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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 2025)
From Chief Greene on election I want to appreciate all the candidates willing to put their name on the line to repre- sent the Agency District of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. I understand this initiative comes at a great cost to your time, family, friends, and character to an- swer the many questions posed toward your candi- dacy for a job that is far from easy. I have had the honor of serving on Tribal Council for nine months and three weeks. Catching up on cur- rent issues and initiatives is a daunting task and I con- tinue the effort to do so. Observing and learning from the Twenty-Ninth Tribal Council and our or- ganizational and community leaders is a privilege I am forever grateful for. They are all quite the bunch with unique qualities, skill sets, backgrounds, and lived ex- periences that help our na- tion move forward. As a na- tion, the pace in which we move is scattered amongst us all with many different view points of efficiency and effectiveness while I person- ally see we have come a long way since my childhood of the 80’s. Sometimes I hear ‘what have we done’ in reference to the tribe and the nation. Maybe I have quite the ‘posi- tive outlook’ as I have seen and watched many things happen since I started work- ing various jobs for CTWS in 1997 (summer youth pro- gram). I believe there is al- ways room for improvement and that includes self-im- provement. Anything and ev- erything could have been done better, that is too easy of an answer; be mindful when we hear these things. Consider tho that ‘something was done.’ Most everything we do professionally and personally should have in mind ‘main- taining the operation’ (cars, homes, departments, busi- nesses, personal health, etc.). Each comes at a cost, usu- ally time and or money tho the effort is constant. It is rare in operations to have the capacity to dismantle every- thing and start completely over without an assessment of the current situation, es- pecially when providing daily services to our membership. Financially, we are cur- rently on a good track and I want to commend the Fi- nance Department, Partner- ships and the Twenty-Eighth and Twenty-Ninth Tribal Councils for working dili- gently on this issue. Our Fi- nances have not looked this good in years. Tribal Coun- cil poses educated questions and concerns to staff and managers to keep the mo- mentum, support our staff, and we still welcome more applicants. We all have perspectives on the efficiency of our Tribal Council, nation, and organization and I would like to assure you that working together is an environment I walked into 9-plus months ago. Tribal Council gets along, they pose great in- sight, rely on each other’s experience and education, and provide quite a level of respect and humor toward each other many are not able to witness first-hand. A complete turn-over in Tribal Council means re-educating and another getting folks up to speed on current initia- tives to expand current ini- tiatives in Energy, Food Distribution, Casino, Deten- tion Center, Gymnasium, Resort, Housing, Water, Data Center, Cannabis, and Adoptions to name a few. My words and thoughts are in no way against any candidates whatsoever as I believe our community has some incredible leaders will- ing to serve. Therefore, I would encourage you to ask candidates ‘what CTWS ini- tiatives are candidates famil- iar with that they see con- tributing towards during their candidacy?’ Each can- didate should always know what is currently happening rather than focusing on what is not happening as again we can all easily point to a negative any and ev- erywhere. Encourage our people toward finding posi- tives and understanding such tribal efforts as such may just be the key to bring- ing about a generation of support, involvement, and inspiration for all. Je f f e r s o n G r e e n e , Wasco Chief. Delays imperil Willamette fisheries The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates a series of dams in the Willamette River basin. Last summer, the Corps missed a deadline, as set by Congress, to produce a report on how the dams are affecting endangered fish. Now eight months later, the report is still nowhere in sight, with the Army Corps stating it remains under “admin- istrative review.” For tribal nations and others who want to save dwindling salmon and steelhead runs on the Willamette, the missed deadline came as no sur- prise. It’s the latest example of what they call a “shocking” and “egre- gious” pattern of delays by the Corps to address the fishes’ condition, and it comes even as a new federal study blames the Corps for jeopardizing the existence of the fish populations. Tribal officials and conservationists say the Army Corps is dragging its feet on producing re- alistic, cost-effective so- lutions for endangered Willamette River salmon and steelhead as their popula- tions move toward extinc- tion. Some endangered runs are predicted to be extinct by 2040. A series of federal laws called the Water Resources Development Acts have re- peatedly called on the Army Corps to study and publicly report on issues related to the Willamette River dams, which they have so far failed to do. The Army Corps has no timeline for the reports’ re- lease nor does it give a rea- son why its administrative review process leads to months or years-long delays, leaving critics questioning how a federal agency can fla- grantly ignore a congres- sional mandate. Advocates are demanding accountability from the Ar my Corps for the missed deadlines. The overdue reports on the Willamette River dams are not an anomaly for the Army Corps. A 2024 report from the Government Account- ability Office highlighted a multitude of overdue reports from the agency, recommending the Corps improve its public trans- parency around them. The mounting delays, and the new federal study underscoring the severity of the fish’s plight, are causing frustration and growing urgency among tribal officials and envi- ronmentalists, who fear the fish runs will go extinct as bureaucratic delays pre- vent potential fish-saving measures. Rosa Graybael, Chairman Jonathan W. Smith Sr., Carlos Calica, Chief Jefferson Greene, Rosa Graybael. Minnie Yahtin, Recorder. Invocation given by Alvis. · Cannabis discussion: Motion by Alvis adopting Resolution No. 13,220, that the Tribal Council hereby re- scinds Tribal Council Reso- lution No. 13,179; that the Tribal Council directs that the following question be submitted to a Referendum of the eligible voters of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon to be held on June 16, 2025: Shall the Con- federated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation (“Tribe”) authorize the Tribal Council to: allow, license, regulate and operate a trib- ally-owned retail sales facil- ity to be located on-reserva- tion and/or trust land for sales of marijuana and re- lated products for the legal possession and use of small quantities of marijuana by adults 21 years of age or older on reservation? Shall the resolution be approved: Yes or no?; If the referen- dum is approved by the membership as provided under Article IV of the Tribal Constitution and By- laws, the Tribal Council shall amend the Tribal Code, in- cluding without limitation Warm Springs Tribal Code Chapters 305 (Crimes) and 743 (Marijuana Cultivation, Processing and Sale), to implement the membership’s authorization. By the Tribal Council that notice of election shall be posted at the voting place at least ten days prior to such election. Second by Carlos. Question: Jim/abstain, Cap- tain/no, Jay/no, Alvis/yes, Rosa/yes, Carlos/yes, 3/2/ 1, Chairman not voting. Mo- tion carried. · Other business: Motion by Jim to reach out to the Governor’s office to request OSP be engaged in review of incident that occurred on said date, that Warm Springs Tribal Coun- cil requests the Governor’s office to respond to the re- quest. Second by Alvis. Ques- tion: Jim/yes, Captain/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Rosa/ yes, Carlos/yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Mo- tion carried. Motion by Jay to adjourn at 3:13 p.m. Courtesy Army Corps’ dam on the Willamette River. Summaries of Tribal Council February 18, 2025 The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairman Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody. Roll call: Chief Joseph Moses, Lincoln Jay Suppah, James ‘Jim’ Manion, Chief Jefferson Greene, Alvis Smith III, Chair man Jonathan W. Smith Sr., Carlos Calica. Minnie Yahtin, Recorder. Invocation by Alvis. · Secretary-Treasurer update with Robert Brunoe Motion by Jim to waive fees for tribal members that need a tribal I.D. card (new or replacement), then work with Health and Human Services for cost recovery following the implementation of this. Second by Alvis. Jim, amended the motion set- ting this approval for six months from today, and a person can only get one I.D. with this waiver. Sec- ond approved. Question: Jim/yes, Joe/yes, Captain/ yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Carlos/yes, Jefferson/yes, 7/0/0, Chairman not vot- ing. Motion carried. · March agenda: Motion by Captain ap- proving the March agenda. Second by Jim, Question: Jim/yes, Joe/yes, Captain/ yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Carlos/yes, Jefferson/yes, 7/0/0, Chairman not vot- ing. Motion carried. · Draft resolutions and letters with the S-T: Cascade Renewable Transmission project: Motion by Captain ap- proving the letter be signed and sent to Colonel Larry Caswell Jr., United States Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, File No. NWP-2022-126-2. Second by Carlos. Question: Jim/ yes, Joe/abstain, Captain/ yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Carlos/yes, Jefferson/yes, 6/0/1, Chairman not vot- ing. Motion carried. Tribal based subsis- tence fishing: Motion by Alvis adopt- ing Resolution No. 13,215, with amendments. Second by Jim. Question: Jim/yes, Captain/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Carlos/yes, Jefferson/yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Mo- tion carried. Election Board and Counting Board resolution with the S-T: Motion by Alvis adopt- ing Resolution No. 13,216, appointing the following tribal members to serve on the Election Board and Counting Board: Election Board: Emily Courtney, Lucille Teeman- Suppah, Ruth Beymer (Vice Chair), Valerie Squiemphen (Chair). Counting Board: Leah Henry (Counter-Vice Chair), Berna Greene-Boise (Counter-Chair), Violetta Vaeth (Counter), Sheldon Minnick (Counter). By the Twenty-Ninth Tribal Council that the rate of pay for the above indi- viduals be $10 an hour, plus Federal mileage rate per mile for their service. Sec- ond by Captain. Question: Jim/yes, Captain/yes, Jay/ yes, Alvis/yes, Carlos/yes, Jefferson/yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Mo- tion carried. · Enrollments/Relin- quishments with Lucille Suppach-Samson, Vital Sta- tistics: Motion by Alvis adopt- ing Resolution No. 13,217, enrolling five individuals. Second by Carlos. Question: Jim/yes, Joe/yes, Captain/ yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Carlos/yes, Jefferson/yes, 7/0/0, Chairman not vot- ing. Motion carried. Motion by Carlos adopt- ing Resolution No. 13,218, that the Tribal Council hereby approves the request to relinquish enrollment in the Warm Springs Tribe; that this relinquishment approval shall not become effective until the person is accepted for membership in the Klamath Tribe. Second by Captain. Question: Jim/yes, Joe/yes, Captain/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/ yes, Carlos/yes, Jefferson/ yes, 7/0/0, Chairman not voting. Motion carried. · Indian Health Services update with Tammy Wilson and Diane Fuller: · Health and Human Ser- vices update with Taw Foltz. · Managed Care update with Michael Collins. Motion by Captain to ad- journ at 3:27 p.m. February 19 The meeting was called to order Chairman Jonathan W. Smith Sr. Roll call: Lincoln Jay Suppah, Chairman Jonathan W. Smith Sr., Vice Chairman Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody, Carlos Calica, Chief Joseph Moses, Alvis Smith III, James ‘Jim’ Manion. Minnie Yahtin, Recorder. Invocation given by Jay. · Early Childhood Edu- cation compliance update with Cheryl Tom and Reona Trimble. · Finance Strategic Plan update with Pamela Keo- Douglas and Michele Stacona. · Cannabis discussion: A resolution will be pre- sented on Monday, February 24. Without further discus- sion the meeting adjourned at 12:22 p.m. February 24 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Jonathan W. Smith Sr. Roll call: Vice Chairman Raymond ‘Cap- tain’ Moody, Jamse ‘Jim’ Manion, Alvis Smith III, Chief Jefferson Greene,
