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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2000)
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Chairman Delores Pigsley Our tribal newsletter is a valuable communication tool that lets everyone express their ideas, concerns, and general information; it should continue to do so. I am concerned, however, when individuals go beyond giving their opinion and give blatant misinformation that can hurt the tribe. I am addressing those issues that are confidential in nature in a letter to the general membership. You will receive that letter before you read my report. The Tribal Council had its December meeting interrupted by bad weather and road conditions. The bad road conditions actually started just before Thanksgiving. Siletz, Newport, To the editor: I attended the Candidates’ Fair this past wee’kend in Siletz. It is the first one I ever went to. I thought it was well- organized and run very nicely. I do, however, have some concerns. Clifford Case and Reggie Butler seemed to be more interested in slamming Dee Pigsley and the current Council rather than sharing their views on their candidacy. Why would anyone in their right mind vote for these two, who are obviously only concerned with their own agenda and not the good of the tribe? I mean vengeance, conflict and mean-spiritedness are not what I want brought to Council meetings. Clifford said he carries no animosity for people in one breath and degrades Dee Pigsley in the next. Dee is but one person on the Council. Hundreds of people signed the and Lincoln City were isolated for interview committee. I met Judge periods of time. Casino and tribal Gantenbein for the first time after he was employees and customers could not get selected by the interview committee. home until roads were repaired. When Two other interview panels selected the tribal staff had their all-employee the other judges. All judges for our court meeting and Christmas lunch, the roads have law degrees. All of the positions again were impassable. The Tribal have been filled and we have a full and Council, scheduled to meet the following active court system. Tribal Court is an day, had to reschedule many agenda integral part of our tribe. The Tribal items to a later date in December. Council’s responsibility and role to the Needless to say, the bad weather court system is to assure they have and road conditions raised havoc with adequate funding and personnel to carry the tribal and casino businesses. I am out their responsibilities. conveying all this to you because the Beginning in February, the tribe will tribe, local governments, and start the process of updating the businesses have made an issue of the Comprehensive Plan for the future. In roads and highways that lead to and addition to seeking input on tribal around the coast. We have sent letters programs and tribal goals, we also will to our congressional delegation and seek input on the goals and priorities for state representatives expressing our this year’s casino revenues. Meetings concern for highway improvements. Our will be held in the four area offices (or casino has been blamed in the past for possibly a larger facility) and a mailing all the traffic on the coast highway; will be developed for those of you who everyone knows that those conditions live outside the tribe’s service area. Your existed prior to the casino. We hope to input in both of these processes is see some major improvements in the extremely valuable; we do listen and coming year. act accordingly. I was asked to explain how judges’ The new year already is producing vacancies are filled. The filling of these its challenges. Some council members vacancies was by advertisement and interviews. Tribal Council and whomever attended the National Indian Gaming they designate act as the interview Association meeting in Washington, D.C. committee. I was unable to sit in on the It’s clear that tribes will face the same chief judge interviews. Judge challenges by anti-lndian congressmen Gantenbein was selected by the with anti-lndian legislative agendas. It’s too bad that we as a tribe cannot face those issues with the same amount of recall petition, hundreds of people voted energy that is used negatively during in the recall elections. That is why Tribal Council elections. Our tribe would councilmembers were recalled, not be overwhelmingly successful. We do because of Dee. And councilmembers can vote however they please 1 whether the best job that we can to do our share it be because they trust Dee’s guidance in defeating legislation that is or because they want what’s best for the detrimental to tribes. For those of you who live in states tribe. I think a Council that can stand in agreement on these issues instead of other than Oregon, please check out the constantly bickering is something we Indian gaming web site of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), should all be proud of. The people took a stand in the www.niga.org. Everyone can assist in last election and it will happen again this the tribe’s efforts by keeping themselves February. So to Clifford and Reggie, all I informed about issues in their state that can say is deal with it! Don’t give Dee affect tribes. the credit for getting rid of bad If you have any questions that I can councilmembers - give the credit to us answer for you, please give me a call at voters who took time to vote and elect my home, 503-393-6516, or call and an outstanding Council who we can trust leave a message at 1-800-922-1399. I will work for the good of the entire tribe! am in the process of getting my own Cindy Lane Hill-Jackson e-mail address. 3
