Page 2 January 19, 1981
New bill contains no
Superintendent Jim Cornett retires limitations on tribal fishing
After 28 years with the
Bureau of Indian affairs nine
and one half of those years in
Warm Springs, Superintendent
James D. Cornett is retiring.
His seemingly abrupt deqesion
was made as a result of a law
p a sse d by C o n g re ss in
D e c e m b e r w h ic h w o u ld
increase retirement benefits for
those eligible if they were to
retire with a 45 day time period.
C o rn e tt said he ‘‘was
thinking about retiring. When
the bill was passed I decided
maybe it was a good time to get
out.” He has been eligible for
retirement for the last three
years but had no desire to do
until this time, he stated.
According to Cornett, it will
be three months before a new
S uperin ten d en t for W arm
Springs can be appointed.
During the interim Land
Operations Officer Ray Welch
will be Acting Superintendent.
Welch has been with the BlA
for 31 years and has been in
Warm Springs since June 19.74.
Cornett began work with the
BIA in September of 1952 in
th e S o il a n d M o is tu re
Conservation activity of' the
Bureau at Fort Peck Indian
Agency in Poplar, Montana. In
1954 he was promoted to
A gency S u p e rv iso ry Soil
Conservationist. In October of
1956 he was transferred to the
Blackfeet Indian Agency.
In* Ju ly 1962 C o rn e tt
transferred to Zuni Agency,
Zuni, New Mexico as Agency
N atural Resource Officer.
During his term at Zuni agency
he was designated as Acting
Superintendent for a period of
21 months. In June 1966
Cornett was transferred to the
Fort Totten Agency, Devils
L ake, N o rth D a k o ta as
Superintendent and was then
transferred back to Zuni in
May 1968.
In October 1970 Cornett
transferred to thè Albuquerque
Area Office in New Mexico
where he assumed the position
of Area Natural Resource
Officer. In A ugust 1971
Cornett was asked by the
c o m m issio n er on In d ian
Affairs to accept the position of
Superintendent of the Warm
Springs Agency.
Albany, Oregon is the site of
Cornett’s new home. He and
his wife W anda recently
purchased a home which will be
available to them in April. The
C ornetts will store their
furniture and go on vacation
until they can occupy their new
home.
Eventually Cornett said he
would like to build his own
home. He has plans which
when modified will be suitable
to him and he knows where he
would like his owner build
home located.
Speaking for his wife and
himself Cornett said, “We’ve
really enjoyed Warm Springs.
Basically our friends have been
here on the reservation. That’s
where I play golf. We have very
little association off the
reservation.
Cornett’s praise for the work
of Tribal Council is constant.
P o r t la n d — W h e n th e
president signed the Salmon
and Steelhead Management
and Enhancement Bill (S. 2163)
on December 22, the new law
changed the entire character of
fisheries management on the
Columbia River. According to
re p re se n ta tiv e s from the
Columbia River Inter-Tribal
Fish Commission (CRITFC),
the scope of the act is so
sw e e p in g th a t c u r r e n tly
c o n te m p la te d p la n s fo r
Columbia River Fisheries fade .
in contrast.
Brand new opportunities are
now available for conservation
and enhancement of salmon
and steelhead of the Puget
Sound and Columbia River
drainage basins. Thirty-two
million dollars is earmarked for
Columbia River enhancement.
A new management structure
sets out procedures for tribal
co-managment at every level.
As well as enabling the tribes
to work more closely with state
and federal fishery agencies,
th e new m a n a g e m m e n t
structure must promote harvest
strategies and regulations
which encourage increased
tribal investments in salmon
and steelhead production.
Passage of the bill in its
current form is a victory for the
tribes, because unlike earlier
drafts it contains no limitations
He says, “I think they’ve done
great. I’ve never seen them do
anything that wasn’t good for
the Tribe.”
Mentioning the growth of
Warm Springs economically
since he’s been in the area
Cornett says, “I would hope the
tribe would continue to
d e v e lo p th e se e c o n o m ic
enterprises.”
The phase of his work that
A buffet dinner in honor of
Cornett is particularly proud of
while in Warm Springs is the Mr. & Mrs. James D. Cornett,
contract made with Bonneville to recognize his retirement
Power Administration for from the Bureau of Indian
payment of timber loss in areas Affairs, will be held on
where a power line prevents Saturday, January 24 at the
growth. “This is a new concept. Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge. For the
We’re not going to get beat over past nine and a half years Mr.
the ears in the future,” he says. Cornett has been Superinten
During retirement Cornett dent of the Warm Springs
says, “I intend to rem ain Agency.
active both mentally and
lim e; 6:30-7:30
physically. The pre-requisites
No Host Cocktail Hour
to good health are remaining
7:30 - Buffet Dinner
active and accepting new
challenges.
Reservations for dinner will
be made upon receipt of $1.1.50,
which will include a buffet and
on steelhead fishing by tribal
fishermen. It does provide,
however, that both commercial,
and recreational fishermen,
along with the treaty tribes, will
have “ . . .a reasonable
opportunity to participate in
the benefits of salmon and
steelhead resources develop
ment.”
The legislation is another
sort of victory—for everyone
involved in fisheries improve
ment—because it emphasizes
im p le m e n ta tio n . S tr ic t
requirements for agreement
and action on implementation
before enhancement funds are
disbursed may eliminate some
of the previous , frustration
caused by plans that never get
beyond the planning stage.
Another unique feature of
this legislation is its provisions
for controls on the ocean
harvest. The ocean fishery is
largely the cause on continually
depressed in-river runs. Now
the Pacific Fisheries Manag-
ment Council’s regulations
must be consistent with the
management structure and
enhancement plans developed
for in-river fisheries undr this
new act. The law also
e s ta b lis h e s a b u y - b a c k
program for Washingto ocean
fishermen to encourage a
reduction in the ocean salmon
fleet.
Cornett dinner scheduled
gratuities. Those desiring to
contribute toward a gift should
include an additional amount.
Money should be sent to Mrs.
Dorothy Burgess, Branch of
Facilities Management, Warm
Springs Agency, P.O. Box B,
Warm Springs, Or. 97661, to be
received by Tuesday, January
20. Please make check payable
to Mrs. Dorothy Burgess.
Those desiring over night
lodging at Kah-Nee-Ta can
enjoy a special TAR rate being
offered by Kah-Nee-Ta, upon
r e q u e s t . K a h - N e e - T a ’s
telephone number is 553-1112.
FOR SALE
A singlewide two bedroom
trailer. Can be seen at lot No. 1,
Dry Creek trailer court.
Washer, air conditioner and a
w oodburning fire place.
Call...553-1545 before 4 p.m.
S p ily a y T ym oo
<
<
<
* * * *
SPILYAY TYMOO STAFF * * * * * * *
MANAGING EDITOR . . '. .................................
................SM Miller
ASSISTANT E D IT O R ................................................... Sandy Rangila
PHOTOGRAPHIC SPECIALI8T/WRITER..............Donna Behrend
REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHERS
Olney Patt Jr.
Roger Stwyer
Martha Shawczyk
TYPESETTER")......................... ..................... Priscilla Squiemphen
FOUNDED IN MARCH OF 1976
Published bi-weekly by the Confederated Tribes of the
W a rm Springs R e s e rv a tio n of O regon. W a rm S prings, .
Oregon 97761. Located in the Old Administration Building.
Any w ritten m aterial to' Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed
to:
Spilyay Tymoo
P . O. Box 735
W arm Springs, Oregon 97761
Phone 553-1644 or 553-1161, E xt. 274
Subscription Rate 36.00 per year
Tax Workshop
The Tribe is once again offering a free tax workshop for all tribal members and employees. CPAs
from the accounting firm of Coopers and L y brand will be at the A dult Learning Center February 12
and 13. Make appointments at the A dult Learning Center in the Community Center, 553-1428.
Millie Wallulatum took advantage of the workshop held on January 15 and 16.
Spilyay Tymoo photo by Shewczyk