Tribal Council elections are upon us again, please vote for leadership that
will understand their Tribal Council oaths, Ordinances, and governance.
In 2022, a lawsuit was filed because five sitting Tribal Council members
overstepped their authority in an Administrative matter. The case was decided
in March 2023 finding they were guilty. Why I filed an Ethics Complaint and
appeared in TC chambers at their hearing and asked that the five resign was; a
sitting TC member publicly named an employee in their motion while moving
to intervene in an Administrative issue, putting CTSI in financial and legal risk.
“Over the past months, we watched these five council members assert
broad authority over an Administrative decision while claiming immunity,
causing legal costs for CTSI to defend their actions. When Tribal Council
members involve themselves directly in personnel matters, it creates a chilling
effect for employees, who may fear becoming targets of unpopular decisions.
Such actions undermine tribal administration and raise doubts about whether
the roles and responsibilities of council members are fully understood. This
dynamic has contributed to a combative atmosphere between leadership and
staff. Tribal Council’s role is to create policy—not enforce it.
The actions taken bypassed ordinances, undermined the General Manager’s
authority, and led employees to question whether policies still protect them.
Even after the court determined the resolution was unlawful, those
involved have not acknowledged wrongdoing and have stated they would act
the same way again. Without the lawsuit overturning the resolution, a harm-
ful precedent could have been set, allowing employment decisions based on
council preference rather than policy.
Leadership requires fairness, humility, and respect for separation of
powers. For these reasons, I believe resignation or removal is the appropri-
ate remedy.”
Please don’t vote for any of those five from the court case.
Kathy Kentta
Tribal Member
Dear Editor,
My hope is that all you and your Siletz readers over 18 will vote in the
Tribal Council election.
The candidates who are getting my vote are the ones who’ve best exhibited
values that are central to our collective Siletz identity: 1) telling the truth; 2)
being open and transparent; 3) treating everyone with kindness and respect;
4) having courage.
Truth—Political leaders, I am sure, have an extra difficult time resisting
the urge to talk out of both sides of their mouths. They almost always seek to
maintain good relations with everyone and sometimes must vigorously advo-
cate for our collective interests. But our leaders must remember that nothing’s
more important than the truth. Loraine Butler, Bonnie Petersen, and Sharon
Edenfield have demonstrated the habit of telling the truth.
Transparency—Who needs to know? For our Tribe to thrive, the GENERAL
COUNCIL needs to be informed. The candidates who have best promoted
transparency and openness (and who favor limiting use of EXECUTIVE SES-
SIONS) are Loraine Butler, Bonnie Petersen, and Sharon Edenfield.
Respect—Especially in the midst of debate and controversy, respect and
kindness may get forgotten. The candidates who have best embodied respect-
fulness even in moments of conflict and heated debate are Loraine Butler,
Bonnie Petersen, and Sharon Edenfield.
Bravery—Who will remain able to say “yes” when everyone else in the room
urges them to say “no?” It’s important for our leaders to be able to take an
independent stand. We deserve leaders who don’t just take the path of “going
along to be getting along.” I urge you to vote for the candidates who have dem-
onstrated a willingness to go down a different path—the path of independent
thought and courage. Those candidates are Loraine Butler, Bonnie Petersen,
and Sharon Edenfield.
Yours Truly.
Drew Viles
Winter All-Staff meeting builds connection and clebrates excellence
The Winter All-Staff meeting,
similar to any other company staff
meetings, is a vital event because it
brings the entire team together to
align on goals, celebrate achieve-
ments, and strengthen and promote
a positive workplace culture.
This dedicated time ensures that
employees receive essential training,
keeping everyone informed and com-
pliant with company standards and
industry requirements.
Years of service
awards
5 years:
Weston Stickler
Jessie Ramsey
Mariah Runkle
Serria Warren
Kaitlyn Gravelle
Cathy Ray
Tiana Trevillian
Katrina Hudson
Sky Larson
By consolidating these trainings
into one comprehensive session, the
organization promotes consistency
and efficiency while reinforcing its
commitment to the staff and profes-
sional development.
Beyond training, All-Staff meet-
ings serve as an opportunity for team
building, which is vital for fostering
collaboration and trust among staff
members. Engaging activities encour-
age communication, break down silos,
Tracey Viar
Marcos Muniz-Strong
Rachelle Endres
25 years
Rebekah Goulet
Cecilia Tolentino
Marci Simmons
Anna Renville
30 years:
Kelly Lane
Dianne McLeod
35 years:
10 years:
Peter Hatch
James Williams
Kimberly Lane
Natasha Smith
Anna Aviles
Nicholas Vandersloot
Kevin Barker
Sonya Moody-Jurado
Joella Strong
Katy Holland
and create a sense of unity that carries
over into daily operations.
These experiences help employees
feel connected, not only to each other
but also to the tribes mission to serve
the mebership, and their values
Equally important is the recog-
nition component of the meeting.
Honoring staff for their years of
service and dedication demonstrates
appreciation and reinforces loyalty. In
addition, presenting quarterly awards
3 rd quarter awards
Special Acts of Service:
Rose Stone
Michael Flaningam
Andrea Rethorford
Jessica Hibler
Kelly Lane
Extra Efforts:
Laura Bremner
Christina Bishop
Cassandra Godwin
Sierra Moon
Bo Johnson
Performance:
Nicholas Belleque
for going above and beyond highlights
exceptional contributions both for the
tribe and the Siletz Tribal Members.
These moments of acknowledg-
ment create a positive work environ-
ment where employees feel valued
and inspired to continue delivering
their best.
The tribe hosts All-Staff meetings
twice yearly. Tribal Members are
encouraged to nominate staff who
went above and beyond for them.
Dylan Gorman
Chelsea Wawrak
Laura Bremner
Michael Flaningam
Jennifer Rackley
Jessie Ramsey
Extra Efforts:
Kyanna Fisher
Lori Christy
Christine Marceau
Time-Off:
Jamie Bokuro
Employee of the Quarter:
Valentina Knott
4 th quarter awards
Special Acts of Service:
Employee Suggestion:
Daniel Alvarez
Kyle Wolcott
Jazmyn Reid
Bo Johnson
Kevin Goodell
Jessica Kehret
Time-Off:
Teresa Carpenter
Rhonda Attridge
Employee of the Quarter:
15 years:
Dylan Gorman
Sami Jo Difuntorum
Marci Taylor
Casey Godwin
Chasta Marceau
Danise Barker
20 years:
Celesta Lee
Performance:
Zeph Mullins
Syd Somes
Daniel Alvarez
Judy Imbler
Norma Hernandez-Arenas
Employee of the Year:
Jessica Hibler
Photo by Andy Taylor
Left to right: Staff members Zeph Mullins,
Jennifer Rackley and David Rodriguez dur-
ing the team building activity
January 2026
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Siletz News
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