Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 1978)
JANUARY 13, 1978 PAGE 5 Ken Smith Notes Give & Take of Federal Reserve Involvement As a newly reappointed di rector for the Portland branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Confederated Tribes General Manager Ken Smith feels he is on a “two-way street.” “ I have something to give them ,” he said, which is a monthly report on the economic conditions of the Central Oregon area, including the reservation. “And it’s a valuable experience for me to get involved in a central banking system. It keeps me on my toes,” said Smith. Being aware of regional and national economics is essential for sound planning for the Con federated, Tribes, noted the gen eral manager. Smith, 42, is beginning a three-year term on the board, to which he was first appointed in January 1976. The San F ran cisco bank is one of twelve banks in the Federal Reserve system, which regulates the flow of money through most Ameri can banks. The four branches of the San Francisco bank are located in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City. In the Port land branch Smith is one of seven directors, three of whom are bankers and four non-bank ers. Branch vice president Ange lo S. Carrella said that the bank seeks board members who rep resent a diversity of back grounds. Smith is the only American Indian in the.Federal Reserve System. A board member’s main re sponsibility is to provide the bank with economic information in his area of expertise and geo graphical region at monthly meetings. This information is sent to San Francisco to be compiled into an economic pro file of the whole district, which GENERAL MANAGER KENNETH SMITH covers most of the west as well as Hawaii and Alaska. Directors are also asked to offer opinions on the Federal Reserve System, to review bank operations, and approve bud gets. The boards are principally advisory bodies, said Carrella. In turn, directors may use what they have learned to act as spokesmen for the system, “in forming the non - informed” through public appearances and other means. Smith gathers information on Central Oregon to present to the board on a monthly basis. He reports on the accomplishments of. the Confederated Tribes, their impact on the local economy, and the clim ate of the timber and tourist industries. He also has business con tacts throughout Central Oregon who keep him abreast of the economic situatidn in their area. Of the central part of Oregon, Smith commented, “everything is booming,” with the exception of the recent drought’s effect on agriculture." A direct benefit of Smith’s bank involvement is the broader perspective he brings to the Tribes, said the general mana ger of eight years. Making de cisions about the Tribes’ future is easier with some knowledge of the economic scene. Smith has even been inspired to brush up on financial theory as evidenced by a brand new textbook about money atop his desk. An important side benefit of his work for the board is the building of positive public rela tions between the Tribes and other communities. Solidifying business contacts and increasing the exposure of the Tribes works to the benefit of the reservation and its growth. Smith noted that his role as a director in the Federal Reserve system gives him more credibility as a tribal leader even in the eyes of other tribes. Note From The Clinic Smith’s time commitment is minimal. Once a month he spends half a day in Portland at Due to difficulties encount a board meeting. He attends the ered in processing laboratories annual meeting in San F ran for physical examinations done cisco (1% days) and usually one on Friday, physical examina other meeting per year at the tions will not be scheduled on main branch (1% days). Fridays. He said that he always tries All physical examinations to schedule other meetings or will be by appointment Mondays conferences in the city he will be ' through Thursday only, so time in to make the most of his time. may be properly allotted and The Federal Reserve bank pays needed laboratory examinations for transportation and per diem. anticipated. Smith is also an active Thomas J. Creelman, M.D. board member for the American PHS Indian Health Center Indian Travel Commission and sits on the Oregon State Board of Education. Activity Calendar January 13 - Volleyball games for Lillie Heath family who lost their home in a fire last week. 16 - Title IV Part A Parent Committee Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at thè Warm Springs Grade School modular unit; all parents encouraged to attend. 21 - Boxing team at Nespelum, Wash. 20, 21, 22 - Boys 18 and under Basketball tournament at Muckleshoot. 24 - General Council Meeting, Agency Longhouse, supper at 6 p.m. Meeting, 7 p.m. 27, 28, 29 - Old Duffers at Tahola. 28 - Boxing matches at community center (tentative). February 2 - Public Education Meeting, Agency Longhouse, 7:00 p.m. Snacks at 6:30. Ä ' ß Council Approves Zone Change, Bids Opened For Industrial Park Construction Bids for construction of a new Assembly Plant and Vehicle Pool at the new Industrial Park were opened yesterday (Thurs day at the Community Center. The five bids ranged from $502,000 to $720,000. December 14, the Tribal Council approved the zone change designating that area by Fire Control as industrial in conformance with the guidelines of the Reservation Comprehen sive Plan. Construction of the first phase of the project is being financed through a $638,750 Local Public Works grant from the Economic Development Ad ministration. Phase one of the project consists of construction of the Assembly Plant and Vehicle Pool at the Industrial Park which is located between the two warehouses and the main road in front of Fire Control. Architects Reddick - Brun - Moreland Associates have com pleted the drawings for the structures which have been re viewed and approved. It is anticipated that construction The site for the new Industrial Park is situated between the two will begin as soon as the weather warehouses and the road in front of Fire Control. Council has permits. approved the zone change from agricultural to industrial. Sandy Rangila Photo. Meeds Will Not Seek Re-Election U. S. Congressman Lloyd Meeds (D-Wash.), whose recent bills on tribal jurisdiction and water rights have come under attack by Indians nationwide, announced last December 22 that he did not intend to run for re-election in November 1978. This is an “irrevocable deci sion,” said Meeds, and he has no plans to run for any other office. When asked by the press about accepting a federal judge- ship, Meeds said that he would be “open” to such a position if offered to him. It is not known whether Senators in his state have approached Meeds on this yet, or even if there is a judge- ship available. Meeds, a 15-year veteran of Congress, barely hung on to his office in the last election, squeaking by with 528 absentee ballots. Although fear of losing the next election apparently was not a factor in his decision, Meeds admitted that election dynamics have influenced him. One of his three reasons for withdrawing from the race, as revealed at the December 22 news conference, was the dilem ma of campaign funding. Meeds felt that the large donations needed for a Vi million campaign had strings attached. “Donors are not investing in just good government,” he said, pointing to “clearly implied obligations.” Meeds expressed disappoint ment in the failure of legislation that would have provided for public financing of elections. Meeds has found campaign politics figuring into his work as a legislator in other ways. “ What I ’m trying to do is often overshadowed by conjec tures about my reasons for doing it,” he said, offering another reason for withdrawal. He said this was especially true for his introduction last fall of two pieces of legislation that seem to contradict his previous efforts in Indian Affairs. This move was considered by many as. an effort to win back anti treaty rights constituents whose disaffection for his stance on Indian matters had jeopardized the last election. Meeds said he would like to see his proposed legislation con sidered on its own merit and he hopes that his withdrawal will direct attention to the content of these and other bills. Meeds has, proposed, h itl^ regarding northwest regional power and Alaskan claims, the» motives for which have also been attacked. He mourned the “unhealthy cynicism about politicians re sulting from Watergate.” The third reason Meeds of fered for his decision not to run was more personal. He said he would like to be free to pursue some favorite pastimes he has neglected, such as hunting and fishing. Professionally, Meeds is considering starting a private law practice in Everett, Wash ington, but has made no deci sions yet. Spilyay Tymoo talked with Meeds’ press aide John O’Leary about the proposed legislation that has marked Meeds’ alleged “turnaround.” O’Leary saw H.R. 9950 (Omibus Indian Juris diction Bill) and H.R. 9951 (Quantification of Federal Re served Water Rights for Indian Reservations) as fully consistent with Meeds’ position through the years. H.R. 9950 would limit tribal jurisdiction to self-government, preventing any control of non- Indians. H.R. 9951 provides for the “quantification” of Indian water rights according to levels of use in the previous five years and the extinction of aboriginal rights beyond those identified amounts. According to O’Leary, Meeds has been and still is a strong supporter of Indians on social issues such as health and education. But he has always felt sovereignty and jurisdiction of Indian tribes should be limit ed. In a 1965 speech before the Washington State Indian Coun cil, Meeds stated that Indians cannot be “a part of as well as apart from” American society. There is a limit to how insular and autonomous a tribe can be, he said. These attitudes were rein forced when Meeds participated in the American Indian Policy Review Commission. Recent legislation is a by-product of the minority report he ordered to the commission. Tribal lobbyist Jay Edwards commented on the fate of Meeds’ legislation in light of his withdrawal intentions. He felt that the bills will have to move in this session of Congress or not at all, unless the bills can find other sponsors. The w ater rights bill might be popular with Southwestern Con gressmen, he said. But Meeds may choose to “make a last ditch effort,” said Edwards, and leave office with a victory under his belt. There are several candi dates who have announced their intentions to run for Meeds’ office of Congressman for the Second District. They are John Nance Gardner (R) who nearly upset the last election by coming within 528 votes of beating Meeds; Theodore Roosevelt Hickel Jr. (R),a city councilman from Linwood Washington; Rod Chandler (R), a state represent ative; Brian Corcoran (D), who is Senator Henry Jackson’s press secretary; Dick King (D), who is currently the house ma jority leader in the state legis lature; Barney Goltz (D), a state senator; and August Mard- shich a State Senator who was recently indicted and acquitted on extortion charges. All candidates are reported ly sym pathetic with attitudes such as Meeds’.
