LEITERS TO THE EDITOR
To the editor:
I recently listened to a speech by
Winona Laduke (1-12-07) where she
said, “You learn to say you’re sorry at
about age 4’’... I begin to wonder
where or when did we forget this?
She spoke about waste occurring in
regards to spending of $16 million to
fight Indians for hunting and fishing
rights, ...“you know. I can think ot a lot
better things to do with 16 million bucks.'
She said she works on many issues
and she asks, “How do we transform the
people's awareness?” And she spoke
about the “... struggle for our dignity as
human beings,”...“things are getting
worse because we don’t vote
| FSTV.com],
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=gxnj2tk54JY, http://divided
westand.net.
So, keeping these words and
thoughts in mind, I'll run again for
Tribal Council in 2008. Please know
that I'm committed to being available,
541-444-1290 or nadosh2@yahoo.com,
when you have questions or concerns.
I’ll take time to contact you and re
search matters of concern.
I’ll answer questions you have
about spending and I'll listen to your
suggestions and concerns. If I don't
have an answer, I'll check into the is
sue and get you an answer.
If I’m wrong. I'll be transparent about
it and willing to discuss what didn't work
and what to do different in the future.
I'm taking the advice of the elder
who contacted me and will vote “no’
on the proposed amendment to delete
“BIA” approval and oversight of this
process, unless the amendment is re
vised to read, “subject to the approval
of General Council.”
I'll vote “no” on changing the “ma
jority” vote for our council. It would
make change even less likely. I have
concerns - amendments to our Consti
tution are very serious and should be
presented in detail with a significant
time period for discussion/compromise
by everyone, not just nine elected lead
ers and those with connections.
Will our leaders share in detail (post
on website full budgets/narratives) for
gaming/tribal allocations: General Wel-
fare, Economic Development, Govern
ment Ops, Investments and Charitable
Contributions funds?
I’d like to see specifics on what we’re
spending in 2007 for these figures:
$750,000 for “Historical Research
Project,” $3(X),(XX) (Gen. Welfare) Clinic
Expansion, another $180,000 (from
Gov. Ops) Clinic Expansion, then
$120,(XX) Public Relations?, a $150,(XX)
budget Tribal Attorney, $200,000 for
Tribal Government, and $500,000 bud
get for computer department.
Add to this a $1.5 million budget
for real estate “down payments,”
$900,000/$600,000 Long-/Short-term
investments ... 3 Million ... and much
unable to generate profit (plus same
details to determine if we’ve success
fully met goals/objectives for 2006/05).
Money is power and in my opin
ion, things are out of order and out of
control. Time to listen to the people and
give the power back to the people.
Yours truly,
Lisa Brown, CPS
541 -444-1290 nadosh2@yahoo.com
To the editor:
I’m a tribal elder concerned that we
as a tribe are spending too much money
on nothing and many ot these tribal
businesses operations are going no
where. They’re failing businesses, not
looked into, not concerned with why
they're not working like they were pro
posed to the members.
I want to see a tribal attorney for
tribal members, so members can bring
issues to council to be fixed or ad
dressed. I want to see rules enforced
and for the truth to be told. I contacted
an attorney who has been successful
in holding governments accountable.
I'd like to see someone like this to rep
resent the General Council members.
I don't think our council is step
ping up to the plate, taking action to
ensure progress on issues. Their fa
mous line is, “We'll check into it.”
I want to see a cap on term limits for
council.
There should be a cap of 25 per
cent on per capita garnishments. Tribal
Council should never have waived
rights for members to receive this
money unattached.
I live in Tolowa Court tribal hous
ing where there are a lot of elders. I m
irritated when people drive by 10 p.m.
or later with loud stereos - so loud they
drown out my television. I don't think
some residents are considerate of el
ders regarding this noise pollution.
When I comment they say, “It's
before 10 p.m.” My question - what
happened to being considerate of ciders?
I hope our housing staff will medi
ate or back up the respect that is due to
our elders. Residents should read the
lease agreement they signed.
The Native American Housing As
sistance Self-Determination Act
(NAHASDA) http://www.lawhelp.org/
d o c u m e n t s / 2 1 0 1 5 I 9 2 0 3 E N. p d 1 ?
stateabbrev=/WA/ policy says:
4. You can be evicted if you:
a. Threaten the health, safety or
peaceful enjoyment of other members
of the community (continual loud
noises, even if part of religious wor
ship, may be considered a threat to
peaceful enjoyment) or
b. Are involved in criminal activ
ity, particularly drug-related criminal
activity regardless of where the activ
ity takes place (if a member of your
household is found guilty of a drug
offense, even if the offense takes place
somewhere else, you may be evicted from
federally subsidized housing even if you
had no knowledge of the illegal activity).
I think these things needed to be
said. I look forward to hearing com
ments from other members about these
and other issues.
Yours truly,
David John
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Editor: Diane Rodriquez
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Siletz News
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August 2007
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To the editor
On June 16, I proposed an up
graded website to the Tribal Council.
My offer to build a website for the
tribe, free of charge, was well received
by the Tribal Council. I delivered the
website, as proposed, on July 1.
The new site at www.siletztribe.info
supports all the information on the ex
isting CTS1 official website, as well as
added features such as a tribal mem
bers only area, where the tribal meeting
minutes and other information can be
distributed confidentially to our mem
bers in a timely and efficient manner.
In March, Chairman Pigsley ex
pressed the desire to transmit meeting
minutes to tribal members via the
tribe’s website. By April, the Tribal
Council was told it would cost $35,000
to upgrade the tribe's website and that
it would take at least 60 days to begin
the process.
I’m pleased to announce that my
husband, who is an experienced web
developer, and I did the job in two weeks
at no cost to the tribe. It was an enjoy
able experience and I’m delighted to
offer this to our tribe.
On July 1, we contacted the Tribal
Council, general manager, and the as
sistant general manager with their in
dividual usernames and passwords so
they may try out all the features on the
new site. I'm confident that the site meets
the needs that they have identified.
Although this site is fully functional,
it’s a demo site only and is not yet the
official tribal website, which currently
exists at ctsi.nsn.us, nor is it associated
with my website at The Siletz Virtual
Community Center, www.siletz.net.
All tribal members are welcome to
try out the newly proposed tribal
website at www.siletztribe.info, includ
ing the members only private section.
Login information will be provided
upon request.
All the best,
Lynette Warren
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