During the 2024 Hun-Kah Session, the Eighth Osage Nation Congress confirmed several individuals to serve on various boards and commission entities for the Nation.
Except where noted in Osage law, the appointments are made by Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear and referred to the 12-member Congress for legislative consideration for confirmation votes. The Congress voted to confirm the following individuals to respective board and commission seats:
- Clark Batson received a unanimous vote to be confirmed as the Nation’s Treasurer. His vote was 11-0 with one absence at the time from Congresswoman Brandy Lemon.
- Four Osage elders received confirmation votes to serve on the Traditional Cultural Advisory Committee. Eddy Red Eagle Jr. received an 11-0 vote with one abstention from Congresswoman Paula Stabler. Nancy Keil received an 11-0 vote with one abstention from Congressman Joe Tillman. Janet Goodfox received a 10-0 vote with abstentions from Stabler and Congressional Speaker Alice Goodfox. George Stabler received an 11-0 vote with one abstention from Congresswoman Stabler.
- Belle Wilson received an 11-0 vote to serve another term on the Wahzhazhe Elections Board with one abstention from Goodfox.
- Incoming Gaming Enterprise Board members Amy TallChief and Holli Wells received unanimous votes to serve initial terms. Wells received a 12-0 vote and TallChief received an 11-0 vote with one abstention from Lemon.
- Teresa Rutherford received a 12-0 vote to serve another term on the Tax Commission Board.
- Julie O’Keefe and Nancy Pillsbury received unanimous votes to each serve another term on the Nation’s Foundation Board. The vote for O’Keefe was 11-0 with one absence from Lemon at the time.
- Galen Crum received a confirmation vote to serve an additional term on the Osage LLC Board with seven “yes” votes and six “no” votes with Assistant Principal Chief RJ Walker voting to split the 6-6 tie vote. “Yes” votes came from Congress members Scott BigHorse, Billy Keene, John Maker, Eli Potts, Tillman and Goodfox. “No” votes came from Otto Hamilton, Lemon, Whitney Red Corn, Jodie Revard, Pam Shaw and Stabler.
- John Jech and Penelope “Penney” Johnson received unanimous votes to serve their initial terms on the Nation’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI) Board. Their votes were 11-0 with one absence from Lemon at the time.
The incoming Ninth ON Congress will convene for the legislative body’s first regular 24-day session with the 2024 Tzi-Sho Session starting on Sept. 3.
