Three candidates vying for the North Segment seat on the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation Tribal Business Council addressed over 60 community members on Thursday. They promised to prioritize government transparency and long-neglected local needs.

The forum at the Civic Center in New Town highlighted concerns about council accountability and the tribe’s oil revenue. A controversial $250 million withdrawal from the People’s Fund has fueled tensions leading up to the Sept. 17 primary election.

Carol Good Bear, Scott Satermo and Carolyn Spotted Horse spent more than two hours explaining how they would address community concerns if elected. They told attendees that, regardless of who wins, they’re committed to working together to achieve their shared goal of government transparency.

Incumbent Monica Mayer is also running for reelection in the North Segment; she did not attend Thursday’s forum.

Carolyn Spotted Horse said, if elected, she would request an independent audit her first day in office. (Photo credit/ Grace Fiori)

Attendees asked a broad range of questions about allottee landowner rights, housing, daycare, tribal employee protections and real estate development. Dennis Fox, Jr., facilitated the lively conversation at the Civic Center in New Town.

On Wednesday, Councilwoman Mayer distributed drive-through brisket dinners at her home in New Town. At the time of publication, she had not responded to requests for comment.

Many community speakers conveyed frustration that the tribal business council has an outsized influence on public affairs, but rarely invites community input or explains decisions made on behalf of tribal citizens.

To introduce transparency in council operations, “you need someone new,” David Williams, a Three Affiliated Tribes citizen, told Buffalo’s Fire after the event.

“The council should serve “the real leaders of North Segment — the people.”

Carolyn Spotted Horse, candidate for the North Segment seat on the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation Tribal Business Council

One of the glaring accountability issues is the Tribal Business Council’s lack of transparency regarding the Aug. 6 decision to withdraw $250 million from the Three Affiliated Tribes People’s Fund, which has dominated the candidates’ campaigns.

In mid-August, candidates collectively pressed Chairman Mark Fox to stop the $250 million withdrawal. In a letter, North Segment candidates asked the council to explain the decision and respond to community questions. In a second letter released the same day, the three candidates requested a review of Councilwoman Mayer’s financial decisions regarding North Segment funding.

At the event about two dozen attendees signed a new petition requesting a People’s Fund referendum, according to the petition’s coordinator Steve Kelly. Voters would decide if the oil and gas revenue collected in the People’s Fund should be used solely for annual enrolled TAT citizen disbursements. All enrolled citizens on and off the reservation would be eligible to vote on the referendum, via mail.

“There is natural law and we can’t get around it,” Good Bear said. “What goes around comes around.”

She said the farmers and ranchers in attendance know this well: Working hard from sunrise to sunset for 365 days a year, “you’re going to be blessed.”

“When you get into the booth, make the change.”

Scott Satermo, candidate for the North Segment seat on the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation Tribal Business Council

At that moment, a tremendous clap of thunder could be heard as the evening’s rainstorm settled on New Town. “Thank you for coming,” Good Bear said, acknowledging the Thunder Beings. “Coming to see about us, that thunder.”

Many community members asked candidates how they would change tribal departments to address long-neglected needs, such as elders’ homes in disrepair, daycares going out of business and lack of workforce development.

The three candidates unanimously called for reinstating community boards to stay aware of residents’ needs. Community boards used to be central to how money was spent in each segment, but that role has been severely diminished in several segments on the reservation.

Candidates said independent audits will ensure transparency in the management of the tribe’s multi-million-dollar revenue and will re-direct funds to areas of greatest community need. David Williams told Buffalo’s Fire he is concerned that MHA Nation misses out on federal funding because they cannot provide an independent audit in their applications.

Community services and economic development, the candidates said, must be isolated from political strategy.

North segment candidate Scott Satermo with Kyle Mandan (left) and Donald Mckenzie. (right) (Photo credit/ Grace Fiori)

“When we don’t have separation of powers in place… there’s room for that inequity again,” Good Bear said.

Tribal employees and tribal citizens “need to be free to make their own decisions,” said Satermo.

Spotted Horse noted that the TAT has resources available and needs to do a better job of evenly providing those support systems, by supporting experts and experienced entrepreneurs in the community.

This aligns with Spotted Horse’s vision of the council, which serves as a conduit for “the real leaders of North Segment — the people.”

Good Bear is currently involved in a 2023 tribal court case alleging that certain council withdrawals from the People’s Fund violated the tribe’s constitution. Good Bear is also the plaintiff in a motion to stop the $250 million People’s Fund withdrawal.

“I’m excited to see this many people here this evening,” said Good Bear in her opening remarks. “This takes hard work. It’s not easy to do what we’re doing here this evening.”

“There is natural law and we can’t get around it. What goes around comes around.”

Carol Good Bear, candidate for the North Segment seat on the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation Tribal Business Council

And as the candidates continued to push for reform beyond the election cycle, “it’s going to take all the people’s participation,” Good Bear continued. “It’s going to take you coming to these meetings like this and then approving what you want in there.”

As the candidates prepared to give closing remarks, a Twin Buttes resident said he wanted candidates to instate an open-door policy and remember, “you don’t only represent North Segment, but all of us [enrolled citizens].”

As the event wound down, a New Town resident told Buffalo’s Fire he wanted to see expanded discussion on the failure of the Bureau of Indian Affairs to represent individual families in allotment land ownership.

No one can tell voters who to select on the ballot, Satermo reminded attendees. “When you get into the booth, make the change,” he told attendees during closing remarks.

Voters will select a representative of the largest MHA Nation district during next week’s primary election. If there is no majority, the two contenders with the highest votes will be on the ballot again during the November general election. The council seat of White Shield (east) and Mandaree (west) is also up for reelection.