CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Tribe Hosts National
EPA Conference
Chairman Delores Pigsley
In a previous issue of Siletz News,
we reported that a study to determine the
tribe’s social and economic impact on
Lincoln County and Chinook Winds’ impact
on Lincoln City had been launched by the
Portland-based economic research firm,
ECONorthwest, under a tribal contract.
The results of ECONorthwest’s
study were reported to the media at a press
conference held at Chinook Winds on
March 29. Following my report of important
current tribal activities, I will share with you
what I said in my introductory statement at
that press conference, which includes
highlights of the study.
Organization and Planning
for Tribal Housing
in Process
Assistance and Self Determination Act
(NAHASDA) administered by HUD, which
Congress passed more than a year ago,
tribes are required to develop a five-year
plan and annual plans.
The Siletz Tribe has completed its
five-year plan. We are in the process of
defining our goals and objectives over the
long term and a plan for the current year.
Our tribe also is in the process of
bringing the Siletz Indian Housing Authority
under tribal administration. Initially, our
organizational structure required the
Housing Authority to be separate from tribal
administration. Revised federal regulations,
however, allow a housing authority to be
under tribal administration which will, among
other things, improve policy and program
coordination.
We will report on these changes in
greater detail in upcoming issues of
Siletz News.
us today to respond to your questions.
I’d like to step back a moment and
remind you that five years ago, when the
The Siletz Tribe has been selected I Siletz Tribe began planning for the
to host the Fifth National Tribal Conference development of a gaming center in Lincoln
on Environmental Management at Chinook City, there was great apprehension among
Winds during the second week of May. This
some people in Lincoln City that a gaming
event is sponsored by the Environmental center in their midst would have serious
Protection Agency (EPA).
negative financial and social impacts.
In magnitude, this conference will be
The Siletz Tribe agreed to have a
comparable to the BIA conference that the reliable study conducted by a credible
Siletz Tribe hosted last year. That conference
research firm to determine what, exactly, the
brought together Department of Interior impacts would be.
officials, BIA area directors, and agencies
Ladies and gentlemen, what our
from across the country.
economic impact study reveals is that
We are proud that we were selected contrary to those earlier concerns, the Siletz
to be involved in coordinating this major, Tribal government and our Chinook Winds
national EPA conference that will again bring Casino & Convention Center are making
together tribal, federal, and state government significant positive contributions to Lincoln
officials from across the country.
City and Lincoln County. These contributions
translate into jobs filled by Indians and non
Indians alike, economic stimulus to scores
Siletz Tribe Releases
of businesses in the area, and all of this
ECONorthwest Report
accomplished with no adverse social
The following is the statement that I consequences.
made at the March press conference,
In fact, the economic contributions
highlighting the ECONorthwest study. The
made by the tribal government and Chinook
press conference was attended by several Winds become even more meaningful in
major media representatives and resulted
light of the fact that two of the major
in excellent coverage for the tribe, especially
industries in the coastal area, timber and
in the Lincoln County newspapers, KOIN/
fisheries, declined substantially in recent
TV, KGW/TV and Oregon Public Radio. We
years, a scenario that produced high
regret that the article in the Salem
unemployment and a depressed economy.
Statesman-Journal, however, was
In addition, the study addresses
apparently the basis of an Associated Press
several myths surrounding Indian gaming
story that was picked up by The Oregonian.
that corroborate our decision to locate the
It included unfounded statements by
casino in Lincoln City.
disgruntled residents who led the failed No
I think it’s important to be reminded
Casino campaign five years ago.
that when the Siletz Tribe fell victim to the
We are distributing copies of the full
now universally discredited Termination
report to selected individuals. They will be Policy of the 1950s, this piece of trust
able to read for themselves the conclusions
property on which Chinook Winds now
reached by ECONorthwest, a highly stands was, at that time, property owned
credible economic research firm and the by a tribal member and part of our
largest one in the Northwest.
reservation. Because of termination, this
Copies are available for anyone to
parcel was converted to fee patent and
read in the Portland, Salem, and Eugene taken out of Indian ownership in 1956.
area offices. You can obtain a copy of the
The tribe was not restored as a
40-page report by writing to Kelley Ellis, federally recognized tribe until 1977, and in
Executive Secretary of the Tribal Council,
late 1994, through the determined efforts of
P.O. Box 549, Siletz, OR 97380.
the Siletz Tribe, this particular parcel was
restored by an act of Congress as part of
Press Conference
the Siletz Reservation and made eligible
for gaming.
Statement, March 29,2000
Although the Tribal Council was
The Tribal Council has called this press
confident that our gaming center would not
conference today to share with you the
negatively impact Lincoln City, we agreed
findings as reported in An Economic &
to have an unbiased impact study
Social Impact Study that was
conducted by a credible economic research
commissioned by the Council and prepared
firm. This Economic & Social Impact
by ECONorthwest, a highly credible
Study, which covers the period through
Portland-based economic research firm.
1998, is the result.
Robert Whalen, who directed the
research study for ECONorthwest, is with
(See ECONorthwest on page 21)
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