American Indian Report - May 2008 - (Page 10)

TrIBAL CoUnCIL B r i E f i n g Jack has been employed by a tribe as a mechanic in the maintenance department for 10 years. He is considered a model employee within the department, reliable and diligent in performing his job responsibilities. One day, Jack requests permission from his supervisor to use the department’s power washer at home. He is staining his deck and needs to clean the wood surface. Jack’s supervisor notes that his department does not need the power washer for a couple of days and readily agrees to Jack’s request. Although Jack promptly returns the power washer in the same condition as he removed it, other employees in the maintenance department learn that Jack was able to “check out” a tool for his own use. Soon Jack’s Joseph M. Paiement is a tribal attorney and an supervisor begins receiving several requests a week from deinstructor for Falmouth Institute, teaching Ethics, Tribal partment workers to take various maintenance shop items out Constitutions and American Indian Law. If you have an for employee use. Initially, he consents to the requests, but after ethics question you would like him to address, please tools become lost or damaged while away from his shop the send it to joe.paiement@americanindianreport.com. supervisor puts an end to the “employee loan policy.” How should tribes treat requests by employees and elected officials for personal use of tribal property? Q A EThICS & STAnDArDS oF ConDUCT Personal Use of Tribal Property Tribal governments are generous and have historically reached out to those in need, whether they be neighbors or other Native Americans across the country. Consequently, it is not surprising that many tribes have attempted to have “open door” policies for use of tribal property, allowing individuals like Jack to use items for non-tribal purposes. Unfortunately, the majority of tribal governments have had to restrict and, in some cases, terminate such policies. Inevitably it seems that the actions of a small percentage of tribal employees/officials make it too costly for the tribe to allow such unfettered use of property. As a result, most tribal ethics codes contain restrictions on the use of tribal property for personal use, often requiring individuals to use such items only for business purposes, except in the case of an emergency. n 10 May 2008 American Indian Report

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Indian Report - May 2008

American Indian Report - May 2008 Contents Courts: Blackfeet Housing Authority Can Be Sued For Unhealthy Homes Congress: Activity on the Hill Ethics & Standards of Conduct: Personal Use of Tribal Property Policy: "Meriless Indian Savages" and the Declaration of Independence Green Technology Grants: New DOJ Program Provides Funding For Rape Crisis Centers Listen & Learn: Multiple Indirect Cost Rates Sweet Success Penobscot Nation Restores Cultural Use of Water Tribes Diversify with Private Equity Fund The Native American YouTube Tribal Government: An Introduction to Strategic Planning

American Indian Report - May 2008

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