Negotiations, continued
bill currently pending in Congress,
the Tribe states that it will give up all
rights to the 84 acresof lost timber
in exchange for 360 acres of BLM
land adjacent to the reservation. The
twoparcels are similarly valued. The
Tribe would like to acquire the BLM
land because of its location and
potential. It is an isolated parcel,
difficult for the BLM to manage, but
could be easily managed by the
Tribe.
Though key congresspeople are
in support of this bill, the Interior
Department has not been willing to
agree to the Tribe's proposal.
Congressman Mike Kopetski
testified before the Subcommittee
on Native American Affairs on
behalf of the Tribe.
"I submit that the Tribe has worked
in good faith with the Department of
the Interior in order to resolve this
issue. It is unconscionable to me
that the Interior has withheld its
disruptive deigns, revealing their
intentions only after the State BLM
broke historic ground in forging a
compromise with the Tribe," he said.
Congressman Kopetski also noted
that President Clinton has directed
government agencies to work
cooperatively with tribal
governments to resolve disputes.
Mark Mercier also testified, saying,
. "The Interior Department's counter
offer to the parcel we identified
simply doesn't recognize what the
Tribe rightfully deserves."
The Tribe expects these
negotiations to continue before the
bill is voted on in Congress.
Strategic Plan, continued
- Can water, sewer and road systems
handle such development?
If additional systems are needed,
how are they to be financed?
- What would be the impact on
local schools?
Willis said that with the start of the
gaming center, more families will be
moving to the area. That probably
means more kids enrolling in the
schools.
"Are we going to pay our share of
that impact on the schools? " Willis
asked.
The next step in the strategic
planning process will be to take the
results of the survey, and information
gathered at the community meetings,
to a gathering of the tribal council,
administrators and staff people.
The meeting has not yet been
scheduled.
The appetite for more information
seems to grow with each step taken
so far in the strategic planning
process, but Willis is not dismayed.
"We are getlkg smarter about our
community, and how we are going
to do things," he said.
New Face
Linda Layden named Housing Program head
Linda Layden has recently been hired by the Tribe to fill a newly created
position of Housing Program Director.
A graduate of Western Oregon State College, Linda has had a varied
career in housing and real estate. She has worked for Salem Housing
Authority, and Marion County Housing Authority, where she established
a housing rehabilitation program.
Linda was the Development Coordinator for Vancouver Housing
Authority for five years, where she planned and implemented four new
HUD-subsidized housing programs.
Other positions she has held include Columbia Willamette Development
Company, a subsidiary of PGE. She managed a $20 million real estate
portfolio for that company.
She said her position with the Tribe will be different from other jobs
she's held because she'll have an opportunity to be creative in her work.
"My experiences with housing have been more reactive rather than
proactive. I hope we can look at what will fit the needs of tribal members,
rather than building programs based on available financing and having
to live with that," she said.
One of Linda's upcoming projects include a Housing Needs Survey,
designed to determine the types of housing needed, who could most
benefit from housing, and what would be affordable. She will also be
researching housing financing options, and looking at the housing
programs of other organizations.
Although the housing process will take time to accomplish, Linda feels
a comprehensive plan is best in order to know how to proceed.
"We don't want low quality housing," she said. "We want housing that
will stand the test of time, and neighborhoods people can be proud of."
$11 pw m
Linda Layden is the new
Housing Program Director.
6808270'
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The Conf ederoted Tribes of the Grond
fSonde Community of Oreqon
?615 Grond pKndehd.
Grond ftonde. Oreqon ?7317
U of Ore. Library
Serials Dept.
Eugene OR 97403