Southern Ute Indian Tribe

GoodTracks, Torres to join council

By Ace Stryker
The Southern Ute Drum

Jimmy R. Newton Jr. is the Southern Ute Indian Tribe's new chairman.

New Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council members (left to right) Pathimi GoodTracks, Chairman Jimmy R. Newton Jr., and Aaron V. Torres greet the tribal membership wrapped in Pendleton blankets given to them by Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Gary Hayes.

photo by Jeremy Wade Shockley/Southern Ute DrumNewton was sworn in on Thursday, Dec. 15 in the Sky Ute Casino Resort's Events Center, succeeding Pearl E. Casias. Joining him on the council are Pathimi GoodTracks and Aaron Torres, who take the places of Alex Cloud and Marge Borst.

And just like that, more than half of the tribe's governing body has turned over in the past six weeks. Howard D. Richards Sr. was elected on Tuesday, Nov. 1 to fill Newton's unexpired term.

"I think we can do a lot working together," Newton said of the council. "It's not the chairman that is going to lead us to our future, but it is all of us together."

In his first speech to the membership, Newton thanked his predecessors on the council, the tribe's elders and veterans, and everyone else who contributes to the tribe as a whole.

He said he was honored to run for election against Casias.

"It was a very exciting opportunity to run against someone with a lot of history and experience," he said. "I am just a simple man with a simple plan to serve the tribal membership."

Following a precedent set by Chairman Matthew J. Box in 2008, Newton announced he would appoint two executive officers: Steve R. Herrera Sr. and Amy Barry. He said he was looking for someone with "compassion for the people" and ultimately decided on two.

"This job is a very big job," he said. "I would like the tribal membership to support the decision I have made."

Newton said he hasn't decided on a vice chairman yet and will make a decision next week.

Newton made up his vote deficit from the general election and then some to win the Wednesday, Dec. 14 runoff election. After coming in second in the Friday, Nov. 4 general election with 32.5 percent of the vote to incumbent Casias' 37.4 percent, he made a much stronger showing in the runoff.

According to official numbers, he claimed 57.4 percent of votes cast for chairman, surpassing Casias' 42.6-percent share.

Casias, who was present on election night as the votes were tallied, said she was grateful to the support she felt from tribal members during her time in office.

"I want to thank each and every one of them for their trust and support. I wish them well," said Casias, who made history in April by becoming the tribe's first female chairman. "It was a good race."

Though GoodTracks maintained a handy lead throughout the night, ending up with 32.6 percent of votes, the race for the second council seat was much tighter. Torres finally claimed victory with 24 percent, edging Cloud (22.3 percent) and Vida B. Peabody (21 percent).

"I was honored and deeply grateful for those who supported me," GoodTracks said after her inauguration. "The amount of support I received I had not anticipated."

She pledged to represent the tribal membership as a whole, not just those who are most vocal.

"I will particularly be paying attention to the wellbeing of tribal families, because families are the foundation of each and every one of us," she said.

Torres likewise said he didn't think before the election that he’d make it as far as he did. He said the council members have good chemistry and a history of working well together - something to which he is eager to contribute.

"We all know how to work together," he said. "That's one of the big things that tribal members wanted: a unified council. And that's a start."

Cloud wished the new council members luck, saying it's a hard job.

"People voted. It's however the Creator wanted it," he said.

Find out more at www.udall.gov