Smoke Signals
SEPTEMBER 15,2011
Ferguson briefs General Membership at Sept. 1 1 meeting
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Flat.
That was Spirit Mountain Casino
Chief Executive Officer Rodney
Ferguson's report for 2011 and
prediction for 2012 regarding ca
sino revenue during the Sept. 11
General Council meeting held in
the Tribal Community Center in
Grand Ronde.
Ferguson said that Spirit Moun
tain Casino is faring relatively well
compared to other gaming enter
prises in the country during the
continued economic doldrums.
"Fourteen million Americans are
still unemployed and Oregon is
near the top," he said.
Ferguson cited figures showing
that since 2007 the Oregon Lottery
was down 6.1 percent in revenue,
Las Vegas was down 14 percent
and Mississippi was off 25 percent.
Meanwhile, Spirit Mountain is
down only 7.9 percent.
"We've fared very well compared
with the rest of the gaming indus
try," Ferguson said.
Ferguson said the national econ
omy, as well as Oregon's continued
high unemployment rate, and inter
national events, such as the Euro
pean debt crises and unrest in the
Middle East, continue to affect casino
operations as guests concerned about
the fluctuating stock market and gas
prices are spending the same amount
of money per visit at Spirit Mountain,
but are reducing the number of trips
they make to Grand Ronde.
Comparing numbers from August
2010 and August 2011, net rev
enues and profit at Spirit Mountain
are almost identical, as is the divi
dend that Spirit Mountain sends
to the Tribe to fund governmental
operations, per capita payments,
education, health care and other
Tribal programs.
Ferguson said some good news is
that revenue has increased at Spirit
Mountain Lodge, where the $59-a-night
room rate appears to be a price
point that guests like. In addition,
income at the Cedar Plank Buffet
increased as guests seek bargains
for their gaming dollars.
Ferguson said the experiment of
selling alcohol on the casino floor
has proven to be a successful rev
enue generator as well.
Meanwhile, Ferguson said the
casino has managed to reduce costs
and expenditures by 1.5 percent.
He reported that there are cur
rently 152 Tribal members out
of 1,390 employees at the casino
for an 11 percent Tribal member
employment percentage. In 2010,
Tribal members accounted for 10
percent of casino employees 155
out of 1,540.
Ferguson emphasized that the
Tribal member percentage in man
agement positions, such as direc
tors, managers and supervisors,
is higher than in non-supervisory
positions. For example, 36 percent
of the directors at the casino are
Tribal members.
"Over the last 10 years, Tribal
employment has been between 9.5
and 1 1 percent," he added.
The outlook for 2012, Ferguson
said, is continued flatness in the
economy.
"There is nothing out there that
signifies a major change in the
economy," he said.
Tribal member Jan Reibach
thanked the casino staff and Tribal
Council for the work they are doing
in difficult economic times.
"I think the staff is doing a great
job," Reibach said. "I've traveled
around the country and there are
places that are way worse off than
Committee & Special Event
Board meeting days and times
Below is the most current information on the meeting days and times
for Tribal Committees and Special Event Boards:
Ceremonial Hunt Board meets as needed. Chair: Shonn Leno.
Cultural Trust Board meets at 4 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each
month. Chair: Perri McDaniel.
Culture Committee meets at 1 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month
in Modular No. 3. Chair: Kathy Provost.
Education Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. on the first Monday of the
month in the Adult Education Building. Chair: Shelby Rogers.
Elders' Committee meets at 1 0 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month
in the Elders' Activity Center. Chair: Gladys Hobbs.
Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Gover
nance Building. Acting Chair: Robert Schmid.
Fish & Wildlife Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of
the month at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the
month in the Tribal Wellness Center. Acting Chair: Patti Tom-Martin.
Powwow Special Event Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Thursday of
the month at the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dana Ainam.
Rodeo Special Event Board meets at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month at the Tribal Rodeo Office. Acting Chair: Harold Lyon.
Social Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. the second Monday of the
month in the Social Services Conference Room. Chair: Ron Hudson.
Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month
at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Bob Mercier.
Veterans Special Event Board meets at 4 p.m. the first Tuesday of the
month in the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dakota Whitecloud.
- - '
Photo by Michelle Alalmo
Spirit Mountain Casino Chief Executive Officer Rodney Ferguson gives a
report regarding 201 1 casino revenues and predictions for 2012 revenues
to the membership during the General Council meeting held at the Tribal
Community Center on Sunday, Sept. 11.
we are.
Ferguson said renovations to
Legends and The Summit are being
discussed, as well as replacing the
carpet at the casino.
In other actions, Tribal Director
of Operations John Mercier and
Cultural Resources Manager David
Lewis briefed the membership on
the Sept. 10 signing of a Memoran
dum of Understanding between the
Tribe, Bureau of Land Management
and Nature Conservancy regarding
the Table Rocks area near Medford.
(See story on page 8 of this issue of
Smoke Signals.)
The Tribe also honored the 10th
anniversary of the 911 attacks by
posting a new "Never Forget" flag
during the cultural presentation.
The Tribe received the flag from
organizers of the Salem Field of
Flags event held in Riverfront Park
over the Sept. 11 weekend.
Tribal member Jolanda Catabay
sang the national anthem and a mo
ment of silence was held to honor
the victims of the terrorist attacks
that occurred a decade ago.
Door prize winners were Nancy
Coleman, Chip Tom, Wayne Sell,
Les McKnight, Kathleen Tom (do
nated to the Elders Committee),
Bob Duncan, Betty Reed, Delores
Knight and Jolanda Catabay.
The next General Council meet
ing will be held 11 a.m. Sunday,
Oct. 2, in Eugene.
EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 201 1
Changes to Social Services
Emergency Assistance
and Medical Gas Voucher Program
For all income criteria programs, wage verification for past
60 days (wage stubs) will need to be submitted. If client has
not worked for a period of time, client will need to submit
a printout from their State Employment Office or printout
from Oregon Self Sufficiency Office as verification of income.
Rentaldeposit or utility assistance may be utilized only one
time in a 24-month rolling calendar period and is not to exceed
the maximum contribution of $1,000 per household within any
24-month rolling calendar period.
Medical Gas Vouchers
Social Services will not provide gas vouchers for medical
appointments, counseling or drug & alcohol treatment. The
only exception to this is for scheduled treatment plans, (i.e.:
radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, etc.) and has caused hard
ship on the family, medical gas vouchers can be distributed to
meet the need of the circumstances. A copy of all scheduled
treatment plans must be received before client is eligible to
receive this service. Assistance will end on the date of the last
treatment appointment.
For a complete copy of policy or questions, please contact
Tammy C. Garrison at 503-879-2077. B