DARRINGTON — A group of people have been fired by the small Sauk-Suiattle Tribe amid a dispute among members of the Tribal Council.
Sauk-Suiattle Chairwoman Janice Mabee confirmed that 11 of the tribe’s 64 employees were fired on Friday, a move she said she did not support.
The tribe has about 200 enrolled members.
About 18 non-Indian employees remain, along with 34 people who are Sauk-Suaittle members or who belong to other American Indian tribes.
Those whose jobs were terminated included the tribe’s human resources director, the grants and contracts director, a biologist, a lawyer, a nurse and several department clerks.
Mabee said she closed the tribe’s offices on Tuesday and had the tribe’s remaining employees placed on administrative leave.
On Wednesday, she attempted to file a temporary restraining order with the Northwest Intertribal Court System to keep council members from firing or hiring anyone until the court has a chance to review the legality of the recent employment terminations.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
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