To the editor:
I am writing this as a concerned Tribal
member. I attended the General Council
meeting on Saturday, Nov. 5, at the golf
course in Lincoln City.
The main General Council concern
was about a baby denied enrollment.
Right now the blood degree is 1/16.
Any lower than 1/16 is none.
I called a Tribal Council member and
was told that lowering the blood degree to
descendency was going to be put out for
vote to the Tribal members.
I also was told by this Tribal Council
member that the Tribal roll majority is
1/16 so most likely it will pass.
I also was told by this Tribal Council
member that when it passes, there will be
no more elder stipend or per capita.
I know there are members out there
that rely on getting this money.
The family that is pushing for this
is not bothered by members that have
hardships.
If and when the Tribe decides to go
descendency, I pray that I will be in good
health and win the lottery.
Be sure to vote. If you are in doubt,
ask questions.
Joella Strong
To the membership, concerning our Tribe:
In attending the General Council
meeting on Nov. 5, 2011,1 was appalled
and concerned to hear the term “descen
dency” throughout the meeting. My
grandfather, the late great Stanley Strong,
served on the Tribal Council before ter
mination. He was an integral part of the
Restoration movement that represented
our people in Washington, D.C. His tes
timony lent to the re-establishment of a
(land-base) reservation for our Tribe. It
both saddens and angers me to think that
the long hours, hard work and genuine
sacrifices made by my grandfather and the
other leaders of his generation could be
destroyed by the people of this generation.
It is my belief that it is not what is
in your heart, but what is in your veins
that makes you Indian. That’s what my
ancestors taught.
What reason would the U.S. govern
ment have to recognize a Tribe that has
no members with Indian blood?
Our sovereignty is based on Tribal
status, which is contingent on Indian
blood quantum, Indian blood derived
from one of the Tribal bands recognized in
our Constitution as being ordained “Siletz
Confederation.”
In conjunction with sovereignty and
self-governance are the U.S. grants that
benefit each member of this Tribe. Are we
really going to conquer ourselves?
By choosing descendency, that’s what
we would be doing. I urge you to consider
this and the things you’ve been taught by
your grandparents about what it means
to be Siletz Indian and to hold onto that.
We are a proud people who have
walked a hard road to get what we have
and to stay where we are.
We will only keep what we have by
saying “no” to descendency. I thank you.
Marcos Muniz-Strong
Tututni, Tolowa, Joshua, Sixes,
Shasta, Klamath River, Chetco
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Siletz News
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Dear Tribal members:
My name is Gerald Ben and I am run
ning for Tribal Council this year. Having
retired from the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA) after 23 years of service, I feel I can
now dedicate my time to helping guide the
Tribe through the next few years.
With BIA budgets getting tighter and
funds from other sources also drying up,
Tribal operations will have to work harder
and smarter to provide the membership
with courteous, timely services. I hope
that as a Tribal councilman I can help
assure we as Tribal members can continue
to receive much-needed assistance in
areas like health, education and welfare.
Gerald Ben
To the editor:
I would like to thank all the people/
kids who donated toys and money to
Operation Christmas Child.
Sylvia and the Siletz Gospel Assem
bly of God Church
Dear Tribal community:
I would like to take the opportunity to
thank some employees of our Tribe who
continue to be of excellent service to the
people they serve.
First, I would like to thank the phar
macy and reception staff at the Siletz
Clinic. The staff at the reception desk is
always accommodating and when I have
had concerns with my father’s health, they
have done everything they can to get him
in to see his doctor quickly. It is obvious
that our health services staff truly care
about our Native families that they serve.
Next, I am so thankful for our phar
macy staff. They always get my prescrip
tions to me quickly when I have had them
mailed to me. When I have come in for
prescriptions for my husband, they have
helped me work with the medical staff to
get him the least expensive prescriptions.
Once, I did not have enough cash to
cover all of his prescriptions and one of the
staff actually covered the cost until I could
come back the next day with the rest of the
money! Now, that is not expected, but nev
ertheless is excellent and thoughtful service.
I would be remiss if I did not include
Debbie Williams, Michele Rowan and Trish
Daniel. They work so hard to ensure that
employees who are out ill and on extended
leave are able to receive whatever benefits
are available to them to make their time
off from work the least stressful it can be.
Debbie Williams specifically checked
in with me and worked with my claims
representative with The Hartford while
I have been off work on short-term dis
ability since my surgery. She is a precious
gift to our CTSI employees.
Also, a big thank you to my wonder
ful Programs I staff and supervisors who
supported me with donated leave, words
of encouragement and best wishes while
I have been ill. I am a week away from
getting back to work and good and ready
to boss ya’ll around again! Of course I am
kidding. What I really want to do is give
you a pat on the back and say “well done”
to my staff for keeping the services going
and continuing to do what they do in such
an excellent way for our Tribal families!
Thank you again to my supervisors
for being patient with my recovery. See
you all soon!
Rebecca Williams
December 2011
Siletz Tribal members:
I am announcing my candidacy for
Tribal Council. My name is Kelley Ellis
and the tribes my family descends from
are Hoopa, Yurok, Karuk, Tootootney and
Chetco. My mother is Kristi Martin-Bayya,
who has been married to Bristo Bayya for
24 years. My grandmother was Ellen Mar
tin and my great-grandparents were Wilbur
and Christine (Selsic) Martin. I descend
from Abbie Wilson, which relates me to
many families within the Tribe, including
the Johns, Bells, Butlers and Selsics.
I would like the opportunity to rep
resent the Siletz membership as a Tribal
Council member. I have a bachelor’s
degree from Oregon State University. I
have worked for the Tribe for over 20
years in various positions, providing me
education and knowledge of the operation
of programs and the Tribal government.
I have been a spokesperson representing
many Tribal members in Tribal Court and
in administrative appeals for many years.
The only promise I will make in
my campaign is to work toward fair and
equitable policies and laws throughout the
Tribe. Having represented many Tribal
members in and out of Tribal Court, I have
become aware that many of the current pro
gram policies and Tribal laws are skewed
to protect the Tribal staff and the Tribal
government instead of the membership.
There are many responsibilities as a
Tribal Council member and I am ready to
fulfill those responsibilities. I am young,
energetic, educated and ready to serve the
Siletz Tribal membership. I ask that you con
sider voting for me in the upcoming election.
If you have questions or would like to discuss
any concerns, please contact me via e-mail.
Thank you,
Kelley Ellis (KellellisOl @gmail.com)
To the people of Siletz:
Recently my husband, Calvin Van
Pelt, died and I want to let you know
how pleased and proud he was to be a
member of the Confederated Tribes of
Siletz. We enjoyed attending the func
tions and regretted Cal’s health would not
permit him to participate more fully. We
appreciated the advantages he received
as an Elder and I thank you for the gen
erous death benefits. He rests now with
his father, Roy Van Pelt, in Forest View
Cemetery in Forest Grove.
Sincerely,
Loris Van Pelt
Dear Tribal members:
I am Gloria Rilatos Ingle. I would
like to take this opportunity to declare my
candidacy for Tribal Council.
An enrolled Tribal member, my par
ents were Edward and Dolores Rilatos.
Some of you may remember my dad as
Ouchie Rilatos. My grandparents were
Tuton and Pearl Rilatos, Hoxie and Lizzie
Simmons, and Louie and Kate Chantel,
who said she was bom on the slopes of
Mt. Hood at huckleberry picking time.
After 28 years of teaching and being a
school principal, I am now retired. I have
the time to commit to the many responsi
bilities that Tribal Council members carry
out. My years in education have helped
me develop the skill to communicate not
only with children, parents and Elders in a
fair and positive way, but also with local,
state and federal agencies that affect the
lives of families. In this way I believe I
would represent the Tribe in a positive
light and be someone Tribal members
would be proud to have represent them.
During the past year I have been part
of the Tribe’s budget committee. I believe
my experiences as an educator and com
mittee member would be of benefit in
making good decisions, especially in this
time of economic pressure.
As a Tribe we have come a long way in
the things we have accomplished, but main
taining them and continuing to expand will
take patience, time and Tribal commitment.
I believe in economic development based on
the operation of our resources as businesses
whose main intention is to make money. I
would rather see 10 small businesses that
employed a total of 50-60 people making
continuous yearly profits than several
large investments that become money pits.
I believe our obligation to social
services must remain so Tribal members
can continue successful, prosperous lives.
I believe that policies and procedures
are in place to make fair and equitable
decisions that apply to everyone 100
percent of the time.
It is an honor to have the opportunity
to run for council. Please feel free to talk
with me when you see me. I am open to
listening to your concerns and positive
ideas about our Tribe.
Sincerely,
Gloria Ingle
Siletz News Letters Policy
Siletz News, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, is
published once a month. Our editorial policy encourages input from readers about
stories printed in Siletz News and other tribal issues.
All letters must include the author’s signature, address, and phone number 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 let
ters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Siletz News, Tribal employees, or
Tribal Council.
Please type or write legibly. Letters longer than 450 words may be edited for
length as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #96-142.
Please note: The general manager
of the Siletz Tribe is the editor-in-chief
of Siletz News.
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Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner
Editor: Diane Rodriquez
Assistant: Natasha Kavanaugh
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