By Angel Ellis, Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma— On July 29 Principal Chief Hill signed Executive Order 20-03. The order establishes the Mvskoke Reservation Protection Commission. According to the order press release, the commission is already in place and at work.
While the State of Oklahoma has formed a commission with little or no tribal representation, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation has exclusively populated its commission with tribal citizens.
The order states that Principal Chief Hill will serve as Chairperson and will request that the Commission provide reports, including findings and recommendations, on any Executive Orders, National Council Resolutions, or other governmental actions that need to be taken to ensure the public health, safety, and welfare of all of those living, or seeking to do business, within the MCN Reservation borders.
Another duty of the Commission will be its role in collaborating with other governmental sovereigns including federal, tribal, state, county, and municipality authorities, to ensure criminal, civil adjudicatory, and civil regulatory jurisdictional issues are addressed through mutual understanding and cooperation across the many jurisdictions that currently exist in eastern Oklahoma.
On Aug. 10 the Executive branch announced the appointments to the commission. The commission is organized in nine separate categories with some commissioners being involved in more than one category depending on their backgrounds.
The following is a breakdown of the commissioners:
Law Enforcement and Public Safety
- Sarah Deer
- Daniel Wind
- Jeff Fife
- Cheryl Renee Bourque
Indian Child Welfare & Social Services
- Shawn Partridge
- Samuel “Bon” Deere
- Carmin Tecumseh-Williams
Business and Commerce
- Yonne Tiger
- Tracie Revis
- Greg Stidham
- Vivian McCutchen
- Terra Branson-Thomas
- Blake Johnson
Judicial Affairs
- Justice Amos McNac
- Justice Andrew Adams
- Chief Justice Richard Lerblance
- Judge Gregory Bigler
- Judge Shannon Prescott
- Judge Stacy Leeds
Legal and Regulatory Matters
- Sonya McIntosh
- Jeff Fife
- Rhonda Beaver
- Eddie LaGrone
- Kevin Agee
- Jesse Allen
Government to Government Relationship and Policy
- Terra Branson-Thomas
- Mekko George Thompson
- Mekko Tyan Morrow
- Mekko Nelson Harjo
- Mekko Brian Givens
- Lauren King
- Robin Soweka
Violence Against Native Women/Missing Indigenous Women
- Cherrah Giles
- Sarah Deer
- Cheryl Renee Bourque
General Muscogee (Creek) Nation Governance
- JoEtta Toppah
- Sam Alexander
- Galen Cloud
- Lauren King
- RaeLynn Butler
- Sarah Price
- Robert Bible
- Blue Clark
National Council Representatives
- William Lowe
- Thomasene Yahola Osborn
In the release announcing the commission, Principal Chief Hill said, ‘This Commission will make recommendations to build long-term changes to policies impacting health, safety, welfare and prosperity.’
‘We have selected experts in their field ensuring the best and brightest minds have input in this process,’ Chief Hill said. ‘Our goal has always been to build a better future for all of Oklahoma by working with tribal, state, county, municipal and federal partners, as well as, the business community.’
