LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the editor:
I hope this letter is published before
the ballots from the Bureau of Indian Affairs
have been mailed to you. You are being
asked to change the Siletz Tribal
Constitution.
Remember, Delores Pigsley has
repeatedly stated, “Communication with tribal
members is a priority,” however, these
amendments have been proposed since
Nov. 21,1999, without any input from tribal
members. In fact, Delores Pigsley said “no”
when first asked in November to notify the
general membership of the proposed
constitutional amendments. Although the
March issue included the amendments, the
changes are nearly impossible to detect
because there is no comparison to
the
original
language from
the
current Constitution.
During the past four years, the Tribal
Council formed Constitution Committees for
the purpose of recommending constitutional
changes. The committees sought input from
the general membership before submitting
their four recommendations. Delores Pigsley
To the editor:
Since August 1998, Delores Pigsley
has mailed out at least five “confidential”
letters. These letters are misleading,
financially inaccurate, and purely political
statements.
In her last “confidential” letter to tribal
members dated Jan. 26, 2000, Delores
Pigsley stated “Our tribe is based on
democratic principles and our members are
free to express their opinions.” The Siletz
Constitution provides the tribe with a
democratic process: 1) elections by the
general membership (all tribal members 18
years and older); 2) individual rights of due
process, equal protection of the laws, and
equal opportunity to participate in economic
resources and activities; and 3) separation
of powers between the Tribal Court and the
Tribal Council. We, the General Council, also
make advisory recommendations to the
Tribal Council.
Johnson, con’t from page 4
From the limited information available
from tribal documents, the amount exceeds
$400,000 and counting. Tribal members
deserve a complete accounting of all details
surrounding these transactions negotiated
and executed by DEE Pigsley, and by what
authority she acted. Was it real or simply
DEEmed authority? All monies used illegally
should be paid back to the tribe.
Sincerely,
Lori A. Johnson
ignored three and has submitted only one,
along with three of her own to the
Department of Interior. These three
proposed changes would have the effect
of giving Delores Pigsley complete and
total control over the casino and tribe’s
assets, resources, and government.
Delores Pigsley’s Council has
proposed changes that would have a
devastating effect if approved. Separation
of powers would be lost and Delores Pigsley
alone would have complete power over the
Tribal Court. The authority of the General
Council to elect its Tribal Council members
would be lost and Delores Pigsley alone
could seat whomever, whenever she wants.
Numerous related sections of the
Constitution would be in conflict, rendering
the Constitution inoperable. The most
damning change would allow a minimum of
two Tribal Council members (currently five
are required to protect individual rights for
representation on the Council) to meet and
make decisions, and it would change the
composition of the Tribal Council from elected
to seated. In other words, two seated
Council members could take action on
behalf of the tribe. This would not be a
democratic process.
Does this sound familiar? It should
because this is exactly what has been done
illegally by Delores Pigsley. These
constitutional changes are unconstitutional,
non-democratic, and inadequate protection
for individual rights and tribal sovereignty.
The Tribal Council’s authority to request a
constitutional election does not include
changes that take away individual rights
from tribal members. Beware of Tribal
Council members who would change the
Constitution to take away your rights!
If you receive a ballot from the
Bureau of Indian Affairs, please vote no!
on the constitutional changes proposed
by Delores Pigsley!
Note: Remember, if you are 18 years
or older and enrolled in the Siletz Tribe, you
are a member of the General Council.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Viles
For about 20 years, Delores Pigsley
has sat on the Tribal Council, usually as the
chairman, and has made it a practice to not
take the advisory recommendations of the
General Council. For example, in February
1999, the General Council voted
unanimously to recommend that tribal
elections are held by electronic methods and
even though Delores Pigsley agreed, she
has refused to do so. The general
membership resoundingly disapproved
alcohol being served in the casino. They also
disapproved getting additional casino games
if it meant paying a disguised Oregon
state tax.
General Council votes in favor of
terminating Craig Dorsay’s contract have
been ignored (Dorsay has cost the tribe
millions of dollars by negotiating and/or
reviewing bad contracts). Delores Pigsley
has
totally
ignored
frequent
recommendations to support a formal
General Council. She continues to conduct
General Council meetings as if they were
Tribal Council meetings. The general
membership did not approve the videotaping
and editing of the General Council meetings.
The general membership did not approve the
hiring of an armed police force. These
decisions under Delores Pigsley’s rule have
trampled individual tribal members’ rights,
including “due process” (according to
Pigsley’s own admission).
Under Pigsley’s rule, there has
never been a fair distribution for health,
education, jobs/economic development, and
profit sharing or of any other tribal services
or resources. Delores Pigsley frequently
takes action outside of her legislative or
executive authority, and conducts business
as if she were above the law. For example,
she has held meetings and voted without a
quorum beginning on Aug. 1,1998, and she
approved the use of health care monies in
violation of federal law (P.L. 93-638). Tribal
members deserve a democratic leadership
that values individual participation in
government. As long as Delores Pigsley is
“chairman” of this tribe, that will
never happen.
Sincerely,
Denise Peterson
I General Council Meeting 1
Saturday, May 6, 2000,1 p.m.
Pacific Highway Inn
4646 Portland Road NE
Salem, Oregon
Agenda
Call to Order
Invocation
Roll Call
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes - Feb. 5, 2000
General Council Concerns
Elders Program Report - Shirley Walker
Language Program Report
Chairman’s Report
Announcements
Adjournment
5