Maliseet chief backs out of council deal > Leader falters on agreement with ousted members

LITTLETON — Despite a ruling by the Aroostook County Superior Court in June that the present tribal council for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians is the legal governing body for the tribe, Tribal Chairman Clair Sabattis last month signed an agreement of cooperation with four councilors who were removed from office more than a year ago.

The document was signed by Sabattis, former Councilors Danya Boyce, Sally Lindsay, Fred Tomah and Anthony Tomah, and Mary Joseph, who is still on the council. It was notarized by Suzanne M. Desiderio, a commissioned notary public.

“[We] mutually agree and respectfully recognize each other’s elected positions that we hold at the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians as the tribal leaders and we are all in agreement to work together to better the tribe from this day forward,” the statement said.

Also, Sabattis signed a notarized statement that authorized the five councilors to sign checks on behalf of the tribe.

Shortly after the agreement was signed Nov. 27, however, Sabattis said he realized it was a bad plan and decided not to abide by it.

Last year, Boyce, Lindsay and the Tomahs were involved in a 13-day takeover of the tribe’s administration building in an authority dispute with Sabattis. They were later removed from office in special election.

An Aroostook County Superior Court justice ruled in essence that the present council — elected a year ago — has the legal authority to govern the tribe. The ousted councilors have appealed that ruling to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

Sabattis said Saturday that after he signed the agreement Nov. 27, he realized he could not abide by it because it wasn’t in the best interest of the tribe.

He said he suspected the agreement was nothing more than an attempt by the four ousted councilors to bolster their own cause and get back in his good graces before the case is reviewed by the state supreme court.

“It really isn’t any good,” he said in a telephone interview. “I’m not too concerned with what I signed anymore. I was put in the center [of the controversy] in 1995 and I’m not going to be put in the center in 1996. I will choose the tribe’s side, not any one group’s side,” he said.

Danya Boyce disagreed. “He turned his back on us,” she said Saturday.

She said Sabattis met with her group three or four times before Nov. 27 and he agreed to work things out in good faith.

According to Boyce, Sabattis was trying to save his job because the sitting council last month had discussed stripping him of his powers and check-signing authority.