CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Commission on Indian
Services
NIGA Annual Meeting
Two meetings of national importance
to Indian tribes during the past couple of
months made it necessary for me to travel
from one end of the U.S. to the other - to
San Diego, Calif., and to Miami, Fla.
In April, I represented the Siletz Tribe
at the National Indian Gaming Associa
tion (NIGA) annual meeting in San Diego.
As readers of Siletz News know by now,
NIGA has become the most important
national inter-tribal organization that ad
dresses national Indian gaming issues.
NIGA just celebrated its 20th anniver
sary. It operates as a “clearinghouse and
educational, legislative, and public policy
resource to tribes,” specifically on Indian
gaming issues. Although NIGA's focus is
gaming, many of the issues in which it is
involved go beyond gaming.
NIGA, which represents more than
200 gaming tribes, complements and
works hand-in-glove on many issues with
the oldest, prestigious national inter-tribal
organization, the National Congress of
American Indians (NCAI). NCAI’s his
tory includes, among other important ac
tivities, mobilizing tribes during the 1950s
and 1960s against the federal govern
ment’s ill-conceived termination policy.
At the conference this year, Ernie
Stevens was re-elected chairman and Lyn
Valbuena was re-elected secretary, both
by acclamation. Their re-election con
firmed the confidence the NIGA mem
bers placed in them during their past terms
of office.
The next few years will be difficult
ones for Indian tribes because of a basi
cally conservative congress, courts, and
a huge federal deficit. It was encourag
ing, however, to hear presentations by
several senators and congressmen at the
conference who spoke on serious Indian
gaming issues and are committed to work
on behalf of Indian tribes.
To the editor:
My name is Renee Flores and I would
like to give much thanks to the CTSI A&D
and TLC programs, especially my coun
selor, Sandy Gordon, and TLC Coordi
nator Lynn Whitlow for helping me get
my life together after attending and gradu
ating from NARA. That in itself was a
life-changing program.
I also want to express my gratitude
to Valerie Hibdon for the support she gave
through the Self-Sufficiency Program.
I appreciate everyone who stuck with
me and helped me get my life on track.
Thank you,
Renee Joy Flores
Delores Pigsley
BIA/Tribal Budgets
On May 10-11, at the request of
Northwest Regional Director Stan
Speaks, I participated in a review of the
BIA budget at the BIA/Tribal Budget
Advisory Council meeting in Miami.
I filled in as a member of the budget
committee. We are all aware that federal
agencies are faced with budget cuts and
the Siletz Tribe is not immune from the
funding crisis. The BIA is asking the
tribes to assist in identifying where tribes
want the 2 percent (or more) budget cuts
to be made in their funds.
The meeting was animated and full
of lively discussion. The bottom line was
that tribes want increased budgets and do
not want to assist in cuts. A budget sub
committee was formed to deal with this
specific issue.
The advisory committee also called
for the removal of a deputy director who
has not been tribal-friendly. All regions
of the U.S. presented their priorities and
called for budget increases. A BIA offi
cial said that the amounts we are dealing
with have come down through the Secre
tary of Interior and the Office of Man
agement and Budget
The budget battle for 2007 isn’t over yet
and tribes agreed to work with congres
sional representatives to increase funds.
To the editor:
My name is Renee Flores and I want
to say thank you to the Indian Child Wel
fare staff.
I am saddened by hearing negative
feedback about the ICW program. My ex
perience of having my children taken
from me, because of my past behaviors,
was a nightmare. It has been a long and
painful road.
Finding that the Oregon DHS was not
working out for myself or my children, I
did some research as to the laws of the
Indian Child Welfare Act and took my
findings to ICW. They went to court for
me to help reunify my family.
As soon as they stepped in, that
reunification started to be fulfilled. Each
With Jessie Davis no longer on coun
cil, Dave Hatch has been named the offi
cial delegate to the Commission on Indian
Services representing the Siletz Tribe.
It might be good to review the back
ground of the commission. Briefly, the
commission was established by the leg
islature in 1975 to improve services to
Indians in Oregon.
There are 13 members appointed jointly
by the senate president and the speaker
of the house to two-year terms. All nine
Oregon tribes nominate candidates to
serve on the commission and they are then
officially appointed by the Legislature.
The commission has been in exist
ence for the past 30 years and actively
serves as the main forum in which Indian
concerns are aired. In 1996, Gov. John
Kitzhaber issued an executive order that
recognized tribes as sovereign govern
ments with which the state has govem-
ment-to-government relations. In 2001,
the legislature passed SB770, which codi
fied that executive order.
The commission therefore plays a
vital role in the tribe’s relationship with
the state of Oregon. We appreciate the
time and energy Jessie devoted to the
commission. We are confident that Dave
also will serve as a productive member
of the commission.
City of Toledo
The City of Toledo, just off Highway
20, is the closest neighboring town to
Siletz and has important connections to
the Siletz Tribe historically, educationally,
and economically. Because of this con
nection, I’m proud to say that Toledo has
become an inspiration to many small
towns in the west.
It now has beautiful floral displays
along the main street that have set the tone
for beauty/improvements. Our tribe has
sponsored one of the flower baskets. If
you have the opportunity to drive through
Toledo, please do so and view the beauti
ful flower baskets on display.
Chemawa Station
I am pleased to report that the joint
Siletz/Grand Ronde tribal project, the
Chemawa Station, in Salem is moving
forward. Representatives of both tribes
recently met in Lincoln City to discuss
progress on our joint venture.
Bid documents should have been re
leased in mid-May for a 30-day period.
Construction should start in late June.
The joint Chemawa Station project is
a clear demonstration that although our
two tribes may have differences of opin
ion and are competitive in some matters,
we have the good judgment, vision, and
capability of working cooperatively on an
economic enterprise such as this that will
benefit both our tribes.
Chemeketa
Recently, Chemeketa Community
College involved both the Siletz and
Grand Ronde tribes in a ceremony in rec
ognition of the college’s use of the
Kalapuya name for the past 30 years.
The college honored us with necklace
gifts. In return, the tribe presented neck
laces as gifts as well as a Siletz blanket to
the college president. Both our tribal staffs
worked with a group of student represen
tatives to plan an event that was very well
attended by students, staff, and the com
munity. It was a very memorable event.
Chinook Winds Golf Resort
Finally, I would like to report that the
purchase of the golf course was finalized
in April. New signs bearing the name
Chinook Winds Golf Resort already are
in place in several locations.
The purchase complements the full
resort concept that we have described in
previous Siletz News articles. You will be
notified of the open house that will be held
later in the summer.
minute of every
hour, every hour of
every day, every
week of every
month, I now live
with and for my
children.
I’ve learned if
you comply with
the requirements
ICW puts before
you, if you are
open, honest, and
respectfully speak
up for what is
right, they will go all the way to support you and your family, like they did for mine.
Much thanks, more than you will ever know!
The Flores family - Renee, Kayonda, and Rudy
June 2005
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Siletz News
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