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About Siletz news letter. (Siletz, Oregon) 1989-1997 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1996)
January 1996 \ s S S ' s \s ' ' \ \ 'S 's 5 « sV 1 i T Í H B s 1 b ! ! T I i $ f f ¡ s IS B | &J g T < sS .V« S 1 Í J ! I LL1 GAMING REPORT From Jessie Davis Construction Continues On Fast Track Blessed with over a week of near - perfect weather, construction has been forging ahead at a fast and furious pace. If the torrential rains and winds had continued, we wouldn't be able to meet our June 26th target date for completing our permanent facility. As it is, the most critical part of our construction was accomplished in beautiful weather: the concrete foundation has been laid and we are now ready for the delivery and erection of the steel structure. Once the steel has been put in place, the plan is to wrap the structure in a cocoon so work can proceed regardless of the weather. With the exception of a very few details, the interior of the facility, including color schemes, was approved by the Tribal Council on December 17th. The exterior was approved several weeks earlier. Beginning the week of November 27th ( and for the next few months ) a lead Kane and Johnson architect will be on site to ensure that the architectural and construction work will be closely coordinated. The Chinook Winds' Bingo Hall will serve as a showroom. Gary Daniels, a , specialist in showroom technology arid design, with years of experience as a booking agent has been providing technical assistance to the Tribe's architects and contractors on the design and installation of sound and lighting equipment. Daniels has already booked some nationally known 1 IL entertainment groups starting the July 4th weekend. As we reported in previous Newsletters, a child care center will also be established in Chinook Winds for children 4 to 12 years of age and an arcade for the 13 thru 17 year olds. These are being planned with the highest standards of health, safety and security in mind. Employees Gain Fall Status; Outstanding Service Awards Presented Of the 201 employees currently on the Chinook Winds staff, 126 successfully completed their 6 months introductory period. These employees gain regular employee status and with it, certain benefits including salary increases. Fifty six of the employees are currently tribal members. For November Micky Jordon, a non-Indian, was awarded Superstar of the Month at a buffet luncheon held in honor of employees' contributions to Chinook Winds. Five tribal members were nominated for their outstanding Service. The October Superstar o f the Month award went to Rodney Ben, a Tribal member, and in September (the month the award was instituted) it was presented to Paula Schamel, a non- Indian. Tribal members who filed applications for employment are encouraged to update their appli- cations. Although hiring has quieted down during the winter months, recruitment for the permanent facility will begin in full force this spring. Allegations of Misuse of G am ing Revenues In view of wild unsubstan-tiated rumors, it was emphasized at a recent Tribal Council meeting that "persons 3 MB M who report wrongdoing..... must be specific about their allegations in order to avoid claims that have no merit. In the absence of such specific information, an allegation can only be treated as just another unsubstantiated rumor.... Persons who can substantiate their allegations are therefore encouraged to report them to the appropriate officials. Irresponsible allegations will be treated severely and prosecuted to the full extent of the law." Planning for the Use of Gaming Revenues A general plan with percent-age allocations was adopted by the Tribal Council on July 16, 1995 and submitted to the National Indian Gaming Commission. The specifics of that plan has yet to be spelled out. During the coming year, the Tribal Council will develop and implement a process for identifying and prioritizing needs and allocating gaming resources to meet those needs. A key to that process will be the involvement and input of the tribal members. The plan adopted by the Council covers such general categories as Government Operations (i.e., law enforcement, natural resources, Tribal Council, cultural heritage, tribal Court, etc.); General Welfare (i.e., health, education, housing, etc.); Economic Development (i.e., business enterprises, investments, etc.); Local Government and Charities (i.e., water, sewer, other municipal services, selected charitable purposes etc.) Seasons Greetings and Thanks to Chinook Winds Employees for making our gaming center such a phenomenal success!!! ***Bi7s & Pieces*** * * * * * * * After the high winds of December 12 (reported to have reached 107 MPH) this puppy, shown among fallen trees on Ojalla Road, seemed to be saying, "show me the way to go home!" * Welcome to our new Physician/Medical Director Michael Jenkins. We have a temporary Dentist on board, Bill Bailey from Portland. He will be at the Siletz Health Clinic Mondays, Thursdays and Tuesday afternoons. Physical Therapy is also now available at the Clinic with therapist Gene Moe. Appointments can be made for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and 1/2 of Fridays. The A&D program has moved to the Administration Building frorr the Clinic. BIA will be short staffed during the government shut down. The City presented the Tribe with an award for the Tribe's contributions to the Siletz Community. An advisory questionaire will be sent to Tribal members of voting age to determine whether the membership approves of (1) liquor served in the gaming center (2) liquor served in the restaurant (3) liquor served in the convention center. Welcome back Brett Kenney, our new Tribal Staff Attorney!!!
