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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2000)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor: On behalf of the Siletz Valley Partnership, and myself, I would like to thank you (letter originally sent to Delores Pigsley) for honoring our request for funding a summer art program. The grant for $800 will make it possible for us to begin our program right away. I am excited to discover that parents would like to be involved with their children during the classes. One of our goals for the community of Siletz is to discover ways to draw families together in healthy activities. At the end of our summer classes, we will have a “Siletz Community Art Show” to celebrate our accomplishments. We hope you will be available to attend. (Date to be announced.) We thoroughly enjoyed the fifth anniversary celebration and the excitement of receiving the charitable donation. The Siletz Valley Partnership is impressed and thankful for all the tribe contributes to our community. Sincerely, Kathryn I. Stewart SVP Coordinator/Developer To the editor: LETTERS, DEADLINES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS All letters received will be printed except those that are slanderous or racist. Please type or write legibly. No profane language will be printed. The Siletz News and tribal government accept no responsibility for statements made in these letters. The opinions expressed are those of the individuals writing them. Letters of excessive length may be edited for length as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #96-142. All letters must include your name, address, phone number, and signature. Send letters to: Siletz News P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380 541-444-8291 1-800-922-1399, ext. 291 Fax: 541-444-2307 e-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us In the July issue of “Nesika lllahee,” Delores Pigsley is informing tribal members of the illegal use of casino net revenues. Apparently, Tribal Council members, except for Reggie Butler, have spent casino money for personal use. Mike Darcy, former Council member, also was named. Now that they have actually been caught in the casino “comps cookie jar,” they blame everyone else, especially the tribal elders, which is a shameful lie. Please note: The general manager of the Siletz Tribe is the editor- in-chief of Siletz News. The Tribal Council wrote out personal comps to each other and family members for use that falls outside of any tribal business. Delores Pigsley tries to make out that nothing has been done out of the ordinary day-to-day business behavior. Not! Editor-In-Chief: Brenda Bremner Editor: Diane Rodriquez Delores Pigsley is purposely and seriously misinforming tribal members about the illegal use of comps. As the National Indian Gaming Commission Notice of Violation points out, this kind of individual access to gaming assets needs to be changed. They’ve ordered to establish rules to prohibit only one person being able to authorize the spending of gaming revenues. Deadline for the September issue is Aug. 10. Photos are encouraged. Craig Dorsay, the tribal attorney, is advising the Tribal Council to fight the federal Everyone’loves to see photos of events, tribal members, and especially babies. Don’t forget those birthday or anniversary wishes for loved ones. The newsletter is free to enrolled Siletz Tribal members. For all others, a $12 annual subscription fee applies. Fill out this form and mail it with $12 (make check payable to Confederated Tribes of Siletz) to Siletz News. government, a risk of at least $250,000 of gaming profits each day in fines. If the profits this year are anything like the $1.3 million in 1999, the advice of the attorney will break the casino in about 5-6 days and could include closing down the casino. The Tribal Council attorney has lost millions of dollars for the tribe in bad contracts and lost court cases. This is the person who is going to win now? These Council members and the tribal attorney gave away tribal sovereignty with regards to net revenues when they agreed to give the state 6 percent of the net revenues in the tribal/state compact in 1999. When tribal members were asked in the 1999 survey if the Siletz Tribe should continue to oppose the state of Oregon’s assessment (6 percent of the net revenue), 64 percent voted to continue opposition. Again, the Tribal Council went Name:_________________________ _ Address:__________________ against the tribal members’ vote and allowed the state to “tax” gaming revenue. The current violations will cost the tribe $138,000. Where is this money going to come from? From the timber revenues? Therefore, the tribal members will lose a total of $276,000 out of casino profits and our timber revenues, having to repay the amount these individuals misused. Not to mention the tribal attorney's excessive fees for giving bad advice. It seems the only encroachment upon our tribe is the greed of Tribal Council! If there is nothing to hide, then provide tribal members with the specific detailed charges and the replies that Tribal Council makes. Lori A. Johnson 2 Phone:(____ )__________________ _ z >.. ■'’V'• ' * Change of address on your newsletter: Tribal members call Lisa Norton, enrollment clerk, at 541 -444-8258; all others, call the newsletter office at 541-444-8291 and leave your new address with the editor.
