CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Oregon Tribes’ Tribute to
Stan Speaks
In honor of Stan Speaks, regional
director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
the Confederated Tribes of Warm
Springs and the Confederated Tribes of
Siletz Indians co-hosted a special rec
ognition dinner on March 29 at Chi
nook Winds.
The event was in honor of Speaks’
50 years of service in the BIA and spe
cifically for his many years of service
to Oregon Tribes.
Speaks’ service area includes the
states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon
and parts of Montana and Alaska, but
it was specifically the Oregon Tribes
that gathered for this special recogni
tion dinner.
The event was planned as a surprise
to Speaks, who was asked to attend an
important meeting of Oregon Tribes on
March 29 at Chinook Winds. Its real
purpose was a well-kept secret from
Speaks that even his wife, Lois (we
appreciate), kept completely secret
from her husband.
Although Speaks dutifully re
sponded to that request, he was not
aware of the meeting's real purpose
until just before the event was an
nounced that evening.
As Tribal officials, we are involved
in many serious, often troubling Tribal
issues. It’s not often that we can be in
volved in enjoyable events such as this.
In planning this event for Speaks,
many instances came to mind in which
the Siletz Tribe coordinated success
fully with him. getting his cooperation
and support in order to achieve our
Tribal objectives.
If anyone, it was Stan, this BIA
official, who understood and was sen
sitive to our Tribal needs and served
as our critique and advocate. He was
always responsive to our request to be
present as he was for attending the
meetings of other Tribes.
On a brief stopover in Portland on
his way home to California from Wash
ington state, Forrest Gerard, who served
as assistant secretary of the Interior.
Indian Affairs, learned from me that
Speaks was to be honored for his years
Delores Pigsley
of service with the BIA. As soon as he
returned home, Gerard sent an e-mail
requesting it be read at the event. Here,
in part, is what he said:
“First. I wish to commend you for a
long, distinguished career on behalf of
the Indian people and second. I wish to
pay tribute to your loving wife, Lois, who
I know must have served as a wise sound
ing board many times, particularly when
everything seemed to be going wrong.
"During the outset of my tenure as
Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, I
was aware that the agency was on the
hot seat with Congress because of in
ability to track appropriations and in
form Congress how these monies were
spent. My team attacked the problem with
a national accounting firm to correct the
dysfunctional management system.
Several of your peers offered up the tired
old refrain. ‘If it ain’t broke, don't fix it.'
“You, however, applauded our ef
forts and offered support and coopera
tion on behalf of the management reform
initiative. I am proud to say, with the
help of forward-thinking officials like
you, we corrected serious management
problems and enabled the Bureau to fulfill
its responsibilities to the Congress. ...
“You fulfilled your responsibilities
to the Indian people with the under
Robert Kentta, Ed Ben and Bud Lane perform an honor song for Stan Speaks.
standing that your decision-making
must be within the context of a federal
policy of Indian determination and a
self-imposed trust responsibility, as
sumed by the United States for the pro
tection of Indian lands, sovereign gov
ernmental rights and the delivery of
essential social services to Indian
people, solely on the basis of their sta
tus as ‘Indians.’
“There is an inherent conflict
within these policy attributes but you
possessed the professional skills and
temperament that enabled you to op
erate within this conflict and your
record attests to a stellar performance.
A wise person once said, ‘There is no
higher calling than public service' You
responded to that call and served the
Indian people with distinction, dedica
tion and loyalty and at the same time
balanced those interests and met that
duty as a federal official as well.”
Speaks was also recognized by Ken
Smith, a former assistant secretary of
the Interior, at a recent dinner in Port
land for his contribution to the Warm
Springs Museum. Sherman Alexie Jr.
and Olney Patt also were recognized.
Another Word About
Warm Springs’ Cascade
Locks Proposal
In closing my chairman's report for
this month. I'd like to add a few words
to what I have previously said about
the Warm Springs Tribe's efforts to es
tablish a casino at Cascade Locks.
Most of you already know there are
federally protected in-lieu fishing sites
scattered along the Columbia River. In
the town of Cascade Locks, the Warm
Springs Tribe has had a long-established
in-lieu fishing site. It's in this city that
the Tribe plans to establish its casino
on a site that sits next to a mill on in
dustrial-zoned land.
At a public hearing on the Warm
Springs’ proposed Cascade Locks ca
sino on March 13, my testimony in
cluded the following comments:
“I participated in Oregon Tourism
and Tribal Tourism meetings where the
ultimate goal is to bring visitors to Or
egon. No one in that group said we
don’t want you to travel down 1-84. 1-5
or Highway 20. In fact, we sought
many ways to bring people and traffic
to Oregon. Tourist routes have been
designated to visit many of our histori
cal sights as well as tribal casinos.
“We want people to visit Oregon!
Almost every restaurant and many
hotels advertise all the popular sites
hoping to attract more people, includ
ing casinos.
“So let's not use traffic impact as a
reason to fight this development. Nor
should we use gambling addiction as
a reason. The Oregon Lottery system
has by far more slot machines than all
nine of the Tribal casinos ...
“Oregon Tribes have all had to go
the extra step to get land in trust to build
our casinos. There is a process and in
the case of the Warm Springs Tribe, every
step of that process has been followed.
“Were it not for a new administra
tion. the process would have ended
successfully for them just as it did for
our Tribe. Unfortunately, the Bureau of
Indian Affairs changed the rules after
a compact was approved for the Warm
Springs. It not only was unfair to them
but to many other Tribes across the
United States.
“The jobs and payroll the casinos
will provide not only support their
economy but also the local economy.
The Warm Springs people have gener
ously planned to contribute to the city,
the port, Oregon education and the
environment to maintain the beauty of
the gorge.
“They deserve much credit tor their
forward thinking and their plan to pro
vide jobs and benefits that will enhance
their membership, the community and
the state of Oregon.”
I ended my testimony by stating:
“Let's remember who the first
people were on this land. Give them
the dignity and respect they deserve.
Support the Bureau of Indian Affairs
decision that the Cascade Locks loca
tion for their casino is the best choice."
Bud Lane helps Stan Speaks adjust a dentalia necklace presented to him,
while Delores Pigsley looks on. (photos by Teresa Simmons)
May 2008
•
Siletz News
•
3