By Oma Izakson
(reprinted from the Newport News Times)
The Lincoln County School District on
Saturday (November 18) received a formal
pledge from the Confederated Tribes of the
Siletz Indians for $24,500 to buy land for a new
high school in Lincoln City.
During a ceremony at the tribe's annual
Restoration Powwow, tribal officials presented
the proclamation to Lincoln County School
Board Vice Chairman Doug Hunt.
"We thought it was important because
we had agreed to make certain donations to the
school district, and that was one of the things
that was pretty apparent that was needed, "Tribal
Chairperson Delores Pigsley said Tuesday.
LCSD did not include the $24,500
in the $38.9 million school bond approved tty
voters last May because officials believed
Lincoln City planned to donate the property.
City officials, however, said they could not
donate the land because it was encumbered tty a
Lincoln County School Board Vice-Chairman
Doug Hunt spoke at Restoration Ceremonies
& accepted the pledge for $24,500 on
behalf of the School Disctrict
bond debt, and the city needed to recoup at least
the land's assessed value when the transfer
occurred.
The school district will use the land as
part of the campus of the new Taft High School
in Lincoln City. The existing high school is one
of the most overcrowded school facilities in the
county.
Despite rumors in Lincoln City that the
Tribe plans to give larger sums to the school
district, Pigsley said nothing was planned yet.,
" We've been talking about different ideas but
we haven't arrived at any conclusions yet," she
said. "I'm sure we will"
LCSD Superintendent Skip Liebertz,
who missed the Saturday ceremony to attend the
University of Oregon/Oregon State University
football game in Eugene, said the district will
continue to discuss its financial needs with the
Tribes.
"I believe that we will have continuing
conversations with the Tribe about how we can
work together to improve education in Lincoln
County," he said Tuesday. "And so I view them
as one other partner in this county. They're an
important organization and we will continue to
work with them to see how we can improve."
This awesome figure painted by Peggy O'Neal can be
seen in our new Administration Building.
Congratulations to Siletz
Tribal Chairman Delores
Pigsley selected as
Woman o f the Year by
NCAIfor her leadership
in tribal government!
Thank you to the kitchen volunteers for
a yummy meal at Restoration!!!!
Sfi!Sill!!Ssai^oBslS
Siletz Tribe Donates $24,500
for Taft High School