The Petersburg Indian Association’s tribal council voted last week to appoint Christine Yatchmenoff to the council’s sixth seat. Yatchmenoff was born and raised in Petersburg, and recently moved back to town with her granddaughter. This is her first time on Petersburg’s tribal council.
Yatchmenoff and former council member Brenda Norheim both submitted letters of interest for the seat. Norheim lost her seat in January’s election. Councilmembers discussed the two candidates in executive session. When they came out of executive session Brandon Ware made a motion to appoint Yatchmenoff to the seat. Councilmembers Brandon Ware, Nathan Lopez, and Jeanette Ness voted in favor, with Councilmember Jaclyn Lyons Eide voting no. Councilmember Heather Conn wasn’t at the meeting and Tribal President Debra O’Gara does not vote except to split a tie.
The seat has been vacant since March. Everett Bennett won the seat in this January’s election. But they resigned just a couple months later to apply for Petersburg Indian Association’s Tribal Administrator position. They got the job, and started May 20. Bennett replaces Chad Wright, who stepped down as Tribal Administrator in January.
The Tribal Council will swear in Yatchmenoff at its June meeting. Her seat will be up for re-election in January of 2025.
