CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Tribal Gaming
Accomplishments
Introductory Comments
The focus of my remarks in this
issue of Siletz News relates to the man
agement of our gaming enterprise,
Chinook Winds. Although I will dis
cuss other important gaming and tribal
issues as well, I will first begin with
important personnel issues.
From the time Chinook Winds was
established, the Tribal Council and the
management of our casino have had
to deal with personnel issues. After all,
it was understood that establishing a
major casino would require the hiring
of a large number of competent em
ployees. Later in this article, I will de
scribe how the Siletz Tribe has estab
lished rules and regulations governing
how personnel issues are dealt with.
Just as we have today, the tribe has
had, as expected, a variety of person
nel issues from the beginning of our
gaming enterprise. The issues affect
many of us, but must be dealt with in a
professional and equitable manner.
Unfortunately, some tribal members
are determined to raise highly confi
dential personnel matters, about which
we the Tribal Council cannot comment.
Current Personnel
Decisions and
Confidentiality
Though 1 try not to intrude into
personnel issues, I must as tribal chair
man at least speak about these troubling
personnel issues raised publicly by our
tribal members that should be dealt with
privately by management according to
our established policies and procedures.
The basis for personnel actions can’t
be revealed, or discussed, in any public
forum. The confidentiality of any em
ployee must be protected. I must inter
ject at this point that adversaries/members
of our tribe have publicly complained
about the tribe to various public offi
cials and agencies and to the media.
Readers are reminded that false al
legations were made public in the Aug.
9, 2007, Newport News-Times that the
Tribal Council used $14 million of the
Delores Pigsley
tribe’s gaming revenues to purchase
3,851 acres of timberland for marbled
murrelet restoration. The declaration
was that tribal funds should have been
used for health, education and other
essential tribal purposes instead of for
the purchase of land for the restoration
of birds and their habitat.
The allegations ignored the already
published fact that federal funds were
made available by the Coast Guard to
purchase the property for environmen
tal restoration. No tribal funds were
used for this purpose. Failure to get the
facts before making false allegations
is injurious to the tribe. This is just an
example of someone not getting the
facts straight or listening.
In the same way, serious unjusti
fied allegations have been circulated
publicly about Chinook Winds person
nel actions. I would like to remind our
readers that from the time Chinook
Winds was established, the Siletz Tribal
Council devoted considerable time and
effort to putting together comprehen
sive policies and procedures for the
hiring, promoting, demoting, suspen
sion and firing of casino personnel, and
beyond that, for a carefully devised
process through which employees can
appeal adverse personnel decisions.
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Beyond the personnel issues with
which 1 began this article, I would like
to state that the tribe’s gaming enter
prise has been in operation now for
more than 10 years. During that period
of time, Chinook Winds' financial,
employment and community relations
record has far exceeded everyone’s
positive expectations.
Our tribal members are fully informed
about the significant revenues gener
ated by Chintx)k Winds. The five general
categories to which gaming revenue is
allocated were established when the
tribe’s gaming enterprise began 10
years ago. The five categories are
Tribal Government Operations, Gen
eral Welfare, Economic Development
(including Investments), Charitable
Donations and Per Capita Distribution.
These categories are listed together
with their subcategories, percentages
and appropriated amounts and pub
lished annually in Nesika Illahee, the
tribe’s confidential newsletter, for all
tribal members to examine. These re
ports are mailed to every adult mem
ber of the tribe.
The Siletz Tribe not only has been
able to allocate gaming funds to enhance
federally allocated funds for health,
education, housing, the elderly, culture,
etc., funds also have been allocated ev
ery year for education endowments,
investments and economic development.
Within 10 years, the Siletz. Tribe has
been able to purchase a first-class ho
tel adjacent to the casino and to en
hance casino revenues. The tribe’s
long-range plan was to purchase and
the professional development of the
golf course that sits close to the casino.
(It must be noted here that rumors cir
culate that the tribe paid $45 million
for the golf course; in actuality, it was
$4.5 million.) The tribe's acquisition of
an ocean-side lot next to the casino will
be developed to contribute substan
tially to the casino.
The property on which the casino
sits is not a foreign piece of land with
no relationship to the Siletz Tribe. It was,
at one time, an allotment of a Siletz
Tribal member that the Siletz Tribe has
re-acquired as part of its reservation.
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A top priority will be the hiring of
a player development manager
Increased creativity in the area of
casino marketing
Establishing the Winner’s Circle as
a focal point
Sales focusing on conventions
Entertainment continues to be a key
marketing component
Service, product and presentation up
grades of the buffet, deli and banquets
Replacement of old slots
Replacement of the escalators
Superior guest services
My article this month has dealt with
a variety of what might seem like un
related topics. I started with a discus
sion about Chinook Winds' personnel
issues and the confidential nature of
personnel decisions, the details of
which can’t be discussed publicly.
I also noted that the Siletz Tribe
devoted a considerable amount of time
to developing personnel policies and
procedures, including the opportunity
for employees to take advantage of the
hearings process when they are faced
with adverse management decisions.
Personnel issues are always serious,
personal and complex, but they must
be considered in the context of the
tribe’s overall record of the accom
plishments of our gaming enterprise.
Past and Future
Accomplishments -
Cooperative Spirit
and Support
I commented on the success of
Chinook Winds during 10 years of
operation and provided an outline of
what management and staff foresee as
their vision and plan for 2008.
Just imagine what the Siletz Tribe
was like 30 years ago. Our tribal mem
bers generally are proud and apprecia
tive of the tribe’s accomplishments
during the 30 years since we were Re
stored and the 10 years since we be
gan operating our gaming enterprise.
I appreciate the fact that what we
have accomplished and will continue
to accomplish is because of the coop
erative spirit and support of our gen
eral membership.
Planning for 2008
In addition to dealing with person
nel and other issues that are always on
our agenda, the Siletz Tribe must deal with
various challenging issues raised by the
National Indian Gaming Commission.
Chinook Winds management and
staff have developed a comprehensive
plan for 2008. The previous year was
analyzed in terms of increased costs
and related problems. On the agenda
for 2008 are such items as:
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A business plan with a strategy of
highly focused marketing
Sales and operational business ob
jectives of increasing market shares
and recruiting new gaming guests, etc.
Tribal Children
Need You
Do you value Siletz Native culture
and want to help preserve it? If so,
please consider fos
tering for the tribe.
The Siletz Tribe
needs
loving,
stable, nurturing
homes in all areas.
If you arc inter
ested, please contact
Shawna Nagunst, Foster Care Certifier,
800-922-1399, ext. 1275, or 541-444-
8275;
or
visit
www.ctsi.nsn.
us/icw.html
February 2008
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Siletz News
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