Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 1986)
SlMLVAY TYMOO September 26, 1986 Resource, wildlife habitat, topics of concern on Timber Tour Wakm sihiv;s, om:(;o 97761 I " V v The Timber Committee sc heduled a lour for September 10, II, I9K6 w hich drew a group of about fifty people ranging from the Forestry, Natural Resources, Water Master. Committee members and several interested individuals. The tour covered, particularly, the north end of the reservation, where the group viewed the proposed timber sales and past management procedures of the logging areas, animal shelter and stream control. The first day the areas covered the Cold Turkey logging, the Simnasho Cable Logging, and the . Triangle timber sale. I he methods " used in each area were discussed at I length by all who were involved with the area, such as the stream : protection to protect the salmon '. runs up stream for spawning, shel ter for the wildlife and range anim als. I here were some gopher dam . aged forest viewed by the group and methods to prevent further damage were explained. Other areas covered on the two-day tour were the Bits and Pieces logging unit, the Passage Way Logging unit and the Snowbrush logging unit. In recent years it is obvious that the timber stands are getting smaller . in diameter and there is a definite need for improvement of produc : tion at the Warm Springs Forest Products Industries mill. Ralph ' Minnick. WSFPI. explained the present situation regarding the out ' put at the mill at the present time. At the present time the average run in logs ranging from 11-12 inches in diameter in all species. By the year 1989, fifty percent of the allowable cut trees would average from 6-12 inches. This data base was pres ented to the Tribal Council for their consideration, with the main focus on the smaller log operation. WSFPI madcan inhousestudy on the present stage where they ran logs 13 inches in diameter and larger with the results showing a good output and a gain. Then they ran logs that were 12 inches and under. With the mill at its present condition the results showed a great reduction in output and a large loss. A lumber consulting firm out of Portland, Dubai, Beck and Humphcrys made a similar study throughout the mill and the results were similar to the one WSFPI made. The cost would really take it's toll if the mill would stay with its present system which is not equipped to handle small logs. So now there is a lot of "ifY banging around, where everyone is pondering the next move. The decision to be made now is: Should we go into a small log operation along with the existing saw mill to handle the small logs? Like everything else there is a cost at first in getting established but in the long run it could prove a valua ble investment for future develop ment. The Timber Committee and their Secretary did an excellent job in putting together a fine agenda and also providing such a fine lunch each day. It is important to keep the tribal members informed on whats happening with our Forests. 1M ' -( .... i t I - Splfyty If moo photo 6f MMtr Ralph Good speaking on logging methods on the Sidwalter Butte area. . ...,. 5 V .. . ... ,V "; 1 ill tyi f o r Jim Knibbs, pointing out the area for cable logging in the Simnasho area. 5 .J Spilyay Tymoo photo by Miller i '9. 4 Spitymy Tymoo photo by Miller Snowbrush causes problems for the small planted trees. New leave policy proposed often, puts the burden of an emplo . yee's taking time off on the super visor who must check up on the employee to see if he is really ill. After review of the survey the Wellness Committee outlined five ; proposals aimed at wellness and reducing the use of sick leave and leave without pay hours. Tribal : Council favored one proposal in particular and asked that it be pro posed to tribal employees for their response. The proposal presented to depart ment representatives September 1 6 calls for the combination of sick leave and annual leave into some thing called personal leave. These "hours could be used forany reason . including vacation, illness, school conference, etc. When all personal ' leave time is expended the employee would be required to use leave . without pay time. Annual leave hours would accu mulate as they currently do depending on time of employment with the tribe. Additional hours would be given to the employee to use for wellness days or illness, whichever is necessary. These would total 48 hours annually. Employees would be encouraged to use all hours. Only 40 hours, or an amount yet to be determined, would be carried over. Any hours beyond that would be sold back to the Tribe at the end of the year. Should illness strike, and emplo yee would use personal leave time '(Continued tor the first two weeks. For longer illness, short term disability would be used. Benefits would be paid according to years of service. For example, an employee with one to two years of service would draw 50 percent of his salary in the third and fourth week and 50 percent in weeks five and six. He could not draw beyond that. An employee with three to nine years would draw 75 percent in weeks three through six, 50 percent in weeks seven through ten and those with five years or more ser vice would draw from long term disability insurance in weeks 11 through 52. A ten year employee would draw from page 1 75 percent of his salary tor weeks three through ten, 50 percent in weeks 1 1-52 and long term disabil ity up to two years. "This short term disability pro gram combined with the present long term program would allow disability benefits for all employees with greater benefits for employees with longer years of service," according to the Wellness Com mittee report. ' In converting from the present leave plan to a new plan, 40 hours could be carried over with the excess annual leave being sold back to the Tribe with full payment. One-half of the monies now obli gated for sick leave would transfer into an account set aside to find the short term disability program avail able to eligible employees. The remainder of sick leave accumu lated by the employee would be set aside in an individualized bank for that employee. This leave time could be used in conjunction with the short term disability after two weeks of illness. With this time an employee " may be able to draw full salary dur ing time of illness until this leave time runs out. There would be no way to add to this time. It would only occur at conversion time. The proposed plan does present some problems. The plan requires budgeting of time; It allows the supervisor to address the problem ot leave without pay as it involves1 mismanagement of time; It removes 48 hours of sick leave time now available for employees; It allows less carry-over from year to year; Some employees may feel loss of, security upon losing accumulated sick leave. The committee, how ever, feels benefits lie further down the line. Employees have already expressed some concerns over the proposed policy and the Wellness Commit tee is requesting more input and ideas regarding the leave policy. The next meeting for discussion of the personal leave plan is September 30 at 1 2:00 noon at the Community Center. Council on drug abuse advises a "No" vote on marijuana initiative Continued from page 1 the rest of the law is unaffected. . If the measure succeeds, the fol- lowing change would be made to : the law. Section 2 would be added ; to the law: "Notwithstanding any - other provision of law, no person 18 years of age or older shall be subject to criminal liability or be subject to any permit or license requirement or to any fine or for feiture, solely for the private pos session or cultivation of marijuana . for the person's own consumption." This section creates a defense under ORS 161.055. The Governor's Council on Alco I hoi and Drug Abuse Programs along with the Warm Springs Alco . hoi and Drug Council support a ' NO vote on Measure No. 5. A ' statement to that effect has been ' issued by the Governor's Council. ' It reads: the oovernors council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs, having considered the arguments both for and against Ballot Mea sure No. 5 (The iiarijuana Initia tive), unanimously recommends against passage. "Voting NO on Ballot Measure No. 5 is important to stop what is potentially one of the most des tructive initiatives ever placed before Oregon voters. The negative con sequences that could come from passage of this measure extend into each of our lives affecting our economy, our rights, our institu tions, our health and public safety. "If these statements sound ex treme it may be due to the percep tion that marijuana is not as "bad" as some of the drugs in the news these days such as cocaine, crack and Mexican tar heroin. The truth is that marijuana is far from harm- Sjpfiflyay Tymm Spilyay Tymoo Staffs MANAGING EDITOR Sid Miller ASSISTANT EDITOR Donna Behrend PHOTO SPECIALISTWRITER Marsha Shewczyk REPORTERPHOTOGRAPHER Pat Leno-Baker TYPESETTERCIRCULATION Priscilla Squiemphen FOUNDED IN MARCH OF 1976 Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Offices are located in the Old Administration Building at 2126 Warm Springs Street. Any written materials to Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed to: Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. BOX 870, Warm Springs, Oregon 97761 Phone: 553-1644 or 553-1161. ext. 274. 285 or 321. The darkroom can be reached at 553-1161, ext. 286 Subscription rate: Within the U.S. $6 00 per yrar Outside U.S. $12.00 per year less. In fact, the potency ot mari juana continues to increase and is already 10 times more powerful than just ten years ago. 35 of Oregon clients in drug outpatient treatment programs are there because of a primary prob lem with marijuana. Marijuana smokecontains more tar, carbon monoxide, and carcin ogens than cigarette smoke. Marijuana use damages the lungs, heart, brain, reproductive organs and immune system. It neg atively affects memory and moti vation. This is particularly devas tating to school-aged youths' intel lectual development. In business and industry, it is a growing cause of absenteeism, acci dents, and reduced productivity. "Proponents of Measure No. 5 assert the right of an adult to be free to grow or possess marijuana for personal use. The Council notes that other pe'ople have rights too, such as the right to be free from marijuana smoke while in a public place or the right to be free from workers or drivers who are under the influence of marijuana. The Council also notes that the Mea sure drops below age 21 to include anyone 18 years of age or older as being eligible for the "automatic" defense provided those grow ing or possessing marijuana. "No matter what the reason for including those 1 8 years of age, the effect is profound; namely, the effect is to include individuals who are still in high school and who are the likely providers of marijuana to younger school students. "This direct access to junior and senior high school students is par ticularly worrisome because a recent statewide survey of 8th graders revealed that 27 percent had used marijuana. 12 percent had used it v.nhin the last month, and two per cent used it daily. A survey of I Ith graders showed the following in creases: 56 percent had used mar- ' M a ii juana, 28 percent had used it in the last month and nearly six percent used it daily. "Proponents of the Measure ad mit that the drug is harmful. A legion of desperate parents and family members throughout Oregon already know that marijuana is destructive almost beyond their comprehension to a child's devel opment and a family's ability to function. "Proponents assert that adult should not be arrested for growing or possessing marijuana when it's for personal use. The Council be lieves that the Oregon State Legis lature resolved this in 1973 when penalities for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana were reduced. "Proponents assert that the cur rent "prohibition approach"should be eliminated because it doesn't decrease use, and fosters an illegal drug market. The Council notes, however, the recent example in Portland of how a reduction in police enforcement of drug laws allowed illegal drug activities to surface rapidly. Moreover, the pro ponent's assertion shows a signifi cant underestimate of the hazard potentials of marijuana particu larly, the hazards ot the higher pot ency varieties used today. "Proponents assert that the best way to deal with drug abu iy conducting long-term, large scale epidemiological studies that can determine the health risks. The Council agrees with the proponents that people who use marijuana now don't believe the extensive scientific evidence of related health hazards that already exist. The Council believes that more factual information (if allowed to stand with existing law) might influence some users; however, if it has to stand with passage of this initia ' tive, the influence would probably be lost on those who need it the most. "Proponents assert that the best way to specify the amount or limit of marijuana that is for personal consumption is on a case-by-case basis, using the findings of juries. The Council notes, however, that the proponents themselves could not specify an amount (limit) because it is too difficult to determine how much any given peron can con sume at any given time or over a given period of time. "The short-term effect of pas sage of the Measure is likely to be confusion and hesitancy w ith respect to making arrests due to the impre dictability of jury findings of guilt or innocence, and the susceptabil ityofalaw enforcement officer to a charge of false arrest. "Since it is highly unlikely that anyone would ever plead guilty to growing or possessing more than what is for their personal use, the longer term effects will include further backlogs in already over burdened courts, and enormous that the setting of a limit for per sons' time for investigation and court appearances. Ultimately, the amount one can grow and possess with immunity will have increased significantly. This should assist those who are tempted to sell for substantial profit that which exceeds their personal needs. The people of the State of Alaska thought that they could avoid these problems by setting a limit (they chose four ounces); however, it didn't work and they are in deepening trouble. "We know that businesses all over the country are experiencing substantial losses, costs, and fail ure because of drug abuse. They are being forced to take increas ingly extreme measures to protect their investments, their employees, and their very existence. Businesses will not add to their problems by moving into a state that has legal ized marijuana; and worse, many may move out. It would be a need less blow to our already weakened economy. "The Attorney General has re cently made clear that enforcement will be more difficult than it is now use in public places will be legal. Experience shows that almost all users of cocaine and Mexican tar heroin which typically are associate with increases in personal and violent crime used marijuana first. Experience in Alaska shows that the setting of a limit for per sonal use is extremely difficult and costly to enforce. The experience of researchers and health care pro viders shows that heavy use leads to dysfunction (including driving under the influence and declining school and job performance) and ultimately to increased need for costly long-term health care. "If ballot Measure No. 5 passes, it will beat your expense. For your sake. For the sake of our children. For Oregon's future. Say NO to marijuana and vote NO on Ballot Measure No. 5.