Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
Around the rez
THbes consider Chamber
Approximately 12 W arm Springs small business owners gath
ered at the W arm Springs Small Business Center to discuss a local
Chamber o f Commerce. Representatives from the Oregon N a
tive American Chamber o f Commerce (ONACC) in Portland, as
part o f their outreach program, met with tribal members.
The group discussed the benefits o f a reservation Chamber o f
Commerce. M any participants believe an organized group would
foster business relationships on and off the reservation. The nec
essary off-reservation networking could be im plem ented more
effectively. A W arm Springs Chamber o f Commerce also could
provide programs on receiving tax credit and deductions, or effec
tive ways to do business, with people off the reservation. The group
hoped big corporations, which specifically seek out m inority busi
nesses, would have a more coherent w ay to reach them. Outreach
programs through mentors, information sharing, and internships
and/or scholarships for youth would also be a focus.
Funds to support a Chamber o f Commerce could be obtained
in a variety o f ways. M embership fees would provide some rev
enue. The tribes could receive money from federal and state agen
cies due to strong tribal relations. The idea o f grant-oriented non
profit status was suggested.
W arm Springs has 130 small businesses. A directory is available
at the Small Business Development Center. Another planning meet
ing for a W arm Springs Chamber o f Commerce will be held at 11
a.m. on December 11 at the Family Resource Center.
A ll small business owners and other tribal members are encour
aged to attend. The event is a potluck. For more inform ation call
553-3592.
Pgge 3
November 28, 2 0 0 2
Opportunities grow for disabled
Tribal member
serves as model fo r
Madras foundation
By Shannon Keaveny
Spilyay Tymoo
A fter b ein g in tro d uced as
“h a n d ic a p a b le ” ra th e r th an
handicapped, Nikiya Courtney,
21, o f W arm Springs, took a
deep b reath and d elivered a
touching speech about his life
as so m eon e d iag n o sed w ith
multiple disabilities.
The Opportunity Foundation
o f C e n tral O rego n (O FCO )
event took place Nov. 15 across
the stre e t fro m its fu tu re
Jefferson County location, for
m erly the Ron M cD onald car
dealership in Madras.
OFCO is a tri-county private
non-profit organization dedi
cated to providing employment,
h o u sin g an d re c re a tio n to
peop le w ith d isab ilities. T he
Madras location will have a fo
cus on employment for the men
tally and physically disabled.
Courtney, who uses a wheel
chair and describes his condition
The treaty fishing tribes o f the Columbia River basin are con as closest to a slight case o f ce
demning plans by the Bonneville Power Administration to slash up rebral palsy, was chosen to speak
to $200 million from its fish and wildlife budget, according to an on b e h alf o f O FCO because
'announcement by the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commis he represents possibilities, said
Rebecca Sm ith, OFCO devel
sion (CRITFC).
The CRITFC announcement says the BPA plan is “profoundly oper.
“Nikiya is a great example o f
irresponsible.” Also, according to CRITFC, the BPA has not ex
p o ss ib ilitie s n ot d isa b ilitie s,
hausted other financial options that would offset its losses.
“This reckless approach clearly represents disregard for the fish w h ich is o u r o rg a n iz a tio n ’s
’ and wildlife project recommendations o f the tribes and the North motto. H e’s persevered despite
-w est Power Planning Council,” said Donald Sampson, CRITFC the lack o f services in Jefferson
executive director. “It’s a reversal on what the agency promised.” County,” said Smith.
C ourtney’s speech detailed
! The criticism came as BPA was planning to announce cuts be
tween $150 million and $200 million in fish and wildlife spending his life. He was born with “mul
over four years. “W hat this means is that Bonneville is pulling the tiple disabilities” that doctors
rug out from under its long-stated promises to our tribes to fully have not been able to specifi-
' cally diagnose.
fund fish and wildlife...,” said Sampson.
BPA plan draws criticism
Shannon Keaveny/Spilyay
Nikiya Courtney speaks for the Opportunity Foundation
From the beginning, said
Courtney, his m other treated
him the same as his siblings.
“M y mother taught me to be
my biggest advocate,” Courtney
said.
Part o f Courtney’s mother’s
lesson was “to always keep try
ing and not give up.”
He became the first student
with multiple disabilities to at
tend Madras High, and gradu
ated with a 3.65 GPA. His high
sch o o l effo rts earn ed him a
statewide award as one o f two
top students.
C ourtney held a variety o f
jobs over the years. He worked
as a W arm Springs police cadet,
an IHS receptionist, and student
technician for the Diabetes Pro
gram.
Today he resides in Bend and
studies nutrition at Central Or
egon Community College.
Courtney spoke to his audi
ence about having disabilities:
“I believe we have the right and
ability to be successful and hold
jobs. If we’re given the chance,
I guarantee w e’ll work twice as
hard.”
. OFCO’s presence in Madras
will open up new possibilities to
disabled Warm Springs residents.
The building is scheduled to
open in the fall o f 2004. A long
term goal is to provide a shuttle
service from W arm Springs to
Madras, Redmond and Bend to
help tribal members with disabili
ties transport to their jobs.
A t present, tribal m embers
w ith disabilities often have to
relocate to foster homes, away
from their fam ily and friends,
if they want to work.
A shuttle service would mini
mize foster care situations be
cause relocation would not be
necessary.
Courtney hopes the OFCO
Madras location will bring more
aw areness to the reservatio n
ab o ut the p h ysical stru ggles
people with disabilities face daily.
As a sovereign nation, the res
ervation does not have to ad
here to the regulations o f the
A m e rica n D is a b ilitie s A c t
(ADA), explained Courtney.
“Sometimes it is very diffi
cult to get into buildings. I would
lik e to see b u ild in g s m o re
(handicap) accessible,” he said
o f W arm Springs,
OFCO owns a variety o f
businesses that employ people
with disabilities through work
program s. T hey also support
employment on a one on one
basis that helps participants find
jobs in their community.
A t the M adras site, OFCO
intends to build a $2 m illion
mixed-use building that w ill in
tegrate the community through
businesses and housing.
The site cleanup and prop
erty purchase has been funded.
R epresentatives from OFCO
plan to acquire an additional $4
million in grants to fund their
project.
Says C ourtney o f O FCO ’s
presence in Jefferson County,
“I hope it m otivates disabled
people to m ove forw ard and
not just waste away. I hope it
m otivates them to do things
w ith th eir life. I kno w w o rk
motivated me.”
After the OFCO event the
crowd crossed the street and
watched the initial demolition o f
the former*Ron M cDonald car
dealership.
For more information about
OFCO call 548-2611.
Tribal committees outline goals for the coming year
(Editors note: th is a rticle
\continues one that appeared in the
p revio u s edition o f the Spilyay. The
last issue covered the T im ber Com
m ittee.)
By Shannon Keaveny
Spilyay Tymoo
Tribal government committee
m em bers gathered recently to
discuss their goals for 2003.
The following account sum
m arizes their discussion:
Range and Ag Committee
-j T he R ange, Irrigatio n , and
A griculture Com m ittee priori
tized their goals for the next year
hs pursuing a feedlot and irriga
tion projects to bring in more
revenue.
.; “We need to utilize our water
for the people,” said Carm ella
Sco tt, re p re se n tativ e fo r the
com m ittee, o f the possibilities
for the mass quantities o f water
in the Deschutes River.
I Scott inform ed attendees that
at the ISC Symposium in Tuc-
xon, Ariz., a drought relief re
quest was passed for the Con
fe d e rate d T rib e s o f W arm
Springs. In order to make it hap
pen, she said, efforts need to be
m ade at future meetings.
“We need a strong speaker,”
exclaimed Scott about taking ac so u rces. R aym o n d C ap tain
tion to receive drought relief. “If M oody suggested it would be
no one speaks up, nothing will good to visit the high school to
educate and encourage young
happen.”
The fencing on Highway 26 farmers. Others wondered what
also needs to be replaced next happened to the 4H Club, where
year. O therwise, she said, the young men used to learn to care
southern reservation district has for cattle.
had some grazing troubles but
the other two districts are in or Culture and Heritage
C h airw o m an
E m ily
der.
Jacob Frank, also a represen Waheneka shared the activities
tative for the Range, Irrigation o f the C ulture and H eritage
and A g ric u ltu re C o m m ittee, Committee. Waheneka and Viola
talked o f the search for funds K alam a, also a C u ltu re and
from the U.S. D epartm ent o f H eritage representative, spent
Agriculture (USDA). The tribes two days at the Burke Museum
recently received $20,000 from in Seattle sorting through and
the USDA to educate on and identifying artifacts from Miller
vaccinate for the Western Nile Isla n d , M o u n t H o o d , the
Virus. The funding was for live Deschutes River and other lo
cations. W aheneka estim ates
stock vaccination.
Frank explained his discovery they still have another two to
that to receive drought money three days o f w ork left.
Once sorted, the Columbia
fro m the U SD A , the T rib al
Council m ust first declare the River treaty tribes will decide the
reservation in a drought. From artifacts’ fate.
W aheneka thought a burial
there, a proposal can be made
to Congress for drought relief was most likely.
The artifacts harbored a hor
funding.
The discussion unfolded into rible smell, because o f the seal
the p ossib ilities o f the tribes skin m any w ere w rap p ed in.
encouraging young people to Waheneka said on M iller Island
farm again, so the reservation there used to be seals and their
is less dep en den t on outside hides w ere used for b urials.
M any o f the items were bones,
and both Kalama and Waheneka
wore gloves while handling.
A prolonged disagreem ent
since 1997 between the tribes,
the Corps o f E ngin eers, and
Bonneville Power A dm inistra
tion (BPA) was updated. The
BPA, currently in possession of
some ancient pictographs bull
d o zed fro m a c an yo n n ear
Celilo Falls before it was inun
dated, intends to use the picto
graphs for the upcoming anni
versary o f the Lewis and Clark
Expedition in the Horse Thief
State Park, home o f the famous
pictograph She W ho Watches.
Kalama expressed her con
cern o f BPA’s intentions for the
pictographs.
“They want to make a big and
fancy exhibit out o f them. We
don’t want our ancient artwork
to be a showpiece,” she said.
A final meeting between the
Culture and Heritage Commit
tee and BPA about the picto
graph rocks took place in Port
land on Nov. 14-15.
C o n cern w as e x p re sse d
about the possibility o f a tribal
department website offering ac
cess to recorded voices o f el
ders who are now passed away.
Budget: Officials hope to avoid lay-offs
(Continued from page 1)
As m en tio n ed ab o ve, the
Credit Enterprise is to pay $1.5
million; and Com posite Prod
ucts, $375,000.
Timber revenue is estimated
at $3.75 million. Interest will add
another $1.45 million, according
to the budget resolution.
T he 2003 budget that w as
approved last week is substan
tially sim ilar to the proposed
budget that was the topic o f dis
trict and general Council m eet
ings earlier this fall.
T he added m oney for the
Seekseequa Fire Hall (see story
on this page) is one n otable
change that was made from the
time o f the proposed budget to
the time o f the adoption.
Another change was the re
d u c tio n b y $1 06 ,0 0 0 o f the
employee cost o f living allow
ance. The earlier $556,492 fig
ure was reduced to $450,492.
The budget item “other pro
posed program increases” was
re d u c e d fro m $ 2 8 5 ,0 0 0 to
$225,000.
“We are continuing to gradu
ally cut back tribal government,
and that means a cut in programs
and services,” said Charles Jack-
son, Secretary-Treasurer.
Under the 2003 budget, an
estimated 20 job positions could
be eliminated. “B ut Council has
clearly stated that w e should
explore all other avenues before
doing that,” said Jackson.
C h ief O p eratio n s O fficer
W illy Fuentes said, “M y inten
tion is to m inim ize layoffs to
whatever extent possible. Laying
people o ff is the last resort.”
As part o f the 2003 budget,
H igh Lookee Lodge is receiv
in g an a p p ro p ria tio n o f
$250,000. W hen H igh Lookee
started o perations, the T ribal
C ouncil reallo cated $500,000
from the tribes’ M anaged Care
Program as initial start-up fund
ing. The monies were expected
to be more than adequate to sub
sidize start-up operations until
m o n th ly re v e n u e s eq u ale d
monthly operating costs. How
ever, those fuijds have been
sp e n t alo n g w ith a n o th e r
$175,000, w hile H igh Lookee
operating costs remain substan
tially higher than revenues.
“We don’t believe in adver
tising our elders.” said Kalama.
Education
About 1,100 W arm Springs
kids attend local public schools,
said Urbana Ross, representative
o f the E ducation Committee.
Sixty students atten d In d ian
boarding schools, most o f which
are in Salem.
Ninety students participate in
higher education. T he higher
education budget has been ex
ceeded by $800,000 this year,
as more tribal members display
an interest in pursuing a higher
education, said Ross.
Out o f state tuition is high,
she said. M eanwhile, there are
ideas on how to reduce costs of
higher education for the tribes.
C urrently all students who
qualify are granted higher edu
cation funds, which includes tu
ition and cost o f living expenses.
A grade point average o f 2.0,
either a GED or high school di
plom a, is required to receive
scholarship funding from the
tribes. Students are allowed one
Bachelor Degree and one M as
ter Degree.
For Ph.D.s scholarships from
other sources must be sought,
said Ross.
She stressed the importance
o f tribal members applying for
sch o larsh ip s to h elp red uce
costs to the tribes’ trust fund.
Specifically, she encouraged,
applicants for a $200 OIA schol
arship. For inform ation about
the scholarship contact Floyd
Calica or Shilo Shaw. Also, ITC
and IEC funds are available.
Recently, a think tank took
place in Oregon about creating
an Indian college in the state.
Fish and Wildlife
Donny Winishut, represent
ing the Fish and Wildlife Com
m ittee, made a b rief presenta
tion. He said the 2002 ceremo
nial hunting was completed.
“It was successful aside from
som e pro b lem s w ith p riv ate
landholders,” he said o f hunt
ing issues tribal members face
on ceded ground.
W inishut attended a meeting
in Couer D’Alene, Idaho for the
Native American Fish and W ild
life, where further solutions for
land restoration and fish resto
ra tio n w e re d isc u sse d . F a ll
chinook salmon numbers were
close to the projected numbers,
he said. About 30 fish are being
tested for disease, he said.
Fire hall: site is
already selected
(Continued from page 1)
C o u n c ilw o m en C aro l
Wewa and Brenda Scott, and
C o un cilm an Ron Supp ah ,
also said the Seekseequa Fire
Hall project needs to move
forward.
The new fire hall would
continue a long-range expan
sion o f fire and ambulance
protection on the reserva
tion. The development o f the
Simnasho hall was an initial
phase o f the expansion plan.
The proposed location o f
the Seekseequa Fire Hall is
11.5 acres at the top o f the
hill near the turn toward In
dian Park.
Plans call for a hall that is
39 by 66 feet, equipped with
drive-thru fire station bays,
m eeting room, kitchen, util
ity and bath.
Living quarters would be
on an adjacent lot.