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.
>
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P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
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Siletz News
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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
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