Pueblo de San Ildefonso Law Library
Pueblo de San Ildefonso Code.

2.3.7.010 Findings

(a) The Pueblo de San Ildefonso ("Pueblo") is a sovereign Indian tribe and has exercised inherent sovereign authority from time immemorial; and

(b) The sovereign authority of the Pueblo is vested in its Council and Governor; and

(c) Pursuant to the Santa Fe Indian School Act, 114 Stat. 2868, (2000), approximately 115 acres of land, which includes the Santa Fe Indian School ("SFIS") and the Indian Health Service Unit properties, were taken into trust by the U.S. for the benefit of the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico ("the SFIS Trust Lands"); and

(d) The Santa Fe Indian School Trust Land is part of Indian County and is not subject to state, county or city laws; and

(e) In 2004, each of the 19 Pueblos, including the Pueblo de San Ildefonso, delegated its authority on all matters related to the governance, operation and administration of the SFIS Trust Lands to the Santa Fe Indian School, Inc. ("SFIS, Inc.") and its Board of Trustees, the entity also responsible for educational functions of the Santa Fe Indian School; and

(f) In 2010, the Pueblo passed Resolution No. SI-R10-041 to rescind its Tribal Council Resolution No. SI-R04-005 that had granted broad governance authority to the SFIS Board of Trustees, and to limit the Council's authorization for SFIS, Inc. to such things as necessary and appropriate to the operation and administration of the Indian School; and

(g) The Pueblo passed Resolution No. SI-R15-015 that later granted limited governance authority to the SFIS, Inc. to enter into agreements for emergency response situations and to address specific land management issues; and

(h) In 2012, in response to concerns of the Governors that economic development and governance of the SFIS Trust Lands was taking precedence over education activities, the SFIS Inc. Board of Trustees adopted Resolution No. 20120511 committing to the separation of the educational functions of the School and the economic development projects on the SFIS Trust Lands, and further committing to work to consensus with the 19 Pueblo Governors and their Tribal Councils before proceeding with the establishment of any type of governance activity; and

(i) At a Special Governors meeting in July 2015, the Governors adopted Resolution No. 20150720 reaffirming their support for the separation of governance functions for the SFIS Trust Lands from the SFIS educational functions, and establishing a Governance Subcommittee consisting of Governors and other designated tribal representatives to analyze the options for a separate governance structure; and

(j) The 19 Pueblos established the Albuquerque Indian School District (AISD) as the governmental entity responsible for the Albuquerque Indian School trust lands and the governing authority is exercised by the AISD Governing Council, comprised of the 19 Pueblo Governors; and

(k) Pursuant to SFIS, Inc. Member Resolution No. 20151105, the Governors adopted the Governance Subcommittee's recommendation that the governance structure in place at the Albuquerque Indian School District be used for governance of the SFIS Trust Lands and directed a transition of governance responsibilities for the SFIS Trust Lands to AISD; and

(l) Pursuant to AISD Governing Council Resolution No. GC 2015-12, the AISD Governing Council adopted the AISD Oversight Commission's recommendation that the existing AISD governance structure be used for governance of the SFIS Trust Lands.