Siletz news /, October 01, 2002, Page 3, Image 3

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Tribal Budget Process
During the past month, the Siletz
Tribal Council has been carrying out
one of its most important functions as
a tribal government - the tribal budget
process. It’s not a simple matter of the
council deciding how much funding
each department should get.
It is, for our Siletz Council, an
intensive process that spans several
days. The general manager and every
tribal department tells the council what
has happened the prior year, what is
currently being done, and what the
unmet priority needs will be the coming
year. It is, after all, the staff who are in
daily contact with the grassroots
community members. They are the
ones who know what their needs are
and what will be required to address
those needs.
It would be great if we had
unlimited resources to meet all unmet
tribal needs. But the reality is that the
Tribal Council must make prudent and
very difficult budget decisions based on
tribal priorities and limited resources.
Robert Kentta was very much
involved. Council members JoAnn
Miller and I represented the Siletz Tribe
at this dedication ceremony. Grand
Ronde officials also participated.
Fort Hoskins was established to
protect the Indians against the hostility
and violence of the white settlers.
Although historically proven to be not
effective in protecting the Indians, Fort
Hoskins at least was intended to
serve that purpose. (See related story
on page 6.)
Chairman Delores Pigsley
It’s a complex and difficult re­
sponsibility that our council takes
very seriously.
Dedication of Fort Hoskins
A significant event took place
last month relating to the history of
the Siletz Tribe: the dedication of
Fort Hoskins, the result of eight years
of planning.
National Indian Council
on Aging
Thirty-seven members of the Siletz
Tribe joined many other tribes from
across the country to attend the
National Indian Council on Aging in
Albuquerque, N.M. Siletz repre­
sentatives participated in many
productive meetings that addressed
a wide variety of issues on aging.
Back to School
Another school year has begun.
Don’t think that my granddaughter
hasn’t reminded me of that and the fact
that we adults need to be involved.
“Come visit me at school, Grandma,”
she says - and she’s right.
As parents and grandparents, we
need to be involved in our children’s
education. While the Tribal Council
considers education a high priority
as reflected in our tribal programs,
our responsibilities as parents and
grandparents - as adults - need to
go beyond just the funding of
education programs.
Teachers, counselors, and school
administrators often tell us that one of
the best ways of motivating our children
to leam is by showing an active interest
in their education, both inside and
outside the school. The amount of
interest and concern we demonstrate
as parents and grandparents is
bound to reflect on our children’s
own attitude toward education and
their achievements.
25th Anniversary
Restoration - A Reminder
Finally, though the 25th Anniversary
Restoration isn’t until next month,
I want to remind all of you to mark
Nov. 16 on your calendars so we can
all be together to celebrate this special
event. (See details on page 7.)
To the editor:
I would like to tell you about a very special daughter. She is only 16, but
very special.
She works very hard to make us, her parents, proud of her. She gets upset
when she gets a B in school. She volunteered to stay after school to put the flag
away with the janitor because he would just wad it up and throw it in a comer of
the school office. So every day last year, she stayed until he would come out and
fold the flag up and put it away.
We moved over here a year ago and she could not get on the Youth Police
Explorer Program here because of her age. She could go to some of their
programs, which she did, waiting to turn 16 so she could apply again. But the sad
part was that there were so many 17- and 18-year-olds, she didn’t get on with
them here again.
The Indian Youth Academy came up and she applied to go, even though she
had never been that far away from family or flown in an airplane. Miranda
and Nick at the Springfield office wrote nice letters of recommendation and she
was accepted. She went and had a great time and met some very nice law
enforcement people.
She has wanted to be in law enforcement for the last three years. When she
came home from California, she called the Coburg Police and finally got to join
the Youth Explorer Program there. She watches her nephew, who lives with us,
every day until we get home from work. She loves her family, her country, and
tries to never get into trouble.
We just want her to know how proud we are of her and how much she is loved
by all of the family.
Odessa Smart, you do us proud. Thank you for being our daughter.
Love you, Mom and Dad
Ronnie and Juanita Smart
October 2002
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Siletz News
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