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From: Fayetteville Observer
Date: 30 Jan 2004
Time: 09:17:42 -0500
Remote Name: 172.149.195.132
Source: Fayetteville Observer, Friday, January 30, 2004 Lumbee Tribal Council affirms Jacobs' firing By Amneris Solano Staff writer PEMBROKE - The Lumbee Tribal Council voted Thursday to fire Darlene Jacobs as the tribal administrator. Darlene Jacobs Jacobs was fired Jan. 16 by tribal Chairman Jimmy Goins, but the Lumbee Supreme Court ruled during a preliminary hearing last week that her termination violated the tribe's constitution. The Tribal Council voted 11-9 Thursday night to accept Goins' recommendation. Councilman Sanford Locklear abstained. The council Thursday also voted 12-9 to hire Leon Jacobs as administrator. Jacobs started working as a consultant for the tribe this month. He is the tribal manager for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of Connecticut and is an assistant to its Tribal Council. The Lumbee Tribal Council met in closed session for more than hour Thursday night before taking action on Darlene Jacobs, who declined to comment Thursday night. On Jan. 19, she filed a petition with the Supreme Court saying that she was wrongfully terminated and that Goins violated the constitution by firing her without the consent of the Tribal Council. The court issued an injunction allowing Jacobs to remain as the tribal administrator until Thursday's vote. According to the tribe's constitution, the tribal chairman can nominate a tribal administrator. The nominee must be approved by the Tribal Council. The administrator can be removed through the same process. Policy violations Goins could not be reached for comment Thursday night. His decision to fire Darlene Jacobs came after a visit by officials of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Representatives with the Eastern Woodlands Office of Native American Programs in Chicago visited the Lumbee Tribal Office earlier this month and found a number of violations regarding the tribe's procurement policies, according to a HUD spokesman. "Darlene was never given a chance," said Councilman Larry Townsend. "She inherited a staff that was brought on by someone else, and all she did as the administrator was crisis management, putting out one fire after the next." Previous Lumbee court blocks Jacobs' firing (Jan. 24) Lumbee manager fights for job (Jan. 21) Lumbee tribe to get new administrator (Jan. 17) Darlene Jacobs was named the tribal administrator in March by former Chairman Milton Hunt. She replaced Ruth Dial Woods, who was the interim administrator. Jacobs was criticized in December after she asked employees to sign a document saying they would not disclose information about the tribe. In October, federal housing officials froze about 80 percent of the tribe's housing money because the tribe failed to meet a deadline to provide a copy of an environmental review to HUD. The money was released in December after Lumbee officials submitted the review. Goins has said that Leon Jacobs' knowledge of federal housing programs will help the tribal government. Leon Jacobs served as the regional director of the Office of Indian Programs with HUD in Chicago before working for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe. Leon Jacobs could not be reached for comment Thursday night. "It's been a trying time," said Councilwoman Linda Hammonds. "It's resolved, and we are going to move forward." Hammonds voted to fire Darlene Jacobs. She would not say why. Sherry Carter, who also voted to fire Jacobs, declined to comment on her reasons for the decision. "I'm just glad it's over," Carter said. Staff writer Amneris Solano can be reached at solanoa@fayettevillenc.com or 486-3521.