Fond du Lac tribal council member resigns

With two-and-a-half years of his four-year term behind him, Robert Abramowski resigned from the position of secretary/treasurer of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa last week, effective Friday, Jan. 31. He made the announcement at the Jan. 16 Reservation Business Committee open meeting for band members, saying he wants more time for other priorities in his life.

RBC chairman Bruce Savage thanked Abramowski for his services and said the RBC will appoint Brookston representative Earl Otis to serve as interim secretary/treasurer until a special election is held to fill the vacancy.

The most recent resignations from RBC positions took place nearly 10 years ago in the fall of 2015, when Sawyer representative David Tiessen Jr. resigned on to address personal issues, and chairwoman Karen Diver resigned to take a federal position with the Obama administration.

Both resignations also required special elections to bring in new candidates.

Abramowski won his elected seat as secretary/treasurer in the 2022 Fond du Lac election.

His campaign platform focused on a broad range of services he hoped to address during his term of office, including governance and accountability issues along with operational and policy revision. More specifically, he advocated for expanding purchasing and procurement policy to give opportunity and preference to Band-member-owned businesses, developing Indian Child Welfare Act policies to create strong support for parents andgrandparents who struggle to keep families together, and community service improvements such as outdoor recreational spaces to bring elders, parents and children together.

Abramowski reflected on his life priorities as a 55-year-old.

"Ultimately, my decision comes down to time: something we all have a finite amount of," he said.

At this stage of his life, he said he wants to devote more time to his family, personal well-being, and personal projects.

He did share a final thought in leaving.

"Although I am stepping away, please know that I am still available for advice and support whenever needed," he said.

Pine Knot News writer and accountant - and Fond du Lac Band member - Janis Fairbanks sat down with the outgoing secretary/treasurer on Wednesday to ask a few more questions:

Pine Knot: Why are you stepping down from the

position?

Abramowski: Time, basically. I don't have the time to do anything else but this job. The structure of the job is that decision-making is down to these five positions. It may be time to delegate authority to commissioners, something like that.

Pine Knot: Do you think secretary/treasurer should be an elected position?

Abramowski: Absolutely, it should be. But it is an at-large position, and people from off-reservation should be able to run. That would take a constitutional amendment, though, to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's constitution.

Pine Knot: What are the personal traits you brought to the position that helped you function as secretary/treasurer?

Abramowski: Honesty. Also, my ability to see things from more than one perspective. I can put myself in other people's shoes to understand how my decisions will affect them.

Pine Knot: What training or qualifications do you think a candidate for this position should have?

Abramowski: At minimum, some sort of finance/business background. Also, a social service background in dealing with individual social issues, to be able to create the right programs for the community.

Pine Knot: What are the three biggest issues facing the reservation that your successor will have to deal with?

Abramowski: The biggest issue is keeping a stable, fiscally responsible budget plan. Two, housing, the need for one- and two-bedroom affordable housing. Three, tackling the drug epidemic has been a challenge from the day I walked through the door.

Pine Knot: What is the biggest takeaway you have from holding this position?

Abramowski: I wish everyone could be on this side of the table. It's given me a perspective on what our tribal leaders must deal with every day. The decisions they make are difficult, and my perspective now is that we really do need to support our tribal leaders because it is not an easy job.

Pine Knot: Have you found a best method for dealing with irate constituents?

Abramowski: Listening is the Number 1 way to deal with it. Try to understand why they might be angry.

Pine Knot: What is the most important group of people on the reservation and why?

Abramowski: Equally important are elders and children, but all of us are important because without everyone, we wouldn't have a reservation.

Pine Knot: In dealing with the Fond du Lac Reservation's neighboring communities, what are the biggest hurdles you have encountered related to your position?

Abramowski: We are a unique government, although we are similar to state and local government. They utilize our numbers for social services and policing. Their funding is based on our numbers, so it would be nice for them to share some of those resources.

Pine Knot: What is the best advice you can give to the person who serves as interim until the special election takes place and a new secretary/treasurer is elected?

Abramowski: Utilize your staff and ask for assistance. The staff here at Fond du Lac is outstanding in just about every department.