Page 2 Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon November 3, 2021 Shelter-to-Independent living progress The Shelter to Independent Living project should be finished by the end of the year. Warm Springs Health and Wellness general manager Caroline Cruz organized the project, designating funds generated by state Measure 110, passed by voters in 2020. Measure 110 decrimanilizes personal possession of some controlled substances, though the substances remain illegal under federal law. Through the law, revenue from the state marijuana tax is used to support treatment, and conditions that can lead to addiction. Homelessness falls within this provision. The decriminalization of controlled substances in the state does not apply on the reservation. Revenue related to these laws, however, is available to tribes. The Shelter to Independent project will include the shelter homes currently located by the former elementary school. They will be moved to the Shelter to Independent site, behind the Behavioral Health Center. The facility will include laundry and shower facilities. There will be D.McMechan/Spilyay Warm Springs Construction installs the storm drain system at the Shelter-to-Independent work site; and below, the structures that will be the on-site housing. two on-site residents living by the shelters. Shelter to Independent will be alcohol and drug free. The new facilities should be a good complement to the Supportive Housing project, being developed by the Warm Springs Housing Authority. Dave McMechan Summaries of Tribal Council October 19, 2021 The meeting was called to or- der at 9:05 by Chair man Raymond Tsumpti Sr. Roll call: Glendon Smith, Lincoln Jay Suppah, Lola Sohappy, Anita Jackson, Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody, Vice Chair Brigette McConville, Chief Joseph Moses. Minnie Yahtin, Recorder. · Water Treatment Plant/Waste Waster Stage 1 Work Plan update with Barry Buchannan, Chico Holliday and Ellen Grover. · Natural Resources, Range and Ag Committee, and Public Safety discussion. · Nena Springs litigation settle- ment discussion with Josh New- ton, Howard Arnett and Bill Earle: Executive session from 2:25- 3:20 p.m. Motion by Captain adopting Resolution No. 12,867 that the Tribal Council hereby demands that defendants pay the Tribe $2,250,000 in full settlement of the claims that it and the BIA have brought against them and in ac- cordance with the form of Settle- ment Agreement and Release, a copy of which is attached as Ex- hibit A; By the Tribal Council that the Chairman of Tribal Council and the Secretary-Treasurer/CEO of the Tribe are delegated the au- thority to finalize the settlement and execute the final Settlement Agreement and Release to the ex- tent that it substantially conforms with the form attached to this Resolution. Second by Jay. Discus- sions Glendon/yes, Captain/yes, Jay/yes, Brigette/yes, Delvis/yes, Anita/yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Motion carried. Motion by Captain adopting Resolution No. 12,868 that the Tribal Council requests the Secre- tary waive the collection of any FMD that may be payable in con- nection with the settlement of claims that the Tribe and BIA have brought against Defendants arising out of the Nena Springs Fire; By the Tribal Council that the Chair of Tribal Council, Vice Chair, and Sec- retary-Treasurer/CEO of the Tribe are delegated authority to take ap- propriate action in furtherance of this resolution, including the super- vision of any action by the Tribe’s Branch of Natural Resources nec- essary for compliance with the memorandum, dated August 15, 2017, from the Regional Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs ad- dressing FMD waivers. Second by Jay. Discussion. Glendon/yes, Cap- tain/yes, Jay/yes, Brigette/yes, Delvis/yes, Anita/yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Motion car- ried. Motion by Captain to adjourn at 3:30 p.m. October 20 The meeting was called to order at 9:05 by Chairman Raymond Tsumpti Sr. Roll call: Lincoln Jay Suppah, Glendon Smith, Vice Chair Brigette McConville, Anita Jackson, Lola Sohappy, Wilson Wewa Jr., Chief Joseph Moses, Chief Delvis Heath. Minnie Yahtin, Recorder. · Tribal Attorney update with John Ogan. · Meet and greet new Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Chairman Quincy Ellenwood. · Meet and Greet new Jefferson County District Attorney Steve Leriche. · Joint tribal letter re: Non-In- dian Gaming, discussion with Howard Arnett: No action was taken. Amicus request for a federal case discussion with Howard Arnett. · November agenda with S-T Glendon Smith: Motion by Brigette approving the November agenda. Second by Wil- son. Discussion. Glendon/yes, Jay/ yes, Brigette/yes, Wilson/yes, Delvis/yes, Anita/yes, Captain/yes, 7/0/0, Chairman not voting. Mo- tion carried. Motion by Brigette to adjourn at 1 p.m. More job gains in region including reservation Employment numbers in the region—including Jefferson County and the reservation— im- proved greatly during September. The latest numbers from the Or- egon Employment Department show monthly hiring in the region exceeded seasonal expectations. Jefferson County: Unemploy- ment was at 6.1 percent in Sep- tember, down from 6.3 percent in August. The unemployment rate re- mains two points higher than before the first impacts from Covid-19 in February 2020, when it was 4.1 per- cent. Nonfarm employment in the county rose by 50 jobs in Septem- ber. As of September employment levels remain down only 1.9 per- cent from the pre-covid peak in February 2020. Construction remains the fast- est growing major industry sector in the county. The retail sector added 60 jobs; and manufacturing, 50 jobs. There were also significant em- ployment gains in local government over the past year with the tribal organization and education both hiring. Deschutes County: The sea- sonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 5.1 percent in Sep- tember, down from 5.4 percent in August. The unemployment rate remains higher than before the first impacts from Covid-19 in Febru- ary 2020 when it was 3.3 percent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Deschutes County added 800 jobs in September, stronger gains than typical for this time of year. A handful of industries posted significant job gains over the past year, including financial activities ( plus 480); education and health ser- vices (plus 400); manufacturing (plus 380); other services (plus 370); and construction (plus 160). Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in September, an- other significant decline from 6.8 percent in August. The unem- ployment rate remains around 2 percentage points higher than be- fore the first impacts from Covid-19 in February 2020 when it was 4.4 percent. Pitt named to Power, Conservation Council Louie Pitt Gov. Kate Brown has nominated Lewis Pittto a seat on the Pacific Northwest Elec- tric Power and Conservation Council. Mr. Pitt is currently the di- rector of Governmental Af- fairs for the Confederated Tribes. On the Power and Conser- vation Council, he will finish the term of Chuck Sams, a former top administrator of the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation, who resigned when President Joe Biden nominated him as National Parks Director. Mr. Sams is awaiting U.S. Senate confir mation. Pitt would start his new position on November 19, and ser ve through January 15, 2024. At CPS (from page 1) The Warm Springs Christian Fellowship, Jefferson County YoungLife, and the Journey Church of Redmond provided volunteers to help build the borders, assemble the trampoline, and spread play- ground chips. Erin Fielder, Realtor at Fred Real Estate, partnered with local friends, family and real estate part- ners to purchase the trampoline. Jimmy Rodriguez at Rodriguez landscaping is donating landscape and maintenance on the property now and in the future. “It was so great to see all of these people working together for child care this community,” Mel- issa said. Dedication and Honoring on Monday, November 8 This coming Monday, Novem- ber 8 at noon will be the Blessing of the Playground and Honoring of Volunteers at the CPS play- ground site. The Confederated Tribes’ covid protocols will be ob- served, such as masks will be re- quired. There will be sack lunches and cupcakes. The public is invited. Covid testing, vaccination across Indian Country Across Indian Country in the U.S., the Indian Health Ser vice has conducted 3,183,730 covid tests through October. Of the total tested, 269,629 have returned posi- tive for covid, since the pan- demic and testing began. October saw a significant increase in positive cases across Indian Country, IHS re- ported. Based on the cumulative percent positive, the highest rates have been in five IHS ar- eas. Two of them include the state of Arizona, indicating a disproportionate toll of Covid- 19 in the state: Navajo Area, 13.6 percent positivity. Phoenix Area, 12.7 percent. Oklahoma City Area, 12.4 percent. California Area, 10.4 percent. Albuquerque Area, 9-.6 percent The Portland IHS area saw a 6.9 percent positivity, a comparitively low rate. Based on the 7-day rolling av- erage positivity, all 12 IHS areas are seeing high Covid-19 rates, marking yet another instance of surges across every region of In- dian Country. Notably, the 7-day rolling av- erage positivity for the Alaska Area has steadily grown in recent weeks. The region recorded its highest-ever rate with the release of data in October. Throughout most of the pan- demic, the Alaska Area had seen the lowest covid rate. Overall, 9 percent of IHS tests have been positive since the onset of the pandemic, the data shows. Vaccine distribution Across Indian Country, IHS is distributing all three covid vaccines currently authorized or approved in the U.S, includ- ing Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson. The IHS administration rate is 78 per- cent. The Albuquerque Area has a greater than 100 percent administration rate, which may be due to vaccine overfill in the vials for both Pfizer and Moderna products.