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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 2014)
Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon December 24, 2014 Page 7 2014 ~ A Year in Review (The following is a look back at some of the memorable news events from the latter half of the year on the reservation.) June Warm Springs tribal members gathered at Willamette Falls for a blessing ceremony for the lamprey. The Branch of Natural Resources, the Culture and Heritage Depart- ment and Committee, and Tribal Council were on hand for the bless- ing. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs hosted the Forty- Fifth Annual Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days in June, commemorating the signing of the Treaty of 1855. The Warm Springs Canoe Fam- ily, N’chi Wanapum, officially partnered with the Nisqually Indian Tribe for Canoe Journey 2014. Both tribes will travel on the Journey alongside each other, shar- ing pullers, cooks, drivers, vehicles, sup-port boats, food and fuel. Tribal Council directed to the Fish and Wildlife Committee to de- velop an off-reservation elk hunt- ing season. Councilman Carlos Smith said the off-reservation elk season is needed to relieve some of the hunting pressure on-reservation. For the past two years the tribes have conducted off-reservation sea- sons for deer, during the month of October. Council agreed to adopt a similar program this year for elk. Natural Resources conducted an elk survey on the reservation in December, but the results were in- conclusive. Wildlife biologist An- drea Karoglanian said the Decem- ber survey found only 82 elk, not enough to make a population pro- jection. Advocates of the motorsports project were focusing on getting out the vote. The question is set for a referendum vote in July. The ab- sentee ballots went out in the mail this month. Warm Springs Ventures and sup- porters are making an added effort to encourage participation in this referendum, as the previous two failed for lack of voter participa- tion. July Construction crews are moving tons of earth this month in the area of Potter’s Ponds on Mill Creek. This is a large-scale fisheries im- provement project, similar to but bigger than the 2009 Shitike Creek improvement project. The Bonneville Power Adminis- tration is funding much of the work, as a mitigation project, with oversight by the tribal Natural Re- sources Branch. Scott Turo, fish- eries biologist, and Johnny Holliday, project coordinator, are on site daily. In time, Mill Creek will provide suitable habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife species. Also in July: Tens of thousands of acres burned on the reservation. Fires broke out on both sides of the res- ervation, at Shaniko and toward Mt. Jefferson. Elsewhere: The Roots program is the new alternative education program serv- ing the reservation students. The program is part of Madras High School, based in Warm Springs. The Roots director is Dawn Smith, longtime educator and former principal of Warm Springs Elementary School. She is work- ing with teacher Earl Simmons. He has taught on the reservation for the past several years, and is certi- fied to teach agriculture at the high school level. Shoni Schimmel lived up to her nickname in her first WNBA All- Star Game. Showtime Schimmel won the Most Valuable Player award in the wild All-Star game last Satur- day. The War m Springs Canoe Family made an historic journey this summer. The N’chi Wanapum family traveled to Bella Bella, Brit- ish Columbia. The Paddle to Bella Bella was the Fifth Annual, and longest of the Canoe Journeys for the War m Springs family. “It’s a great learning experience,” Jazmine Ike Lopez was saying re- cently. “You learn the old ways of your own tribe, and the ways of other tribes. You learn to work to- gether as a family and a commu- nity.” August The Confederated Tribes and school district 509-J held the dedi- cation and opening of the Warm Springs K-8 Eagle Academy. “This is the culmination of a dream that began nearly half a century ago,” said Austin Greene Jr., Tribal Council chairman. With the opening of the new school, the tribes and school district are now in a unique partnership in the nation, Chairman Greene said. Together, the tribes and district planned for, funded and built the k-8 academy. More than anything, he said, the school is dedicated to the young people of the tribes. Middle school students will no longer have the long bus rides ev- ery school day. And the elementary school students now have a mod- ern building in a better location. There will be about 650 students at the school when it opens in september. Meanwhile, Madras High School and the school district 509-J hosted the grand opening of the new foot- ball stadium and track facilities. The new stadium-athletic com- plex is a large part of the school distritct improvement package that voters approved in 2012. The Warm Springs Academy, and the MHS per- forming arts center are also large parts of the overall district improve- ments. The performing arts center will have seating for up to 600 people when it opens soon. The Confederated Tribes re- ceived a $1 million grant to upgrade the public safety radio network. The project will improve the po- lice and fire radio system on the reservation. The grant, from the Department of Homeland Security, will also provide for construction of a telecommunications tower on the Mutton Mountains area of the res- ervation. This is part of Homeland Security’s ongoing efforts to support state, local, tribal and territorial part- ners. The total amount awarded to the Confederated Tribes is $1,069,200, through the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program. This summer brought several weeks of very hot weather. It was in mid July, at the height of the heat wave, that the Warm Springs wa- ter treatment plant almost reached capacity. The plant was producing as much drinking water was pos- sible—close to 4.3 million gallons a day. This was just barely enough to meet the demand. September Tribal Council adopted regula- tions for off-reservation hunting. Tribal Council has authorized off- reservation hunting on lands ceded Courtesy photo. The Warm Springs Canoe Family arrives at Bella Bella in July. pursuant to the June, 1855 Treaty. Tribal members this year need just the tribal tags, plus tribal identifica- tion, to hunt on the ceded lands. Jim War ne was in War m Springs this month. Warne played for the 1987 Rose Bowl-winning Arizona State Sun Devils. He was offensive lineman in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Li- ons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After his career in professional sports, he went in to acting, and got his Masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. Warne was in Warm Springs working with Warm Springs Voca- tional Rehabilitation, and talking with young people about living a healthy and successful life. The Museum at War m Springs received word of a $140,000 grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The money will be used for up- grades to mechanical systems at the museum, where the water system in particular needs attention. The current system is outdated and wasteful. October Tribal Council posted a proposed tribal budget for 2015. The posted budget projects an increase in rev- enue from the current year. This is a welcome change from recent years of budget reductions. For the 2015 budget, Tribal Council is proposing to transfer $450,000 to the senior pension fund, and $450,000 to the revenue reserve fund. Tribal Range and Agriculture has been working to reduce the envi- ronmental damage caused by the unclaimed horse population on the reservation. Range and Ag has rounded up about 1,300 horses this year, and is going for 1,500 to 1,600 by the end of the year, said Jason Smith, Range and Ag manager. The Warm Springs unmanned aerial vehicles testing program is showing real potential for revenue and jobs on the reservation. Three new jobs could be open within a few months, said Don Sampson, interim chief executive officer of Warm Springs Ventures. These initial jobs are possible because the Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority is providing funding for development of UAV testing in the state. November Officials with the Turkish Coop- eration and Coordination Agency visited Warm Springs in October. The agency, called TIKA, con- tributed $150,000 for the new wa- ter tower that serves the k-8 Acad- emy and Greeley Heights neighbor- hood. TIKA helps projects in many countries, often helping with projects that have to do with water. Warm Springs Managed Care and the Indian Health Services clinic reported significant cost sav- ings over the past year. This happened because many tribal members have signed up for health care coverage. Having this coverage gives the individual more choices in health care services, and also provides budget savings to Managed Care and IHS, as there are added billing options. December 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. “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 high school, she said. (A paid advertisement) DECEMBER 24, 2014 PRESS RELEASE Tribal members from the Confederated Tribes (CTWS) of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon are initiating a proposal to amend the tribal government Constitution and By-Laws. The stated goal is to create an environment of unity, trust, and respect while electing leadership. This initiative is by members that want change to how candidates are elected into Tribal Council. The group states, “We need a one person one vote process to select leadership that will provide for the needs of the membership and Confederated Tribes.” The initiators are exercising the Tribal Constitutional Bill of Rights: “may enjoy without hindrance, freedom to worship, speech, press and assembly.” The group will request the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs hold a secretarial election for the proposed amendments. The proposal would amend the Constitution and By-Laws Tribal Council organization, qualifications, salaries, and meetings and procedures. The group is following the CTWS Declaration of Sovereignty (6/25/92) that states, “Ultimate sovereignty is vested in the people, who received that sovereignty in the form of laws given by the creator and the land itself. Our people have delegated only limited authority to the Tribal Council and reserved the rest of our national sovereignty to ourselves.” The amendment group believes passage will mean a more effective and efficiently operated government: • Tribal Council elections will be secretatrial. • The number of council members would change from 11 to 9. • Elections would change to at-large voting (1 person-1 vote). • Three members would rotate after the first three year term; followed by annual elections replacing the next three positions (due for election). • There would be no lifetime terms. • The Chiefs would run for Tribal Council if nominated. • Voting age would change from 21 to 18. • The council would receive a salary and serve only as elected officials. • The Secretary-Treasurer and executive officers would be hired under the CTWS salary adminis- tration program following the tribal preference policy. The group’s spokesperson, Mike Clements states, “I believe these amendments will provide a modern method to nominate, consider and elect leadership. We believe this will bring growth, wellness and unity to the membership.” (This is a paid advertisement)
