great Lakes Wind Council."
I am a licensed builder, a business owner and a Housing Commissioner. It would be a conflict of interest for me to bid on Tribal Housing projects. I have instead chose to serve our Tribe. I look forward to continuing that service as your Tribal Chairman.
I am licensed builder and developer for 25 successful years. I have gained valuable business experience that will help me be an effective Tribal Chairman. I have created business plans, finance plans, renovated, remodeled, designed and built commercial and residential properties. At age 25 I purchased my first home. Since then I have purchased and developed 11 different Real Estate parcels totaling values near two million dollars. This land development created annual rental incomes exceeding $32,000.00 per year. I flipped homes, moved homes from lot to lot, split properties creating revenue and profit. I have assisted Tribal Citizens in home purchases, refinancing, development and finance of their own home. I developed a renewable Energy business, created a "Wind Study" and am in the process of developing Petoskey's first ever "Commercial Windmill." For my projects I have hired Architects, Engineers, Energy Consultants, Surveyors, Lawyers, Subcontractors, and utilized multiple Tribal Members for this work.
Throughout my business career I have had to make many tough decisions. I have always felt it is important to utilize my strengths and recognize my weaknesses. If needed, I will consult with our phenomenal Governmental resources to assist me in good business decision making. I believe my Business Experience qualifies me for Tribal Chairman of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
We have tremendous Tribal resources: Tribal Council, Tribal Administrator, attorneys, our various Directors, Governmental staff, Tribal police, and most importantly, all our Tribal Citizens. We currently are experiencing tough times but we have great responsibilities ahead of us. We need to make wiser decisions than have been made recently. In short, Dexter and I can do better.
I want to help the Little traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians prosper, maintain our cultural heritage and language, diversify, support our Tribal Citizens of all ages and progress with the times. I need you help to do that.
Respectfully, Ken Harrington