Fort Peck is no longer apart of an alliance dedicated to working for all Montana Natives.

The Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council (formerly the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council) was made up of all tribes in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

Now Fort Peck is on it’s own.

During the first full board meeting for spring 2021, tribal leaders voted 9-0 of dropping Fort Peck from the RMTLC and not contribute any further Fort Peck tribal money; and to make it known to awarding federal agencies that Fort Peck is not a part of the alliance anymore.

According to the resolution, the Tribal Executive Board voted 9-0 to leave the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, because they have been paid tribal dollars and Fort Peck has not seen anything beneficial from the RMTLC in awhile.

Tribal Council member Patt Runs Through, who also serves a delegate to the RMTLC, said the Tribes paid their fees and dues before the start of the pandemic.

Runs Through and councilman Jestin Dupree serve as Fort Peck’s delegates to this board.

The resolution further states the RMTLC “does not provide adequate services as it is no longer responsive to the highest priorities of the Tribes,” and spending money to be a part of the multi-tribal alliance for membership is not the best use of tribal funds.”

Further, it’s ordered that the Tribes be opposed to any funding to the RMTLC with population numbers of the Fort Peck Tribes.

Calls to RMTLC for comment were not returned as of press time.

The RMTLC mission statement is “To preserve our homelands, defend rights of the Indian Treaties with the United States, speak in a unified voice, offer support to our people, offer a forum in which to consult each other and enlighten each other about our peoples, and to otherwise promote the common welfare of all of the Indian Peoples of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.”