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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (June 13, 2002)
Amm Of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs for the years 2000-2001 This Letter from the Secretary- Treasurer By Charles Jackson The 21" Tribal Council was one of the more progressive in the Con federated Tribes' history. The Council and officers pursued an ambitious agenda, initiated a num ber of projects and initiatives, and completed a surprising number of them. Some of the more notable ac complishments included: Tribal Council adopted priorities and a vision for progress, which en compasses employment, community development, public safety, culture and heritage, youth development, political sovereignty, natural re sources, essential government ser vices, government operations, com munication, tribal revenues and in vestments. Priority teams were organized from departments and programs to develop strategies and action plans required to accomplish priorities and "People's Plan" goals. A quarterly Tribal Council policy action calendar was adopted. Economic development and job opportunities in aerospace and other light manufacturing fields were inves tigated. Over $250,000 was authorized for private business development grants. The elder care facility known as High Lookee Lodge was financed, constructed and opened. The wastewater treatment facil ity was financed and approved. A 10-year infrastructure develop ment plan was prepared and ap proved. A sum of $500,000 was appropri ated for new housing initiatives. Tribal Council oversaw a com plete revamping of police and emer gency services. A total of $925,000 was secured and added for law enforcement. A comprehensive review of the tribal justice system was managed. A child scatbclt law was enacted. Oral history documentation projects were expanded and coordi nated. Youth development initiatives were passed to support the Boys and Girls Club and create new summer jobs. An agreement was negotiated with 509-J School District to finance a new K-5 elementary school. The $5mil!ion BIA hydro loan was restructured and extended. Minor's trust amendments were enacted to require high school gradu ation with a 2.0 GPA. legislative strategics for the State Assembly and U.S. Congress were adopted. Passage of I louse Bills 3609 and 2332 created the Rural Reservation Enterprise Zone. A political campaign contribu tions policy and committee were es tablished. The Integrated Resources Man agement Plan for the Forested Area was revised and made permanent. Pine Creek and Oxbow ranches were purchased with funds from the Bonneville Power Administration. Travel and budget policies were streamlined. The PGE settlement agreement was negotiated with a majority own ership option. Tectonics International (DE) was licensed and investments were made in Sci Tech Systems. Sre LETTER of S-T on 1J Letter from the Tribal Council Chairman By Olney Pan Jr. The tribal organization and the entire Warm Springs com munity experienced difficult economic times during the years 2000 and 2001. I think it is fair to note, however, that while we were forced to bend we did not break. We have not reached the end of this difficult and some times troubling path, but as the new millennium advances we are working diligently to ensure a prosperous future. Our plans to expand gaming suffered a serious setback in 1999 when Governor John Kirzhaber denied our request to build a casino near Cascade Locks. That surprising news caused unfor tunate delays and forced the tribes to regroup. It did not alter our de termination to create economic sta bility for the Warm Springs com munity and financial security for tribal members. In 2000 and 2001 we moved for ward with plans to build a casino in the Columbia River Gorge by focusing on trust property near the city of Hood River. Surrounding properties were purchased to house support facilities and a public rela tions campaign was launched to explain our situation and inten tions to the citizens of Hood River County. As a result of this multi phased effort, our base of "support for gaming expansion grew many fold, laying the groundwork for a gaming referendum in 2002. Letter from the Chief By Willy Fuentes The years 2000 and 2001 were a time of opportunity for the Con federated Tribes of Warm Springs. As such, opportunity comes in many forms, and it really is a mat ter of how we choose to view the various issues the tribes encoun tered in the beginning years of the 21st Century. The economic, social and politi cal challenges were all critical points of concern for the tribes, which required a level of resource coordination and collaboration with the community and various external agencies. Declining tribal revenues con tinue to be a primary concern of the tribal membership and leader ship. Recognition that sufficient revenues arc required in order to provide meaningful program ser vices to the people of the reserva tion, collaborative efforts by Jody Calica, Chief Operating Officer and Charles Jackson, Secretary- Treasurer to address this concern included formation of three groups to identify 'Downsizing,' 'New Revenues' and 'New Investments' recommendations. Through the work of these groups, the base bud get of the tribes has been reduced. Included in these reductions has been the elimination of permanent positions from the tribal organiza tion, whose functions were shifted to remaining staff to continue serv ing the membership. In the midst of these reductions, the Public Safety Branch has con tinued to strive to meet the expec tations and needs of the tribal membership. Branch employees, from top to bottom, were given the formidable task of improving per formance levels and regaining the trust of the Warm Springs Rcscr- ' ' Kit Council Chairman Olney Patt Jr. Throughout our campaign options to build on tribal property in Cascade Locks were kept open, because this alternative may eventually be the best course to pursue. Tribal Council took another bold step towards economic stability by approving final amendments for a joint application with PGE to oper ate the Pelton-Round Butte hydroelec tric complex on the Deschutes River. The joint application averted a poten tially long and expensive battle over who would operate the facility. Ne gotiations that led to the agreement will safeguard our interests and even tually lead to controlling interest in rthe project. MiSgation measures as-'' sociated with relicensing may also in crease the size of future salmon runs entering the Deschutes River. "As we continue to evolve as a people and community, our work will never be totally completed and in that sense we, the tribal staff from the operations side of government, pray that our efforts and collaboration with community members have in some small way moved the tribe closer to the vision of a fervent and prosperous Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. vation. Dave Malkin left the tribes in early 2001, to return to Deschutes County law enforcement and Robert Glynn assumed branch leadership responsi bilities on a temporary basis. In April 2001, tribal member Don Courtney was placed in the role of Acting Pub lic Safety General Manager, while maintaining his Chief of Police title. Throughout the remainder of 2001, Chief Courtney has maintained a fo cus of improving branch services, while providing important consulta tion on alternative justice systems for the reservation. The priorities set by the 20th and 21st Tribal Councils continue to pro vide direction for branches and de partments of the organization. I lous ing, employment, health, youth de velopment, protection of our natural resources and preservation of tribal culture have been assigned to various teams to map out strategics for suc cessful outcomes. The notion that we move forward as a tribe, only as fast as individual tribal members and families gain con trol over internal and external factors in their lives, seems to summarize Economic expansion and diver sification were not limited to off reservation sites. Here at home Tribal Council voted to establish the Warm Springs Economic De velopment Corporation to explore new options for generating rev enue. Tribal Council also estab lished Warm Springs Construction Enterprise in an attempt to broaden the economic horizons of a historically government-based de partment. We have addressed some or our most pressing problems and laid the foundation for financial secu rity, but there are other issues of long-term significance that can't be overlooked. Our children cannot be, and will not be, forgotten, even under the most trying of circum stances. A referendum was passed in the spring of 2001 appropriating available funds to construct a kindergarten through fifth grade elementary school on the reservation. A memorandum of understanding was signed with Jefferson County 509-J School Dis trict to share the costs of construc tion. The project will gready improve current facilities and give us more influence in the educational process. As the tenth anniversary of our integrated resources management plan (IRMP) was approaching, Tribal Council approved a revised forest plan and annual allowable cut. 4 'The plan, which put us at the fore front of resource planning in Indian country, provides a balanced ap proach to resources management, Operations Officer these various efforts and objectives ap propriately. During the past two years, opera tional branches have experienced suc cesses, and I would like to share them with the tribal members. The completion and opening of the High Lookee Lodge in Septem ber 2000 is the culmination of 23 years of planning by various tribal committees, whose collective vision was nurtured all those years by the desire and persistence of the tribal elder population to have a place of their own. The spirit of all the committees and elders was captured in the form of a national design award, the facil 5T" while allowing for a commercial tim ber harvest that is sustainable. Un der IRMP the tribes harvest each year's annual growth of timber. Pro visions within the document also es tablish standards and best manage ment practices to protect invaluable water, fish, wildlife, soil, forest, range and cultural resources. Amended water quality standards were ap proved and submitted to the Environ mental Protection Agency during Tribal Council's busy agenda in 2001. The standards and subsequent 401 Certification establish the Confeder ated Tribes as a leader in managing for clean and abundant water re sources. Our hard work and commitment to wise resource management paid enormous dividends this past year when record returns of salmon and steelhead entered the Columbia and Deschutes rivers. Tribal fisherman experienced bountiful harvests dur ing ceremonial and subsistence fish eries. In the months ahead we will strive to reinforce the positive steps taken in 2000 and 2001. We will also seek out and take advantage of new op portunities. We will move forward in the new millennium using our ances tors as guide and guardian, and fu ture generations as inspiration. At the same time Tribal Council will seek to improve communications between the organization and tribal members. There are many challenges still ahead, so we must work together and put the best interests of our people in the forefront. ity received for the number of com bined services the facility would of fer the elder population. Speaking for all those individuals involved when the facility was finally completed, it was an honor to bring to fulfillment the vision of our elders and especially those who have passed on and were not able to witness the completion of the elder facility. Those old enough to remember the old clinic, and who have been into the remodeled Family Resource Cen ter, most likely would comment that they didn't realize the old building was so beautiful. Set LETTER of COO on 1) Vi1, :m
