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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1980)
March 21, 1980 Page 7 Page 6 March 21,1980 1980 Tribal Council Candidates—Agency District The reason I am running for Tribal Council is I feel I can help make a better way of life for our people. I was taught th at to be considered a representative for the people was a great honor. This teaching still remains inside me today. I believe I can relate im p o rta n t co n cern s and decisions to the people. There are many difficult decisions to be made, but before they can be made there has to be input from the people. I see Council members getting input from the people within their districts and expressing those thoughts to the general membership. From there we should be able to combine our thoughts and hopefully make wise decisons. Regarding major reservation concerns, my feelings at this time are, first, we must complete planned facilities to allow improved coordination, organization, and program development to take place. Once com plete, employee development and training must be increased to provide quality service to our community. Do no interpret me as saying we do not have quality services now. However, there is always room for improvement. Once satisfied we are well underway with these areas, I believe we should set our sights Stanley “Buck” Smith My name is Stanley “Buck” Smith Jr. I am married and have two boys, also one daughter and one son from a previous marriage. I have lived here in Warm Springs all of my life, and am employed at the Warm Springs Forest Products Industries. I w ork as a Supervisor for the Log Center and Logyard section and have worked there since 1968. The reason I am running for Tribal Council is because of the concern 1 have for the people and the students we have in the schools. There are always questions abut ‘’Why do we have problem s with our students in school?” “What is the future of Warm Springs relating to economic and social development?” These questions are concerns the Council should answer. These are not all the problems or questions that relate to the Tribe. There are also concerns about what happens nationally to Indian reservations, new laws, new regulations, etc., or what are our concerns and what can we should develop other needs of our people such as recreation and leisure-time use, and more cultural and traditional needs programs. I believe the current housing situation fosters and feeds many of our social problems. We simply must close the gap on our housing shortage problem. As many of you know, education is an area I’m more knowledgeable about. It wasn’t until just recently through your cooperation and input with the Education Needs Assessment that we had a clear picture of where we are headed. I believe we can now do a better job of meeting your thinking of a solid learning experience for your children. Mike Clements Concerning my employment on two major concerns. First, and Council, it wouldn’t be we must attend to our Natural practical for me to quit my job Resource areas by document^ if elected. In fact it would be ' ing all necessary information to disastrous for me and my help us make solid decisons. I family. However, I would make know now that there are plans C ouncil the prio rity and and decisions underway that schedule my time accordingly. will have great impact on us. This can and should be done as there are many people that We must be ready. Second, we must reduce the should be encouraged to seek pressure our community is leadership roles. We need our strong leaders currently experiencing in social problem areas. I believe we out in front to guide us through should seriously consider a new these hard times. We must replace the old concept with the direction. Rather than focusing our idea that to be a Council attention on counseling and member is to look forward to rehabilitative programs, we something with pride and honor. do as a tribe. The experience that I have can be a value to the questions that have to be answered. I feel with the experience I have in family living with my boys in school, their G.P.A.’s, sports, and social living conditions that I can contribute a lot to the student’s and parent’s concerns on school problems. The other experience is my job. It relates to the biggest economic enterprise that we have, also the largest natural resource that we have, and the largest employer in Central Oregon. The number of years that I worked there will also assist myself with decisions on e m p lo y m e n t c o n c e r n s , economic concerns, and also social concerns that we have in the community. The other concern that I have is the Old Peole or Senior Citizens, housing, health and welfare, fishing, hunting, the Treaty and rights that they left for us to preserve. We need to preserve the-natural resources for the future generation. Looking down the road 50 years from now, what are our children going to be doing? The seniors did this for us. they worked for what we have now. So we need to do the same for our children. Preserve the history, culture, land, treaty and rights under it. I feel that I am qualified to accept the nomination for councilman here in Warm Springs. Also, if anyone has any questions or concern on Warm Springs, you can call me at 553-1272 or write to: Stanley Buck Smith Jr. PO Box 604 Warm Springs, OR 97761 I will do the best of my ability to represent my district, and the people of Warm Springs. Bernice Mitchell I am not running because I am dissatisfied with my job. I will take a leave of absence if I am elected to Tribal Council. Things are moving too fast for controls. It doesn’t hurt us to stand still for a few minutes occasionally and see this. Twenty-three years ago, I was on Tribal Council for three years. I have been a Warm Springs resident all of my life. Education is number one for me. Education includes tribal culture and tradition plus business. The Tribe must take the good out of traditional e d u c a tio n a n d s ta n d a r d institutional education—this would be a wonderful and unique reservation. There is a need for an educational center for the young. We sometimes forget their needs. Education begins with the very young. Education from the youngest to the oldest should never stop. And, tradition in education should be encouraged. In the future I see Kah-Nee- Ta picking up. It will eventually be a source of income to the reservation. Also, I see the need for electricity to all the households, I see this as happening in the 80’s. I’m presently self-employed as a log trucker. It keeps me pretty busy, but if I am elected I will make time to serve on the Council. George Picard I didn’t go to the nominating meeting but I got a call in the middle of the night telling me that I had been nominated by Wauna Calica. I was surprised. I feel we need better and stricter law and order codes especially when an outsider gets into trouble on the reservation. If an outsider gets into trouble, we can’t prosecute or collect. We need more patrolmen on weekends and My concerns are always with the Tribe, and housing is one of them. We’re having .a heck of a time meeting our needs. There are those living off the reservation because they are unable to secure housing here. I would like to see that corrected. It will take time to work to w a rd a lle v ia tin g th a t shortage. There are a lbt of opportunities on the reserva tion for employment, and if housing were available I think many would return and be helpful to the reservation. Even people in the middle income range, $20,000 and up, still have a hard time being able to pay for a home with the high tax and interest rates. We should be looking into that also. We need to help them as well as those in the lower income brackets. I believe that individuals with ambition and intiative should be given all the help and encouragement and Tribes can offer, whether it be to go into business fo r them selves, construction, or w hatever employment they seek. I think the Tribes should give all the help they can to get these people started. E ducation is always a problem. I think we have a good program, but not enough I do b eliev e we are overcutting our timber quota every year and then selling it. It’s good for public relations, but I think we’re cutting too fast. Our next generation is coming up—we’re not going to have anything to leave them. I think we should try to buy timber from somewhere else, like other reservations. Let’s compete with other mills. P eo p le have expressed concern that reservation logs are being sold o ff the reservation but that no local truckers are hauling. The individual Indian trucker has been forgotten. I really appreciate being nominated to run for the Tribal Council and really feel it was an honor. But I have devoted 20 years of my life to law and order and I feel I could best service the community and Confederated Tribes as Chief Judge of the reservation. I don’t feel that I or anyone could hold a permanent job and be on the Tribal Council and do justice to both r * positions. Family considerations were a big factor in deciding to decline the n o m in a tio n . Professionally, my first priority would be to remain the Chief Judge for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Irene Wells Satch Miller I’ve always wanted to be on Tribal Council. I feel that I can help people. The Tribe is a business and the Council is the people that runs that business People who can make decisions that benefit the tribe should be on the Tribal Council. I feel that I can do that. Objectivity on matters that pertain to the tribe is essential. I’m not interested in making political decisions. I can make a decision and consider whether it is good or bad for the organization rather than for individual persons. The Commuity Center won’t suffer if I become a member of Tribal Council. I’ll be putting in longer hours and it won’t intefere with my work. There are other responsible people working at the Commuity C enter, also. My jo b is primarily as administrator and Zane Jackson are enco u rag ed to tak e advantage. We need better communication from tribal officials to the member's to determine what there is for everyone. We need to make people aware of what is available. I enjoy being on the Tribal Council and consider it the number-one thing that has happened to me. If re-elected, I will do my best for what would help the Tribe. | director. I have a degree in recreation from Oregon State University. For five years I was an office clerk in what is now the Utilities Department in Warm Springs. I have business qualifications which I feel are important to a Tribal Council member. I am experienced in budget and management. I became a manager trainee at the Community Center in 1974. In 1975, I was appointed director of the Center. I have also been on the Education Committee for five years until last spring when I resigned. evenings. We only have two patrolmen in the evenings to protect the entire reservation. Something that most people don’t know is that some patrolmen are working double shifts. In order to get good patrolmen you have to give decent pay. Linton Winishut When you serve on the Council, about the time you get settled down, your term is up. Then if you’re not re-elected, all that you’ve learned ends right there. I’d like to see continuity in the membership of the Council. One way to do this would be by h a v in g s ta g g e r e d te rm expiration years. Another thing is at-large voting. I would like to have a chance to vote for someone from Simnasho, to vote for someone from Agency, and to vote fo r som eone from Seekseequa. It would eliminate districts. I would like to see the Education hasn’t been a high priority on the Tribal Council. Lack of education leads to a lot of social problems. There are jobs available for the young in physical labor occupations, but what do these people do when they get older and can no longer perform these jobs. They look down the road of the future and the road isn’t there. More emphasis on education is important. Housing problems are also of importance. The goals in housing never change, there is always a need for more housing. Another issue that Tribal Council must look into more thoroughly is more sources of income for growth of the T ribe. The Tribe cannot continue to grow without this considera tion. The constitution should he looked at and brought up to date. I am not for changing tradition but I am for changing with the times. Council work closer with the Simnashos, with the people here (Agency) and with the people of the South End. In the next three years we should utilize as many of our own people where we now have n o n -In d ia n s w orking as possible. We have many young people who are well-trained; yet, their training is being wasted. I am not prejudiced, but I do feel that I can work better if' we sit down and ask, ‘How can we best do this?’ Well, if it were a white man, I wouldn’t even ask him that. Let’s do something for our young people. Education. If we can get some of our young people to settle down and decide what they are best at, and if they are educated enough, thev can fill some of th e p rin c ip le p o s itio n s . Another thing I would like to see improved is the Tribal Court. And enforcement. I d o n ’t think the law enforcement should appear as though they are dominating our people. I think they should treat our people like humans, and make our people realize that they are protecting what is theirs—what is ours. I w a n t to leav e my knowledge and my experience to the younger people. If we have this continuity, this staggered term expirations date...I think it’s the best thing we can do, rather than have a new council come in every three years and start all over again. jr | "Tf ■ ____ Frank Smith I think education should be the number one priority. I don’t think the Tribes should rule out having our own school system, for this reason: many kids are unable or unwilling to take part in all of the activities at the Madras schools. They feel left out. In order to be well-rounded, I think kids need to take part in a ll p h a s e s o f s c h o o l activities—socially, athletically and academically. Some of the kids—those from the rural areas—are restricted because of the great distance they must travel to and from school each day. Also, a good school would include a good library; and that would benefit the whole community. Another benefit of having our own school would be that the curriculum would include things that are important to us, and to Indian people in general. Things like language, arts and crafts and Indian history. The second priority should be recreation for the young people. I think the major reason our , young people are turning to alcohol and drugs is that there just aren’t the kind of Outlets available that they want. There isn’t enough variety in the kind of recreation av a ila b le to them . N ot everybody w ants to play baseball or basketball. We need to get away from the S.O.S. (Same Old ****). M y n am e is R o se lla (Leonard) Phillips, one of th o s e o r ig in a l “ W arm Springers” whose roots begin in the shanty Indian village of Warm Springs called Holly- wood. I attended the local BIA boarding school and then was bussed to Madras where I graduated from high school. I first began my employment with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs as a student trainee in 1957 and have worked up through 1976. My last position was that of Administrative Assistant in Personnel. My decision to declare my candidacy as a “Write-In” re p re se n tin g th e Agency District was prompted after much encouragement from i n d i v i d u a l s w h o w e re concerned about the same kinds of problems which concern me. My present position or sta tu s is “ U n em p lo y ed ” . However, my decision to run for a seat on our Tribal Council is not only because I am unemployed. My first and foremost concern is to find out the reasons contributing to not only my enemployment, but other Indians who are also unemployed. A tribal member’s right to preference in employment is not something we,, as tribal members, should have to fight for! Tribal policy standards passed by our Tribal Council, either in resolution form p r ordinance, provides us with that right'. However, if our T ribal Council does not enforce that right, they are violating their own policies as w ell as c r e a tin g u n d u e hardships for those of us who cannot get jobs. I feel that I speak not only for myself but for a countless number of other members who feel as I do. This is only one of my concerns toward which I would work to change. I see many changes taking place on our reservation, but the majority of these changes do not benefit our Indian people as a whole. These changes only bring about more separation of our people. ' - We are not like words on a piece of paper to be filed away. We are a race of people, proud of our Indian heritage and culture. Yet we still have to learn to live by and cope with the ways of a White Man’s culture and his paper-made world. I feel our Tribal Council has lost contact with its people. Only whep a major budget change is made do we see them. But even before we get to see them, we se*e their papers first. I take this as a personal insult tc our Indian people. Why can’t the Tribal Council talk to us before they talk to their white Alvis Smith Sr. “I think Indian rights,” and I never forget my heritage. I’m proud to be born Indian and hold a lot of respect for the ways of my Indian people. I think we are the supreme people of this great country “America.” We as Native American Indians have really true feelings of pride and love for our own Indian people and country, basically our Indian spiritual and cultural beliefs of our own kind. Our Tribal Council must be accoutable to our members here on the reservation and where ever. It is time for all our people to come together as one, not out of guilt and shame, but out of love and respect, to enjoy our freedom that we have here on our Reservation, that our elders provided for us. We are free to work out our own destiny, our economics, social and cultural rights. Our Indian people should Rosella (Leonard) Phillips) c o n s u l t a n t s a n d w h ite attorneys, and take advise from w hite trib ally -p aid public servant personnel? I am very much concerned about the power held by white leaders whose interests lie outside the boundaries of our reservation. My concern is for the survival of our Indian people whose problems are brought about or created in d e fe n se of p ro te c tin g themselves from a political structure whose only value is based on an economic system with money as its prime object of concern. Our voices can still be heard if we share the same concerns and if we speak up about our concerns. If one of us has a problem, then it affects us all. But if we fight with each other instead of helping each other, the problem only grows larger until it spreads from one person to another and we all become infected. If we work together, support each other, and care about each other, the problems will take care of themselves. Our Tribal Council is our source of strength and acts as our leaders in preserving and protecting the individual rights of our tribal members. If elected, my goal would be in keeping to preserve those same rights of our people. Our Tribal Council needs the strength and dedication of all tribal members to give them support when they need it. I h a v e - o ver 15 y ears of experience in working with Indian tribes and people from the local level to the national level and feel very well qualified to fill this position. With your support, the people of Warm Springs can feel confident that I will speak up for individual Indian rights on all issues and matters, however small or large they may be. Your vote counts in helping me to achieve these badly needed changes and to provide a voice for the people of our community! have employment preference here on our own reservation, don’t forget our tribal policies. Our obligation is to serve out tribal members and I think we can accomplish this by good leadership from our council members. Lets not betray our people, we must look properly at the facts, to the best of our ability. We are one of the very few reservations that govern our selves and we should maintain Continued on page 8 , y
