Serving community needs at Commodities
Elk Bugling Contest at Center
The Community Wellness
Center will host the 2026 Elk
Bugling Contest, with dinner to
follow, on Wednesday evening,
January 28, in the Wellness
Center gym.
Prizes will be awarded for
both the adult and children’s
divisions, for first-place and
runner-up.
Sign-ups will begin at 6 p.m.
for both divisions contestants;
and the contest begins at 6:30,
starting with the children’s cat-
egory first. For more informa-
tion, please contact the Com-
munity Wellness Center, 541-
553-3243.
Tribal committee community updates
Several tribal committees will
present community updates this
Thursday afternoon, January 22 at
the Agency Longhouse. The com-
munity meeting overall will be from
3 to 6 p.m., with a community give-
away to follow. The schedule is as
follows:
From 3 to 4:30 p.m.: The Land
Use Planning Committee. The Cul-
ture and Heritage Committee. The
Timber Committee.
4:30-5:30: Light meal and snacks.
5:30-6: The Education Commit-
tee. The Water Control Board.
6-6:30: Community giveaway.
D. McMechan/Spilyay
Working with the Warm Springs Commodities team are Brandon Bailie, Pedro Andrade, George R.
Picard, Eldred Smith Sr., Troy Sam-Smith, George W. Picard Jr., and director Theodore Perez.
The tribal Commodities Depart-
ment provides many services for
the membership of the Confeder-
ated Tribes. There are the wide va-
riety staple food items to choose
from, rice, canned goods, fruits, veg-
etables, meat and dairy products,
for example. They also have spe-
cialty items from time to time. At
present, for instance, Commodities
has elk bologna available to the
Notes...
Wolf depredation grants
The Jefferson County Wolf
Depredation Committee is accept-
ing depredation prevention grant
applications until February 2.
Ranchers of the reservation
community.
Commodities on average serves
about 900 participants a month, said
Theo Perez, Commodities director.
To keep up with demand, the team
moves about 1,000 pounds of food
per weekend, Theo said.
Besides regular food items, Com-
modities has a partnership with
Fences for Fido. In stock now are
pet food, and pet beds that are
about the size for medium or smaller
dogs, or for cats. The pet beds come
in a variety of styles as well. With
Fences for Fido, the Commodities
crew helps put up fences for resi-
dences of the community, among
many other tasks they perform for
the membership.
Commodities currently has a
staff of seven, and they have job
openings available, Theo said.
can submit their application to pur-
chase depredation prevention tools
such as fox lights, fladry—tempo-
rary, non-lethal tool using brightly
colored flags on a fence—fencing
materials for calving pastures, etc.
The application can be found at:
jeffco.net/media/46831
The application can be submit-
ted to Camille Wright, Wildlife Bi-
ologist with the Confederated
Tribes. Stop by the Branch of
Natural Resources and drop it off
in person, or call 541-553-2029.
Summaries of Tribal Council
(from the January 7 Spilyay)
November 18
· Judge Pro Tempore discussion
with Gayleen Adams: Daniel
Ahern, Brian Hemphill, Anita L.
Jackson. All approved unanimously.
· 2026 Fishing Guide Service
with Mark Manion:
Tabled to get more information
from the On-Reservation Fish and
Wildlife Committee on proposed
changes to the tribal code.
· War m Springs Cannabis
Project Enterprise runding request
for 2025 and 2026-Jim Souers:
Motion by Jefferson to table this
resolution. Second by Alvis. All in
favor.
· Enrollments/Relinquishment
with Vital Stats:
Motion by Alvis adopting Reso-
lution No. 13,288, enrolling eight ap-
plicants. Second by Rosie. Question:
Rosie/yes, Captain/yes, Jay/abstain,
Alvis/yes, Jonathan/yes, 4/0/1,
Chairman not voting; Motion carried.
Resolution No. 10,934 Amend-
ment discussion with Lucille
Suppach-Samson:
Motion by Jefferson to table this
resolution to continue this conver-
sation. Second by Jonathan. All in
favor. Vice Chairman encourages
all Tribal Council members to be
present at the table during this dis-
cussion.
· Indian Health Service update
with Tammy Wilson.
· Health and Human Services
update with Taw Foltz.
· Managed Care update with
Michael Collins.
Motion by Captain to adjourn,
Second by Jay at 5:51 p.m.
Sr.
November 19
The meeting was called to or-
der by Vice Chair man Carlos
Calica. Roll call: Lincoln Jay
Suppah, Raymond Captain Moody,
Vice Chairman Carlos Calica, Chief
Jefferson Greene, Jonathan Smith
Sr., Alvis Smith III. Minnie Yahtin,
Recorder.
Michael Collins, acting Secre-
tary-Treasurer.
· Fish and Wildlife Committee
Off-Reservation report with Bruce
Jim Sr., Sam Wolfe, and Ryan Smith
November 25
The meeting was called to or-
der by Chairman Dennis White III.
Roll call: Lincoln Jay Suppah,
Chair man Dennis White III,
Raymond Captain Moody, Chief
Jefferson Greene, Alvis Smith III,
Vice Chairman Carlos Calica,
Brigette McConville, Lonnie Rosie
Tom, Chief Joseph Moses.
Minnie Yahtin, Recorder.
Invocation given by Chief
Greene.
Pamela Keo-Douglas, acting
· Irrigation, Range and Ag Com-
mittee report with Una Johnson.
· Fish & Wildlife Committee
On-Reservation report with Cy Jim
and Kevin Blueback.
· Legislative Commission on In-
dian
Ser vices
discussion
withPatrick Flanagan.
Motion by Jonathan to adjourn
at 3:35 p.m.; Second by Alvis.
November 24
The meeting was called to or-
der at 9:00 by Chairman Dennis
White III. Roll call: Lincoln Jay
Suppah, Raymond Captain Moody,
Alvis Smith III, Chief Jefferson
Greene, Vice Chairman Carlos
Calica, Brigette McConville,
Lonnie Rosie Tom, Chief Joseph
Moses. Minnie Yahtin, Recorder.
Invocation given by Vice Chair-
man Calica.
· Culture and Heritage Com-
mittee update with Starla Green
and Priscilla Frank.
· Education Committee update
with Deanie Smith and Gordon
Scott Jr.
· Health and Welfare Commit-
tee update with RaNeva Dowty
and Shawnetta Yahtin.
· Land Use Planning Commit-
tee update with Levi VanPelt and
Starla Green.
· Timber Committee update
with Yvette Picard, Levi VanPelt,
and Phillip Florendo.
· Water Control Board update
with Ryan Smith Sr. and Tamara
Coffee.
Motion by Alvis to adjourn at
4:21 p.m.; Second by Captain
~ Home for Sale ~
Four bedroom, two bath single
family residence with single car
garage and fenced yard. All
new kitchen appliances, washer
and dryer, and wood stove.
Completely remodeled in like-
new condition. Located in the
Agency area. Contact the Tribal
Credit Enterprise at 541-553-
3201 for inquiries.
Papalaxsimisha is hosting a
milestone celebration this
month.
Papalaxsimisha invites the
people, the community and partners
to join Papalaxsimisha to celebrate
at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, January
29 at the Agency Longhouse.
There will be one Seven of
Washat, guest speaker and updates,
dinner and cake. For more infor-
mation contact the Papalaxsimisha
program coordinator Jillisa Suppah
at:
jillisa@papalaxsimisha.org
Secretary-Treasurer.
· Cultural Resources Depart-
ment runding request discussion
with Austin Smith Jr.
· Proposed 2026 budget dis-
cussion Pamela Douglas:
Motion by Brigette adopting
Resolution NO. 13,291, that the
foregoing budget is approved with
an effective date of January 1,
2026; That the sum of
$27,494,923 is hereby appropri-
ated for expenditure pursuant to
the foregoing annual budget for
the twelve-month period January
1, 2026 through December 31,
2026 and the Secretary of Inte-
rior of his/her authorized repre-
sentative is hereby requested to ap-
prove such budget; That the Tribal
Council will pay close attention to
the areas of Forest Management
Deduction, Public Safety, Public
Utilities, Health & Human Ser-
vices, Housing & Infrastructure,
and Salary Administration, enter-
prise dividend amounts, safe drink-
ing water, revenue, economic de-
velopment, and wastewater treat-
ment and sanitation facilities, Pur-
suant to Resolution NO. 7720 and
Articles V and VI of the “Warm
Springs Revenue Reserve Fund”
policies, the Tribal Council further
reserves the authority to appropri-
ate $2,000,000 or such amount as
is required to maintain a General
fund Working Capital Reserve Bal-
ance of $6,000,000, from current
and accumulated prior year earn-
ings from the “Revenue Reserve
Fund” to be made available as a
source of funds in this Tribal Bud-
get;
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