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Due to several tragedies affecting our tribal communities over the past several days, and with the likelihood that a quorum will not be available, the Sault Tribe Board of Directors has rescheduled the Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, board workshop and meeting previously scheduled in Munising. The board workshop and meeting will now be held on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, in Sault Ste. Marie.

The Munising board workshop and meeting will be rescheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. More information regarding that meeting will be provided with the meeting notice.

We appreciate your understanding and extend our thoughts and condolences to the families affected by these recent tragedies.

On Sept. 10, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians along with sister tribes Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians joined together to petition state regulators for a contested case to challenge a pair of permits that authorized Canadian company Enbridge to build its proposed Line 5 oil pipeline tunnel below the Straits of Mackinac.

The tribes, with over 60,000 collective enrolled citizens, seek to overturn the wetlands and bottomlands permits that Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) approved for Enbridge in July. The proposed project would require a massive disturbance of land and involve construction activities that will destroy recognized cultural and historic properties within the Straits area. This project would threaten the Anishinaabe way of life as well as treaty-protected interests and public trust resources.

On Sept. 9, the future of the permits issued by EGLE also came under question from Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the EGLE Director Phil Roos. The pair cited the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision overturning a separate permit for the tunnel later in July after EGLE issued its permits as a reason to revisit the initial EGLE permits.

“There is no way this tunnel project can or should move forward. It would disrupt our ancestors’ burial sites and cause irrevocable harm to this area,” said Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes. “Getting to this point has taken tireless work from our sister tribes, tribal citizens, partners, and everyone who loves and values the Great Lakes. When the next seven generations ask what we did to protect the Great Lakes, I want them to know that our people stood together, spoke with one voice, and got that pipeline out of the Straits.”

The new challenge was filed on the heels of the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk. On Labor Day, around 1,000 people from all 12 Anishinaabe tribal nations in Michigan walked across the bridge to demonstrate opposition to the Line 5 tunnel in response to a unified call to action by the ancestral Three Fires Confederacy.

For more on the petition to state regulators please read Earthjustice’s press release available here.

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors’ Workshop Agenda for Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, is the following:

Agenda: 1 p.m. Constitutional Implementation Planning: Proposed Health Authority Code Review, Proposed Appeals Code Amendments Review

The workshop is being held at the Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room. Tribal members may attend the workshop except for closed sessions or items or attend by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

The JKL Fiduciary Committee meeting and board workshop scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8, has been canceled.

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting Sept. 1, 2026, beginning 5 p.m. at Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room, in person or via Zoom, https://zoom.us/j/83640619761.

“Membership Participation” will be held at 5 p.m. in person or by virtual attendance. The link is available at the Sault Tribe website saulttribe.com under membership assistance for the meeting link and Membership Form that must be completed. The deadline to submit a form is 1 p.m. on meeting day. The link is https://zoom.us/j/83640619761. Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again unless they have a matter for the board.

To attend the scheduled workshop, except for closed session or items, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again.

On the agenda under Resolutions is:
Hessel Community Center FY26&27 Budget Mods
SSM Dental FY26 Budget Mod
Health Division – Yes-Rx FY 2026 Funds
Temp Assistance for Needy Families Exploration
MDNR Memorandum of Agreement
GCTW Memorandum of Understanding
Waiving 90.402 Liability Limitation for LIHTC
Acceptance of the 2025 Governmental Audit
Reallocation of Funds ARPA Interagency Projects
Statement of Ownership 105(l) Program
Hartford Life and Disability Benefits
FY 2026 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation
Trust Land Status for Strawberry Fields
Purchase EPIRBs for Commercial Fishers
Accepting Health CEO Resignation
Interim Appointment – Health CEO
Authorizing Hire of Legal Consultant
Improving Safety on HWY US-2 Near St. Ignace
Rescinding Resolution 2026-145
Authorize Sale of Sibley Property
Uphold Members Right to Vote and Enforce Board Accountability

Under New Business, the board will consider Commercial License Transfer, Committee Appointments, JKL Fiduciary Appointment of Vice Chairperson, and Board Concerns.

Agenda

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors’ Workshop Agenda for Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, is the following:

Agenda: 1 p.m. Constitutional Implementation Planning: Transition Memo / Resolution Review,
Health Authority Code Development, Day 1 Required Actions, Estimate of Increased Cost; 4 p.m. Implementation Planning, Update for Membership

The workshop is being held at the Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room. Tribal members may attend the workshop except for closed sessions or items, or attend by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

Please join the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Language and Culture Department and Advocacy Resource Center for a Community Feast Sept. 30. Also known as Orange Shirt Day, Sept. 30 is a day to honor and remember our beloved relatives who attended Native American residential boarding schools. The physical, sexual, and emotional abuse our relatives endured will never be forgotten.

Niigaanagiizhik Ceremonial Building
5-7 p.m.
11 Ice Circle
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Orange t-shirts will be provided for those in attendance.

Contact Community Educator Jess Gillotte-King for more information at 906‑632‑1808.

Flyer

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors’ Workshop Agenda for Aug. 25, 2026, is the following:

Agenda: 10 a.m. Budget (CLOSED); 10:15 a.m. Kewadin Gaming Authority Workshop (CLOSED), Legal Update; 11:45 a.m. (or upon conclusion of KGA WS) Kewadin Gaming Authority Meeting; 1:15 p.m. Health CEO Executive Report (CLOSED); 2 p.m. Government HR/Legal/Executive office (CLOSED); 2:45 p.m. NRD Follow-Up (CLOSED); 3:15 p.m. Governmental Audit Finance and DGN; and 3:45 p.m. Proposed Tax Code Amendment.

The workshop is being held at the Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room. Tribal members may attend the workshop except for closed sessions or items or attend by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors’ Workshop Agenda for Aug. 24, 2026, is the following:

Agenda: 1 p.m. Constitutional Implementation Planning (CLOSED), IT Systems / Enrollment, Financial Status of Tribe; 4 p.m. Implementation Planning, Update for Membership

The workshop is being held at the Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room. Tribal members may attend the workshop except for closed sessions or items, or attend by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

Please see the amended 2026 board meeting calendar. The board voted to change the October meeting dates due to other tribal events.

2026 Board Calendar