PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) — The mysterious departure of the chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s board of trustees has left the board scrambling to find a replacement.
The East Oregonian reports that tribal members have until April 25 to be nominated for a special election in July. Another board member will fill his seat until then.
Elwood Patawa hasn’t spoken publicly about the conditions of his departure aside from a three-sentence resignation letter in which he says he wanted to focus on his health.
Patawa’s successor will fill his term until a November election.
Patawa won the seat by only two votes in 2009
___
Information from: East Oregonian, http://www.eastoregonian.info
