VICE CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
To the editor:
1 am writing as a concerned tribal
member. I have lived in Siletz all of my
life and witnessed the beginning of tribal
restoration. Two main concerns are:
1) Election. The tribe’s election will
be here shortly. It is important that all
eligible tribal members vote. The Tribal
Council makes all the decisions of the
tribe. As long as I’ve known, the General
Council really has nothing to say.
When Tribal Council gets elected
or re-elected, you will notice that the
Tribal Council puts them above the
General Council. As a tribal member, I
have concerns and I want answers, and
the administration is not doing their job.
I should be able to go to any Tribal
Council representative and get some
answers. I don’t believe in “a Tribal
Council official saying that they do not
get involved in personal problems.”
Tribal Council needs to remember if it
weren’t for the people, they wouldn’t
have gotten there in the first place.
The Tribal Council has made a lot
of wrong decisions for us. Tribal
members who live on the outside don't
know all the facts. In the Siletz Tribal
newspaper, you only read the great
things about the tribe. We have lost a
lot of money due to the wrong decision
of the Tribal Council.
We also will be voting on the Tribal
Council getting a pay raise. I feel now
is not the time for a pay raise. Our tribal
programs are not meeting every tribal
member needs. Our pharmacy benefit
is very little. Chinook Winds tribal
member employees are not covered by
health insurance, like the tribal employ
ees are. I could go on, but I won’t.
2) Hiring. I always hear that Siletz
Tribal members are priority in hiring
for the Siletz Tribe and Chinook Winds
Casino. That is not true. Every tribal
member should be given a chance.
At the Siletz Tribe, there is too
much unfairness. For a true example,
two tribal members with education
applied for the same job and one tribal
member with no education and no office
skills also applied for the same job.
Who got the job? The tribal member
who has no education and office skills.
Why? Because of who she is. Is that
fair? Absolutely not. The HR does have
a person who is very prejudiced against
Indians. Nepotism should be forbidden
and if applied, the person(s) should be
immediately terminated. If our own
don’t care, then who will?
A proud Native inside and out,
Joella Strong
January USDA Distribution Dates
Salem
Siletz
Monday, Jan. 5
Tuesday, Jan. 6
Wednesday, Jan. 7
Thursday, Jan. 8
Friday, Jan. 9
9
9
9
9
9
a.m. - 3
a.m. - 3
a.m. - 3
a.m. - 3
a.m. - 3
p.m
p.m
p.m
p.m
p.m
Happy New Year! We hope you
enjoyed the holidays and are ready to
begin an exciting, happy, and healthy
new year.
We would like to thank Laura
Duarte for preparing a delicious entrée
in December. This is her recipe:
Sweet Potato Peach Bake
3 -15 oz. cans of sweet potatoes (drained)
° cup brown sugar
’A cup chopped almonds
“ teaspoon cinnamon
° teaspoon salt
1 can sliced peaches (drained)
1° tbsp, butter
Tuesday, Jan. 20
Wednesday, Jan. 21
Thursday, Jan. 22
2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Combine brown sugar, almonds,
cinnamon, and salt. Drain sweet potatoes.
Separate brown sugar mixture in half.
Layer half the sweet potatoes in small
casserole dish, then sprinkle half the
brown sugar mixture over sweet
potatoes. Repeat. Dot with butter. Bake
covered in 35O°F oven for 30 minutes.
Uncover. Put drained peaches on top.
Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.
This is a good side dish to go with
a holiday meal, all out of your
commodities. Enjoy! Happy meals!
I think I express not only my own,
but the sentiment of all members of
the Tribal Council when I wish all of
you a very Happy New Year and hope
that your Christmas was a merry and
memorable one!
The Siletz Tribe had a very good
2003. I’m proud to say that your Tribal
Council was able to work with a sense
of unity and common purpose.
Although we council members
naturally had differences of opinion
among us, we always felt, in the end,
the need to work together as a team.
Motivated by that spirit, we were able
to accomplish a lot for the tribe.
The past year was successful from
the standpoint of social and economic
accomplishments. Our timber sale and
Chinook Winds, which generated
substantially more revenue than
previous years, helped enhance our
tribal programs and services.
We also moved slowly but steadily
forward with our economic devel
opment efforts. Because we know how
important it is for our tribe’s future to
diversify our economic base, we’ve
been setting aside sufficient funds
from gaming for investments and
economic development.
Jessie Davis
As the year 2004 begins, we face
new and continuing challenges. In the
face of many unmet tribal needs,
obstacles continue to impede our prog
ress, such as the uncertainty of federal
funding of Indian programs and the
ever-present threat posed by anti
Indian and anti-lndian gaming forces.
But the Siletz Tribal Council will,
with the support of our members, as
it always has, face and overcome
these obstacles with renewed strength
and determination.
TLC Displays Attitude of Gratitude
The Women’s Transitional Living
Center would like to express its gratitude
to the following individuals and organ
izations for their generous support:
To our overnight volunteers: Jackie
Ashley, Jennifer Metcalf, Linda Tough,
Tina Retasket, Janice Cameron, and
Joan Hartung.
To the Culture Department: Craig
Whitehead, Bud Lane, and Robert
Kentta for spiritual blessings and
smudging, and to Selene Rilatos for
skills sharing and support.
To the following for other dona
tions of time, skills, or items: Lisa
Brown for time and donations, Cathy
Russell for much-needed supplies,
Siletz Valley Partnership and Sunshine
Keck for baking pans.
Oregon Coast Quilters Guild for
lovely handmade quilts and comforters,
Mike Kennedy and his Natural Re
sources staff for wood and a perfect
Christmas tree, Pam Ben for hygiene
supplies, and the Public Works
Department for its “fix-it” jobs.
Also, thank you to the A&D staff
for continued support and to the women
of the community who share in the
monthly Women’s Talking Circle. We
so appreciate all of you.
The TLC operates on a very tight
budget. Any and all donations of paper
products (paper towels, toilet paper,
plastic wrap, foil, storage and freezer
bags); hygiene supplies (shampoos and
conditioners, tampons or pads, bath and
skin products, etc.); cleaning supplies
(Dawn dish soap, laundry detergent,
stain removers, furniture polish, tile
cleaner, dryer sheets, etc.); and fresh,
frozen, and canned food items would
be greatly appreciated.
Call Lynn Whitlow at 541 -444-8238
for information or to make a donation.
We will hold a volunteer training in
January. Any interested women should
call Lynn. Happy New Year to all!
January 2004 □
Siletz News
□
5