Reports from the Minerals Council | Minerals Council and contact information
Minerals Matters
Mineral Council Meeting 12/14/07
From: Roy C. St. John
Osage Mineral Council Meeting 12/07/2007 The Mineral Council meeting today was interesting and informative; there were more than the average number in attendance. Attached to the agenda was a list of Osage people who are deceased from 4/12/07 through 12/13/07. I would like to join the council in expressing sympathy to the friends and relatives of these Osages who no longer walk among us. Ms. Purcell acknowledged the only living original allottee, Ms. Helen Smith, 104 yrs. young 12/14/07. If I got her birthday wrong it is from my faulty note taking. Petroleum Engineer, Joe Hughlett, presented 59 leases for the council consideration. Tribal Auditor Report, Jim Swan, details of the income from leases and the prices received for oil was given, I don’t remember anything about gas income, although it might have been presented. I don’t have the details to report, but this information could be posted on the Mineral Council web page for all to see. Ms. Jenny Miller began her presentation by asking if the council members had answers for the questions she sent in an e-mail 24 day ago when she ask to be placed on the Mineral Council Agenda. It seems that Mr. Tallee Redcorn is the only member of the council to have responded to her e-mail. After some discussion about the inconsistencies between HR2912 and the Osage Nation Constitution and what is being done in the interest of the shareholders, Ms. Purcell ask that David Harrison speak for the council in regard to these questions. Mr. Harrison made a circular statement--pros and cons of the various items in question. Mr. Harrison has written a letter to the Mineral Council stating his opinion. The bottom line is that the majority of the mineral council members didn’t express their own thoughts in answer to Ms. Miller’s questions. Points of discussion where; why was part of the recommendation by Janet Hanna left out of the HR2912 bill? Why weren’t the shareholders alone allowed to vote on their own form of government and defining their membership as allowed in the law? Do the provisions allowing the Osage Nation Constitution to control the mineral estate diminish the rights of the shareholders? Congressman Supernaw presented a copy of the Kansas property deed to the mineral council. Mineral Councilman Martin made a recommendation that is not in the best interest of the shareholders. I hope no one else on the council follows his advice. The CFR modification was discussed. There were two representatives from the BIA that stated the Osage Agency has not initiated any CFR changes to the Osage only CFR’s. I tried to present the facts of my observation of what went on at the meeting. It was a long meeting and this is a brief report.
Minerals Council and contact information
Minerals Council
P.O.Box 779
813 Grandview
Pawhuska, Oklahoma 74056
Phone: 918-287-5433
Fax 918-287-2257
Chairperson John Henry Mashunkashey
918-287-7687-Cell
Councilman Kenneth Bighorse
918-287-2362
Councilwoman Cynthia Boone
918-287-2920
Councilwoman Kathryn Red Corn Lynn
918-639-0501
Councilwoman Jewel Purcell
918-381-2408
Councilman Talee Redcorn
918-287-7679-Cell
Councilman Robert E. Martin
phone
unavailable
Councilman David Earl Dubler
918-346-5485-Cell