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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2008)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor: Thank you to everyone who took the time to share about their needs and opinions in regards to our Tribal op erations and goals for the future. I have so much appreciation for all the folks who made what is a reality for our Tribe possible. It is all these efforts, positive or negative, that can lead us to make the choices we need to for the future. I offer best wishes for our Council members Loraine Butler and Robert Kentta, who were re-elected. Welcome to Tina Retasket, who had some very good ideas, which I look forward to seeing implemented. Thank you everyone who voted, it To the editor: is such a powerf ul way to be a part of the I would like to take this opportu solutions! I feel honored that I was able nity to thank all the tribal members who to share with some folks about how that had supported me during this last elec one vote is so important. I’m still inter tion in my bid for tribal council. I ap ested in hearing from Tribal members preciate those tribal members who and folks who have an interest in our voted for me and also those members Tribal enterprise and future generations. I’m grateful to our organization for who gave me encouragement during the knowledge I have about our Hous this time. ing program from the time I served on I would like to congratulate those tribal members who succeeded in mak that committee and now to be ablt to add Health is something I feel is im ing council and also acknowledge the existing council members in their con portant. Housing and health care are tinued success in building a better fu very crucial services and we need all ture for the tribe. I would like to say at the input that can be provided. The way this time that it is my intention to sub we will be able to identify solutions is mostly dependent on members voicing mit my name next year in my bid to their opinions on how services arc (or run for council. not) provided or received. I would like to address another As a member of the Health Com important matter that recently came to mittee I advocated for a lottery type of my attention which I feel needs to be drawing for out-of-service-area benefits, addressed. In a support letter for other please contact me if you have com candidates, my name was included in ments or concerns. There were other this letter indicating that I was partici suggestions that included keeping an pating in block voting. I would like to ongoing list to identify needs and folks say that I did not authorize the use of who missed approval for services. my name in promoting any other can If you have questions, contact me didate and if I were to I would be the at 541-444-1290 or 541-351-0003 person to ask to be included in this (cell), or by e-mail at nadosh2@ particular activity. yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing Once again, I thank those of you from you. I welcome your feedback, and can assure you I will do my best for your support and hope that you will to call you back as soon as possible, continue to support me in my future on my dime. efforts to represent you. Yours truly, Sincerely yours, Lisa Brown Elaine Thomas To the editor: Congratulations to Robert Kentta, Loraine Y. Butler and Tina M. Retasket, who were elected by our members to serve on Tribal Council tor the next three years! I would also like to give my heart felt thank you to all those who gave me their words of encouragement and support by voting for me in this election. Sincerely, Cynthia Farlow To the editor: A few years back, I was on an ad- hoc committee to revise our Constitu tion and by-laws. My suggestion was this: To have a resolutions committee separate from Tribal Council. Tribal Council makes their own resolutions and we members of the tribe read about it after it be comes law. Which gives Tribal Coun cil free rein. Heck of a deal! Our mem bership should have a say in the laws that govern them. However, we do not. We used to have a General Coun cil that had the power to give our Tribal Council direction. It would consist of a chairperson, secretary and sergeant- of-arms. The resolutions committee would visit with all our areas - Port land, Salem, Eugene, Siletz, and hear the desires of the people, bringing these desires and needs of the people to the General Council. The membership then would have a chance to approve or disapprove these resolutions by vote. Whereupon the General Council would direct Tribal Council to act on the wishes of the people. When I presented this idea at a General Council meeting, someone on the Tribal Council accused me of copy ing the structure of the Nez Perce Tribe. I wanted to say, “How about copying the structure of the government of the United States?” Does just one entity decide the laws of the U.S.? No! The voice of the people is heard. Can some one tell me how a bill is made into law? I wanted to argue my point, but said nothing. No point in arguing. Today, at our General Council meetings, how many people are satis fied that their needs or requests are met - or are going to even be acted on. by Tribal Council? Something for you people to think about. Gilbert, Jr. Towner % Tututni % Hoopa (Hupa) To the editor: I’m encouraged and grateful for the support from the tribal members who voted for me last month. Thank you all very much. I'm optimistic about the upcoming year and the efforts to en courage communication among tribal members and to make tribal govern ment more accountable. It’s disturbing, however, that over the past six months, two of my letters to Siletz News have been rejected. The rejected portions are political analysis, but were characterized by the editorial staff as personal attacks. I strongly dis agree with this characterization. The rejection of my letters is espe cially troubling because I was a candi date for Tribal Council. Tribal Council Chairman Dee Pigsley has said that if tribal members are dissatisfied with the performance of the Tribal Council they can elect new representatives. If Siletz News will not publish opposing candi dates when they criticize tribal govern ment then how can tribal members fairly evaluate the performance of their representatives? Tribal members need to be free to criticize the performance of Tribal Council members and other tribal offi cials. They need to be free to offer that criticism in this newspaper, the only tribal publication that reaches all mem bers every month. We have to learn to be able to evaluate the good news with the bad news when it comes to tribal government. It is unacceptable for us to have a tribal newspaper that only publishes half the story. Sincerely, Lynette Warren Restoration CD The CD of tribal history and old photos that was shown at the Res toration Celebration still is available to tribal members at no cost. Fill out a request form (available at www.ctsi.nsn.us) and send it to Diane Rodriquez, c/o Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. P.O. Box 549, Siletz, OR 97380-0549. > (-------------------------------------------------- Siletz News Letters Policy Send letters to: Siletz News, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, is published once a month. Our editorial policy encourages input from read ers about stories printed in Siletz News and other tribal issues. All letters must include the author’s signature, address, and phone num ber in order to be considered for publication. Siletz News reserves the right to edit any letter for clarity and length, and to refuse publication of any letter or any part of a letter that may contain profane language, libelous statements, personal attacks, or unsubstantiated statements. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Siletz News, tribal employ ees, or Tribal Council. Please type or write legibly. Letters longer than 450 words may be ed ited for length as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #96-142. Siletz News P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 541-444-8291 or 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1291 Fax: 541-444-2307 E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us Please note: The general manager of the Siletz Tribe is the editor-in-chief of Siletz News. 2 • Siletz News • Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner Editor: Diane Rodriquez March 2008 Deadline for the April issue is March 10. Submission of articles and photos is encouraged. Please read the Passages Policy on page 20 when submitting items for Passages. Member of the Native American Journalists Association I I I I Siletz News is free to enrolled Siletz Tribal members. For all oth- ers, a $12 annual subscription fee applies. Please make checks payable to CTSI and mail to Siletz News. • I I I I 1 Name: 1 । Address: i 1 Phone: ________________________ Change of address: Tribal mem- I I bers - call the Enrollment Department I | at 541-444-8258 or 1-800-922-1399, I I ext. 1258; all others - call the news- I I paper office. k_________________________________ '
