CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Hotel Purchase
Although I have previously covered
the purchase of the Shino Inn hotel,
I would like to say a little more about
the fact that the purchase was a sound
business investment.
Since the tribe has taken over the
hotel, there has been a significant in
crease in hotel revenues over last year
under Shilo Inn’s management. Part of
the reason, of course, is the excitement
that the tribe’s purchase has created
generally - the fact that the hotel is now
under tribal ownership and operates
together with our already well-
established casino as part of the
Chinook Winds Casino Resort complex.
Jim Kikumoto, general manager of
the casino, has assumed management
of the hotel and now can manage the two
businesses in coordination with each
other - something we had wished we
could do for a long time. It’s now a reality!
While many tribal members were
in favor of the council’s action to purchase
the hotel, some also were opposed. By
and large, those who have contacted me
personally have generally been in favor.
The Tribal Council is elected to
make those hard decisions. After much
investigative work was done, we took
the initiative to purchase. The hotel is a
real asset and one of which we all can
be proud. As far as I know, the Quinault
Nation and our tribe have the only
beachfront casino resorts in the west.
I can assure our members that
acquiring the Shilo and establishing
Chinook Winds Casino Resort was a
sound economic investment which will
grow in value.
Critical Health Care
Issues
This year, because of a reduction
in Indian Health Service funding, we
have fewer Contract Health care dollars.
A substantial drop in services under the
Oregon Health Plan means there are
fewer dollars that we can bill for under
third-party billing.
In 2003, we had to resort early in
the year to Priority I health care, which
meant urgent and emergent services
only, for contract care within the 11-
county service area. For the past few
years, we subsidized health care with
gaming revenues.
A few years ago, we established a
health endowment from gaming
Chairman Delores Pigsley
revenues that we have allocated gaming
funds to every year (money that can
grow and be used at some point for
health needs).
Money that we get from IHS for
contact care can only be expended
within the 11-country service area; it
cannot be used outside the area. Funds
generated by the casino, however, can
be used either within or outside the area.
For the last few years, using revenues
generated by our casino, we have
provided health services for people who
live outside the service area. This year,
however, those funds ran out before
January 2004.
We added dollars on July 1 of this
year, but all of them were consumed the
very first day they became available,
something that has never happened in
the past.
Very soon, it’s likely we will again
be on Priority I for those in the 11 -county
service area.
As the cost of health care, including
prescription drugs, escalates, it
outpaces the cost of living, which also
outpaces the few appropriated health
dollars each year.
As we all know, health care is in a
major national crisis situation. And our
situation, as you can see from what I
have been saying, is, to put it mildly,
not good. All tribes across the U.S. are
fighting for adequate health care funds.
But the president and this adminis
tration have not been listening, even
though we have testified over and over
about our substantial needs.
Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota
tried to get tribes the full funding they
deserve but was outvoted in the Senate.
The bottom line for us is that we must
make prudent choices on what is spent
through the clinic Contract Health care.
We need to ensure that everyone
applies for any coverage for which they
may be eligible and that all available
Indian Health clinics are utilized.
In our service area, tribal members
can use the Siletz, Chemawa, or Grand
Ronde clinics. Members outside the 11
counties should find the nearest tribal
or IHS clinic. It’s possible that this
clinic can provide the service you need.
The Siletz Tribal Council has been
looking into the possibility of pur
chasing a health care plan that would
cover all members. The problem is that
the cost of such plans is prohibitive at
this time.
Judy Muschamp, our health
director, has instituted, however, a way
to save some funds on prescription
drugs by becoming our own mail order
prescription manager. We will realize
substantial savings by using generic
drugs and providing our own mail
order service.
We welcome any ideas you may
have on this subject. There is one way
you can help - go to the polls in
November and support Indian-friendly
senators and representatives for the area
in which you live. Two-thirds of our
population lives in the service area and
the other one-third lives all over the
U.S. Every single vote will count in the
upcoming election.
Today, Native American caucuses
exist in both the House of Representa
tives and the U.S. Senate. Senators and
representatives of both parties who
belong to these caucuses assist tribes
in many ways, mostly by making,
reviewing, protecting, and changing
laws so they are beneficial to Indian
tribes and Indian people. It’s imperative
that we support those who are aggres
sively assisting tribes and protecting
our sovereignty.
Please be an informed voter at the
polls in November.
casino in Cascade Locks. But he made
no announcement because he had not
yet made a decision. It’s still on the front
burner, he said. There are supporters as
well as those who are opposed and he
said he will continue to work with both
sides until the issue is settled.
Several people from Cascade Locks
also attended who must have been
disappointed that the governor had not
yet made a decision favorable to the
tribe and Cascade Locks.
Tribal Council members attended
the opening of the Coos Tribe’s Three
Rivers Casino. The casino is a Sprung
structure, a temporary tent-like facility
much like our original casino.
The interior, which included a nice
dining area, was professionally deco
rated; there was no mistaking it for a
genuine casino. It was a long time
coming, but with the Coos Tribe now
having a casino, all nine Oregon tribes
have casinos.
We wish them the best of luck in
their new business.
Other Tribal Events
Approval of Minutes
Several council representatives
and I attended the annual Pi Um Sha
activities in Warm Springs this year. We
enjoyed a lovely dinner hosted by the
Warm Springs Tribal Council at Kah-
Nee-Ta Lodge.
In attendance were many friends of
the Warm Springs Tribe, including Gov.
Ted Kulongoski and his staff. Every
one sat expectantly as the governor
addressed the tribe’s request to build a
Program Reports
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General Council
Meeting
Aug. 7,2004
Siletz Tribal
Community Center
Siletz, Oregon
1 p.m.
Call to Order
Invocation
Roll Call
Approval of Agenda
Housing: Terry Fisher
Enrollment: Loraine Butler
Tribal Member Concerns
. August 2004 □
Chairman’s Report
Announcements
Adjournment
Siletz News
□
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