Pgge 10
Spilygy Tymoo, W^rm Springs, Oregon
M^rch 29, 2 0 0 7
Agency District Candidates
Randy Smith
I decided to accept this
nomination as a Agency Dis
trict R epresentative for a
number of reasons. First and
forem ost I w ould like to
thank those individuals who
nominated me, Vernon and
Elton.
There are many issues fac
ing our comm unity today,
some of these issues seem to
be a bit overwhelming for our
Tribal Council, leading to
weak or unwise decision mak
ing.
The most important rea
son that I elected to accept
this nomination was because
I question the last two major
agreements we signed. Our
representation was very weak,
I believe, in signing the Wa
ter Quantification Agreement
and the revised G am ing
Compact.
Over the past 30 years I
have seen tribal members
concerns and questions ig
nored or go unanswered, and
our Constitution and By-Laws
are continually abused or dis
regarded altogether.
It’s time for a positive
change, our districts need
better and stronger represen
tation, representation that
clarifies our Treaty Rights for
w hat they are: reserved ,
never ceded, set aside for fu
ture use. These are not special
rights, special rights is derived
from what 1 call political prosti
tution, or to be politically cor
rect “lobbying”.
Our Treaty Rights are under
constant attack, mandating that
our legal council present the best
possible legal arguments we can
expect. I believe that is not hap
pening today. The leaders of the
forties and fifties never let any
one define the extent of our
unique sovereign status, again
that is what I see.
Another tribal issue that has
been in the news these past few
years is our lack of operating
capital. This maybe true, how
ever we are far from being
broke or poor.
We have title to some of the
most pristine real estate in Cen
tral Oregon. Our Water Rights
in the Deschutes Basin alone
are worth multi-millions of
dollars. I would assert that our
cumulative net worth is close
to a half of a billion dollars.
We are not poor, so stop mis
leading our children.
Contem plating the few
words that I have spoken
here, our children should be
relieved and not worry so. I
grew up in a generation that
benefited from the wise and
strong Tribal Council deci
sions.
We were a generation of
young tribal members full of
countless hopes and dreams.
I would ensure this is what
our children today would en
joy, a positive outlook of life
on the “Rez”!
I would Represent our
people, our community and
educate the ignorant of Fed
eral Indian Law.
A hundred years ago the
economic benefit was on the
other side of the scales of
justice. Now we are the bene
factors and that’s not illegal,
special rights. This day was
foreseen by our ancestors,
that is why they emphasized
knowing our treaty language
and educating yourselves to
p ro tect these R eserved
Rights!
Randy Smith
Alex Smith
H ello, my people o f
Warm Springs. My name is
Alex Leon Smith. I’m an
enrolled member running for
Tribal Council.
I am Wasco and Warm
Springs. My parents are the
late Woodrow Smith Sr. and
Iris (Kalama) Smith.
I am 46 years old. I lived
on the Warm Springs Indian
Reservation all my life.
My past employment here
in Warm Springs began as a
cook, assistant cook and dish
washer at Kah-Nee-Ta. I
went to school at Western
Business College for book
keeping and accounting; I
went to Superior Truck Driv
ing School in Rialto, Califor
nia; I went to Fish Hatchery
Training through the Colum
bia River Inter-Tribes. I
worked at the Warm Springs
Forest Product Mill as a mill
worker and water truck op
erator. I drove a log truck
for three years; I worked for
Fire Management as an EFF
firefighter, as an engine crew
man and engine operator,
helitac foreman and engine
foreman. With public safety
I was a patrol officer for 12
years and a fish and game
officer for three years. In
forestry I was a scaler for the
tribes.
Currently I am employed at
the Warm Springs Forest Prod
uct Industries mill, and I am
starting my fifth year there.
I believe that there are sev
eral issues that can be improved
upon throughout the tribal or
ganization. The senior citizens
need to be improved, for it is to
them that we owe for what we
have today. The youth pro
grams need to be improved for
they are our leaders of tomor
row. The veterans also need
improvement for they help pro
tect and keep the freedom of
what we have today. I believe
that the language of the policies
and by-laws need to be simpli
fied so all, young and old, can
understand.
An area that needs improve
ment is the way the tribal mem
bers are treated throughout the
tribal organization. There needs
to be annual quarterly re
ports on all monies in and
out.
Our natural resources can
be improved along with pub
lic safety. Our casino needs
to be looked in to — the
present Indian Head Casino
and the future casino Bridge
of the Gods. Warm Springs
Forest Product Industries
can also be addressed, along
with treaty rights for hunt
ing and fishing.
We need better commu
nication between the Tribal
Council and Tribal Organi
zation lead ers on w hat
money is spent and what
money we have coming in.
Our Indian language and his
tory needs to be addressed
so that we know who we are
and where we came from.
Pay salaries throughout the
tribal organization need to be
looked into. Education and
housing needs to be ad
dressed.
Small businesses, tribal
businesses, biomass, com
posites, and better commu
n icatio n betw een T ribal
Council and tribal overheads
throughout the tribal organi
zation and the people can
also be addressed.
Sincerely,
Alex Smith
«
Candidates of the Agency District:
Lonnie Janies
My name is Lonnie James
and 1 am a candidate for the
2007 Tribal Council from the :
Agency District. I hope that
you will consider me when
you are casting your vote for
Council Representative.
I currently work for the
Central Oregon Partnership
as the Financial Asset Devel
opment Lead Advocate for
Warm Springs and the Cen
tral Oregon Region. In that
position I’ve strived to serve
the community in ways that
help individuals and families
build assets and deal with sys
temic issues that cause eco
nomic hardship.
I’ve worked with the Cen
tral Oregon Partnership and
the Warm Springs Commu
nity Action Team for four
years in various capacities—
earlier as a board member
and currently as staff. This
is the third year I’ve worked
to bring tax preparation ser
vices and other programs to
community members, and I
find this work very reward-
ing.
I’m also involved with the
Commercial Code Advisory
Group that is w orking to
bring a viable commercial code
to Warm Springs sometime in
the near future.
I have worked to develop the
Warm Springs Area Chamber
of Commerce for three years
to provide a networking vehicle
to small businesses in the Warm
Springs area.
I serve on the Wy-East Re
source Conservation and Devel
opment Council as the Vice
President and the representative
from Warm Springs in an effort
to bring services to the Warm
Springs Community.
In the past few years, I’ve
been exposed to many of the
problems that we face here in
Warm Springs and throughout
the region ranging from our
consistently high unemployment
and poverty rates, to the lack
of an infrastructure to sup
port small business develop
ment and outreach to those
that might invest in our com-
munity.
When given the opportu
nity to act, I’ve endeavored
to do so in a way that would
positively impact the entire
community.
I’ve worked to positively
represent our community as
one that strives to better it
self in ways that draw on lo
cal resources to build so as
to make any growth sustain
able.
I feel that if elected, I
would be able to bring that
record of consistently posi
tive representation and long
term efforts to build to our
governing body.
I feel that based on a
strong foundation of a di
verse and vibrant economy,
the many needs with regard
to healthcare and education
can be easier to deal with.
I hope that you agree with
me and vote for Lonnie
Jam es for Agency District
Tribal Council Representa
tive.
Rita Squiemphen
Bernice Mitchell
Candidates
of the Agency District:
Cassie Katchia
Gene Smith
Lonnie James.
Daisy Ike
Remember to Vote on
Monday, April 2, at the
Community Center.
\
fi Mail T/&. M ore.
Kent Wright
Owner
_
The next deadline to submit items for publication in the Spilyay
Tymoo is Friday, April 6. Thank you.
v___________________________ _______________________ ______ 9
Stanley “Buck”
Smith
380 SW 5th Street-Madras, OR 97741
Ph: 541-475-5656 Fax; 541-475-5662
kwright@crestviewcable.com