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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2000)
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SURVEY RESULTS The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians took four steps to ensure tribal member input on goals and objectives of the 1994 Comprehensive Pan: • • • • Community meetings at each area office Surveys distributed at these meetings Surveys mailed to tribal members Surveys printed in Siletz News The following is a compilation of the input received at the meetings and questionnaires returned to the tribe. Q: Are there existing priorities, goals or objectives that you would like to comment on, or are there additional priorities, goals or objectives that you believe should be included in the Comprehensive Plan? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Economic Development I would like to see the Salem property developed as soon as possible. I believe we need to expand on economic development. Purchase and/or build grocery store in Siletz. We need to control purchasing all service-oriented businesses in Siletz, gas, food, grocery, etc. Ways to insure tribal investments (housing down payments, etc.) against loss. Tribe should be able to step in and acquire (when it makes sense to) instead of letting mortgage fail and repossession occur. Take a good look at the casino and figure out if it is meeting the goals that were originally set, not just financial, but employment, tribal preference, adequate wages, and whether the philosophy of the casino fits with the philosophy of the tribe. I’d like to see a separate gaming board of directors, economic development board and Tribal Council, as opposed to Council making major decisions about all things. I think you need assistance from professionals in each field. Tribal Council cannot be experts in all affairs. Research the feasibility of acquiring businesses in different service areas. Gaming is short term; in the long run, we need economic alternatives that may be in areas of greater population. We need to come up with ideas for the Salem property, high- stakes Bingo or an RV park. Tribal members outside of service area have waited 20 years to be included in your health plan and other plans you have for in-service-area members. 5. Health plans for all members are of first priority. We need more than a limited drug program. 6. Without good health, there is no real life. All members need health plans due to rising costs in the health industry. Health plans should include dental, drugs, and vision. 7. First, give all members a health plan, which includes dental, drug, and vision plans, funded by the gaming property. 8. Health care is the most important for all members of the tribe, not just the ones who live in the provider area. Outsiders have received hardly any health care and this should be the No. 1 priority. 9. I would like some financial help, meaning “dental costs,” outside the 11 -county area. 10. Health care benefits regardless of where you live are very important to me and my family. Thank you for making this a priority. 11. 1 would like to see a health plan for all tribal members wherever they live. Even for a fee (reasonable), $50 a month for family insurance. I had to have surgery, and even after Medicare, I still had to pay approximately $2,000. My brother-in-law has had bypass surgery with no insurance and not old enough for Medicare. He has a bill of $47,000 to pay off. 12. 1 do not understand why the No. 1 priority is not health. 13 .1 believe giving spouses medical benefits would ease family stress and tension. 14 .1 would like to see ancestral herbal remedies sent in and published in the Siletz News. 15. A&D program needs to be revamped to include a more effective treatment model, more effective aftercare, and more family involvement. Step up efforts for elder group home and tourism facilities. 16. Out-of-service-area health care to our elders is very important. 17. Is there some way that we can put all our tribal members into a health care program? 4. 1. Land Acquisition 1. Acquiring land along Rogue River for tribal use and/or RV park would be a good move. 2. We need to increase land and resource base and encourage tribal members to become involved through education, training, or labor in managing those lands and resources. 2. Tribal Elders 1. Elders should be priority, should have monthly income, most are poor. 2. Set up pension for elders. 3. Think of the elders; we only have them for a short time. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. 14 Health Care The pharmacy program is good but it needs to be expanded to include a larger yearly dollar limit eventually. All health care and nursing home expenses covered someday. Prescription program is wonderful. Currently limit is $400/year. Could this be raised to $500 or $600, especially for seniors/elders? 5. Community Facilities ICW should be one of the most important priorities. Get our children out of homes where parents don’t give them the support and love they need and deserve, instead of giving parents chance after chance. They only succeed in doing physical and emotional harm. The children are our future. Although I think the Tribal Council does the best job to their abilities, maybe our tribe would benefit from “outside” advisors. They would not have the pressures that members have from family and friends. I believe that they could be more objective to our tribe’s goals and problems. After all, we are looking for the best for our tribe. Appoint or hire staff or Council representative to Department of Corrections adult and juvenile. There are increasing numbers of tribal members being sentenced for lengthy sentences. There should be something done for handicapped people, a place where they can do something. We are taking on new programs - example TANF and yet we in the Portland area have less people working now than before. We used to have social service worker in Portland and we need this position. We also had two employment counselors and ’ assistant. We now have only one employment person doing more. How can we do a very good job?
