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Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
December 18, 2019
Focus on reservation in 2019 was the water
I
n the Warm Springs
tribal community water is
sacred and vital to tribal
existence, cultural practices,
health and welfare, and eco-
nomic development. An ex-
ample of its prominence:
The final word of the
prayer before a meal is
‘chuush.’
In 2019—from spring
into summer—the Confed-
erated Tribes experienced a
prolonged boil-water re-
quirement. The cause of
this crisis was the ageing do-
mestic water infrastructure
on the reservation—from
the treatment plant on the
Deschutes, to the water lines
through the Agency area.
The tribes have been
aware of the need for im-
provements to the system.
An issue has been responsi-
bility, as the original water
pipes were installed decades
ago by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. And for this reason
the argument would be that
the BIA is responsible, as the
original system is theirs.
Complete replacement of
the older pipes would cost
millions—with a new treat-
ment plant estimated at
more than $20 million. The
magnitude of the issue
came into focus this year,
during the months of the
boil-water condition.
The Twenty-Eighth Tribal
Council had just taken office
when the water contamina-
tion was detected. Working
with Management and Utili-
ties, Council declared an
emergency and allocated the
funds to make the repairs.
For obvious reasons the
water crisis was a hardship
for the tribes, the residents
and households that rely on
the system. Yet the crisis has
also prompted action at both
the state and the federal
goverment levels.
First, the Oregon legisla-
ture in July approved $7.8
million in funding to the
Confederated Tribes for
three key water projects on
the reservation. Gov. Brown
signed the bill into law, with
the funds becoming available
most likely in 2021.
The $7.8 million was
much more than the tribes
had ever received in a state
bill of this kind. The rev-
enue will come from the
Oregon Lottery.
Oregon Sen. Cliff Bentz
and Rep. Daniel Bonham
were advocates for the
tribes’ inclusion in July legis-
lation. The appropriation
provides $7.8 million for
three specific projects:
The wastewater plant up-
date ($1.3 million); the water
meter project ($2.5 million);
and the water distribution
project ($4 million).
Then more recently—just
last week, in fact—U.S. Sena-
tors Ron Wyden and Jeff
Merkley introduced legisla-
tion to improve water quality
and services for tribal com-
munities in Oregon.
In announcing the legisla-
tion the senators cited the
Warm Springs crisis in par-
ticular.
Native American tribes in
Oregon and across the West
are suffering from inadequate
water infrastructure, the law-
makers said, with aging drink-
The Year in Review ~ 2019 ~
132 students graduate.
Forty-six of the students,
roughly 35 percent, were
Native American.
This year 100-percent of
the students at the high
school who were eligible to
graduate completed their re-
quirements. The school dis-
trict Bridges Career and
Technical program, directed
by Jessica Swagger, helped
more than 30 Native stu-
dents meet the graduation
requirements.
The following is a review
of some of the news that
happened in 2019 on the
reservation, continued from
the previous Spilyay:
June
This month saw the be-
ginning of the ‘water crisis’
on the reservation, when
many houesholds were on
the boil-water notice.
The nature of the prob-
lem was not clear in early to
mid-June, though chlori-
nated water was found to be
seeping into Shitike Creek.
The initial indication was
that the water line from the
east part of Agency to the
west had broken beneath the
creek. Tribal Council, Utili-
ties and Management were
working on a solution, with
a ‘worst-case scenario’ a real
possibility.
Later in the month, Tribal
Council approved the ex-
penditure of $300,000 for
the emergency repair of the
14-inch water main break
under Shitike Creek.
Meanwhile, Warm Springs
Emergency Management
opened the bottled water cen-
ter. Elsewhere in June:
The month of June 2019
saw the 50-year milestone
of Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty
Days, as the very first Pi-
Ume-Sha happened in 1969.
Honoring veterans was
one of the reasons for the
first Pi-Ume-Sha: In 1969
many young tribal mem-
bers were serving in the
Vietnam War.
The Treaty was signed in
1855, on June 25. The ac-
tual anniversary this year
was on Tuesday—celebrat-
ing 164 years since the sign-
ing. And this:
The 1865 Treaty Nul-
lification Act—formally
and finally to nullify a
fraudulent treaty with the
Confederated Tribes of
the War m Springs—in
June passed the United
States Senate.
ing water treatment and dis-
tribution systems subjecting
the communities to serious
problems such as failed pres-
sure relief valves, burst
pipes and unsafe drinking
water.
“As the crisis on the
Warm Springs Reservation
illustrated, Native American
communities in Oregon are
facing serious water infra-
structure challenges,” Sen.
Merkley said.
“We need to invest in
replacing outdated pipe sys-
tems, to help ensure that
tribal nations have reliable
access to safe drinking wa-
ter for years to come.”
Continued
Senators Jeff Merkley
and Ron Wyden were spon-
sors. The next step is to go
to the U.S. House of Rep-
resentatives, where Rep.
Greg Walden supports the
bill.
“A black cloud will be
lifted by this legislation,” said
Tribal Council Chairman
Raymond Tsumpti. “So fu-
ture generations will not
have to endure it.”
Tribal Council, with gov-
ernmental affairs director
Louis Pitt for the past year
especially have made the fed-
eral 1865 nullification a pri-
ority.
2019 Review continues on 7
Jayson Smith/Spilyay
At the spring 2019 Lil’ Miss Warm Springs
Pageant, Jessica Bruised Head crowns Senior Lil’
Miss Warm Springs Shantelle Henry.
Everyone wants to see
Kah-Nee-Ta back in opera-
tion. Beyond that point,
though, the issues are com-
plicated, and the opinions
many and diverse. The re-
sort has been closed since last
summer.
At Tribal Council in June,
Management presented of-
fers from outside entities
that have expressed interest
in partnering with the tribes
in the management and op-
eration of Kah-Nee-Ta.
Council is now studying
the information, and weigh-
ing the options. An idea that
many have expressed is the
opening of just the Village
area. And this in June:
The Madras High
School Class of 2019 saw
Jayson Smith/Spilyay
Record number of Warm Springs graduates in June, 2019 at Madras High School.
Summaries of Tribal Council
December 4, 2019
The meeting was called to
order at 10:05 a.m. by Chair-
man Raymond Tsumpti.
Present at roll call: Chief
Delvis Heath, Chief Alfred
Smith Jr., Lincoln Jay
Suppah, and Chief Joseph
Moses. Minnie Yahtin, Re-
corder.
Tribal attorney update
with Karnopp Petersen.
· Executive session,
10:06-11:20 a.m.
· Tribal attorney update
with John Ogan.
· Executive session,
11:20-11:55 a.m.
· Update on special cir-
cumstance hunts.
Without further discus-
sion the meeting adjourned
at 12:31 p.m.
December 5
The meeting was called to
order at 9:05 a.m. by Chair-
man Raymond Tsumpti.
Present at roll call:
Raymond (Captain) Moody,
Lincoln Jay Suppah, Anita
Jackson, Chief Delvis
Heath, Chief Joseph Moses.
Minnie Yahtin, Recorder.
· Human Ser vices
Branch update withCaroline
Cruz.
· Natural Resources
Branch update with Robert
Brunoe.
· Presentation of relief
check by Coca Cola.
· Personal time off
(PTO) donations:
· Ine the tribal Manage-
ment Plan the Secretary-
Treasurer has authority to
approve or disapprove these
requests for PTO donations.
· Human Resources is
updating the Personnel
Manual on this area.
· Public Safety Branch
update with Carmen Smith
and Ron Greggory.
· Public Utilities Branch
update with Travis Wells.
· Education Branch Up-
date with Valerie Switzler
and Carroll Dick.
Meet and greet with Jon
Jenkins and Wakinyan re-
garding Kah-Nee-Ta.
Tribal Council agenda dis-
cussion.
Motion by Jay to adjourn
at 5:01 p.m.