CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Tribal members who are eligible to
vote should have already mailed in
ballots for this year’s election. If you
haven’t yet voted, hopefully you’ll do
so by Feb. 7, the date of the Siletz Tribal
General Election.
Regardless of how you vote on
candidates for Tribal Council or on
ballot measures, I hope you’ll have
exercised your right to vote. The strength
of our sovereignty as a tribe depends
on how actively and well our members
participate in our democratic process.
When the new council takes
over, it will face new and continuing
social, economic, political, and other
challenges.
The overall economic development
plan that Tribal Council put together
with staff and tribal member input will
be refined and implemented. Among the
projects will be the Siletz Tribe’s
collaboration with the Grand Ronde
Tribe in developing the Chemawa
property in Keizer, just north of Salem,
that we now jointly own. The city of
Keizer recently won the lawsuit brought
by 1000 Friends of Oregon, which clears
one obstacle to development.
Although planning has been rela
tively slow because this project involves
two independent tribes, each with its
individual needs and priorities, we’ve
been making headway and a concrete
plan should take shape this year.
Also on the economic development
front, we have a number of other
projects pending. Our property for a
To the editor:
I wish to express my concern about
our Contract Health Services.
I visited the dentist in October for
a cleaning. I called Contract Health the
day before my appointment to get
an authorization number. Though it
was mid-workweek, the office was
strangely closed.
I went to my appointment at 8 a.m.
the next day and called Contract Health
immediately after my appointment. I
was told that I could not get an
authorization number because the
dental benefits had been suspended.
I received no personal notice telling
me that my benefits were not there. I
do not believe that a few sentences in
the middle of an article in a newsletter
is the proper way to notify tribal
members about a suspension of
services. I read the newsletter, but didn’t
see that part of the article. It was not in
bold, it was not highlighted.
I think a letter to each household
would have been more appropriate.
I would not have gone to the appoint-
ment had I known that my benefits were
not there.
I immediately put in an appeal. That
was over 90 days ago. My appeal has
not been heard. My bill will now be sent
to collections.
Contract Health is not able to tell
me when my appeal will be heard. I was
told that I could complain about my
appeal not being heard to the person
who would be hearing the appeal.
Would this not bias the outcome of the
appeal? I think this is unacceptable.
I know that Contract Health needs
more funding and does a great job with
the funding that they have, but more
needs to be done. I don’t think that
anyone should have to wait over 90 days
for an appeal or have their benefits
suspended without a personal notice.
We should all be taking care of each
other. I am very grateful for the benefits
that we do have and I hope that
situations like this do not arise in the
future for other tribal members.
Sincerely,
Autumn DePoe (Mahtas Ne)
C hair man Delores Pigs ley
proposed RV park on Logan Road
overlooking Chinook Winds is
currently before the Lincoln City
Council and our beautiful property that
sits on the shores of Devils Lake in
northeast Lincoln City is still awaiting
trust status designation.
We’re also negotiating for the
purchase of Lakeside Golf Course,
which is within a short distance of
Chinook Winds. The development of
the RV park and the golf course will help
round out our casino and convention
center as an outstanding multi-purpose
destination resort. Although many
rumors surround the golf course
purchase, that hasn’t yet occurred.
The Siletz Tribe will continue to be
involved with the state in promoting
Oregon tourism, a high priority of Gov.
Ted Kulongoski’s economic develop
ment initiative. In this connection, I
attended the tribal tourism workshop in
Coos Bay last month. Among the topics
discussed was the new motel room tax,
the revenues from which Oregon tribes
can use to help promote tourism in
the state.
Chinook Winds management
already has been working closely with
the Lincoln City and Lincoln County
business communities in promoting
tourism. The Siletz Tribe also will update
its Web site and put together a new tribal
tourism directory.
As for Chinook Winds, our tribal
enterprise has been a great success under
Jim Kikumoto’s expert management,
generating more revenues for tribal
purposes than ever before. And while
Chinook Winds has an unblemished
track record of complying with all federal,
state, and tribal laws, regulations, and
policies, there’s still a need to continue
to refine our regulatory organization.
The council also will be faced with
finding property appropriate for tribal
housing. In the area of health services,
as I indicated in Nesika lllahee, we need
to assure that the health needs of our
members are adequately addressed.
Inadequate funding has been a basic
reason, so the council’s challenge is
to try, somehow, to generate fresh
resources to meet our tribal needs.
And finally, in past issues of Siletz
News I ’ ve alerted you to the dangers posed
by anti-Indian and anti-Indian gaming
forces nationally and here at home. The
Siletz Tribal Council has been actively
involved with national, regional, and
state inter-tribal organizations to protect
our tribal interests.
The danger is no less real now than
it was when the Confederated Tribes of
Siletz Indians of Oregon had its original
Siletz Reservation decimated back in
the 1860s and ‘70s, and when we were
terminated in the 1950s. It behooves
council not only to be aware of the
dangers, but also to do everything
that’s necessary to protect our tribal
rights and sovereignty.
To the editor:
I have heard some concerns about
the pay raise for Tribal Council.
They are asking for $ 15.77 per hour,
a level 9. For a regular salary level 9,
you usually have to have college
education and years of experience.
What are the requirements to be on
Tribal Council?
You have to be at least 18 years old
and a tribal member. You do not have
to have a high school degree or college
degree; you are not required to have any
prior experience in any similar
positions. So why does Tribal Council
merit a salary level 9?
I think we should give Tribal Council
a pay raise and definitely benefits, but
only after the education and experience
requirements are raised. After all, there
aren’t many elders left who didn’t go
all the way through school to merit not
asking for education requirements.
These have been the most common
concerns I have had in speaking with
other tribal members.
Thank you.
Angella Robertson
February 2004 □
Siletz News
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