4 DECEMBER 1,2009
Smoke Signals
Tribal-State Summit concentrates on economy
Chairs discuss how Tribes
have dealt with downturn
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Oregon's battered economy and
its effect on the state's nine feder
ally recognized Tribes was front
and center during the 12th annual
Tribal-State Government-to-Gov-ernment
Summit held Nov. 18 at
Cascade Hall on the grounds of the
Oregon State Fair in Salem.
Tribal officials, including a con
tingent of Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde members led by
Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy,
met with numerous state officials
and discussed ways to deal with
difficult economic times.
State officials in attendance in
cluded Gov. Ted Kulongoski, State
Superintendent of Public Instruc
tion Susan Castillo and State Sen.
Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day), a mem
ber of the Commission on Indian
Services.
The daylong event covered other
topics of importance to Oregon
Tribes, such as how unearthed
Native remains should be handled
in accordance with state law and
improving Oregonians' awareness
of Tribal history and sovereignty,
but it was the economy that domi
nated the day.
Chairs of all nine Tribes ad
dressed how their sovereign gov
ernments were dealing with the
difficult economic times.
"We're living in a time when
Oregon is experiencing a great eco
nomic tragedy," Kennedy told at
tendees, who numbered about 235.
"Our soldiers are worried about
having jobs when they return.
"Our focus at the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde has been
maintaining sustainability and
employment."
Kennedy said the Tribe focused
on its budget and sought ways to
be more effective and efficient for
its approximately 1,850 full-time
employees.
In 2008, she said, the Tribe set
aside its merit-based performance
pay scale and gave employees a
$500 bonus instead. "Employees
rallied around that," she added.
In addition, the Tribe sought
more grants, including American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act
funds, for the improvement of the
community and job creation, most
notably the Grand Ronde Road
project.
Still, Kennedy noted, the lion's
share of funding for the rond project
came from Tribnl coffers.
"We see ourselves as part of Or
egon and we want to do our fair
share," Kennedy snid. "It's been a
challenging time. We need to work
together to find creative ways to
move into the future and join hands
together."
Kennedy thnnked Kulongoski for
Oregon's leadership in establishing
governmcnt-to-government rela
tionships with Tribes.
"It is truly a sign of respect," she
snid. "We have n bright future to
gether becnuse we're sitting here
together. It doesn't happen in other
states."
Other Tribal chairs re
lated similar stories of
tighter Tribal budgets
and even layoffs as the
economy affects how much
customers spend at Tribal
casinos statewide.
Coquille Indian Tribal
Chairman Ed Metcalf
reported a 7 percent work
force reduction at his
Tribe's casino.
"We're dealing with
the situation day by day,
month by month, quarter
by quarter," Metcalf said.
"We attacked the problem
on the cost side and our
savings exceeded our rev
enue decline."
Cow Creek Band of
Umpqua Chairwoman
Sue Shaffer, who called
herself a child of the Great
Depression, said that
even with the economic
downturn, the Cow Creek
opened a new wing at its
hotel featuring an upscale
spa and buffet.
"Our priority is to pro
vide jobs and instill in our children
the thought' of being productive,"
she said. "We've watched expenses
and had minimal layoffs."
Klamath Tribal Chairman Joe
Kirk said Oregon Indian County
is a major employer in the state's
economy, citing Spirit Mountain
Casino as the best example.
"In Klamath County, we employ
more nonlndians than Indians,"
Kirk said. "People don't understand
the impact that has. We're looking
for more partnerships and col
laborations, and are dedicated to a
positive resolution."
Siletz Chairwoman Dee Pigsley
reported that Chinook Winds in
Lincoln City experienced a 7 per
cent decline in revenue, but avoided
layoffs by reducing employees to 30
hours a week so they could retain
their jobs and benefits.
"We're the largest employer in
Lincoln City," Pigsley said.
There were signs of hope, as
well.
"I truly believe the economy is
coming back," Pigsley said.
Umatilla Chairman Antone Mint
horn said his Tribe has avoided
layoffs and actually added jobs
on its eastern Oregon reservation
near Pendleton by building a new
governance center.
Minthorn said Wildhorse Casino
offers 600 family-wage jobs with
good benefits, which are rare in
eastern Oregon.
He suggested the state adopt
some Tribal economic practices,
such as retro-budgeting. "Don't
spend the money you've earned
until the following year," Minthorn
snid. "Then you know what you
have."
Coos, Iower Umpqua & Siuslnw
Chairman Hob Garcia snid Oregon
Tribes have a long history of deal
ing with adversity nnd declining
resources.
"This is n chance to change the
paradigm of Oregon's economy,"
Gnrcin snid, "nnd re-invest in Or-
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy speaks about strategies the Tribe is using to
deal with the difficult economic times during the 1 2th annual Tribal-State Government-to-Government
Summit at Cascade Hall on the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem on
Wednesday, Nov. 1 8.
egon. We need to bring jobs here
for the long-term. And Tribes are
important because we can include
federal contracts."
Warm Springs Vice Chairwoman
Aurolyn Stwyer-Pinkham said
her Tribe is keying in on green in
dustries, a new casino in Cascade
Locks and improved telecommuni
cations to bolster its central Oregon
economy.
Kulongoski said that the state
and Tribes can work together to
help bring Oregon through the dif
ficult times.
"I bring a message of hope and
optimism to every Oregonian,"
Kulongoski said.
He cited cooperative state-Tribal
projects with the Klamath, Coos and
Umatilla Tribes that have protected
and saved natural resources.
"We are far stronger and more
successful when we work together
than when we work alone," Kulon
goski said. "We're succeeding ...
we're finding strength in unity."
Kulongoski also honored two
Tribal Restorations occurring
around the time of the summit
Siletz's on Nov. 18 and Grand
Ronde's on Nov. 22.
He said he sees more substance
to Tribal sovereignty that just the
legal technicalities.
"You have to look at Termination
and Restoration together in a his
torical sense," Kulongoski snid. "It
wns another federal act to diminish
or extinguish Native peoples. Res
toration goes to the human spirit
... it's about what people are ... a
renewal of the human spirit."
The Tribnl-Stnte Government-to-Governmcnt
Summit opened with
the Grand Ronde Color Guard, led
by Tribnl Elder Steve Rife carry
ing the engle stnff, presenting the
(Ings.
Tribnl Council members in atten
dance included Secretnry Knthleen
Tom nnd June Scll-Sherer, Toby
McCIary nnd Chris Mercier.
Stnff in nttendnnce included Ex
ecutive Officer Chris I a-no. Director
of Development Peter Wakeland,
Public Affairs Director Siobhan
Taylor, Cultural Resources Direc
tor David Lewis, Natural Resources
Director Michael Wilson, Education
Division Manager April Campbell
and Tribal Attorney Rob Greene.
Other Tribal members who at
tended included Tribal Elder Gene
LaBonte, chairman of the Gover
nor's Advisory Committee on Vet
erans Affairs.
After lunch, Kennedy moder
ated a discussion on Public Health
Partnerships and gave a brief
history on Tribal health issues
beginning with pre-European
contact. She was joined by Eric
Metcalf, health director for the
Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw;
Oregon Health Reform Director
Dr. Bruce Goldberg; and Dr. Mel
Kohn, who discussed Tribal and
state efforts in preparing for the
H1N1 flu pandemic.
Kennedy reiterated a message
she took to Washington, D.C., in
early November and delivered to
Health & Human Services Secre
tary Kathleen Sebelius.
"We're the only ones who pre-paid
for our health care," she said, by
ceding land in the 1850s to the fed
eral government in numerous trea
ties that promised health care.
"So why do we receive the least
amount of money for our health
care?" Kennedy asked, noting that
Native Americans receive less than
$3,000 per person for health care in
the United States. "It's a failure of
the federal government to live up
to its promises."
The afternoon session also in
cluded a forum on Tribal economic
development and federal nnd stnte
stimulus funding.
The Tribes nlso honored Oregon
Stnte Medicnl Exnminer Dr. Knren
Gunson for her work in improving
culturally sensitive treatment of
Native Americnn remains found in
Oregon, as well as Shaffer for her
years of service on the Commission
on Indinn Services.