E Coosb EEWA: The wy it is pw wTy0 mhoos
Important part
of gaming is to make
money for the tribes
By Sid Millet
Spilyay Publisher lmtritut
(Author's note: Everything in this article is pure coinci
dental. No net or truths.)
At the present time the Confederated Tribes are in search
of income from some investments or some kind of busi
ness that would generate substantial income for the tribes.
It is apparent that our regular
at a rapid pace. I can remember when "I was just a cute
little tyke," the timber was our major income. But today
we don't have timber like that anymore.
The main reason I'm touching on this sub
ject is each year everyone expects a bonus pay
ment, and I believe here lately we have been
digging into our reserve to make the payment. That should
be a no-no. There must be some sort of program where we
can realize profit for the tribes. I am sure there are ideas
floating around out there we could work on to build our
account. At the present time, there are no activities going
on where we could invest to bring in some income.
We have a casino, and at the present time it is no big
factor for income. One reason, "A big reason is the loca
tion." Let's take a look back to the beginning when we all
agreed on the casino. We had the option of building our
casino along Highway 26, or try it at our Kah-Nee-Ta for
five years, and if it didn't work out we should consider
moving it to a better location. Well, how long has it been
since we started the casino at Kah-Nee-Ta? And as yet,
there have been no good results, and still there has been
no mention of moving the casino to a better location. The
consultants can tell you it's making money, but it's not vis
ible. It may be making money for the consultants, though!
In the beginning there were several locations mentioned
where we could have built the casino. One was at the North
west corner of the Rez at Bear Springs, or at the junction
at Highway 9, to Simnasho and Kah-Nee-Ta from High
way 26, or in Madras.
Many people in Portland say they do a lot of business in
Central Oregon, and if the casino were along U.S. 26, they
said they would be happy to stop and relax a while in the
casino, but Kah-Nee-Ta, they say, is just too far out of the
way. Truck drivers say they would stop for a while to play
the machines. We have been negotiating on the possibility
of building a casino at Cascade Locks. That's the ideal lo
cation for a casino, and the citizens of Cascade Locks are
in favor of our casino. It would boost their economy also.
It would be right along Interstate 84 from the east and a
short distance from Portland. If it is at all possible to build
there, we should go "gung ho" for a casino there.
Well, that's the pro side of it and the con side, people
need employment, and they feel it's too far out of the way
to go and work. We are all in agreement that it's way out of
reach for local employment, but you fail to see the main
point. "Income for the tribes," that's what we want. We
could make a bunch of dollars there and bring it back to
the Rez and set up programs to employ our local people.
Let's make the dollars first, then employ our local people
here at home. As a matter of fact, how many local people
work steady at our casino at Kah-Nee-Ta? Maybe a hand
ful, but the turnover is great.
Let's wake up, get it through our thick skulls that it's the
dollars we need and not worry about one or two people
who can't make it to work at certain locations.
Well let's see: Our No. 1 worry is income for the tribes.
No. 2, better living conditions for the tribes, and No. 3, we
must look to the future for our generations to come. And
if there are any other ideas floating around out there, they
should be brought to light for consideration. We do need
to come up with good plans.
Ahh-Nah-Chi-Toon! Chin-ee-wah? Yun-wi!
Toe Ness
"Before I take your case," said the counselor, "you'll
have to give me a $100 retainer."
"All right, here's the $100," said the client, handing over
the money.
"Thank you," the lawyer retorted. "That entitles you to
two questions."
"What! $100 for just two questions! Isn't that awfully
high?"
"Yes, I suppose it is," said the lawyer. "Now, what's your
second question." YIKES
IDIOT SIGHTING: At a good-bye luncheon for an old
and dear coworker who was leaving the company due to
"downsizing," our manager commented cheerfully, "this is
fun. We should do this more often." Not a word was
spoken. We all just looked at each other with that deer-in-the-headlights
stare.
resources are dwindling away
Spilyay
Speaks
Powwow court
To family, friends and com
munity, thank you to everyone
who bought tickets from me for
the Lincoln's Powwow
celebration. I enjoyed meeting
and talking with all of you. This
was the first time I talked to so
many wonderful people. I want
to also apologize to those who
wanted to buy tickets from me
at powwow, but I ran out
of tickets on Friday and the
committee didn't have any
more. Anyway, I ended up getting
sick on Saturday and Sunday,
but I had fun on Friday night. I
thank the Lincoln's Powwow
Committee for inviting me to be
a part of the court.
Congratulations to Cassie
Sam for winning! We took a cute
picture, huh! Thank you to ev
eryone and God Bless always.
Rheianna "Ti-UJ-Pum"
Wolfe
Settlement
(This letter is an excerpt from
longer comments submitted into
the record regarding the settlement
funds.)
Regarding the use and distri
bution of the McQuinn
blowdown-HeHe fire judgment
funds awarded to the Confed
erated Tribes for their individual
use and social and economic
development, as tribal members
we, speaking on behalf of our
selves and other concerned
members, make the following
comments and budget recom
mendations. We question the legality of
resolutions no. 10.450 and reso
lution no. 10.451 passed by
Tribal Council that reflected a
retroactive payment of $1.5
million covering tribal govern
ment operations and $4,352,000
appropriated from the tribes'
revenue reserve fund for repay
ment of the $1,000 special per
capita bonus that each tribal
member received in December
2004. These two budget appro
priations as well as the budget
appropriations for 2006 and
2007 from the HeHeMcQuinn
settlement funds are in violation
of Article V, section 1(T) of the
tribal constitution as amended
July 1973 that states:
"To appropriate for tribal use
of the reservation, any available
tribal funds; provided that any
such appropriation exceeding
$2,500 shall be subject to review
by the Secretary of the Interior;
and provided further, that any
appropriation in excess of
$25,000 in any one fiscal year,
for any purpose, other than per
capita payments shall be of no
effect until approved by popu
lar referendum. The foregoing
limitations shall not apply to ex
penditures made pursuant to
tribal budget, provided that not
less than 90 days before the ef
fective date of such budget, it
is posted in three public places
on the reservation for not less
than 30 days and provided fur
ther, that a public hearing is held
on such budget and thereafter
the budget is approved by the
Secretary of the Interior or his
authorized representative."
The following questions are
raised in regard to any retroac
tive authority the Secretary of
the Interior participated in and
approved that violated any part
of the above Article V, section
1(T) as follows: "that any such
appropriations exceeding $2,500
shall be subject to review by the
Secretary of the Interior" and
provided further "that any ap
propriation in excess of $25,000
in any one fiscal year for any
purpose, other than per capita
payments, shall be of no effect
until approved in a popular ref-
Letters to
erendum."
The wording in Article V, sec
tion 1(T) in part provides the
necessary approval for the 2004
Special Per Capita distribution
of $4,352 million because it
states that "any appropriation in
excess of $25,000 in any one
fiscal year for any purpose,"
other than Per Capita payments
does not have to be approved
in a popular referendum. How
ever, the question arises about
the wording in the first sentence
of Article V, section 1(T) "to
appropriate for tribal use of the
reservation any available tribal
fundsD" and asks whether "any
available funds" included any
future funds to be taken from
the HcHeMcQuinn settlement
funds?
Rosella M. Moseley,
Marcus K. Moseley, fam
ily members.
Casino plan
Wouldn't it be prudent for
the Warm Springs Tribal Coun
cil to order a temporary halt to
all gaming compact negotiations
pertaining to Cascade Locks
casino? Although the casino was
passed by referendum I don't
believe the language wasn't spe
cific enough to grant unlimited
authority to the gaming board,
site team or our paid consult
ants. If Warm Springs truly op
erates as a co-operate structure,
tribal members have a very le
gal right to ask and expect an
swers to their concerns pertain
ing to an off-reservation casino.
This group of individuals has
become too self-righteous think
ing they are the only ones ca
pable of making good economic
decisions. . . ; -
This group of individuals has
been so careless and cavalier in
the securing of a precedent set
ting gaming compact for all gam
ing tribes in Oregon that it per
sonally raises questions of com
petency. The little information
that has been shared with the
enrolled membership would be
hard pressed to be referred to
as progress.
Not one of Warm Springs'
strongest negotiating strengths
was even presented during the
negotiations process. Warm
Springs has an annual opera
tional budget of $200 million in
Central Oregon, another $135
million has been obligated to
restore upriver fish runs, fish
runs that by the way we had
nothing to do with destroying,
$350 million in construction
start-up expenses, annual oper
ating expense, increased hous
ing demand, 1,200 permanent
full-time taxpaying jobs and re
vitalizing the economic future of
Cascade Locks. In comparison
to the incentives Oregon has
offered other big businesses to
locate in the state, isn't this an
insult
I think it would be prudent
to clear the air of all of the ru
mors that have been circulating
in the community: that the ac
cess property to Cascade Locks
has silent partners that are ne
gotiating in our behalf and are
paid employees of the tribes;
tribal employees are being told
that they are left to their own
devices on their own if they
desire to work or relocate to
Cascade Locks; what are the
tribal member training programs
to upgrade skills and why hasn't
this training already started?
Which of these scenarios poten
tially are in violation of our
Constitution and By-laws or
raises questions of morality or
ethics. My personal feeling is
that our Tribal Council is pur
posely being mislead along with
the tribal members. So we have
to remind the federal agent of
the Editor
his fiduciary responsibility to
protect us from unscrupulous
misleading individuals or a spe
cious gaming compact. This also
is an indication of where the
new chief executive officer has
placed his priorities personal
above the people.
I would have a hard time
agreeing that this group of
people is entitled to receive an
additional $4 million out of the
McQuinn settlements. Thank
you. Randy Smith.
McQuinn
Firstly, hello to all my family
and friends.
I feel compelled to put in a
word or two about the
McQuinn Blowdown-HeHe
Fire settlement. It's obvious that
our (us tribal members) names
had to included in the lawsuit;
that is, our elected officials filed
claims for damages in our name
and on our lands. So, obviously
the monies should be disbursed
evenly amongst the tribal mem
bership and some senior citizen
programs.
The only time our elected
officials care about "the rest of
us" is when they're up for re
election or they need our vote
on something.
And what's this about, "part
of the money would also be
used to repay the tribal reserve
fund, which was used to provide
the December 2004 per capita"?
I didn't even get mine! I had to
fill our paper work to get it re
placed. And whose bright idea is it
to think of using any part of
the monies toward the Gorge
casino? It's still too much up in
the air, and besides I voted
against the Gorge casino. What
good is it going to do for the
tribal membership, as a whole?
It sure isn't helping our tribal
members with jobs being way
off the reservation.
I live off the rez with three
daughters. I have bills just like
everybody else.
I'm sure I'm not alone in
thinking of how this "rightfully
our" monies could help all of
our families. Being on a fixed
income with SSI disability; I sure
could use some help, as well as
my daughters.
And then there's always been
this issue of Tribal Council's
accountability; that their con
cerns are of a few. It's obvious
that a lot of people feel that way
and it sure looks that way.
Let's remember, they are
elected. Vote them out next time.
Those of you fellow members:
you know we need change; you
feel strongly about it. Don't' be
shy, get out there and run for
Tribal Council, give us someone
to vote for. Give us a good
change.
People, don't forget: "We the
people, for the people, of the
Spilyay Tymoo
(Coyote News, Est. 1976)
Publisher Emeritus: Sid Miller
Editor: Dave McMechan
Management Successor: Selena T. Boise
Advertising Manager: Sam Howard
Staff Writer: Brian Mortensen
Media Advisor: Bill Rhoades
Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Confeder
ated Tribes of Warm Springs. Our offices are located in
the white house at 1 1 00 Wasco Street. Any written mate
rials submitted to Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed
to:
Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. Box 870, Warm Springs, OR 97761 .
Phone: (541 ) 553-1 644 or 553-3274.
FAX No. (541) 553-3539.
E-Mail: spilyaytymoowstribes.org. Annual Subscription
rates: Within U.S.: $15.00.
people, by the people." Stand up,
speak up, be heard. Ron-Dee
Rcdfox.
Revival
There will be a revival March
18-24, 2005, beginning at 7 p.m.
nightly at the Warm Springs Full
Gospel Church with Easton and
Tina Aguilar. Everyone wel
come. But when thou makest a
feast, call the poor, the maimed,
the lame, the blind: And thou
shalt be blessed: for they can
not recompense thee: for thou
shalt be recompensed at the res
urrection of the just. Luke
14:13-14. And the Lord said
unto the servant, Go out into
the highways and hedges, and
compel them to come in, that
my house may be filled. Luke
14:23.
The laws
Why are there laws - execu
tive department of our tribe will
not follow i.e. the 1855 Treaty
with the (she-tikekicksht ta
nun); incorporated federal char
ter? To be a leader, you must
serve the people i.e. follow the
Indian traditions, customs, ritu
als of our tribe. Our songs say
so, how we came to be here. Do
not incorporate your own idea
- set all the people back.
Elders said: "Keep the blood
strong." Weddings were made
before you had grown up - no
outside blood allowed, as it is
now. Look at as we're a racist.
We are not - it's traditional. See:
Medicine Dance. The animals
did not marry outside their own
- still talk their own language as
we are to. God made that way -I'm
just a messenger. One mind,
heart, spirit body It was the way
- all watch out for each other,
no one was labeled a bum.
Money has eroded our lands.
No one will take it to their grave,
no one. Being a leader, you must
serve with love, consideration.
No hate of all sorts. Name all
the meats, all the roots, all the
fruits. How we come to be 7
drum? These are just a few
foods for thought, arrives out
of our 1855 Treaty protection.
You are beautiful, gifted, don't
ever forget it.
The animals made compact
to carry on the (Wuni-Sha)
Medicine Dance. All sang "The
Indians are coming - the Indi
ans are coming!" "We will be
their clothes and food." So, laws
were made from our animals.
Martinez Eugene Charles.
(Sue-wy-y) Ie-Wa-Nicht.
Letters
Thank you for writing to
the Spilyay. When writing,
please keep in mind that let
ters should be of no more
than 350 words. And no state
ments that are libellous
against another person can
be published in the paper.