Opinion | By Monica Paradise, CTUIR Board of Trustees Secretary
Happy Spring to you all.
I am happy to share updates from the Board of Trustees (BOT) secretary’s office. The BOT, its executive administrative team and I have worked diligently to meet the timelines outlined in the Secretary’s Procedure Code, including an annual review of the resolution and polled actions formats.
Section 4.02 of the code states, “The Secretary of the Board of Trustees shall designate a standard format which shall be used for all Board of Trustees resolutions and motions. The Secretary may recommend a change in this format from time to time for Board review and approval. The Secretary shall also designate a standard format for ‘polled’ actions. A voting section, recording each Board member’s vote, shall be included in each Board motion or resolution.”
On Feb. 23, during that day’s meeting, the BOT reviewed a resolution template under other board action items. The BOT approved the resolution 8-0-0. Changes included using the CTUIR branding guide’s font to create documents that are easier to read.
A footer was incorporated into the resolution, including the form number and revision date. Having this information is crucial for efficiency, ensuring that the departments are utilizing the most current and accurate resolution format. The template was created with fillable gray boxes to save time and reduce errors in preparing resolutions.
The modifications made are in line with archiving best practices recommended by CTUIR’s Records staff. Of course, with changes come errors, so for now the form is back to being a Microsoft Word document rather than a template. The only thing removed was the fillable gray boxes. With the help of Records staff, we will collaboratively develop a template for 2027 and eventually (no set timeline yet) have an electronic version of the resolution available in Laserfiche, the CTUIR’s document management system.
So why are resolutions and the resolution process important?
Under the BOT procedures code, “a resolution is a document that records certain official decisions of the Board of Trustees in a standard format.”
Resolutions matter because they guide our actions and provide directions to our tribal government on a range of topics, including protecting First Foods, land purchases, economic ventures, budget appropriations, health care and much more.
Resolutions also tell our story: where we started; the decisions made over time; how our government, community and people have grown; and how we can continue to expand and thrive.
Underway will be a resolution training, a poll motion form update and forms to meet the new branding guidelines approved by the BOT in 2025. In addition to these process improvements, I am also looking at dates in early fall for the annual committees and commissions training. Tribal members who serve in these roles will be in attendance to learn. There will be a save-the-date and more details announced soon.
Another reminder for tribal members interested in learning what the BOT and departments are working on is by visiting the ctuir.org and under the Government tab, clicking Board of Trustees, where you will find a recap of the weekly Monday meetings.
You may also join Monday meetings by clicking the link at https://ctuir.org/our-government/board-of-trustees/bot-calendar/. Other ways to review meeting minutes include reviewing them in the CUJ and visiting cuj.ctuir.org.
I look forward to sharing more about the work underway to make processes more efficient, effective and streamlined.
