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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1998)
S d efy "Heart Chairman’s Report Page 2 Why a review of tribal business decisions and legal advice is so important to our tribe’s financial well-being Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Siletz Administration Office 201 SE Swan Avenue PO Box 549 Siletz, Oregon 97380-0549 1-800-922-1399 FAX: (541) 444-2307 Contract Health Services PO Box 320 Siletz, OR 97380 1-800-628-5720 FAX: 541-444-9645 Siletz Community Health Clinic 107 SE Swan Avenue PO Box 320 Siletz, OR 97380 1-800-648-0449 FAX: 541-444-1278 Portland Area Office 3715 SE 39th Avenue Portland, pregon 97202 503-238-1512 FAX: 503-238^2436 Salem Area Office 3789 River Road North, Suite D Keizer, Oregon 97303 . 503-390-9494 . FAX: 503-390-8099 . Springfield Area Office 188 West "B"St.> Building P* Springfield, Oregon 541-746-9658 FAX: 541-746-0049 General Managers Mike Kennedy . Sharon Edenf ield . Tribal Council Pat Duncan, Chair Lillie Butler, Vice-Chair Clifford Case, Secretary Mary "Dolly" Fisher Geneva Johnson JoAnn Miller Bonnie Petersen Denise Peterson Delores Pigsley CTSI on the Internet www.ctsi.nsn.us PAT D U N C A N Tribal Chairman agreement to purchase the casino ou have read the recent letters site property, and the gaming to the editor questioning the negotiations. The actions I have taken since compact becoming your Chairman. I want current attorney billings are being questioned by some tribal to respond to these letters, as well members, but I have seen the as to the threatening phone calls I have received. millions of dollars our tribe has lost by not carefully examining Throughout the past number of every contract, agreement and years, our tribe has been plagued proposal. Most recently, the Tribal with bad business decisions and Council has been reviewing legal advice. I have already proposals based upon the advice mentioned previously the of the previous tribal attorney. $4 million that we have to pay After review of the issue by the Comstock because the legal current tribal attorney firm, it was review of the contract did not determined that we would have protect our interests. You have faced millions of dollars in losses seen the STEDCO report regard if we had gone forward based on ing the losses incurred by all the the previous tribal attorney's business ventures. The Salem advice. . property, Lakeside Village and The cosfsdssociated with à ' the property on Logan Road in legal re vieware only a fraction-of Lincoln City were , purchased a the costs that could be incurred number of years ago, but they are without thorough consideration still undeveloped. Chinook of the legal implications. We have Winds initially cost approx learned this by reviewing what imately $20 million, by adding a had occurred in the past arid the few thousand square feet, the financial, obligationsthat have to, price doubled to over $40 million. be factored into our current Millions of dollars had been taken budget-planning process.. The oiit of our investment account legal area is only a part of the which had been earning 18%. I overall plan to assure you that the remember, as I am sure you will, Tribal Council is being respon the initial community meetings to sible. gain input on how you want to Another area is the tribe's see the gaming revenues distrib primary working documents; the uted. Because of decisions in the majority of the ordinances are past and the legal advice, there inconsistent with the Coristitutiori has been a considerable delay in and/or current practices, even to the distribution of revenues, as the point of nonexistence. I am well as in the development of the amazed at the lax attitude of properties mentioned previously. "that's the way it's always been I have directed Hobbs, Straus, done." The Tribal Council had Dean & Walker to review all the almost twenty years to adhere to projects assigned to the previous the Constitution to enact a recall tribal attorney. There were many, ordinance. Since March, we have many important issues that had had a number of work sessions to fallen through the cracks, and revise the election ordinance. many issues that should have Besides including the recall been handled differently. Four provision within the ordinance, major areas being addressed are we are revising the election the Ross-Simmons joint venture, process to assure fair and honest the case against the election elections. We plan to review all board, the covenant in the Y the documents to assure consistency in the tribe's policies, procedures and Constitutional provisions. Tribal members have questioned the many hours we have had to work in assuring the accountability of your tribal government. My typical day (including weekends), except when I am traveling on behalf of the tribe, is to be on the phone from approximately 8:00 a.m. throughout the day and work on reports until approximately midnight. I personally have put everything else aside to concentrate on my job as your Chairman. Other Tribal Council members are also committed to attending every meeting, review ing all documentation, answering phone calls and being responsive to the membership. Years ago we had fewer programs, fewer enrolled members and a much smaller financial base.* Today, there are so many, issues that it is impossible to just meet one day a month, and there are tons of paperwork that must be reviewed in order to make informed decisions. The tribe has too much at stake for the Tribal Council to make uninformed decisions regarding the future of the tribal members. I believe that we, as a responsible government, are moving in the right direction. The recent letters to the editor were tribal members who want our tribe to go back to the old ways of conducting business with no accountability and no long-range planning. I truly believe that the majority of tribal members want the change and want to be assured that we are acting responsibly. If you disagree with the direction we are headed, please let me know.
