Spilyay Tymoo
December 10, 2014
Coyote News, est. 1976
Vol. 39, No. 25
high school, she said.
The school district once a year
holds the Impact Aid hearing in
Warm Springs. Impact Aid is money
the federal government provides to
school districts that have non-tax-
able lands, such as the Warm Springs
Reservation.
Impact Aid to the 509-J district
was about $2.6 million in 2011-12;
and about $2.9 in 2012-13. For the
2013-14 school year the Impact Aid
is currently at $1.58 million. But the
district is expecting to receive more
of the funding at the completion of
an audit, said district superintendent
Rick Molitor.
When that happens, the amount
for 2013-14 is expected to be com-
parable to the previous years, he
said.
For comparison: Property taxes
for the district general fund in the
most recent three school years was
about $3.8 million. This does not
include taxes levied for construction
projects, such as the Warm Springs
Academy and Madras High School
performing arts center.
The Confederated Tribes are
Student
makes
place on
rugby team
M erlin Tom is working toward
his Master Automotive Techni-
cian Certification at Central Or-
egon Community College.
When he completes the pro-
gram, “I’ll probably try to get on
at dealership,” Merlin was saying
last week.
Earlier this year, Merlin be-
came a student-athlete at the col-
lege, joining the COCC Bobcats
rugby team.
Merlin played football at Ma-
dras High School. He was a line-
man on both offense and defense.
His decision to try rugby was
a little unexpected. His mother
was concerned at first, as rugby
is known as a rough sport. The
players wear no pads or helmet
like in football.
“It can get pretty rough,”
Merlin says. “And there is some
risk of injury, mostly cuts and
bruises.”
He became interested in play-
ing when friend Gabe Swazo
Photos courtesy of Gina Rickets and the COCC Broadside
paying for half of the construc-
tion cost of the $20 million
Warm Springs Academy. And
the tribes pay property taxes on
off-reservation tribal property,
such as the land at the Madras
industrial park.
At the Monday hearing, the
school district chief financial
officer provided an analysis of
school district direct expendi-
tures for Native American stu-
dents.
See IMPACT AID on 6
mentioned Merlin might be
good at it. Rugby requires more
all-around conditioning, where
football often requires physical
size, Merlin says. There are no
breaks in rugby, as there be-
tween downs in football.
On the Bobcats, Merlin plays
forward and loose head prop,
mainly defensive positions. The
team is part of the Pacific
Northwest Small College Men’s
League.
During the fall they played
teams such as Reed, OIT, Se-
attle, Gonzaga, the University of
Puget Sound and Oregon State.
The Bobcats had a great sea-
son, going undefeated in league
play.
Merlin is looking forward to
playing when the next season be-
gins in the spring.
He grew up in Warm Springs.
He moved to Madras during his
senior year at Madras High
School. His mom is Mabel Jack-
son, and his dad Merlin Dean
Tom. Since Merlin started play-
ing rugby for the Bobcats, his
family members have become
fans of the game.
Merlin at the match against
OIT (top); and the team after
taking the win (left).
Changes coming up
at health care program
Some important changes are
coming up in the area of healthcare
coverage for tribal employees.
The Confederated Tribes are a
self-insuring organization, and for
the past several years have used
Shasta Administrative Services as
the third-party administrator in bill-
ing matters.
This is changing, as the tribes will
be using HeatlhComp Third Party
Administrators for this service.
The decision to change third-
party administrators came after a
lengthy and detailed evaluation pro-
cess, said Elizabeth Asahi Sato, di-
rector of tribal Human Resources.
The decision was based on the
best interest of the tribal employ-
ees and their families, she said.
HealthComp is dedicated to cus-
tomer service, the guiding principal
ECR WSS
Postal Patron
U.S. Postage
PRSRT STD
Warm Springs, OR 97761
50 cents
December – Nch’i-An - Winter - Yiyam
Parents, school board meet on Impact Aid
The need for greater Native cul-
tural presence at Madras High
School was a suggestion at the
Jefferson County School District
509-J board meeting on Monday.
“Talking as a parent, the school
doesn’t reflect any Native Ameri-
can presence,” said Warm Springs
Academy teacher Gina Bluebird
Stacona, whose daughter attends the
high school. “I think that contrib-
utes to the dropout rate.”
Some Impact Aid funding should
be used to increase the Native
American cultural aspects of the
P.O. Box 870
Warm Springs, OR 97761
at Human Resources, Asahi Sato
said.
Enrollment deadline
Another important change com-
ing up is the end of the rolling open
enrollment policy.
The Confederated Tribes have
allowed employees to enroll for
health coverage at any time of the
year. They could also disenroll at any
time.
This is inefficient, and not the
usual practice among tribes or or-
ganizations, said Asahi Sato.
For tribal employees, the last day
this year to enroll for coverage will
be December 17. After that, the
next enrollment time will be in June.
There will be two enrollment
times in 2015, in June and then
again later in the year.
Christmas
Bazaar on
Saturday
The Thirty-Ninth Annual Warm
Springs Christmas Bazaar is set for
this Saturday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. at the Community Center
gym and social hall.
Find those perfect gifts for the
family, while enjoying the home-
made goods. The bazaar is spon-
sored by the Recreation Depart-
ment.
The Warm Springs Elders Holi-
day Lunch will be on Thursday,
Dec. 18.
Warm Springs Recreation will
present Christmas Indian Night
Out on Monday, December 22 at
the Community Center. Bring your
favorite dish for a 5:30 potluck with
the social dance and drummers Jam
starting at 6:30.
The Warm Springs Presbyterian
Church is holding their Christmas
bazaar this Friday, Dec. 12, from
10 a.m.–3 p.m. Baked Goodies,
Handmade Items and Gifts. Also
food beginning at 11:30. Everyone
is welcome.
The Community Christmas
Dinner at the Warm Springs Bap-
tist Church is at 5 p.m. on Saturday,
Dec. 13. Everyone is welcome to
attend.
Indian Head Casino in Decem-
ber is hosting a toy drive on Mon-
days.
You receive a $10 bonus slot play
if you bring a toy in between 9 a.m.
and noon on a Monday, and $5 bo-
nus if you bring donate a toy be-
tween noon and midnight.
The toys will be given to
Children’s Protective Services.
KWSO radio and the Spilyay
Tymoo are sponsoring a toy drive
for Warm Springs kids this holiday
season.
Donations are being accepted
now through Friday, Dec. 19. You
can bring donations to the Warm
Springs Media Center.
Power & Water continues renewable search
With 2014 almost in the books,
Warm Springs Power and Water
Enterprises continues to search for
viable renewable energy projects.
One of the difficulties for tribes
across the country is utilizing the
incentives that are available, said Jim
Manion, general manager of Power
and Water Enterprises.
The current structure does not
favor tribes when it comes to ad-
vancing projects on their lands, he
said.
The federal and state tax credits
are not useful to tribes: Tribes don’t
pay taxes, therefore a credit adds
no value to tribally built project.
So the Power and Water has
been working with developers who
can utilize them.
“Ideally, we propose to structure
the lease for the developer to build,
and over time transfer the project
to the tribe,” Manion said.
Most utilities in the region have
satisfied their renewable energy re-
quirements, as required by state
laws. So the Power and Water is
looking at the next cycle of require-
ments that will bring back the in-
centive.
“In Oregon the governor has
made it clear he wants to see 25
percent of generating supply come
from renewable sources by 2025,”
he said. “We think utilities will be
looking for renewables to fill that
need.”
Power and Water has been ex-
ploring the wind resource on the
reservation, and found the highest
potential is in the Northeast corner,
up near Mutton Mountains.
“The resource appears to be real
close to a viable commercial scale
project, Manion said, adding that
there is plenty to do to get from po-
tential to an actual project.
“We have been working with a
large developer who is very experi-
enced wind developer,” he said.
“They want to install a few more
monitoring towers in 2015 and
verify wind data.”
If positive, the findings would be
presented to Tribal Council, with a
proposal to advance to the next step.
That step would a commitment to
the developer that the tribes will
advance, if all things clear the re-
view.
There would be a community-
wide review, environmental clear-
ances, and cultural review. If find-
ings are promising, the development
could happen in 2016 or 2017.
Geothermal
Power and Water has also recently
been awarded a $320,000 grant to
continue the effort in exploring for
geothermal potential on the reser-
vation.
See POWER & WATER on 6