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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2012)
Chairman’s Report General Council Concerns The concerns and issues that have been raised regarding Chinook Winds Casino Resort are referred to manage ment for feedback and resolution. I have asked the general manager to address those issues. Nez Perce Settlement Lots of discussion has taken place regarding the settlement and how the money should be used. In addition, we have received correspondence from Tribal members on the issue. Some want all the money distributed, some want to vote on how it’s used, some just want it increased. The Tribal Council amended the original proposal by resolution and it’s posted on the Tribal website. The court has approved the settlement plan and the Tribe should receive information on the disbursement soon. The question on when the disburse ment will be made is not yet definite. The Tribal Council proposed to pay it in August with the annual per capita distribution so funds would not affect those whose incomes are affected by the payments. Senate Bill S908 Bud Lane, Robert Kentta and I met with Congressman Kurt Schrader in Salem recently. We provided him with the marked-up version of the Senate bill. He told us last December he would introduce the marked-up version in the House of Representatives. We have talked with county commissioners to assure the congressman that they still support the legislation. last month. The proposed plan is to streamline the department's interaction with each other as there are offices in Washington, D.C.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and the 12 regional offices that attempt to coordinate information with lots of layers. The move to streamline is a good one to further better communication. The Bureau of Indian Affairs pro poses to eliminate agency offices with fewer than 10 employees in order to meet a $14.5 million budget reduction. In the group facing proposed elimination (19 in all nationwide) are nine in the Northwest - and Siletz is one of them. I spoke to this issue: My testimony was that we were terminated and are a restored Tribe that worked diligently to get an agency so we can begin work with programs and services that we didn’t have for many years. We have active timber sales and a fee-to-trust process that has been neglected for several years. We are finally beginning to see land going into trust. This process has taken years to happen. Additionally, our Tribe left a portion of self-governance funds at the agency so we would be assured of having an agency in Siletz. I believe it is unfair to target small agencies that have already downsized and have been downsized for years as a matter of good management. As a matter of fact, the Northwest Region did the right thing by reducing staff years ago when Tribes were becom ing self-governance Tribes. So in all fairness, larger agencies should be looked at and the Office of the Special Trustee should be folded back into the BIA. It continues to be funded at the expense of Tribal programs. Looking for retirees is not the answer to streamlining the BIA Consultation on BIA and Bureau of Indian Education budget or cutting out efficient agencies such as the Siletz Agency. The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) proposes to close/eliminate line officer positions in several offices. The question Tribes have regarding this is who then do they go to for advice and technical assistance, and where do they go? How does this enhance Indian education? BIE must reduce its budget by $3 mil lion for FY2013. This discussion included talk from the BIE about hiring a JOM administrator. Tribes felt this is not a good idea and the line officers they are propos ing to eliminate should be responsible for the JOM program. If education is as important as this administration says it is, why the reduction in funding ? Our education dollars have been Delores Pigsley stagnant for many years. Our opinion is that any cuts should come first from the central The student body president presented office. School facilities management should him with a petition signed by all the students remain with the school, not in Albuquer to introduce legislation to have the land que. Line officers could be put back in the taken into trust for all nine Oregon Tribes. regional offices where they were years ago. The secretary of interior needs to look for ATNI savings elsewhere besides the BIA. Chemawa Update 1 attended the Chemawa Indian School graduation on May 11. It was held in the school gymnasium for the first time as all-students stayed for the event. Lots of parents and family from all over the country packed the gym. Sen. Jeff Merkley visited the school earlier in the month. I gave him a tour of the campus; he then met with student council representatives and Miss Che mawa. He spoke to a couple of classes. He was asked if he would return for a class and he agreed to do that. Our Tribe hosted the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians conference during the week of May 20 at Chinook Winds. Several workshops and events took place and there was a very full agenda on issues that affect all Tribes. Keizer Iris Festival The Keizer Iris Festival had a prayer breakfast on World Prayer Day to kick off the Iris Festival. I have been invited each year to say a prayer at this fine occasion. This year I said a prayer for the world. The Iris Festival is one of the biggest events in the city. Pow-wow dance class available Brenda Bremner and I attended the consultation session in Spokane, Wash., June 9 • 1 p.m. • Siletz Tribal Community Center • Instructors: Tony Whitehead, Jennifer Easter, Sara Bell-Tellez Siletz News is free to enrolled Siletz Tribal members. For all others, a $12 annual subscription fee applies. Please make checks payable to CTSI and mail to Siletz News. Nuu-wee-ya’ «swords) Introduction to the Athabaskan language Open to Tribal members of all ages Name: Address: Phone: Change of address: Tribal members - contact the Enrollment Depart ment at 541-444-8258; 800-922-1399, ext. 1258; or angelam@ctsi.nsn.us. All others - call the newspaper office. Send information to: Siletz News P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Deadline for the July issue is June 11. Submission of articles and photos is encouraged. Please see the Passages Policy on page 24 when submitting items for Passages. 541-444-8291 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1291 Fax: 541-444-2307 Member of the Native American Journalists Association E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us 2 * Siletz News • June 2012 Eugene Eugene Area Office June 4 - 6-8 p.m. July 10-12 at Culture Camp Portland Portland Area Office June 11-6-8 p.m. July 10-12 at Culture Camp Siletz Siletz Tribal Community Center June 5 - 6-8 p.m. July 10-12 at Culture Camp Salem Salem Area Office June 12 — 6-8 p.m. July 10-12 at Culture Camp Classes begin with basic instruction and progress over the year. They also are a refresher course for more-advanced students. Come and join other members of your community and Tribe in learning to speak one of our ancient languages. We also have equipment in the Cultural Department available for use in grinding and drilling shell or pine nuts or other applications. If you need to use the equipment, call the number below to set up an appointment. For more information, contact Bud Lane at the Siletz Cultural Department at 541-444-8320 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1320; or e-mail budl@ctsi.nsn.us.
