Siletz news., May 01, 1987, Image 3

American Indian
Week
May 17-23 has been designated American Indian Week
in Oregon. At the State Capitol a number of activities have
been scheduled during the week to commemorate the
observance.
PRO CLAM ATIO N SIG NING CEREMONY, M O N D A Y ,
M A Y 18, 1987, 11 am. Governor G oldschm idt's Ceremonial
O ffice, 254 State Capitol. Drumming and singing by Arlie
Neskahi and Chemawa students will be included as part of
the ceremony. Various groups and individuals plan to a t­
tend. We invite you to join us. Bring your class, your col­
leagues, your family and friends and help us com­
memorate this important event. Stop by the Commission
on Indian Services, Room 454, for refreshments after the
ceremony.
IN D IA N SPIRITUAL LEADERS DELIVER INVOCATIONS. A
number of Indian spiritual leaders have generously
agreed to deliver the opening invocations for both the
House and Senate throughout the week. The schedule
follows:
Monday, May 18, HOUSE, JAKE BIGHORN,
Chemawa Indian School; SENATE, ARLIE NESKAHI,
Chemawa Indian School.
Tuesday, May 19, SENATE, ED EDMO, Traditional
Storyteller.
Thursday, May 21, SENATE, ART BENSELL, Siletz.
Friday, May 22, HOUSE, PROSSANNA WILLIAMS,
Warm Springs; SENATE, VERBENA GREENE, Warm
Springs.
These sessions are open to the public so plan to attend
and watch your legislature in action. Daily sessions in
both houses can convene any time between 9 and 11 am.
To find out the exact time session will convene for a par­
ticular day, phone 1-800-332-2313 after 3 pm one day in ad­
vance.
Tribal Council
Minutes
MEETING: Special Council Meeting
DATE: April 7, 1987
TIM E: 6:30 p.m.
PLACE: Siletz Tribal Community Center
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:
Delores Pigsley, Chairman (6:40 p.m.); Alfred "B ud" Lane, III, Vice-
Chairman; Frank Simmons, Mary Alice Muncey, Secretary; Douglas
Brown (7:15 p.m.), Arthur S. Bensell, Lori Johnson, Mary "D olly"
Fisher.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Alta Courville.
OTHERS PRESENT:
Tina M. Jones, Secretary; Sharon Edenfield, Bus. Mgr.; Gary Butler,
USDA Clerk, Alice McNamara, Joella Kline, Forestry Secretary; Phil
Rilatos, General Manager; Darlene Carkhuff, Secretary; Jessica
Rilatos, Sharon Butler, H.S. Teacher, Joan Fisher.
Vice-Chairman, Bud Lane, called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m.
Mary Alice Muncey gave invocation. Roll call was taken with 6
Council Members present and 3 absent. However, Dee entered the
meeting at 6:40 p.m. and Douglas entered the meeting at 7:15 p.m.
MOTION #1 — Frank Simmons moved to approve the amended
agenda, switching the General Manager and Tribal Chairman
Report time slots and adding LeRoy Wilder before Travel Requests.
Seconded by Dolly Fisher. Motion approved, 6-0-0.
MOTION #2 — Frank Simmons moved to approve the minutes of
the 3/17/87 Council Meeting. Seconded by Mary Alice Muncey.
Motion approved, 6-0-0.
TRIBAL COUNCIL CONCERNS — Dolly asked about letters going
and coming from Tribal Council that other Council members did not
see. Specifically, she asked about a letter to Council members from
LeRoy on 3/13, and on 3/24 a letter to John Roe requesting a 10-day
extension on the Ed Ben petition. Bud explained that he had talked
to John Roe about an extension just this last week. The letter from
LeRoy was addressed to Dee and was his refusal of the Honorary
Membership. Dolly asked about the request from Virginia Ryan to
support the Samish Tribe's efforts for restoration. The Council
discussed this before but chose not to take action. Dolly asked
about the petition in the newsletter. Phil explained that it was not a
petition, but was a notice of what was coming. The actual petition
is going through the process of being validated and must first go to
the Bureau for approval. Tribal Members cannot sign the petition in
the paper, it is not valid. It was just an example. Bud mentioned that
recently the Tribal Court needed travel approval in order to pur­
chase tickets to attend a training. Council was not meeting in time,
and in order to get the special discount rate they needed approval
immediately. Bud told them to go ahead and that he would present
the request before the Council at their next meeting for approval.
Bud asked what he should do in these types of emergency situa­
tions. A dicussion was held on telephone polls. Phil explained that
in the draft Operations Manual, it had a provision for the Tribal
Chairman or Vice-Chairman to approve the travel, pending formal
approval by the Council at their next meeting. Dee noted the Tribal
Council Rules and Procedures Ordinance should be updated to
reflect these changes. Mary Alice was concerned about a letter she
received from Kristi Martin requesting that a grave be moved.
Kristi's family feels it is contained within an area of what they con­
sider their family plot. Council agreed that it was unfortunate that a
tribal member was buried so close, but they were unwilling to move
the grave. Dee will draft a letter to Kristi explaining this. Frank asked
if a Council Representative would be attending the Yakima CHR
Conference. Dee explained that health staff was invited, not Coun­
cil. Frank asked about tax exemption for State taxes for people liv­
ing and working on the reservation. Dee explained that this provi­
sion applies to reservation land, not just trust land. Our service area
is considered a reservation for some purposes, but not for State in­
come tax purposes.
Lori asked if the Tribe were pursuing USDA distribution in Portland.
Dee noted we were and that LeRoy was drafting a letter stating
specific justification for granting a waiver for the Portland area. Lori
asked if the JTPA appeal was based on the Tribe having priority or
on UIC not being competent. Dee responded that it was two-fold.
First, that UIC was not stable. Second, that the Tribe should have
priority as a tribe. Lori asked what Allison's involvement with tribal
members applying for JTPA at UIC could be. Phil responded that it
would be referral only. Sharon noted that Allison has worked in
JTPA before and if tribal members were having problems she
would be able to follow up on them with the UIC counselors. Lori
discussed proposed fundraising efforts of Michael Randall. She ask­
ed if the Council would be willing to establish an Endowment Fund
for a tribal museum. This money would be set aside to help the
museum project along, including a planning study. Bud asked for a
planning study. Bud asked for additional information on the Endow­
ment Fund and how much the Culture Committee is asking for.
GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT - Phil asked if Council was
ready to approve the changes in the Operations Manual. All of the
changes were discussed by Council previously. Two changes were
ones Council requested at the last meeting. The Manual was
renumbered and repaged for easier access. Council decided to
review the manual and approve it at their next meeting. THe original
request for the Veterans Memorial Marker was to have the military
emblem carved on the Memorial Marker and list the names
alphabetically under the branch of service. Council agreed to this.
The foundation will cost an additional $1,100. Originally, someone
else was going to do the foundation. Phil was concerned that if two
contractors worked on the Memorial, the foundation will not fit the
Marker. Oregon Memorials is willing to do the base and marker and
says they will have it in by Memorial Day. There is enough left in the
original line item to cover the additional cost of the base. Council
agreed to have Oregon Memorials do the foundation as well. Phil
asked if Council still wanted to have it placed outside the Council
Chambers. A partial staff survey was conducted, and of those
specifying, most wanted it down at the bottom o f the hill. Council
wanted it left outside the Council Chambers. SIHA has put out a bid
for a Site Engineer and Turnkey Contractor. They asked if the Tribe
would allow them to burn up on, the hill in the Housing area and
whether if was subject to DEQ regulations. This is a Council deci­
sion. Dee was concerned that if there were only three Indian Con­
tractor bids, and four bidders are needed, the bids would be thrown
out and it would be opened for the general public. Phil noted that
new policies came out regarding Indian preference. The bids were
supposed to close on the 17th, but because of the new information
the bid deadline was extended until the 4th. Phil also noted that
those were regarding the IHS contracts, which the Tribe does not
have anything to do with. The Tribe has tw o contracts to deal with,
the Site Engineer and Turnkey Contract. Dee was also concerned
about Indian bidders being forced out of the bidding because they
would be unable to come up with enough cash to pay up front for
the contracts, and not getting paid until the project is completed,
he Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is getting a new emblem. They
would like a symbol of the Tribe included in their patch. They asked
for input from the Council. Council reviewed their drawings and
tabled their decision until later in the meeting. Phil reported the
Tribe had received a request from Ketchikan Indian Corporation
requesting assistance with a home study on one of their ICW cases.
Frank Petersen could do the home study. Council agreed to this.
Lincoln County Council on Aging requesting a representative from
the Tribe be appointed to sit on their Board of Directors. They meet
on the second Thursday of each month. Dee asked for volunteers
from the Council. This was tabled until later in the meeting. Our ser­
vice area expansion was published in the Federal Register, in­
cluding Clackamas, Multnomah & Washington counties. Bud asked
about the significance of the elderly & handicapped regulation
changes in the HIP Program. Phil noted that the 15 percent might
apply to bigger tribes but not to ours because we have done this all
along. Our immediate need is not just for the elderly, but for the
younger generation. The Portland Area Office was in agreement
that the younger generation was in need of housing assistance. Dee
reported the deadline for comments was the 31st. Sharon stated
the 93-638 meeting was considered consultation with tribes. Phil
reported our SAIF rates increased $6,000 from last quarter mostly
due to Forestry & JTPA accidents. This affects everyone working
for the Tribe, including the Council. Bud noted that the Timber
committee had discussed this issue and suggested that individual
programs with a lot of accidents will not be contracted in the future.
Phil sent a memo out to all area offices requesting volunteers to put
on the potluck during General Council meetings. They have agreed
to sponsor the potlucks, but each area cannot bring all the food.
They will be responsible for set up and clean up as well. Dee felt
these were a good time for fundraisers.
Phil reported that in the Council packets was an IHS Resolution and
Policy Paper from Tulsa. The Health Committee met and recom­
mended the Council adopt the Tulsa Paper and CHR Paper. Dee felt
we should support the National Indian Health Board position. They
were in favor of the RAM allocation. Dr. Rhoades changed some­
thing at the last minute, which did not set well with tribes, so they
reduced their feelings to the support paper. Tribes feel that health
care is an IHS trust responsibility. By collecting Medicare/Medicaid
and Health Insurances they are reducing the IHS budget and mak­
ing people pick up insurance in order to get served. The Service
Units get the insurance money and are using this money to spend in
the Service Units. When IHS finds out you can do with less money
they will allocate less. The other problem is that IHS is attempting
to privitize health care services, probably through one or tw o care
SILETZ, OREGON, MAY, 1987 - PAGE 3
givers, so you would be forced to go through only those health care
providers. Tribes feel that Indian tribes should be dealt with on a
government-to-government relationship and Administration is not
doing this. Phil noted that no one has a problem w ith RAM,
because we are better off, but it does not address the issue of
appropriation dollars necessary to take care o f Indian health. RAM
shares the loss. IHS has added in privitization and less allocation in­
itiatives. Dee stated the Northwest always gets less because we do
not have hospitals. When IHS cuts contract care we are losing the
only health care we have. Dee felt we needed to oppose the CHR
program phase out. IHS is proposing to phase out the program over
a 3-year period, at which time tribes would have to fund the CHR
programs. Dee asked that a delegate be sent to the Northwest
Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) meeting to support the
position paper. She also felt it was time to send a resolution to
NPAIHB for a seat on the Health Board. Cow Creek is the number
one delegate and Coos is the nunber tw o delegate. Neither is
representing us at the meetings as they do not attend. Phil reported
the temporary Sanitation Engineers are being laid off. They are tw o
years behind in this area of assistance. Dee asked that LeRoy help
prepare a resolution to NPAIHB requesting they divide equally
travel for all Council for all delegates rather than the system they
have now. Right now they go by service units and whoever the ser­
vice unit elects as their delegate represents all four tribes. Not all of
our concerns are the same. Sharon Edenfield requested a resolution
for the YOP program. It will fund an 8 person crew and 1 project
leader, all in Siletz.
MOTION #3 — Lori Johnson moved to approve submission of the
Youth Opportunity Program proposal to the Bureau of Indian A f­
fairs. Seconded by Douglas Brown. Motion approved, 7-0-0.
HEAD START TRAVEL — Dee reported there was a question of
travel for the Head Start Program. The Washington, D.C. office was
called to see if the Director must go. They said it was not etched in
stone. Travel has already been approved for Rosemary to attend,
her ticket has been purchased and there is no refund. Of the Train­
ing & Assistance money, there is $209 left which can be used for an
additional person. The Parent Committee said they would do fund
raising for another person to go. The Committee wanted the
Teacher and Aide to go, not the Director. Jessica Rilatos said that it
was not that the Committee did not want Rosemary to go, but no
one had informed them who would be going. Their preference is for
Mona & Sharon to attend. She called the tribal office and was told
the Director must go. Phil reported he contacted the Washington,
D.C. Head Start Office and they said it was their policy to send the
Director and any funds left over can be used to send an additional
person. Dee stated that in the past the Council has paid attention to
the Parent Committees' desires and she does not feel it should be
different now. Alice McNamara, Secretary/Treasurer for the Parent
Committee, stated that when the issue came up at the Parent Com­
mittee meeting, there was not a lot of information on who would
get the most benefit from attending. She felt there was too much
emphasis on the Parent Committee decision, becuase it was really
only a 5 to 3 vote that the tw o parents go and the others were the
Director go or the Teacher or one and one, so everybody would be
represented. Also, there was no vote whatsoever concerning the
funds being raisd, it was brought up individually. The Parent Com­
mittee still has to discuss if they can come up with the funds for the
other person: Phil noted an additional $618 needed to be raised.
The trip is scheduled for April 27th - May 2nd. Sharon Butler
reported that when they received the flyer on the Conference,
everyone wanted to attend the Conference. They asked Rose if
there was enough time they would like to do fundraising to send
Mona and Sharon to the Conference, also. Sharon contacted
Washington, D.C. Head Start and New Oreleans to get all the
details on the conference and the funding before going to Rose­
mary. Dee felt it should have been from the Parent Committee as a
proposal and Rosemary should have followed through with it. Phil
reported he received a memo from Rosemary in February request­
ing aproval to attend the Conference. It covers a lot of workshops.
Dee felt there was a lack of communication with Administration
and the Parent Committee. When a grant is written, you already
write in what will be done with the money. When notified that we
were not getting as much money, the Parent should have been
notified so they could make plans what to do with the money.
Since Rosemary's travel has already been approved and her ticket
purchased. Dee felt she should attend and use the remaining $209
for the Teacher to attend if the Parent Committee could raise
enough funds to cover the additional costs. Frank felt that the
Council should go with the Parent Committee's decision to send
the Teacher and Aide. Sharon Butler stated that Head Start funds
could only be used to send one person.
MOTION #4 — Douglas Borwn moved to rescind Resolution 87-74.
Seconded by Dolly Fisher. Motion approved, 8-0-0.
MOTION #5 — Douglas Brown moved to approve out-of-state
travel for Sharon Butler to the Head Start Conference in New
Orleans; to approve use of the remaining $209 from the T/A grant
for an additional person to attend the Conference if additional funds
can be raised by the Parent Committee. Seconded by Bud Lane.
Discussion held. Phil stated Washington, D.C. had said that we can
send the Director, and any remaining funds could send another per­
son. Dee asked who would teach the students while the Teacher
and Aide were gone. Jessica reported parents would volunteer to
teach in the classroom. Motion approved, 8-0-0.
TRIBAL COUNCIL RULES & PROCEDURES - Dee reported the
Council needs to review procedures regarding telephone polls and
come up with changes. These changes should correspond with the
Operations Manual. Bud asked if the Council would consider sign­
ing a waiver for all telephone polls during the year.
TRIBAL CHAIRMAN’S REPORT — We are apealing the USDA
wiver. USDA has overlooked the fact that Grand Ronde is being
served in Portland. Craig Higgins assisted us in getting a response
from USDA. The 15% Indirect Cost proposal was scrapped by the
Bureau. It was put in the 1987 supplement budget to not include it
in 1988 requests. John Roe has given the Council a 10-day exten­
sion to answer Ed Ben's petition. In the ANA grant there is addi­
tional money to pay for a consultant to help the Council continue
with their goal setting. The workshop has been set for Friday, June
19th, in the evening, and Saturday, June 20th, in the morning. Dee
has a background paper on Mr. Sumek for the Council to review. Pi-
Ume-Sha is the last weekend in June. NCAI will be held on June
24-26 in Portland at the Red Lion. LeRoy Wilder's contract is
negotiable. He will make a presentation at the next Council
meeting. He will try to get it to the Council in advance. Dee noted
the ATNI Plan of Action was really organized. Their goals and
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