CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Siletz Clinic
Our current Siletz Community
Health Clinic is becoming less able to
adequately handle the increased patient
load. The clinic was constructed when
our tribal enrollment was only about
3.000 members.
Our population has dramatically
increased and is now at more than
4.000. which means that all our tribal
service needs have dramatically in
creased as well as. specifically, the need
for an enlarged health facility.
As time goes by. our tribal popula
tion will continue to grow and we must
make sure that our health clinic grows
with it. If we fail to make the neces
sary facility improvements, we will be
unable to handle the medical needs of
our people.
The Tribal Council has been re
viewing various options for enlarging
the existing clinic as well as evaluating
the pros and cons of constructing a new
facility. The tribe is fortunate in hav
ing received a grant to assist us in fund
ing an improved health facility.
No decision has been made as to
what option will be selected; the study
is ongoing. Because health care is
under-funded by the Indian Health Ser
vice, we must consider how best to
manage health care.
Delores Pigsley
National Indian Gaming
Association
The annual meeting of the National
Indian Gaming Association (NIGA)
was held in Phoenix, Ariz., in March.
Former Sen. Tom Daschle of South
Dakota addressed the conference,
praising the tribes for their determina
tion and unity in defeating some very
damaging legislation in 2006, includ
ing the Vitter amendment.
Elders Council Meeting
May 12, 2007
Chinook Winds Casino Resort
2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
For more information, please contact Angela Ramirez
1-800-922-1399, ext. 1225; 541-444-8225; or angelar@ctsi.nsn.us
Can You Play Taps?
Seeking a talented tribal member to play Taps at the 2007 Memorial
Day Ceremony on May 28 at II a.m. in Siletz. If interested, contact Celesta
Lee, assistant Tribal Council secretary, at I-800-922-1399, ext. 1205, or
NIGA made a special presentation
to Sen. Daschle as an outstanding
champion for Indian tribes and causes
when he was minority leader in the
Senate. Although he was, unfortu
nately, defeated in his bid for another
Senate term. Daschle continues to be
involved on behalf of tribes as an ac
tive advocate of Indian issues.
The new assistant secretary of the
Interior, Indian Affairs - Carl Artman
- also spoke at the conference. He ad
dressed the highly sensitive issue of the
Bureau of Indian Affair’s (BIA) plan
to reorganize the fee-to-trust process and
specifically, the issues involving the
taking land into trust for gaming.
Although there was a good ex
change of views with tribal represen
tatives regarding these controversial
issues, it was clear the BIA intends to
move ahead with its plan. Artman told
tribal officials that everyone will not
agree with the bureau’s plan, but there
has been consultation and the BIA
needed to move ahead with action.
While the general meetings were in
session, many training groups for man
agers and regulatory commissioners
also were meeting.
I was on a panel on economic de
velopment diversity and took the op
portunity of relating the Siletz Tribe’s
quest for diversity.
Tribes differ widely as to how much
they have succeeded in diversifying
their economies. Some tribes rely to
tally on their gaming enterprise while
others have successfully branched out.
using their gaming revenue to promote
diversification.
As far as gaming goes, some highly
successful gaming tribes generate enor
mous revenues based not only on how
long they have been in gaming, but
also - most importantly - based on
where they are located.
Many large tribes are not as suc
cessful as many very small ones that
generate enormous gaming revenues
simply because the smaller gaming
tribes are located close to. and can take
advantage of. large population centers.
The panel consisted of some highly
successful gaming tribes that generate
enormous returns from their gaming
operations. Although Siletz gaming
revenue could not possibly compare
with some of the others on the panel,
our tribe, nevertheless, does extremely
well - better than many and we cer
tainly are much better off than those
with minimal or no gaming operations
at all.
Restoration Committee Working on
30th Anniversary Celebration
by Tina Retasket
The Tribal Council has appointed a
committee to work on this year’s Resto
ration Celebration. As you may already
know, this year marks the 30lh anniver
sary of Restoration. The committee is
working on many events leading up to
the Restoration event in November.
If you have any photographs of
people or events that are significant to
pre- or post-restoration, we would like
to make a copy of them.
Please bring your photos to the
Public Information office in the admin
istration building in Siletz. Diane or
Laurel will scan your photo, ask you who
the people are in the picture and what
the event is. and return the photo to you.
They will forward the copies to the com
mittee and you will have the original.
We appreciate everyone's assis
tance in this event and hope to use as
many pictures as possible to show the
recent history of the Siletz Tribe.
541-444-8205.
CTSI Jobs
CTSI Employment Job Line
541-444-8296 or 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1296
Visit our Web site at www.ctsi.nsn.us
Note: “Open Until Filled” vacancies may close at any time. The tribe’s
Indian Preference policy will apply. Tribal government will not discrimi
nate in selection because of race, creed, age, sex, color, national origin, physi
cal handicap, marital status, politics, membership or non-membership in an
employee organization.
Most Often Requested Numbers
I-800-922-1 399
503-390-9494
I-888-870-905 I
503-238-1512
541-484-4234
541-747-0161
1-8OO-628-572O
1-800-648-0449
1-800-600-5599
1-888-244-6665
I-8OO-452-7823
I-8OO-323-8517
www.ctsi.nsn.us
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Salem Area Office
Salem Finance Office
Portland Area Office
Eugene Area Office
Springfield Siletz Tribal Head Start
Contract Health Services (CHS)
Siletz Community Health Clinic
Siletz Alcohol and Drug
Chinook Winds Casino Resort
Chemawa Health Clinic
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Web Site
May 2007
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Siletz News
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