The following is an update to reflect comments newly named tribal president Jerome 'Brooks' Big John made in an interview with NN.N Editor Joe Costanza on Feb. 9

     LAC Du FLAMBEAU – Jerome “Brooks” Big John, 48, was named Tribal President of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa on Monday night.

            As leader of the 12-member Tribal Council, Big John succeeds Carl Edwards, who stepped down last November 23rd citing unspecified "differences" with other members in a brief one-paragraph resignation letter. Big John was one of three candidates for the top spot, the others being Tom Maulson and Bert Labarge.

           The Tribal Council met twice in January to appoint a new leader, but a lack of proper notice for candidates to submit their names for consideration stalled the process.

            In June 2008, tribal members voted to sustain the removal of Big John and two others as council members over disagreements with then-president Victoria Dowd and other tribal leaders.

            Big John is a long-time fishing guide in Lac du Flambeau, which is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin. He will serve on an interim basis until September, when primaries will be held for the general election to take place in October. Five other tribal council seats will be up for grabs as well.

            In recent months, the tribe has been faced with mounting financial troubles including defaulting on the payment of $50 million in bonds and the pending foreclosure of properties it owns in Mississippi in connection with a failed casino project.

            During an interview with NN.N on Feb. 9, the day after his appointment, Big John said one of his first priorities is to unify a tribe and council that in the past were often bitterly divided. “There has been a lot of distrust and we need to create unity within our reservation and our community, starting at our council level. We can agree to disagree.”

            When asked to comment on his removal from office two years ago and friction between some tribal leaders, Big John said he bore no grudges. “I am not a vindictive person, and we are healing many of the past wounds and need to continue healing. We need to come to the realization that it’s vital that we work for the benefit of all our people in Lac du Flambeau.”

            Regarding the financial troubles the tribe is facing, Big John said  previous administrations “left a lot of unfinished business,” and the tribe and its legal advisers are working to resolve many of the problems, including mending finances. But, he added, at this time he couldn't be more specific.

           Big John, stressing the unity message, reiterated one of his main goals.  “We need to dissolve the cloud of fear that has existed in Lac du Flambeau for quite some time and replace that dark cloud with new visions of hope, starting with our young people and then the membership as a whole.” He conceded that unity would be “a big chore,” but nonetheless attainable despite past differences among tribal members.