CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
As usual, there are many issues that
the Tribal Council must deal with,
running the entire gamut from tribal
education and gaming to health,
economic development, etc. Each one
is extremely important to our tribe. But
there are two very important items that
I wish to address in this report that
currently demand the attention of the
Siletz Tribe, one of which affects tribes
across the country.
First is the Siletz Tribe’s general
election; the other concerns high
priority issues that were on the agenda
of the 58th annual session of the
National Congress of American Indians
(NCAI), which was held in Spokane
during the last week of November.
Regarding the election, there are,
once again, three seats that will need to
be filled, each for three-year terms.
As in past elections, I again urge
our tribal members to be knowledgeable
about the issues and to carefully
evaluate the qualifications of each
candidate - whether he or she possesses
the knowledge, experience, and
competence to be on the Tribal Council.
As before, I again remind our members
that whoever is the candidate of their
choice, it’s not only a privilege, but also
the duty, of every eligible tribal member
Chairman Delores Pigsley
to vote. It’s not enough to sit back and
talk about the election - but to exercise
that right and to vote!
Regarding the NCAI conference,
numerous priority issues were discussed
in general as well as individual breakout
sessions. These included everything
from welfare reform reauthorization,
opportunities for energy development,
housing, tribal gaming, health, and
economic development opportunities to
the 2002 Interior Appropriations Act.
We, the six Siletz delegates, could
not possibly attend all meetings, so we
split up according to our individual
tribal responsibilities and special areas
of interest and concern, attending as
many meetings as we could.
Two issues, considered to be of
highest priority to all tribes, included
(1) the
highly controversial
restructuring of the Interior Department,
specifically the transfer of trust asset
management responsibilities to the
proposed Bureau of Indian Trust Assets
Management and (2) recent develop
ments that threaten tribal sovereignty.
NCAI delegates were enraged about
the fact that contrary to established
federal policy, Indian tribes were not
consulted about the administration’s
intent to drastically restructure trust
services in the Department of Interior.
This restructuring is feared to have
far-reaching, adverse consequences
for tribes.
Tribal officials felt that the presence
of department officials, representing
Secretary Gale Norton, to discuss this
issue with NCAI delegates made a
mockery of the long-established
consultation policy. In the opinion
of tribal delegates, Norton’s
representatives were there to “consult”
with tribes after the fact and were just
going through the motions.
NCAI has scheduled follow-up
meetings to determine what actions the
tribes and NCAI need to take to address
this critical issue.
The other issue of major concern
to Indian tribes across the country
is the increasing threat to tribal
sovereignty. This is evident in the
animosity and actions of some state
and local governments toward Indian
tribes, continued congressional
efforts to legislatively weaken tribal
sovereign powers, and a number of
recent court decisions.
Considerable discussion was
devoted to the question of how NCAI,
other Indian organizations, and Indian
tribes, individually and collectively, can
effectively address this growing threat.
On the home front, the Siletz Tribe
was fortunate in hiring back Dale Hile
as the tribal planner. Dale was the first
tribal planner who was primarily
responsible for putting together the first
Comprehensive Plan more than 20 years
ago. On page 7, Dale gives his
perspective of what has happened to the
Siletz Tribe since he was here last.
I want to personally wish everyone
a very Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year.
To the editor:
How long are we going to sit back and take eating it from the Tribal Council?
We need to vote and get a new council.
I am very outraged and disappointed in the Tribal Council, how they sit around
and act like god and give themselves titles of royalty. They need to get their heads
out of the clouds and come back to reality and remember where they come from.
They have really acted disgraceful toward our people.
It’s really sad that a lot of our low-income tribal members’ per capita was
voted out because of what little menial money they get to live on monthly was
decided was enough. I for one am very disgusted at how our Tribal Council sits
around deciding on how to keep our tribal members down and out whenever it
comes to help or money. Is the per capita counted as government money now too?
I thought that our casino was built to benefit all our people.
It’s gotten so bad that even with all the money from the casino, we can’t even
get medical or dental help unless you get on a waiting list, which could last at
least a month or longer. Some people can’t wait that long. What’s happening to all
the money to help our people? The people from the city of Lincoln City and all
over the state get more than our own people. To the Tribal Council, you need to
start helping your own more.
There were a lot of people who are very unhappy and disappointed by the big
swift kick in the face they received, rather than their per capita. They will not be able
to have the Christmas they were hoping for. Thanks a lot, Tribal Council, and at least
maybe you’ll have a Merry Christmas because a lot of tribal members won’t.
F. Lin Flores
January 2002
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Siletz News
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