Two New Members Guaranteed In Voting For Colvilles’ Council

The Colville Confederated Tribes will elect at least two new members to the tribal council in a general election Saturday.

Eddie Palmanteer Jr., a past chairman of the council, and Councilwoman Frances Charette aren’t seeking reelection.

Charette decided to step down after a majority of council members voted in February to oust her for alleged “gross misconduct.” But the 6-5 vote fell short of the necessary two-thirds majority.

Charette, 40, was accused of stabbing another tribal member last June. No decision has been made on whether to prosecute her.

Charette’s Inchelium District position will be filled either by Debra Rosenbaum, who is the tribe’s executive director and drew 127 votes in a three-way primary, or by Jerry Stensgar, who received 108 votes in the primary.

Contenders for the other Inchelium council position are incumbent D.R. Michel and Robert Louie. They advanced to the general election without opposition.

So did Keller District incumbent Jeanne Jerred and challenger John Stensgar.

Here are the other general election candidates with their primary results in parentheses: Nespelem District, Position 1, incumbent Deb Louie (223), Cindy Boyd (142); Nespelem District, Position 2, incumbent Gloria Marchand Picard (195), Gene H. Joseph (190); Omak District, Position 1, from which Palmanteer is retiring, Michael E. Marchand (149), John Sirois (138); and Omak District, Position 2, incumbent Margie Condon Hutchinson (193), Darlena “Doll” Watt (178).

, DataTimes