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From: guest
Date: 18 Jan 2004
Time: 01:15:17 -0500
Remote Name: 65.142.12.110
Lumbee tribe to get new administrator By Venita Jenkins Staff writer Goins D. Jacobs PEMBROKE - Darlene Jacobs will not be reappointed as the Lumbee tribal administrator, the tribe's elected leader said Friday. Tribal Chairman Jimmy Goins said Friday he plans to appoint Leon Jacobs as the interim tribal administrator pending confirmation by the Tribal Council. Leon Jacobs, who is Lumbee, is the tribal manager of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of Connecticut. Darlene Jacobs could not be reached for comment. She became tribal administrator in March 2003, replacing interim administrator Ruth Dial Woods. Goins' decision not to reappoint Jacobs came after officials with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found possible problems in the tribe's housing program. Representatives with the Eastern Woodlands Office of Native American Programs in Chicago visited the Lumbee Tribal Office earlier this week. They found a number of possible violations of procurement policies, according to a HUD spokesman. The tribal administrator is appointed by the chairman with the consent of the Tribal Council, according to the Lumbee constitution. "This is a political appointment," Goins said. "Each new chairman should be able to bring in their own administrative team that they have confidence in and have a good working relationship with." Darlene Jacobs came under fire in December when she asked employees to sign a document saying they would not disclose information about the tribe, including general information about programs. Some employees said that leaks to news reporters about problems in the housing program prompted Jacobs to push for the non-disclosure signings. About 80 percent of the tribe's housing money was frozen in late October because the tribe failed to meet a deadline to provide a copy of an environmental review to HUD. Federal housing officials released the money in December after Lumbee officials submitted the review. Goins hinted in a speech Thursday, after taking the oath of office, that there could be some changes in the tribal administration. He said the administration would be above reproach. He assured the tribal membership that the tribal administration would be competent to run programs. "Some people might say I did this to be vindictive," Goins said Friday. "but like any new administration you need to have a clean bill of health before going in." Leon Jacobs' knowledge about federal housing programs will improve the tribal government, Goins said. Leon Jacobs served as the regional director of the Office of Indian Programs with HUD in Chicago prior to working for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe. Program reviewed HUD officials spent three days reviewing the tribe's housing program. Goins said he asked the federal agency to examine the program to put to rest rumors of financial mismanagement. Several members of the Lumbee Tribal Council recently questioned whether tribal staff followed proper procedure in buying 30 mobile homes for emergency housing earlier this year. The administration solicited quotes over the telephone, instead of advertising. HUD officials found "a number of significant issues and concerns" in their examination of the Lumbee program, said Anne Scherrieb, a HUD spokesman. "A report will be issued after the follow-up work on-site has been completed, the findings analyzed and corrective action determined," she said. Scherrieb did not say when the report will be completed. Staff writer Venita Jenkins can be reached at jenkinsv@fayettevillenc.com or (910) 739-9158.