IGNACIO – After months of infighting, Southern Ute tribal leaders agreed Tuesday to hold a special election that will allow members to vote on whether millions of dollars should be kept by tribal government or distributed to tribal members.

“It’s been a long, hard road,” said Yvonne Davis, a tribal member who fought for the right to vote on the funds. “I’m feeling excellent that we got to where we got.”

She added: “The tribe is in need of change; it’s in need of revamping in many ways. … This means we can create another petition to initiate change.”

The conflict stems from a $126 million lawsuit settlement in the tribe’s favor and what should be done with the funds. The tribe distributed 60 percent of the funds to its approximately 1,500 enrolled members, but some members want the remaining 40 percent – or at least a vote on whether the full amount should be distributed.

Read more at The Durango Herald.