7 sworn to Lumbee Tribal Council
Jan. 12—PEMBROKE — Four new members will sit among the Lumbee Tribal Council following Thursday's inauguration ceremony.
Newly-elected council members Kristie Revels Hunt, District 6; Kathy Oxendine Hunt, District 8; Jo Chavis-Doss, District 12; and Alex Baker, District 13, were each administered the Oath of Office during the ceremony held at the Lumbee Tribe Boys & Girls Club in Pembroke before more than 200 members of Lumbee Tribe.
Also sworn in or affirmed were incumbent members Gerald Goolsby, District 2; Pam Hunt, District 3; and Yvonne Dial, District 7, who were each re-elected after facing no opposition.
The outgoing Tribal Speaker Ricky Burnett, provided comedic relief at the ceremony and gave his stamp of approval to the new District 13 representative. Burnette served on the council for three years and was elected to the role of speaker twice.
Baker committed to the Lumbee people that he would do his best.
"[I'll] do my best to represent my family with pride and dignity. I'll do my best to represent District 13. I'll do my best to represent every Lumbee citizen here tonight ... Whether you live in District 13, whether you live in the heart of Lumbee country, Prospect, North Carolina or whether you live outside the territory, I promise to do my best," Baker said.
Kristie Revels Hunt secured her spot on the tribe after securing more votes than challenger James Locklear. She will occupy the seat held by Larry Chavis, who did not seek reelection.
Hunt recalled in her remarks a time when she found herself needing assistance from the tribe.
"For me being a one-time single mother walking through those doors needing assistance to being able to be an employee of the tribe and now to stand before you as your council representative for District 6, I am so glad for the path that I have taken that has led me here," she said. "I know the struggles that those coming in the tribe face, I know the struggles that the administration and the employees face and I want to work with the council to be better than we have before."
Kathy Oxendine Hunt was unopposed when she sought the District 8, held by Corbin Eddings, who also did not seek reelection.
"I need y'alls prayer and I need y'all to let's come together, make this tribe bigger than it's ever been before and I'm going to do everything I can to represent my district with everything I got," Kathy Oxendine Hunt said.
Chavis-Doss unseated Shelley Strickland for representation of the District 12 seat.
"I think and I feel with all my heart that I'm standing here tonight because God ... I've always been a servant of the Lord and I want to continue to be the best servant that I've ever been in my life. I would like God to use me and open doors for people in Scotland County and District 12," Doss said.
The three reelected members of the tribal council thanked their constituents for allowing them another term in office and offered advice to the freshmen council members.
"You heard the saying 'It takes a village' but in our case, it takes a tribe," Pam Hunt said. "It takes all of you (tribal members), it takes the council, it takes the administration to do what we do for our be and what we will continue to do.
During his remarks, Goolsby called on his fellow council members to remember "why we do what we do. Understand why and it'll bring us back into perspective and give us a thicker skin so that we can continue on."
"For some of us to serve our people, we must first be servants of God and work diligently with all of our hearts ... As we continue to serve Him, we want to receive his blessings," Dial said.
The Lumbee Tribal Council also bid farewell to council members who either did not seek re-election or who fell short of securing another term on the council during the election.
"I just want to take the time to thank you all. Thank you for your service, thank you for your time, thank you for your leadership," said Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery.
Tomeka Sinclair can be reached at tsinclair@robesonian.com or 910-416-5865.
