The Southern Ute Indian Tribe, headquartered in Ignacio, La Plata County, Colorado,
descends from the Moache and Capote bands of Utes,
two of the seven bands of Utes that originally occupied
the present-day states of Colorado and Utah, as well
as parts of Arizona and New Mexico.
The boundaries of the Southern Ute Reservation encompass
about 681,000 acres. The Tribe has approximately 309,000
surface acres of trust land, and another 4,000 acres
of allotted land. The remaining 368,000 acres within
the reservation boundary are privately owned or belong
to government agencies.
The latest population estimate numbers Southern Ute
Tribal membership at 1,365 persons. About 75% of the
Tribal members live on the reservation. Approximately
60% of the Tribal members are under the age of 30.
The Southern Ute Indian Tribe is governed by an
elected Tribal Council made up of a Chairman and six
Councilors. The Chairman and Council seats are elected
based on majority vote and run on staggered three-year
terms. The Chairman appoints a Vice-Chairman and a
Treasurer from the six Councilors. The Chairman also
appoints his own Executive Officer, who oversees the
various Tribal Government departments and their employees.
The successful economic activities of the Tribe have
also allowed the Tribal Council to devise a financial
plan to share Tribal wealth with Tribal members. Tribal
members ages 26-59 receive annual dividend checks
which are based on the Tribe's investment successes
each year. In addition, Tribal members aged 60 or
older are guaranteed substantial retirement checks
for a period of 20 years.
The Tribe also shares a percentage of its profits
from gaming to support area non-profit organizations
and local non-tribal government entities. The non-profits
and government entities apply for those funds, with
decisions being by the Tribal Council and a Donation
Review Committee.
To access the office Southern Ute Tribe website,
click
here.
