UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
 
 
 
 

CORPORATE CHARTER

OF THE

METLAKATLA INDIAN COMMUNITY
 
 
 
 

RATIFIED DECEMBER 19, 1944
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 1946
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CORPORATE CHARTER OF THE METLAKATLA INDIAN COMMUNITY
 
 

A FEDERAL CORPORATION CHARTERED UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 18, 1934,
AS AMENDED BY THE ACT OF MAY 1, 1936.

    Whereas, the Metlakatla Indians of Annette Islands Reserve, Territory of Alaska, seek to organize under Sections 16 and 17 of the Act of June 18, 1934, and Section 1 of the Act of May 1, 1936, by adoption of a constitution and by-laws and a charter approved by the Secretary of the Interior,

    Now, therefore, I, Oscar L. Chapman, Assistant Secretary of the Interior, by virtue of the authority given to me by the above acts, do hereby submit to said Indians this Charter of incorporation for the Metlakatla Indian Community.

    SECTION 1. Purpose and Name. In order to enable the Community and its members to do various kinds of business for their common welfare, the Community is hereby chartered as a corporation of the United States of America under the name of " Metlakatla Indian Community."

    SECTION 2. Membership. The corporation shall be a membership corporation, consisting of all persons of the Community considered members under the rules of its Constitution.

    SECTION 3. Management. The corporation shall be managed by the Community Council set up under the Constitution.

    SECTION 4. Powers. The corporation shall have the power to do the following things:

To own, hold, manage, and dispose of all Community property;

To make contracts;

To sue and be sued;

To borrow money from the revolving Indian credit fund and to use it under a loan contract;

To enter into any business or activity that will better the condition of the Community and its members;

To do such other things as may be necessary to carry on the business and activities of the Community.

    SECTION 5. Limits to Powers. In using its powers the corporation must not do the following things:
Violate any law or the Constitution and By-laws of the Community;

Sell or mortgage any land or interests in lands or waters reserved for the Community;

Make leases, permits or contracts to or with nonmembers covering the land in the Reserve except with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior.

    SECTION 6. Property of Members. Property owned by a member of the Community shall not be taken to pay the debts of the corporation without his consent.

    SECTION 7. Records. The corporation shall keep correct records of its business and activities and give copies of these records when asked to do so to the representative of the Office of Indian Affairs serving the Community.

    SECTION 8. Changes in the Charter. Changes in the Charter may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of the Community Council or by a petition signed by one-third of the eligible voters of the Community. Such changes shall be in force, if approved by the Secretary of the Interior, when ratified by a majority vote of the members voting in an election called by the Secretary of the Interior, provided at least 30 percent of the eligible voters cast their ballots. The Charter itself shall continue in force for all time unless revoked by act of Congress.

    SECTION 9. Adoption of Charter. This Charter shall be in force when it is agreed to by a majority vote of these members voting in an election called by the Secretary of the Interior, provided, that at least 30 percent of the voting membership votes and provided that the Community has agreed to a constitution and by-laws approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

    This Charter is herewith approved by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior and submitted for ratification by members of the Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Islands Reserve, Territory of Alaska, in a popular referendum called and held under the Instructions of the Secretary of the Interior.

[SEAL]                                                                                                                                    OSCAR L. CHAPMAN

Assistant Secretary of the Interior
    WASHINGTON, D. C., August 23, 1944.

CERTIFICATION

    Pursuant to an order approved August 23, 1944, by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior, the attached Charter was submitted for ratification to the members of the Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Islands Reserve, Territory of Alaska, and was on December 19, 1944, duly ratified by a vote of 105 for, and 17 against, in are election in which over 30% of those entitled to vote cast their ballots, in accordance with Section 17 of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934, (48 Stat. 984) as amended by the Act of June 15, (49 Stat. 378) and the Act of May 1, 1936 (49 Stat. 1250).

                                                                                                                                                  MRS. TED S. BLANDOR

Chairman, Election Board


                                                                                                                                                     MRS. CORA LANG

Secretary, Election Board
    WENDELL H. CORDLE
               Government Representative.




AMENDMENT TO THE CORPORATE CHARTER OF THE
METLAKATLA INDIAN COMMUNITY, ALASKA

AMENDMENT I

    Section 4, Powers, of the Corporate Charter is amended as follows:

"SECTION 4. Powers.-The corporation shall have the power to to do the following things:
"To own, hold, manage, and dispose of all Community property;

"To make contracts;

"To sue and be sued;

"To borrow money from the Revolving Indian Credit Fund, or from any other government agency, or source, and to use such funds under a loan contract, and to pledge, or mortgage, as security for repayment of such loans, electric system, cannery or other revenue;

"To enter into any business or activity that will better the condition of the Community and its members;

"To do such other things as may be necessary to carry on the the business and activities of the Community."

    This amendment is herewith approved by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior and submitted for ratification by members of the Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Islands Reserve, Territory of Alaska, in a popular referendum called and held under the Instructions of the Secretary of the Interior.

                                                                                                                                                 WILLIAM E. WARNE,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior.
    WASHINGTON, D. C., December 9, 1949.

CERTIFICATION

    Pursuant to an order approved December 9, 1949, by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior, the attached Amendment I to the Corporate Charter of the Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Islands Reserve, Territory of Alaska, was submitted for ratification to the members of the Metlakatla Indian Community, and was on March 17, 1950, duly ratified by a vote of 184 for, and 3 against, in an election in which over 30 percent of those entitled to vote cast their ballots, in accordance with Section 17 of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984) as amended by the Act of June 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 378) and the Act of May 1, 1936 (49 Stat. 1250).

                                                                                                                                                   JOHN W. SMITH,

Mayor, Metlakatla Indian Community.
    CLYDE M. MASON,
           Government Representative, Alaska Native Service.