Spilyay Tymoo
Coyote News, est. 1976
April 27, 2016
Vol. 41, No. 9
April – Hawit`an – Spring - Wawaxam
A new beginning for Kah-Nee-Ta
K ah-Nee-Ta Resort and Spa is
one of the real treasurers on the
reservation. And now there is a
renewed effort by the resort
board and staff to invest in this
unique destination.
The first project is a remod-
eling of the Juniper Room. The
idea for the remodel came from
the resort food and beverage
manager Alp Kalyon. He sug-
gested the idea to the board,
which gave the okay.
The remodel work itself was
done completely in-house, by the
resort maintenance team and
other staff, said Deepak Sehgal,
who is helping oversee improve-
ments at Kah-Nee-Ta.
The Juniper Room is now a
more open area, where the
guests can enjoy the atmosphere
of the lodge lobby.
How this project happened—
with the inspiration and work
coming directly from staff—is
how the overall resort improve-
Dave McMechan/Spilyay
The remodeled Juniper Room is the first project in the renewed effort
to better promote Kah-Nee-Ta Resort and Spa.
ments are happening, Sehgal said.
“We want the employees to be a
big part of the planning. We’re open
to any new ideas to help the resort,”
he said.
Some other improvements that
are coming to the resort are new
high-definition televisions, new beds
and bedding, new carpets and
drapes. Even the front doors will
be replaced with a more modern
entranceway.
The interesting wood-work pan-
els on the existing doors will be pre-
served, and could be incorpo-
rated as artwork elsewhere in the
lodge, said Priscilla Frank, board
member.
The resort will also be re-fo-
cusing on the culture of the
tribes as part of the experience
for the guests, Mr. Sehgal said.
This will begin at the front
desk, when the guests first check
in. They will be given a bottle
of water with a label that explains
the significance of water to the
tribal members.
The narrative on the label was
written by Duran Bobb. “In a
single drop of ‘chush,’ there is
life,” the narrative begins.
And concludes: “Now we in-
vite you to participate in this
timeless tradition... Chush!”
It has been too long since the
resort has seen this much care
and attention, and the progress
will be welcome and exciting to
see.
Groundbreaking for grow facility
The Confederated Tribes this
Friday, April 29, will mark a mile-
stone in the development of a
promising new enterprise. The
tribes and Warm Springs Ventures
will host the ground-breaking for the
greenhouse facility that will house
the cannabis growing operation.
This enterprise will be unique in
Indian Country, one that holds
promise for new revenue and jobs
for the tribes. The ground-break-
ing will be Friday from 12 noon to
2 p.m. at the greenhouse site, half a
mile on Lower Dry Creek Road off
Highway 3.
On hand will be the interested
community members, Tribal Coun-
cil and Ventures board members
and staff.
Invited guests include Benjamin
The cannabis cultivation en-
terprise is expected to create
more than 80 new jobs for the
tribes. Most of these will be in
various positions at the green-
house, while others will be in the
retail outlets.
Once in full operation, the
enterprise could generate annual
net revenue of more than $20
Souede, legal counsel to Gov. Kate
Brown; Sen. Ted Ferrioli; Stan
Speaks, BIA regional director;
former governor and 2016 Mu-
seum at Warm Springs Twanat
Award recipient Ted Kulongoski.
As legal counsel to the governor,
Mr. Souede has been working with
Ventures on establishing the cannabis
million.
Warm Springs Construction
is serving as the general con-
tractor for the construction of
the greenhouse facility, said Ven-
tures chief executive officer
Don Sampson. The construc-
tion phase will involve up to 30
jobs, he said.
See GREENHOUSE on 7
cultivation compact between the
state and tribes, said Ventures chief
executive officer Don Sampson.
Sen. Ferrioli has been an advo-
cate for legislative action that allows
the tribes to compete fairly in the
market, Sampson said. And Stan
Speaks has been the tribes’ lead BIA
contact in the approval process—
the first-ever of its kind in In-
dian Country.
Mr. Kulongoski serves on
the tribes’ Gaming and Resort
board, and has been a long-time
friend of the tribes.
Another guest speaker will be
Roy Sampsel, chairman of the
Ventures board. Mr. Sampsel
is an indigenous leader in areas
of tribal governance and natu-
ral resources. He has served
as Special Assistant to the Sec-
retary of Interior for the Pa-
cific Northwest; Interior
Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Indian Policy; and director of
the Institute for Tribal Govern-
ment at PSU.
See GROUNDBREAKING on 7
Receiver appointment for WSFPI
Tribal legal counsel this week
is expecting to file a petition in
tribal court asking for the es-
tablishment of a receivership
for Warm Springs Forest Prod-
ucts Industries.
This is being done as directed
by Tribal Council resolution, as
the mill as currently operated is
no longer viable.
The receivership process will
involve appointment of the re-
ceiver, who will assume the le-
gal control of the WSFPI as-
sets, and begin evaluating the
claims of the various creditors.
Counsel has recommended
the appointment of Edward
Hostman for the position, as he
is experienced in this kind of
procedure.
There will be tribal court
Dave McMechan/Spilyay
Some of the valuable inventory at the WSFPI yard.
over-sight, possibly by a pro tem
judge retained for this particular
case.
Tribal management and legal
counsel have met with the pro-
posed receiver, and have given him
a general overview of the situation.
Specific plans for how best to
deal with the WSFPI assets and
debts will develop once the court
has made the receivership appoint-
ment.
The tribes are also working with
Clyde Hamstreet, of Hamstreet and
Associates, who works with compa-
nies that require financial turn-
around. The WSFPI enterprise is
not viable, but the Confederated
Tribes have the valuable asset of
timber as well as the mill complex.
The goal will be to develop a plan
going forward, giving the greatest
return on the use of the asset, what-
ever that may be.
The forest resource could be
managed to allow timber har-
vest, and then sale of the logs
for the financial benefit of the
tribes. The Tribal Council is
asking Hamstreet and Associ-
ates to develop all viable options.
The carbon sequestration
program has also shown that
there is value in the timber that
is left standing.
The timber resource is a
tribal trust asset. Revenue gen-
erated from the resource has
been used for the senior pen-
sion, for instance, as this income
is not subject to taxation.
Other sources of tribal rev-
enue, those not based on the use
of a trust asset, are subject to
taxation.
PO Box 489
Warm Springs, OR 97761
ECR WSS
Postal Patron
U.S. Postage
PRSRT STD
Warm Springs, OR 97761
2 Ventures
projects
coming up
Two of the economic develop-
ment projects Warm Springs Ven-
tures is working are the unmanned
aerial systems training center at the
Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge, and a plan, in-
volving Bear Springs, to increase
tourism revenue to the tribes.
The Kah-Nee-Ta project will in-
volve a $350,000 investment in the
resort. The lower floor area will be
developed into a UAS training cen-
ter, including flight simulation.
Ventures and the resort have a
lease agreement, and are in the de-
sign conceptual phase. The project
will involve bringing fiber access to
the resort, which will be a benefit
to the other guests who are staying
there.
The Warm Springs Telecom is
another partner in the project. The
resort will see the benefit of more
guests, as companies start using the
UAS center for training. This will
especially help in Kah-Nee-Ta’s off-
season.
Tourism, transportation
Ventures also wants to develop
increased transportation options
between Government Camp and
Warm Springs, said Ventures chief
executive officer Don Sampson.
In the winter, many tribal mem-
bers work at the ski resort at Mt.
Hood—a jump from 10 employees
to 85 over the recent two winters—
and transportation can be an issue.
There also is the potential for ex-
pansion of tourism to the reserva-
tion, with the benefit of the added
revenue, Sampson said.
Working with the Administration
for Native Americans, Ventures is
seeking grant funding to develop a
recreation and tourism marketing
plan. This could involve the Bear
Springs area, and improvements to
existing structures at the location.
Willamette
fisheries
matter
Tribal Council on Monday met
for discussion about a recent devel-
opment at the Willamette Falls fish-
ery. Recently, the Oregon Fish and
Wildlife Commission voted to allow
ceremonial fishing on scaffolds by
members of the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde at
Willamette Falls.
Council members were con-
cerned that Warm Springs had not
been involved in the process, as
Willamette Falls is a traditional and
Treaty fishery of the Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs.
The Council stated the intent to
contact the state for discussion of
the circumstances.