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Ventures requests study o f Bear Springs project
B y M aren C ohn
Warm Springs Ventures
In its ongoing effort to inject' new
life into the reservation economy,
Warm Springs Ventures, is asking Tribal
Council to fund further research into
the feasibility and impact o f a resort
development near Bear Springs. Coun
cil was scheduled to hear the proposal
on Wednesday o f this week (after the
deadline for this publication) .
Located in the McQuinn strip on the
north edge of the reservation, about
three miles south o f the Bear Springs
campground, the resort would consist
o f second homes built on about 2,400
acres of land leased from the tribes:
The initial plan provides for 900
home sites, a large golf course, trails
for walking, biking, and horseback
riding, swimming pools, and scenic
ponds within the golf course. When
frilly built out, the project would have
a value in excess o f $800 million.
Performing the feasibility research
would be the first o f several steps lead
ing to the tribes’ ultimate approval or
rejection of the resort. If Ventures gets
the requested funding, it would report
back to Council later this fall. Council
would then decide whether to call à
referendum asking the membership for
approval, to proceed.
Benefits of resort development
The resort would be a “use and oc
cupancy” project in which the general
public is invited to use or occupy des
ignated portions of the reservation for
a fee.
Use and occupancy projects can take
different forms and are very common.
Kah-Nee-Ta offers a local example^ in
which non-tribal members are invited
to the reservation on a short-term ba
sis.
The Bear Springs project differs
from Kah-Nee-Ta by contemplating a
long-term invitation. The tribes would
offer home Sites on 99-year leases, a
widely-used structure that has brought
significant benefits to other landown
ers, including Indian tribes.
Preliminary research on Bear Springs'
was done as part of an effort to iden
tify promising economic opportunities
for the tribes. A committee o f repre
sentatives from Ventures, Kah-Nee-Ta,
Nanjral Resources, Land Use Planning,
Fire fighters continue work on wildland blazes
Fire fighters hope next week to
contain the wildland fires bunting on
the reservation.
Crews last week made significant
progress toward containment of the
fires, but high winds over the week
end Caused the fires to grow again.
The containment date now for the
fires, called the WSA Lightning Com
plex, is Monday, Aug. 20.
The largest o f the fires is the
Biddle Pass fire, which has burned
across more than 9,000 acres. The
Trail 3 fire has burned close to 1,400
acres.
The Iionshead fire has combined
v)ïtiï
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The fîtes have been burning for
over a month: The lightning storm
that ignited them passed over the
area on July 12. The fires are located
12 miles west-southwest of Warm
Springs.
Containment o f the Biddle Pass
fire has been especially difficult
because of steep and rugged ter
rain.
Close to 900 personnel have ar
rived on the reservation in response
to blaze^, in addition to the local re
sponse; The main fire camp is at the
rodeo grounds.
Forty-two engines, eight helicop
ters, eight bulldozers, and 20 water
tenders have been employed in the
response.
A fixed-wing aircraft, which
scoops water from Lake Billy Chi
nook, has also been used scooping
water from the Metolius Arm of
Lake Billy Chinook. Part o f the lake
was off-limits to boaters during the
time when the plane was in use.
The WSA Lightning Complex has
been at the top o f the list in terms
The 4-H Culture Camp, usually
held at Peter’s Pasture, was held in
Warm Springs last week.
Officials with thè Washington In
cident Management Team praised
camp crewis by awarding them with
certificates o f appreciation before
the Central Oregon Incident Man
agement Team assumed responsi
bilities of the WSA Lightning Com
plex earlier this month.
“T he cache operation; ran
smoothly due to your positive atti
tude, initiative and willingness; to
work,” a letter to the c^mp crews
from the incident commanders said.
fire personnel and yòùr coiifributions
made a positive difference in meet
ing that objective. We would be
proud to work \vith you anytime.”
Cooperating agencies include the
C onfederated Tribes o f Warm
Springs, BIA, the Deschutes Na
tional Forest, Jefferson County and
Oregon Department o f Forestry.
A smoke advisory is in effect for
some areas of the reservation. Sen
sitive pèrsons are advised to limit
their outdoor time and activities.
The Shitike Butte lookout tower
was threatened by fire, but retardant
drops and helicopter bucket work
helped protect the structure.
of getting fire-fighting resources in
Oregon.
Road closures (as o f earlier this
week) included part o f the Tenino
Road; and the P-400 Road, or Peteris
Pasture.
Crystal Gomez and Irvin Paul
(photo at top) have stayed at the
fire camp, working as members
of the camp crew, since mid July,
when the fires first broke out. The
fire fighters pitched their tents at
various locations around the
camp.
the Secretary-Treasurer’s office, and
Oregon State University prepared a
report that evaluated several use and
occupancy possibilities, including the
resort at Bear Springs.
According to the report, “use and
occupancy projects stand out as a
uniquely beneficial way to improve the
tribal economy through job and rev
enue creation. No other tribal enterprise
can create so many on-reservation jobs,
and no other tribal investment generates
comparable financial returns.”
See BEAR SPRINGS on 9
Student
conference a
great success
B y A s h le y A g u ila r
Spilyaj Tjmoo
The Yôuth Leadership Conference
held last week at the Kah-Nee-Ta
proved to be a great success, as over
90 students, speakers, committee mem
bers and chaperones attended.
Sixty-two students registered from
Warm Springs, Yakama, Bend, Madras
and Eugene.
The conférence was titled^Prepax-
ixig Students’ for Collège ana Careers,”
and focused on education, leadership,
tribal government, and health and sub
stance abuse prevention.
“What do you want to accomplish
in life?” asked Wendell Jim, Education
general manager. As the head o f the
tribal Education Department, Jim had
reassuring words, aiming to send the
students in the direction of success.
“How do you know if you’re suc
cessful, unless you know what you want
to accomplish in life?” Jim asked.
His presentation touched on his own
educational experience, and his speech
emphasized that education is one key
that will lead the tribes forward.
The college panel consisted o f five
students: Angela Anderson from Cen
tral O regon Com m unity College;
Melinda Polk, Valerie Switzler, Gordon
Scott and myself, attending Haskell
Indian Nations University.
We conveyed our college experience
“D o’s and Dorits.” We shared the chal
lenges we faced, and what helped us
overcome those obstacles.
■ W ith everything said, two powérful
points in each presentation came
across: study hard and go to class.
D u rin g the conference, T ribal
Council vice-chairwoman Aurolyn
Stwyer gave encouragement to the
youth.
See STUDENTS on 8
A pile of wood caught fire at
Warm Springs Forest
Products Industries last
week.
Pow wow a t High
Lookee celebrates
7th anniversary
Fire crews were on the
scene for several hours
extinguishing the blaze.
A helicopter was called in to
drop water onto the flames.
The residents o f High Lookee Lodge
are inviting the Community to join them
in celebrating the Seventh Anniversary
o f the opening o f High Lookee.
The powwow begins at 10: a.m. on
Tuesday, Aug. 21, with a perforriiance
by the Early Childhood Education Cen
ter dancers.
Lunch is at noon, followed by a per
formance by the 4-H Dancers.
There will also be flute music and
games. For information call the lodge
at 553-1182.
The wood pile was going
kept on the site because it
was going to be used as
fuel before.
The cause of the blaze was
not known at press time.
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