Becoming a
Spokesperson
Spokespeople can provide
representation in the Tribal
Court system, and the Tribal
Court maintains a list of both
tribal and non-tribal Spokes-
people on the CTSI website
under the Tribal Spokesper-
son section of the Court &
Justice tab.
The court encourages indi-
viduals from diverse back-
grounds to apply for this role.
Eligibility requirements
along with the responsibili-
ties involved in becoming a
Spokesperson are outlined in
§ 3.022 TRIBAL BAR portion
of the Siletz Tribal Court Rules
and Procedures in the Siletz
Tribal Code § 3.001, which is
accessible on the website.
For further inquiries,
contact the Tribal Court
staff at 541-444-8228
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
BROADBAND
OPPORTUNITIES
Potential Training
Opportunities
Our Engineering firm is willing
to host college students and/or
early career engineers to help
on this and other projects.
As you may be aware, the Tribe is
developing a broadband network.
Tribal Broadband Boot Camp -
a week-long experiential
learning opportunity that is
available at no or low cost to
Tribal Broadband Providers.
For more information, you can listen to the Naa-ch’it-‘a Podcast here:
www.ctsi.nsn.us/podcast/episode-fifteen-lisa-norton-chief-administrative-officer/
This means that we will be needing some expertise
in areas related to broadband, and with that, we will
be providing some unique opportunities for Tribal
members. Additionally, we will be in need of folks
who have expertise in, or are excited to learn about,
all aspects of being an Internet Service Provider.
If this is of interest to you, we would like to hear
from you. We will be building out this network over
the next four years, but there will be opportunities
to learn more along the way.
Free training and certification
programs for interested folks.
If you are interested in receiving
training to operate and maintain this
new network, please reach out to
Lisa Norton to begin that discussion.
Lisa Norton
Chief Administrative Officer
LisaN@ctsi.nsn.us
541-444-8210
Siletz Tribe launches bold initiative to bridge digital divide with broadband
internet access for Siletz, and community.
By Andy Taylor
The Confederated Tribes of
Siletz Indians are taking a major
step towards digital access to their
residents with an aspiring broad-
band project, aimed at providing
high-speed internet access to under-
served areas in the Siletz area. This
initiative was recently presented to
Tribal Council and tribal members,
at the May 2025 General Council
Meeting. The project is a response to
the critical need for reliable internet,
which became glaringly evident dur-
ing the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project is being spearheaded
by Lisa Norton. She was compelled
to launch the broadband project
not only as the Chief Administra-
tive Officer for the Confederated
Tribes of Siletz Indians – but also
as a Tribal Member with a passion
to serve our membership to her full-
est. Norton began with a feasibility
study in 2022, which highlighted the
necessity of building a tribal-owned
network. Many tribal members
lacked adequate internet access,
impacting their ability to work,
study, and stay connected. “Watch-
ing kiddos or family members sit
outside the closed library because
they didn’t have access to broadband
was heartbreaking,” recalls Norton.
The broadband network is struc-
tured into three main components:
The backhaul: Acts like roads
connecting cities. The backhaul con-
nects our community to the broader
internet, similar to how I-5 connects
rural towns to major urban centers.
Middle mile: serves as the
regional roads that branch off from
the interstate and take you closer
to your town or neighborhood, like
Highway 229. The middle mile con-
nects Tribal hubs, schools, clinics,
or neighborhoods to the back haul.
They are the essential step between
long-distance and local delivery.
Last mile: The final leg of
broadband connection is direct
connection to individual homes and
businesses, ensuring that service
reaches the end-users. Think about
streets and driveways that bring you
directly to homes and businesses.
Two major projects are cur-
rently funded under this initiative
to bring reliable internet access to
the community.
The first infrastructure grant
is the Oregon Broadband Deploy-
ment Grant, with a budget of $3.36
million, aims to lay 16 miles of fiber
along Highway 229 (between Siletz
and Toledo) and Moonshine Park
Road, serving 81 pre-identified
homes and businesses.
The second is the Tribal Broad-
band Connectivity Program, with a
more substantial budget of $12.53
million, plans to install 45 miles
of fiber along Highway 229 and
Logsden Road, connecting 31 tribal
homes and 9 community anchor
institutions (also pre-identified),
along with 268 non-tribal homes.
It should be recognized, that
we must offer connection services
to the 268 (non-tribal) homes that
are both in the path of the connec-
tion line and currently underserved.
The last mile connection (from the
junctions to the buildings) will be
at a cost to the homeowner, if they
want to connect.
Norton emphasizes the impor-
tance of this project for the com-
munity saying, “Broadband is a basic
utility. You need it like you need
electricity, water, sewer services.
Everybody should have access to
affordable broadband.” The project
not only aims to provide internet
access but also opens opportunities
for tribal members to learn and work
in broadband, fostering economic
development and digital literacy.
The timeline for these projects
is ambitious. The Oregon Broad-
band Deployment Grant is expected
to be completed by July 2026, while
the Tribal Broadband Connectivity
Program has a four-year timeline.
Both projects are currently in the
final design phase, with engineer-
ing and environmental reviews to
follow. Once these steps are com-
pleted, requests for proposals will
be issued, and construction will
begin promptly.
Community engagement and
partnerships are crucial for the
success of these projects. Norton
highlights the importance of trans-
parency and collaboration. Lisa
noted, “We want to start early and
get the word out.” A goal of the tribal
broadband program is being trans-
parent about our business model
and the benefits of connecting to
the network.
Engaging with our community
and keeping them in the loop on the
project means updating our tribal
newspaper, our tribal website, social
media outlets and hosting com-
munity discussions. These modes
serve as a great resource to gain that
transparency and collaboration. The
tribe is working closely with local
internet service providers and other
stakeholders to ensure the project
meets the community’s needs.
Despite the challenges, Norton
remains optimistic about the proj-
ect’s impact. “This is one way there
was a gap. I wanted to serve it. And
so, I want it built fast. But it’s not
going to happen fast enough for
me,” she says. The project promises
to enhance communication, pro-
vide economic opportunities, and
improve the quality of life for tribal
members and the broader commu-
nity of Siletz.
As the Siletz Tribe moves for-
ward with their broadband initia-
tive, they are setting a path for other
tribes and rural communities to fol-
low. The project represents a signifi-
cant step towards digital equity and
sovereignty, ensuring that everyone
has access to the essential services
that broadband internet provides.
June 2025
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Siletz News
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