TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
The Siletz Reservation
20 Years Later
by Dale Hile, Tribal Planner
In April 1982, about 20 years ago,
the Siletz Tribe hired me as the
development director to serve as owner’s
representative for the construction of the
Government Hill Community Center
Project. The project cost $750,000, with
a $250,000 grant from HUD and a
$500,000 loan from the Farmers Home
Administration. Construction began in
the fall of 1982 and was completed the
following summer. The tribe paid off the
loan to FHA this year.
During the construction period,
I recall preparing the pow-wow grounds
for the upcoming 1983 Nesika Illahee
Pow-Wow. We had only $ 1,800 in savings
for the construction budget and Tribal
Council agreed to put sod on the pow
wow dance area west of the new center.
I ordered a load of sod and arranged
for the Tribal Youth Program to provide
the labor for one day. We had the
contractor grade the field and prepare
it for laying the 10,400 square feet of
grass. Dan Rilatos and I then rented a
ditching machine and purchased enough
PVC pipe to run a water line to the area
so we could water the new grass.
Last month, I drove up the
Government Hill road for the first time
in 20 years and it was breathtaking.
What a beautiful place! The tribe really
should be proud of its progress
since 1982. Some of the great
accomplishments that I can see are:
In 1982, the tribe had 1,083
enrolled tribal members, but today,
there are more than 3,600 members.
* In 1982, the tribal government
operating budget was less than
$600,000/year, with only about
34 employees.
* The annual administration budget
today is about $13.4 million, with
244 employees.
*
Congratulations!
Mona Fisher is named Employee of
the Year at the annual employee
holiday party on Dec. 14. A list of
other award winners will appear in
the February issue of Siletz News.
The easy-to-read, 56-page brochure is endorsed by two of the most trustworthy
entities for parents - the National PTA and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
It covers challenges parents face, how parents can influence their kids, opportunities
for starting a discussion, and what parents can do and say to keep their children
drug free. It also provides a list of resources and ways for parents to get involved
in community activities.
The brochure is being distributed through parent organizations, including the
National Parenting Association, National Families in Action, and the National
Fatherhood Initiative, as well as through community/civic organizations and
drug/alcohol prevention organizations throughout the country.
Free copies of the brochure are available via phone at 1-8OO-788-28OO;
request document #PHD884. To view the brochure, go to
www.theantidrug.com/pdfs/version3General.pdf.
Source: Media Campaign Flash is an initiative of the White House ONDCP.
The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign targets youth age 9-18 - especially
middle-school adolescents - parents, and other adults who influence choices young
people make to lead drug-free lives. For more information, check out
ww w. mediacampaign, org.
The Planning Department: Sherri Groh (l), Tom Chandler, Helen Cooper,
Michael Harris, and Dale Hile
Currently, Health and Human
Services programs provide
$9.4 million in service delivery:
Housing in the last two years has
provided about $6.5 million to meet
tribal member needs.
* Natural Resources had its first
timber sale in 1983 when the tribe
logged 2,489 million board feet
from Sugus Hill. The timber was
sold to Publishers Paper with net
revenues of $786,000. During the
past 20 years, the tribe has
harvested 73,437 MBF totaling
$22,026,323 in gross stumpage
value to the tribal treasury.
* In 1982, there was no gaming
enterprise. Today, Chinook Winds
Casino is a major force in the
county’s tourism industry, attracting
more than 475,000 extra visits per
year and generating $14.8 million
in sales for county business.
* In 1982, there was no tribal clinic.
*
Today, the tribe has a fully staffed
community health clinic that serves
non-tribal as well as tribal members.
I would like to congratulate the
tribal government and its people for
doing such a fine job in achieving your
goals since establishing the reservation.
As stated in the Siletz Indian
Reservation Plan, 1979, “The tribe’s
chief goal is to improve the lives of its
members by meeting their pressing
social needs and sustaining their sense
of pride in being Siletz Indians. A major
purpose of the reservation will be to
provide a place for tribal facilities and
to provide sufficient income to assure
tribal government of a permanent
existence, with the continuing ability
to address the problems faced by
tribal members.”
Overall, I believe the tribe has not
only fulfilled its vision reflected in the
1979 plan, but also has set the
foundation for the future.
CTSI Jobs
Position: Employment Services
Director
Department: ESP Department
Location: Siletz, Oregon
Salary: $17.03 per hour
Opening date; 12/12/01
Closing date: 1/11/02
CTSI Employment
Job Line
541-444-8296
1-800-922-1399, ext. 296
Visit our Web site at
http://ctsi.nsn.us
è
January 2002
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Siletz News
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