Press Release - 7th Lumbee Tribal Chairman Sworn in for a Second Term During Lumbee Inauguration
Press Release - 7th Lumbee Tribal Chairman Sworn in for a Second Term During Lumbee Inauguration
Pembroke, NC (January 10, 2025) – Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery and seven tribal Council members were sworn into office during an inauguration ceremony on Thursday night in Pembroke.The seven Tribal Council members are Bill “Dollar Bill” Oxendine (District 1), Jody Bullard (District 4), Johnny Bell (District 9), Bobby Emanuel (District 10), Homer Fields (District 14), Nanci Locklear (District 16) and Mary Lane Locklear (District 18).
Tribal Chairman Lowery received a standing ovation as he unveiled his plan for his second term. Lowery said it is not a vision for the next 3 years, but for 10 years, which he is calling the FOCUS 2035 initiative. “As part of our FOCUS 2035 initiative, our economic development footprint will grow beyond our federal contracting companies and 8A Holdings will continue to grow, but we will work to diversify our economic opportunities,” said Lowery. “Lumbee Holdings will work with the tribal government to focus on travel and tourism opportunities and synergize tribal services and grant initiatives. We will start a Lumbee food brand, working with Lumbee Holdings and the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, we will set the foundation to work with our farmers to create a true Lumbee farm to table experience in grocery stores and restaurants.”
Lowery also said this initiative calls for increased development in the four counties of the Lumbee Tribal territory in Hoke, Scotland, Robeson and Cumberland Counties and outreach to include:
A new Boys & Girls Club facility in Scotland County.
Create Programs to encourage teenager participation in the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Continued updates to the Cultural Center to ensure it becomes a self-sustaining facility, creates tourism dollars while maintaining cultural and recreational side.
Create a living village that will allow tourists to explore and to see how Lumbee ancestors lived prior to contact and European arrival.
Build docks on the lake, with additional seating added throughout the Cultural Center.
Extend homeownership options to tribal citizens regardless of their income by creating an in-house Section 184 program which will allow the tribe to act as the borrower for tribal citizens who are over the income for the current home ownership program but cannot receive conventional lending at a decent rate.
Created a Lumbee Food Seal which is now available for Lumbee producers to use as a value added resource.
Build an agricultural cleaning facility and additional greenhouse food production as part of the Agricultural and Natural Resources Department.
Create a Lumbee Archive for historical documents.
Expand nature and hiking trails and complete renovation at Maxton Pond.
Create health services for tribal citizens
Lowery said he looks forward to a prosperous 2025 and beyond for the Lumbee People. The outgoing Tribal Council Members are Dewey McNeill and Wendy Moore.
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