LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the editor:
My name is Lillie (Logan) Butler
and I am running again for Tribal Council.
If re-elected, I am willing to continue
serving the Siletz Tribal membership.
I am always available to take calls
and return calls to the membership. I
follow up on the situations at hand and
will continue to do so if re-elected.
The Comprehensive Plans done in
the 1980s and again done in the 1990s
listed health, education, housing, and
economic development as important
programs. Economic development
is not a program, but is business
development. Profitable businesses can
assist in adding dollars to increased
health care, more money going into
education, and increased housing
development. Increased dollars are
To the editor:
My name is Loraine Y. Butler and
I’m running for Tribal Council again
for the 2004 elections.
My father was Bruce Butler Jr. and
my mother is Martha Case Moody.
I live in tribal housing here in Siletz.
I’ve worked for the tribe for over 10
years, counting the two years I worked
at the smokehouse in Depoe Bay.
A lot of you might know who I am
because I work in the Enrollment office
as the Enrollment clerk.
I have five children and 11
grandchildren. Three of my children
work at Chinook Winds.
I feel that I could make a positive
difference to the Tribal Council if I’m
elected. Since I live in tribal housing,
work for the tribe, and have children who
work at the casino, I have knowledge
of what goes on inside of the tribe. This
is knowledge that you acquire from
being a part of this community.
Chinook Winds Casino is our
tribe’s largest investment. It was built
to employ our tribal members, yet out
of 764 employees, only 90 of them are
tribal members. I have heard horror
stories of tribal members who have
applied for employment there and
couldn’t even get an interview. These
tribal members were denied an
interview because of their minor
criminal background.
It was brought out in the General
Council meeting that minor records
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necessary for youth employment, the
Elders Program - which has increased
participation, the summer intern
program, health, and housing.
There are problems with programs
that offer service and employment to
the tribal membership and I will con
tinue to work diligently at increasing
equitable treatment to the membership.
I am willing to work on getting a bet
ter future for the Siletz Tribe. I am asking
for your vote at the upcoming election.
I also encourage you to vote or reg
ister to vote in your cities, county, and
state elections. It is important to have
the support of the cities, counties, and
state for working on Siletz Tribal affairs.
Lillie Butler
were not to affect our tribal members’
chances to work there. Yet it continues
to happen. All tribal members deserve
a chance to better themselves. If
Chinook Winds would hire our
members, they wouldn’t have to rely on
the tribe for their livelihood.
Although I believe our Tribal
Council works very hard to do a good
job, they have taken the power away
from the people (General Council).
There have been resolutions voted on
and passed by the General Council at
General Council meetings that were just
disregarded like someone’s trash. We’re
called the advisory board. But our
advice falls on deaf ears.
The drug and alcohol abuse has
become such a problem in our housing
that the Tribal Council passed a resolu
tion giving the Housing Department
power to come into our homes at any
time without notice to do an emergency
house inspection. This is not right.
We have tribal police. Why are they
not working with the Lincoln County
police department to crack down on
drug houses? All tribal homeowners
should not have to pay for what a few do.
I have other issues that I will talk
about in the Tribal Voter’s Pamphlet.
Remember to register to vote. Your
vote counts. You can do so by writing to
the Election Board at the tribe’s address.
Thank you,
Loraine Y. Butler
December 2003
To the editor:
On Nov. 1, I had the privilege of
attending the General Tribal Council
meeting in Siletz. During presentations
from some of our General Council
people, repeated interruptions by Tribal
Council members clouded some of
the messages. For our democratic
government to survive, it is essential
that the people be allowed their right
to speak.
It is important that the Tribal
Council members not interrupt or
correct speakers during their speeches.
Joan Bensell Fisher
To the editor:
My parents (elder young) visited
this holiday season. I kissed them good
bye and watched until they disappeared
from site while sending a prayer along
to watch over them.
Do we ever grow up as kids in the
eyes of our parents? They respect us as
adults and I like to think cherish us as
their child or children.
With mother’s many traveled miles
and the many visits with family and
friends along her journey, she still made
time to attend our General Tribal Council
meeting on Nov. 1,2003,where I declared
my candidacy for Tribal Council.
I was so honored with my family
there. It was good visiting with other
tribal members and sharing a wonderful
lunch served to all. Thank you to those
who worked behind the scenes to make
this possible.
Listening to our guest speakers and
those who voiced their concerns, I have
a great amount of respect. If we are
going to wade through some murky
waters, we all need to be in the trenches!
Strength comes from within each and
every one of us. I challenge others to
get involved.
I look forward to visiting with you
this holiday season along the campaign
trail.
Merry Christmas,
Eva E. Clayton
To the editor:
We would like to take the time to
thank the Northwest Indian Veterans
Association (NIVA) Portland/Vancouver
Chapter for their most recent generous
donation of salmon to our tribal elders
in the Portland, Salem, and Eugene areas.
The NIVA members are Darrell
Eastman, president; Alvey Seeyouma,
vice-president; Jack Quincy, treasurer;
Lisa Graham, secretary; Stevie Thomas,
sergeant at arms; Dave Smith, chaplain;
Dan Foster, office director; and Arlene
Stokes, office secretary, as well as
the members/associate members:
Billy Robinson, Nanette Robinson,
Koda Robinson, John Campbell, Ted
Skinner, Sande Allman, Shanon
Anzjon, Darren Black, Frank Dean,
James Fuson, John Halfmoon, Dave
Hancock, Vickie Hart, John Heed,
Sheryl Juber, Marcella Kantjas, John
King, Sheila Kirk, Ron Murphy, Gisela
Patterson, Sarah Patterson, Karen
Patterson, Harold Paul, Payne Family,
Pam Philpot, Rudy Padora, Anthony
Quenelle, Jesse Quenelle, Diana
Rogers, Randy Schanck, Jessica
Schreiber, Sherry Scott, Tony Vader, Iva
Walker, and Vicki Whalen.
Our elders tell us that the salmon
is our brain food, as the Siletz are
salmon people. We thank you, our
veterans, for all that you do for us, our
heroes of yesterday, today, and
tomorrow. Many blessings! Hum’Chi.
Selene Rilatos
CTSI Jobs
CTSI Employment Job Line
541-444-8296 or
1-800-922-1399, ext. 296
Visit our Web site at
http://ctsl.nsn.us
Note: “Open Until Filled”
vacancies may close at any time.
The tribe’s Indian Preference
policy will apply. Tribal government
will not discriminate in selection
because of race, creed, age, sex,
color, national origin, physical
handicap, marital status, politics,
membership or non-membership in
an employee organization.