PIA council members sought remedy for financial emergency

Two Petersburg Indian Association tribal council members presented testimony at the unemployment benefit hearing on Feb. 9 for employee Susan Harai showing their determination to resolve the financial crisis reported to them by Roads Director Susan Harai and bookkeeper Nicole Dean. Ultimately, distrust of tribal leadership along with failure to secure a new, outside auditor to look at the tribal books resulted in their resignations from the tribal council.

Jeanette Ness, former council secretary told the hearing officer, “We were trying to work with staff to remedy the financial crisis at hand...