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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2007)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To my fellow tribal members: My name is Ticey Casey and I proudly belong to the Mason family. I'm writing this letter out of disappoint ment, frustration, and deep concern. Some of our very own Tribal Coun cil members who make million-dollar decisions on behalf of our tribe are se riously confused. I say this based on personal experiences with our Tribal Council and the roller coaster my fam ily has had to endure over the last year with council members making personal decisions rather than unbiased ones. I would hope that if a Tribal Council member had a conflict of interest on the issue or didn't fully understand what the issue was, they would abstain from the vote. Well, that is not happening with some of our current council members. I know we don’t require an educa tion for council members, but I would hope they would bring some common sense to the job. My family has pre sented an overabundance of legal proof that someone has been fraudulently enrolled in our tribe using my family's name. This is not hearsay, it's the truth and has been proven to council. But because some of our council members cannot make decisions based on the proof, rather than personal, this person has been approved to be a mem ber of our tribe without proof of Siletz blood. We must remember we are not a “club" to join because it's “cool" to be To the editor: I'm thankful to members who step forward to share their perspectives re garding tribal program services and gaming operations. I invite Wanda Melton to call me to travel to our government meetings - if you need a ride, call 800-922-1399 and I'll try to make arrangements for your transportation so you can see first hand what is/not transpiring. It's important to be aware of the allocation of gaming revenue (at Dec. 16 TC meeting. Brenda Bremner told me these figures were confidential. I there fore approached other agencies - NIGA, state attorney general's office, etc., for info). The figures are: Economic Devel opment, 17 percent; Welfare, 16 per cent; Investments, 17 percent; Govern ment Ops, 10 percent; and Charitable/ Distributions. 5/35 percent. We’ve had a number of projects for economic development, none of which is in the black. The only revenue-generating enterprise is our casino. Gerald Ben asked the Tribal Coun cil on Feb. 3 what was it that autho rized them to pay $200.000 to operate economic development ventures (ho tel and golf course do not generate rev enue to cover their annual operating expenses) out of gaming revenue, rather than the 17 percent they're allo cated for such ventures? This decreased monies that would have gone to tribal tribal or because we have what people might see as a “rich benefit package.” I'm asking my fellow tribal mem bers to really think about whom you vote for the next time there is a tribal election. These council members that we vote in make important decisions for our tribe and they should have some background or intelligence to make those decisions. Or, at least, the common sense to know when to ab stain from a vote. Phil Rilatos Sr., who is currently on council, has demonstrated that he is clearly confused when he keeps chang ing his vote on the same issue when no more evidence has been given. If there wasn't any more evidence proven, why would you change your vote? If you are easily swayed by other people telling you how to vote and can't make a decision based on what has been presented to council, then you should not be on Tribal Council and represent the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. I would like to end by asking that you place yourself in our position. If you had someone fraudulently use a deceased family member's name to be enrolled in our tribe, wouldn't you want some answers too? In loving memory of my uncle, Terrance Mason. Ticey Jo Casey programs or members as per capita. This $200,000 was done not once, but several times! I submitted a request to view records (at my convenience) regarding these transactions (Dec. 26) and I’ve still not gained access to view/listen to these records. My request was specific: Do NOT destroy or dispose of audio re cordings of our TC (Dec. 14) meeting(s)! These are historical records! I filed in Tribal Court and the judge denied my request. I'm a firm believer in “not re creating the wheel." so I check other tribal enterprises. Grand Ronde posts information openly. Resolution #059- 93; 049-94; 168-02 (pertaining to records) ... (B) Audited financial state ments, including all informational notes and disclosures shall be pub lished by the Tribe for each year for all financial activities, within seven months after the end of each calendar year. Such statements shall be provided to all members of the Council and made available for inspection, upon request, to any adult member of the Tribe.” (We need a law like this one.) I'm impressed by this transparency in ordinances and resolutions. Such is the way our business should be conducted. I'm have a “warning” letter from NIGA to our gaming establishment/ Tribal Council for refusal to provide access to records pertaining to “comp" records. To the editor and tribal members: We are writing this letter as con cerned tribal members. This is in re gards to a Special Tribal Council meet ing on March 5. 2007. It had to do with an ongoing enrollment issue. We are for truth and documenta tion to show proof to be an enrolled Siletz Tribal member. We never be lieved in letting non-Siletz Indian blood be enrolled on the Siletz roll. Not only is that wrong, but it is not fair to every one. We have white friends who would love to be on our roll and reap the great benefits we receive. The first vote the Tribal Council did on this enrollment issue was for a DNA test to be given. Something happened - we do not know why - but it was revoted again and it was passed to let this non-Siletz Indian blood to be on our roll. Is that right - and without a DNA test? DNA is a great discovery for facts. If the person(s) does not want to do DNA. there is something wrong. Why did this person refuse to take the DNA? Tribal Council: The vote was 4 for DNA and 5 against DNA. We want to thank Delores Pigsley, Bud Lane, Robert Kentta. and Jessie Davis for voting for a DNA test. We feel that a lot of tribal members who live For the record, it is a violation to give show tickets to friends/family, rather than someone who spends an exces sive amount of time and money at our casino. I believe the main office should distribute these tickets, with records ac cessible by members. It's our resource and we deserve to know how it's be ing utilized. Visit www.siletz.net - share com- ments/ask questions. Thanks for your time. Respectfully submitted. Lisa Brown. CPS, Siletz 541-444-1290 nadosh2@yahoo.com To the editor: As a Siletz Tribal elder, my wife and I went on our second outing with the Siletz elders to the I l,h Annual Oregon Tribal Elders Honor Day Celebration in Coos Bay. Once again, we had a great time and would like to publicly thank our Elders Program coordinator. Angela Ramirez, for making this an enjoyable event for us. We as tribal elders should all thank her for all the time, effort, and care she puts into making our trips enjoyable. out of the I I -county area are not aware of what goes on in this tribe. Voting time, all they see is a voter's pamphlet with pictures of nice smiling faces and promises that are rarely kept. There is a Tribal Council member as of today against giving “per capita." Members need to start getting involved and start knowing the person they are really voting for. Don't just look at the pictures or “1 have to vote for this person" because he/she is my relative. Ask for the Tribal Council minutes; see how each one votes. We hope one day the minutes will be posted on the Internet. We are thankful for the tribe and how far we have come. Some mem bers have forgotten where we came from. Want. want, and want more. We only have so much money for health, education, and welfare. If we start let ting non-tribal members on our roll, what will we have? The big politicians do not like giv ing to Native Americans and letting non-tribal get our benefits is like a slap in our faces. Thank you. Wilma D. Strong Joella Strong Tribal Children Need Your Help Do you value Siletz Native culture and want to help preserve it? Do you have room in your home and your heart for one more to love and nurture? If so, the Siletz Tribe needs you! Foster homes are needed in the Siletz and surrounding areas, with an in creasing need in Marion County. For more information, please contact: Shawna Nagunst Foster Care Certifier 1-800-922-1399. ext. 1275. or 541-444-8275 Or visit www.ctsi.nsn.us.icw.html Thank you, Angela! Respectfully, Fredrick and Ann Hostler April 2007 • Siletz News • 5
