Tribal Chairman Milton Hunt made the staff announcement following a called meeting of the tribal government on Sept. 27.

Billy Brooks has been selected as director of housing, Patrick Bullard will be comptroller and Ruth Locklear will serve as office manager.

Hunt said the staff will help administer several pending grants the tribe expects to get in the next few months.

The tribal office will temporarily be on Union Chapel Road. The staff and current programs will be operational by Nov. 1.

As tribal administrator, Woods is expected to provide technical assistance and support in organizational development, program planning and development and overall administration, according to a tribal news release.

Woods is a retired Robeson County educator.

Brooks is a former rehabilitation and new constructions supervisor with the N.C. Indian Housing Authority. He has also worked with the Lumber River Council of Governments.

Bullard will provide oversight for the government's finances. He previously was the finance officer for the Public Schools of Robeson County, a financial analyst with ZF Meritor and chief of accounting and finance at Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville.

Locklear joins the staff with more than 20 years of experience in grant writing and program development. She is the former director of Lumbee tribal enrollment, coordinator of Lumbee federal recognition and has experience with Lumber River Legal Services.