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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2003)
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Last month, we celebrated the 26th anniversary of the restoration of the Siletz Tribe. It was a day to recall the dark days of termination, reminisce about our successful but difficult struggle to be restored, and celebrate our achievements since restoration. We reminded ourselves that we had much for which to be thankful. And as we counted our blessings, we were particularly mindful of the hundreds of Indian families made home less by the fires in Southern California as they fled the burning inferno with only the shirts on their backs. The suf fering of others - our fellow Indians - helped put into perspective how fortunate we are, and how humble and thankful we should be for what we have. Since I’ve been chairman and with active Tribal Council involvement, we became the first in Oregon, and within the first 20 in the nation, to become a self-governance tribe. As such, we’re able to exercise greater self- determination and flexibility in operating federal programs and funds. More than 10 years ago, the council decided to pursue gaming. Chinook Winds has become a highly successful gaming enterprise despite fierce competition from our close neighbor, which has a greater metropolitan market area to draw from. [ j Chairman Delores Pigsley Our gaming revenues have enabled us to create and dispense housing grants, and establish an Economic Development department that is implementing plans for diversifying our tribe’s economic base. Chinook Winds has made possible the funding of endowments, the interests from which will be used to enhance health, education, and culture programs. A wide variety of programs now are available for our elders, including many trips for entertainment, education, special programs, and Wal-Mart gift cards for whatever purchases the elders wish. And of course, we were able to distribute nearly 2,000 computers to 2004 Charitable Contributions Advisory Board The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon has established a Charitable Contributions Advisory Board to distribute profits from Chinook Winds Casino. The advisory board will consist of one Siletz Tribal Council member, three Siletz Tribal members, two non-tribal members from Lincoln County, and one member of the gerenal public from the tribe’s service area. Term of office is three years. Siletz Tribal members interested in serving on this committee must fill out the following form and return it to the address below by Jan. 30, 2004. Please send your application to Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon, Attn: Christine Goodell, P.O. Box 549, Siletz, OR 97380-0549; Fax: 541-444-2307 Name:____________________ —____________ Number: Address:----------------------- -------------------- —---------------------------------------- City:_____________________ - State: ZIP:--------------------- Telephone: (Day) ------ -------------------- (Evening)---------------------------------- Tribal Council will review applications and approve appointments at the I regular Tribal Council meeting on Feb. 20-21,2004. If you have any questions, I please call Christine Goodell at 1-800-922-1399, ext. 200, or 541-444-8200. I the Siletz Tribe, to express our concerns Siletz Tribal households that have about the proposed reorganization. helped put information at the fingertips You notice I used the term “so- of all tribal members, especially our called consultation.” This is because the school-age children. department had already decided to move And of great importance, out of the forward with its reorganization plan, total amount of gaming revenues which for one thing involved the creation generated for tribal use (called excess pledge gaming revenues), 35 percent of several new positions in Washington, annually is committed to per capitas. D.C., whether or not the tribes agreed. With Tribal Council oversight and In addition to expressing concern competent Chinook Winds manage that this wasn’t true consultation since ment, gaming revenues for tribal use decisions had already been made, I have significantly increased each year. asked specifically how the plan benefits This doesn’t mean that gaming tribes. No explanation was given. revenues will continue to increase in the Regarding funding, the assistant future. Many things will determine how secretary said that the new positions much Chinook Winds will make for us. would be paid out of carry-over funds It’s not only how it’s managed, but also and from FY2005 appropriations, market conditions. which should be directed to benefit New casinos are under way just Indian tribes. Further, she said she north of the Columbia River that may couldn’t promise that funds normally have an impact on our Oregon casinos. dedicated to tribal priority programs Also, enemies of tribes continue to be wouldn’t be used to implement the intent on destroying Indian gaming not reorganization plan. The fact is that the only at the national level, but here in cost of reorganization, totaling between Oregon as well. As chairman, it’s been $15 million and $24 million, would, if my responsibility to see that these issues shared with the tribes, help reduce our are dealt with. tribal unmet needs. Last month, Vice Chairman Jessie Our position is that carry-over Davis, council member Jane John, and funds and any new funds should be used I attended an Oregon Gaming Alliance for regional and field office positions meeting. We discussed with other tribal that assist and strengthen tribal leaders the recent and very serious anti governments, not central office staff. I Indian gaming activities in Oregon that said that to do anything different would have the potential of seriously be a step back in time. undermining Indian gaming. I concluded by stating that the And also last month, I wrote letters reorganization at this point is totally to the Senate Committee on Indian unrealistic since there is no real budget Affairs detailing the Siletz Tribe’s and the BIA has no real assurance there concerns about Senate Bill 1529 which, will ever be enough money to make if passed by Congress as written, will these changes. Further, I and other tribal be extremely harmful to Indian gaming. leaders firmly believe that decision Also, I suggested items to be added to making authority should reside in the the bill to strengthen Indian gaming. regional and field offices rather than in Not only has Indian gaming been Washington, D.C. in danger, but also the funding of Indian I include these comments from the programs and services. Recently, I Las Vegas meeting to show that the attended two special meetings where Siletz Tribe must deal with many tribal leaders expressed their concerns critical issues that are created not only about certain Indian issues. by outside anti-Indian forces, but by the In Washington, D.C., 1 was among tribal officials who laid out for con federal government itself. But over the years, I as tribal gressional leaders, including Sens. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and Hillary Clinton chairman with supportive Tribal Councils have dealt constructively and (D-N.Y.) that tribes have many critical unmet needs that Congress must some effectively with the many critical federal, state, and tribal issues that have how address. And also last month, I spoke confronted us. at the so-called consultation session in I believe, based on our strength as Las Vegas on BIA reorganization, con a tribe and as a people, that we can look vened by the Department of the Interior. I used the opportunity, as chairman of to the future with confidence. December 2003 □ ' V, / • ♦ > * ✓ Siletz News . □ V i ♦ * » 3 4
