Siletz news /, August 01, 2007, Page 3, Image 3

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Latest on Chemawa
Station LLC Property
Readers of Siletz News, dating back
to the spring of ’07 - and beyond -
will recall my chairman’s reports re­
garding progress made and obstacles
encountered in developing the
Chemawa Station LLC property in
Keizer, Ore. The property was an eco­
nomic development project of high
priority for both the Grand Ronde and
Siletz tribes.
To quickly summarize the major
issues involved, the Chemawa property
was turned over to our two tribes by
the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2002
for an approved comprehensive plan
involving a high quality industrial park
with retail and other services.
It also held significant employment
potential not only for the Siletz and
Grand Ronde tribes, but also training
and employment for Chemawa students.
Although I reported that consider­
able progress already had been made
in developing the site, including the
construction of roads, installation of
water and sewer systems, etc., at con­
siderable financial investment by our
two tribes, we faced a major obstacle
in further developing and completing
the project.
The quitclaim deed that conveyed
the property to our two tribes from the
BIA contained a “reversionary clause”
that kept the property from being used
for economic development or natural
resources purposes.
Delores Pigsley
As I reported in the March 2007
issue of Siletz News, the restrictive
clause could only be removed by con­
gressional action, not by the BIA, the
donor of the property.
In a recent issue of Siletz News, I
reported on the Siletz Tribal Council’s
efforts to secure the support of the U.S.
Congress to enact the Chemawa Land
Bill that would remove the restrictive
clause which, if not cleared by congres­
sional action, would prevent the tribes
from securing financing for the property
for economic development purposes.
As I reported in Siletz News, coun­
cil member Bud Lane, tribal attorney
Leroy Wilder and I made two trips to
Computer Apps Now on Web Site
We have placed the application
forms for computers on the tribe's Web
site so folks can download a copy right
from home. The tribe’s Web site is
www.ctsi.nsn.us.
Click on the Computer Project tab
on the front page and you can find all
the information you need.
Washington. D.C., this year to push for
this bill. We were successful in having
a bill introduced in and subsequently
passed by the Senate.
We also had a House bill intro­
duced that lay languishing in the House
Resource Committee. On July I 1, the
House Committee held a hearing at
which I, along with Councilman Jack
Giffen of Grand Ronde, testified in
support of the bill. At the conclusion
of the hearing, Congressman Nick J.
Rahal I of West Virginia informed us
that the bill would be sent to the full
House on July IS for passage.
We were informed there was no
opposition to this legislation and we
could fully expect the bill to be passed
by Congress and signed by the presi­
dent. This has been a three-year pro­
cess that should not have taken this
long, but we are happy that congres­
sional action finally was taken that
clears the way for the Grand Ronde and
Siletz tribes to move forward with de­
veloping the Chemawa property.
The Siletz and Grand Ronde tribes
were successful in gaining the under­
standing and support of Congress in
order to remove a major obstacle in the
development of the Chemawa property.
Although the issue in this particular case
involves only two tribes, it points out
how important it is for tribes to work
together cooperatively when major
tribal issues are involved, i.e., gaming,
Indian health, sovereignty, etc.
New Carissa Settlement
The tribe will be conveyed nearly
4.000 acres of land to be managed for
the habitat of marbled murrelets as a
result of the New Carissa settlement.
The tribe will own the land, how­
ever, there are provisions in the agree­
ment that state it will not be taken into
trust. This land conveyance will double
the size of our land base.
Mike Kennedy, Natural Resources
manager, presented the information at
a previous General Council meeting.
Wasco Dancers from
Warm Springs
Last weekend, the Siletz Culture
Department hosted the Wasco Dancers
from Warm Springs. The exchange in
dances allows the tribes to share their
cultures and expand their knowledge
of each other.
The Wasco dancers did many of
their traditional dances and songs at
our Dance House. Siletz dancers then
did many of our traditional dances.
Many thanks to Bud and Cheryl
Lane for hosting dancers, taking them
on the canoe trip, and preparing and
organizing the meals.
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 30th 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.
Most Often Requested Numbers
1-800-922-1399
503-390-9494
1-888-870-9051
503-238-1512
541-484-4234
541-747-0161
1-800-628-5720
1-800-648-0449
1-800-600-5599
1-888-244-6665
1-8OO-452-7823
I-8OO-323-85I7
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
August 2007
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Siletz News
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