Tribe swearing in new chiefs

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe will welcome two new faces to Tribal Council this week as Chief-elect Randy Hart and Sub-Chief-elect Shelley Jacobs will officially be sworn into their 3-year terms on Thursday, June 1. Hart and Jacobs were elected by tribal members on June 5.

Hart and Jacobs will join the existing members on Council Chief Monica Jacobs, Chief Mark Garrow, Sub-Chief Stacy Adams and Sub-Chief Pam Brown. Hart defeated the SRMT’s longest serving chief James Ransom in this year’s election. Ransom served seven consecutive years in office – two regular 3-year terms and one 1-year term before the staggered election system was put into place. LaFrance served two consecutive terms as sub-chief for a total of six years and did not seek re-election to that position. Instead, he joined Hart in challenging Ransom for the chief position.

“I would like to say that it has been an honor and a privilege to serve this community,” said LaFrance. “I (wish) the incoming Council members all the luck.”

The SRMT’s Chief Judge Peter J. Herne and two traffic court judges Lois Terrance and Steven Cook will also be sworn-in on Thursday. All three ran unopposed for their position on the June ballot. Herne has previously been the appointed chief judge before an election for the position could be held; both Terrance and Cook were re-elected to their traffic court positions.