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)
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