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About Siletz news. (Siletz, Oregon) 1983-1989 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1985)
PAGE 2 - OCTOBER, 1985, SILETZ, OREGON •yAv.v.vA%v.%%v»v.v.v?.vA%%v.w.v.v.wAv.w.,.w.w.w.wAw.w.wAw.,.w.,.,.wAw. Council Chairman’s Report Delores Pigsley Chairman's Report: On September 21, the Tribal Council, for the first time, expelled a member under the Tribe's Constitution for. gross misconduct. Ver non Brown, a top vote-getter in the last election, was expelled for soliciting money from local merchants in the name of the Tribe, and depositing it into his own account. In addition, he attempted to be paid for attendance at a Culture Committee meeting which he did not attend. A t an open hearing before the Council and numerous tribal members, Vernon admitted that he solicited over $200 which he deposited into his own account. In his defense, he maintained the money was used for purchasing princess tickets from his daughter. He testified that he only kept 25% of the money, which was allow ed under ticket sales procedures. Local merchants testified however, that no mention of princess tickets was made during Mr. Brown's solicitations. Sometime back, Vernon submitted time sheets requesting pay ment for four hours for attending a Culture Committee meeting in March. The evidence showed that he did not attend that meeting but never made a satisfactory explanation why the hours appeared on his time sheet. In my opinion, the conduct of Vernon Brown constitutes gross misconduct and I voted for his expulsion without hestitation. If I stand for nothing else as Tribal Chairman, I want to stand for hones ty and integrity. I believe that Tribal Council members need to take their responsibilities as seriously as I do. W hat also is disturbing is what I have heard to justify Vernon's conduct. Some expressed the opinion that what Vernon did simply was not wrong. Some say that, since the Pow W ow Committee did not have written procedures to govern solicitations, it is okay to convert money solicited in the name of the Tribe to personal use. Evidence at the hearing showed we all are bound by tribal laws which prohibit this kind of conduct. One individual wrote a letter and testified that, in her opinion, everybody else does it so Vernon should not be punished. In other words, in this person's opinion, Vernon's misconduct was not dis honesty but his misfortune in getting caught. I find this justification to be particuarly shocking. I also believe the accusations against other council members are false. I am proud of our Council for taking a stand and making a clear statement for all to hear that this kind o f conduct will not be tolerated. I trust th a t the opinions to 'th e contrary reflect only a minority of our membership and that most of you agree w ith the Council's stand. _ , , Delores Pigsley Chairman Regular General Council Meeting NOVEMBER X 1985 TRIBAL CO M M UNITYCENTER — BEGINNING A T ^ O P.M, ( CALL TO ORDER . !; IN V O C A T IO N .. ' ROLL CALL 1:00 P.M. Brovvn , 7 APPROVAL OF AGENDA ’ APPROVAL OF M INUTES TRIBAL MEMBERS CONCERNS TRIBAL CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Delores Pigsley GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT .. . Phil Rilatos ANNOUNCMENTS ■I ADJOURNMENT NO POTLUCK * v S S Ç ft 1 « Ci .« • « Î Letters To Smoke Screen? D ear Editor: Saturday, Septem ber 21, 1985 a t the R egular, monthly Tribal Council m eeting a Kangaroo Court w as held with charges of misconduct ag ain st a T ribal Council m em ber. The m isconduct being, claim ing 4 hours for the w rong m eetin g and soliciting in the nam e of the Tribe for the Pow Wow. The 4 hours issue should have been resolved by the Chair m an in M arch 1985. All it takes is the stroke of a red pen before the tim esheet went to the Accounting Of fice. This has been done in the past, but, for 6 months now the 4 hour issue has been a lengthy topic for discussion a t e v e ry m e e tin g . T he soliciting ch arg e is ju st a n o th e r sm o k e sc re e n to d iv e r t fro m in f ra c tio n s elsewhere. The Pow Wow people have solicited the businesses as long as Pow Wows have been held here. Who kept a record of w hat was donated and how it was used? No one kept an ac curate record of those dona tions. Did some of that fall into em p ty po ck ets and outstretched hands? O ur Softball team , spon sored by the Tribe, with $2500.00 fi-om T im b e r Revenue, o verspent th eir budget but they cam e back to the Council and got $600.00 m ore ($3100.00 altogether.) they also can v assed the County for cash donations. How m uch did they collect? How is it documented and who collected in the nam e of the Siletz Tribe? In Jan u ary and Septem ber 1984, M arch and Ju n e 1985 Council tim esheets reflected hours spent at meetings. This is baloney, but these persons a re still on the Coun cil and pointing fingers. What prom pted these in sid io u s c h a r g e s a g a in s t another: Tribal M ember and C ouncil m e m b e r? Is it because he speaks from his guts rath er than the top of his head, is it because he m ay have witnessed miscon- duct and negligence or is it because he can vote “ No” in s te a d of fo llo w in g th e leader? How m any hours will be claim ed for tim e spent on this ridiculous, uncalled for action? How m any days at $450.00 a day will the gold fingered lawyer be paid for this undercover investiga tion? How m any hours of staff tim e will be claim ed for discussing and perpetuating this action? How m any hours will the Chairm an claim for seconding a motion to sta rt expulsion action? •• • • • • • HIDES The Editor You can see the inside job and vigilante process that w as in tr o d u c e d on Septem ber 10, 1985 to the surprised victim. He was ex pelled from the Tribal Coun cil on Septem ber 21,1985 and I p ray he will come back with a legal counter-attack to c le a r his n am e an d possibly indict the ones that are truly guilty of gross misconduct and actions not becoming to Leaders of this Tribe. Sincerely, M ary “Dolly” Fisher Siletz, OR 97380 Pow-Wow Thanks D ear Editor: I read the com ments m ade by Don P ig sle y in the Septem ber 1985 Siletz News. I s h a r e m a n y of M r. P igsley’s observations and concerns. I, too, was honored when asked to serve as m aster of cerem onies for a portion of the celebration. I, was asked by a tribal m em ber who num bers among those who hold m y deepest respect. I served to the best of my ability, without com pensa tion, even though I would have desired to spend more tim e visiting friends and relatives. I thank the grandchildren and greatgrandchildren of m y parents who returned to Siletz to participate with and honor my father and mother. I am aw are of the great dis tance some of you traveled and your dem onstration of re sp e c t and devotion is appreciated. I thank Pauline Ricks for her unlimited participation in coordinating a successful celebration. A casual and uninformed observer of the m ultitude of problem s and quest ions fielded by h er d ur ing the celebration could come to the conclusion that she was the chair m an . One of the highlights of the celebration for m e was the display of pride and dignity dem onstrated by our Indian People who served as flag bearers in the parade, grand entries, and the retiring ceremonies. The emotional im pact on the heart of this Indian cannot be described. I thank the contest judges. We can count ourselves for tu n a te to h a v e ju d g e s capable of rendering fair decisions coupled with the w illin g n e ss to s a c r if ic e visiting and socializing in favor of serving our people. One cannot fully appreciate the level of service provided until you have observed other celebrations. ; If you a re interested in purchasing a tanned deer or elk hide for the cost of the tanning, you can contact I thank Paul Whitehead for E verett Butler. E v erett has his participation, especially a num ber of hides he has had for the services of Whip tanned and a num ber of Man. This celebration arid green hides. The hides that m any others I have attended a re tanned can be purchased would su rely be lacking for the cost of the tanning, without P a u l’s participation. and the green hides can be We Siletz People can be pro picked up for nothing. He ud to count him among our can be contacted in Siletz at 444-2301. supporters and friends. M any p eo p le w o rk in g b e h in d th e s c e n e s a r e deserving of thanks. One such person comes to my recollection in the person of D elbert Bell. I observed Delbert working with pre cision calculating the results of the contest judging to ca rry out the wishes of those trib al m em bers who ex pressed a desire to retain contest dancing as a p art of the Pow Wow. Carlene E aster holds the Carmichael respect and love of my fam i ly t h a t w o rd s c a n n o t M r. & M rs. Je ff C a r describe. Her participation in th is c e le b ra tio n w as m ich ael a re the proud equaled by no one. Carlene p a re n ts of a new baby d u g in to h e r lim ite d boy born S eptem ber resources to purchase ball 14, 1985. His n am e is caps and proceeded to bead S c o tt R ic h a r d C a r each one. At the conclusion of the parade, without fan m ichael, an d he w eigh fare and alm ost unnoticed, ed 7 lbs. 4 oz. He w as .21 she honored the particpating i n c h e s lo n g . H is v e te ra n s and o th e rs by m o th er, Cheryl, is a presenting them with a bead trib al m em ber. ed ballcap. I know I speak for each person Carlene chose to honor in extending Thompson our appreciation for her dem onstration of love and P a m T hom pson is respect. th e proud m o th er of Carlene has provided me A p o llo n ia M o n iq u e m any opportunities to be in- b o rn dian proud and to count my T h o m p s o n , blessings. One of m y pro A ugust 7, 1985 in Cor udest experiences happened vallis, Oregon. m any years ago. Carlene She w eighed 8 lbs. 10 was attending Camp E aster Seal, a sum m er cam p for oz. a t birth. W elcom ing crippled children. Our danc A pollonia’s a rriv a l a t ing ‘‘for’’ them was short- hom e w ere h er th ree liyed b ec au se C a rle n e ’s b ro th e rs J im m y , p a r tic ip a tio n m o tiv a te d W illiam and Joseph — those beautiful children to dstoee» With us. Th$ entire a n d tw o s is te r s — group, some with braces, Heather and Rosie. some with crutches, some in wheelchairs, and some with the assistance of counselors Ip ? ■: danced the afternoon to thé" singing and drum m ing of my C la y to n L ew is .father. I reflect on this ex- • p erien ceeach tim e 1 get the Austin was born on opportunity to dem onstrate August 24, 1985 to -my »Indian, P rid e through P a u la ' an d R a n d y dance. Austin? of San Deigo, In closing, I thank my peo ple for the opportunity to California. He weighed se rv e as M a s te r of 8 lbs, 0 oz,, and was Ceremonies. I tru st my se r born in Chula Vista, vices m et with your satisfac California. His grand tion. In the event, during the parents are Alfred and course: of serving, I caused em barrassm ent or feelings Clarice Lane of Na of disrespect to anyone by tional City, California-, act op omission, I apologize. and Bill and June Sincerely, Austin of P ortland, Baby News Ed Ben 1075 Sharon Loop SE Salem, Oregon 97306 Oregon. C ongratula tions Paula and Ran dy!!
