SpilyMy Tymoo, Wqrm Springs, Oregon
November 15, 2001
Pqge 5
Ideas abound when it comes to developing economy
The following are some new
local business ideas ihat were
discussed last week at High
IM)kee l.ndgc, during a commu
nity meeting of the Warm
i Springs Economic Develop
ment Corp.:
An K Bay Internet site offer
ing guilts, haskets, headwork
and other crafts made by tribal
members,
, A buffalo ranch, offering for
sale buffalo meat from animals
raised on the reservation.
An automotive recycling and
education business.
A computer recycling busi
ness. A bank. A telemarketing
business.
There has been no shortage
'of ideas, but the people involved
in the Kconomic Development
'Corp. arc always open to new
suggestions.
The corporation has been
funded with $2 million by
-Tribal Council. With this start
up capital, people with the right
kinds of business ideas very well
could see their projects funded,
said Tom Henderson, chief ex
ecutive of the corporation.
At the community meeting
last week, Henderson outlined
some factors that would make
an idea a good one for potential
funding from the Warm Springs
Kconomic Development Corp.
An ideal business, he said,
would be one that can be up and
running within a six-month pe
riod. The business would need
$5(H),0(H) or less in funding, and
would generate return revenue
immediately. Another factor
would be that the business
would be labor intensive, creat
ing several jobs.
A business idea that met
some or all of those criteria
would be given a top priority by
the Warm Springs Kconomic
Development Corp., said
Henderson. As an example, the
1
.
i
K Bay Internet sales idea would
fall within this category, he said.
I .ess desirable business ideas
are those that would take longer
than six months to establish;
would rccjuirc more than a
$500,000 investment; would not
have a return on investment for
some time, perhaps a number of
years; and would not create
many jobs.
In the past five weeks, since
the time that Henderson began
work in Warm Springs, he has
heard close to 30 different new
business ideas. Of those, two or
three fall into the category that
would make them a priority,
said Henderson.
He and others who arc in
volved in the corporation arc
encouraging anyone with a busi
ness idea to contact Henderson.
He has a temporary office in
administration building, but is
planning to move to the Warm
Springs Plaza.
Looking for ideas
About a doen tribal mem
bers attended the community
meeting hosted by the Kco
nomic Development Corpora
tion. At the start of the meet
ing, Charles Jackson, secretary-
treasurer of the tribes, provided
some background information
on the corporation.
The idea for the corporation
had been around for a number
years, he said. Then early this
year, the Tribal Council formed
and provided funding for the
corporation.
The Tribal Council this sum
mer appointed a six-member
corporate board of directors,
consisting of three tribal mem
bers and three non-tribal mem
bers. A tribal member must be
present for the board to conduct
a meeting, said Pinky Beymer,
a member of the corporate
board.
All of the board members,
like Henderson, have expertise
in private business, and have
enjoyed successful business ca
reers. The Kconomic Develop
ment Corp. is similar to other
tribal enterprises, said Charles
Jackson. A key difference, he
said, is that the corporation is
not limited to a particular kind
of business activity, the way the
other enterprises are.
The Economic Development
Corp. can pursue most any kind
of business that is considered
sound and profitable for the
tribes. The Tribal Council pro
vides general oversight, hut the
corporate board is responsible
for specific projects.
The meeting last week at
High I.ookee was a chance for
tribal members to become more
familiar with the corporation
and its purpose.
More meetings will happen
on a regular basis, said
Henderson. "It is essential that
we have a dialogue with the
community," he said.
Pinkey Beymer said, "The
board of directors needs to learn
what kinds of business ideas are
of interest to tribal members. We
look forward to hearing from
the community. This is a chal
lenge, and we need help."
So far, the 25 to 30 business
proposals for the corporation
have come from a wide variety
of sources, from companies off
reservation that might want to
move here, to local residents
who feel they have an idea that
could make money.
The one we may sec first,
Henderson said, is the "Warm
Springs Guild," an Internet auc
tionsales site for items made by
tribal members.
This could be started for in it
very much money. The project
would require some computer
equipment, access to the
Internet, and people to operate
the site.
This venture would provide
many tribal members a chance
to sell their art and craft-work
to potential customers all over
the world, said Henderson.
Possible nunie cliunge
At the meeting last week,
Henderson mentioned that
people might find some confu
sion in the current name of the
Warm Springs Kconomic Devel
opment Corp.
There is some confusion be
cause the tribal government in
cludes a branch called the Kco
nomic Development Depart
ment. The Tribal Council has
also established the Warm
Springs Community Develop
ment Corporation, a non-profit
venture (See related item on page
11.) Because of the similarity in
the names, and to eliminate the
confusion, the Warm Springs
Kconomic Development Corpo
ration is considering a name
change, said Henderson.
2002 tribal budget ...
Photo by Mika Van Meter
1 Environmental crews inspecting the Spilyay's basement .
found very little mold, but quite a few spiders.
Building closure ...
'Jl'' ' Continued fom" Page 1' ' ' '
Molds that are toxic, how
ever, can spread through ven
tilation systems and cause res
piratory ailments in people
exposed to the tiny particles.
Last week the Education
" Building was shut down com
' pletely for several days, forcing
employees of Print Shop, Cul
ture & Heritage, Education,
Gaming
Continued from Page 1
The incomes per year are as
follows:
The trust property near the
: town of Hood River: between
. $17.5 million to $20.5 million.
The Cascade Locks Govern
ment Rock property: between
$32.5 million to $38.5 million.
A Highway 26 casino on the
reservation: $4.1 million to
$4.9 million'. ' '
r' For a comparison, Indian
Head generates' $4 million to
''$4.3 million. The numbers for
'Indian Head do not include
' debt payment for building con
struction. v The estimates were devel
oped by ECONorthwest,
based in Portland, which
''works extensively with Or
" egon tribes on gaming projects.
' Councilman Zane Jackson
commented that the Cascade
''Locks site is preferred, in part
" because of the revenue, and
"'also because the people there
!l support the tribes' proposal.
Video on gaming
As part of the community
awareness program, the gaming
' committee is currendy produc
ing a seven-minute video on
'the Gorge casino proposal.
The video includes state
ments by Part and other Coun
cil members. The film is in
' tended to explain the key rea
sons why a Gorge casino
would be best for the Confed
erated Tribes, and why tribal
members should support the
Continued from Page 1
At General Council budget
meeting last week, Jackson
pointed out that the 2002 bud
get would include an estimated
$17.4 million from enterprise
dividends.
Tribal enterprises are a source
of substantial revenue and local
jobs, because years ago tribal
officials had the foresight to in
vest money wisely, said Jackson.
In a similar way, he said, the
2002 proposed budget is look
ing toward future years.
The budget, for instance, in
cludes $2 million for the Warm
Springs Economic Develop
ment Corp. ' ' i r
ing in Warm Springs last week,
two tribal members commented
that they felt the per capita pay
ments should see a bigger in
crease. There is money in the
budget for larger per capita pay
ments, they said.
Tribal Council Vice Chair
man Garland Brunoe said that
in developing the 2002 budget,
he and other officials are trying
to ensure economic stability for
future generations.
"We're trying to provide for
, our children what we ourselves
have enjoyed," Brunoe said, re
ferring to past tribal investments
. that are now generating revenue
r,and jobs. ,
Central Oregon' Community
College and OSU Extension to
work elsewhere.
Capt. Phil Johnston of
Warm Springs Fire and Safety
said the testing was done while
hazardous materials teams
were in Warm Springs to inves
tigate the cause of a petroleum
smell that closed the ECE
Building late last month.
referendum. The video will be
made available for all tribal
members to see, said Rudy
Clements.
In other news on gaming
expansion, discussed at Coun
cil meeting last week:
Clements said that all of the
candidates for Oregon gover
nor have indicated support for
the Cascade Locks site over the
Hood River site.
He also said that a coalition
of Hood River residents has
approached Gov, Kitzhaber
about reconsidering his veto of
the Cascade Locks site.
The coalition includes the
cities of Hood River and Cas
cade Locks, Hood River
County, The Friends of the
Gorge, and even the No-Casino
group. All of these people
are now stating their support
for the Cascade Locks site,
rather than just opposing the
Hood River site, as some had
done in the past, Clements
said.
The Confederated Tribes
are not a part of this lobbying
effort, as the tribes' earlier at
tempt to convince Kitzhaber to
allow the Cascade Locks casino
was rejected.
Tribal officials instead are
focusing on gaming expansion
to the Hood River trust prop
erty. They say the tribal mem
bers most likely will see a ref
erendum on the proposal by
June of 2002.
i : The -corporation is promot- ,v, "As. a tribal member," he
ing development of new local added, "I see per capita and bo-
businesses and jobs, and new
sources of revenue for the tribes.
"This group is working hard,
trying to make something hap
pen for the tribes," said Jackson.
The proposed 2002 budget
includes $5,144 million for per
capita payments to tribal mem
bers. This is an increase of
$248,000 from the $4,896 mil
lion per capita amount in the
current year budget.
At the general council mcct-
nus payments as a privilege and
not a right."
Past generations made long
term investments with money
that could have been paid out
per capita, Brunoe said. These
past generations gave up enjoy
ing the larger payments, he said,
"so that we can enjoy what we
have now."
Current tribal leaders, he
said, are struggling to achieve the
same longer term goals.
In another comment from
tribal members, Arlita Rhoan
questioned a $90,000 budget' al
location for the Boys & Girls
Club. Rhoan said she was con
cerned that the Boys & Girls
Club was not serving all children
on the reservation, only those
who can afford the annual fee.
This can create some feelings of
division among families, said
Rhoan.
Charles Jackson asked
whether elimination of the an
nual fee would alleviate this con
cern. Rhoan said it would help.
She also said the tribes need to
take a close look at community
counseling and other social pro
grams serving tribal members.
Tribal member Joseph
Winishut asked whether the
Tribal Council had plans for use
of the Rainbow Market prop
erty, which the tribes are con
sidering purchasing. The prop
erty could be put to good use
and generate jobs and revenue,
Winishut said.
Jackson said that no plans
had yet been developed regard
ing the property. There are tribal
organizations - the Economic
Development Corp., and the
Kconomic Development De
partment, for instance - that
would be in a position to con
sider ways to use this property,
said Jackson.
Tribal member Kmma Smith
commented that the Tribal Re
lations budget should be re
duced. Charles Jackson made a pre
sentation regarding the long
term budget forecast of the
tribes. Referring to graphs
posted on the wall of the Agency
Longhouse, Jackson explained
that budget shortfalls were ex
pected to continue through the
year 201 1.
The graph shows the short
fall for 2002 budget as smaller
than that for 2003, which is the
largest shortfall during the 10
year period.
After 2003, the budget short
fall starts to become smaller, as
the difference narrows between
anticipated revenue and antici
pated expenditures.
The Tribal Council on Mon
day and Tuesday, Nov. 19 and
20, arc scheduled to consider the
2002 budget. After that, the fi
nal resolution will be adopted,
and the final budget posted.
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