# The Tribe had a tough year in 2021 as we struggled through another year of > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Aconfederated_siletz%3Ae73fb548056307e7 ## Record - **Collection:** Tribal code - **Document type:** Tribal code ## Text The Tribe had a tough year in 2021 as we struggled through another year of COVID-19. The closure of offices to walk-in clients was a challenge staff overcame to provide services. Altering office hours and working from home became necessary. We were able to recognize the staff (monetarily) that guided the Tribe through this eventful time. The Tribal Council conducted business meetings via Zoom with the exception of the election of officers. General Council meetings were on Facebook. I believe the results of being careful have kept the pandemic we faced at a very low level of infection. We are grateful to our clinic staff for the services they provided during this time. We are thankful to our governor, congressional leaders, local governments and other Tribes for benefits the Tribe received, for the consultation and outpouring of support during the dark days of 2021. We are most thankful to our staff! We look forward to offices reopening, to our pow-wow, Run to the Rogue, our Restoration Celebration and all of our usual activities in 2022. Photographers: Photos in this report were provided to Public Information by the Culture Department. They are historical photos of Tribal members. On the cover: Art drawn by a Tribal member of a MMIW dancer. Tribal Chairman Delores Pigsley Table of Contents Tribal Court Natural Resources Health Human Resources Administration Housing Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund Programs 1 Programs 2 Siletz Tribal Business Corporation Chinook Winds Casino Resort Tribal Council 1 2 4 6 8 10 11 12 16 20 22 24 Caseload New 67 Average monthly new cases 5.58 Closed 43 Hearings, monthly average 3.58 (without per capita caseload, which was canceled this year) Court Staff: One chief judge, two associate judges; community court judge (vacant), one full-time court administrator and one half-time deputy court administrator Development Funding: The court is maintained with money from the annual EPR funds and BIA funds. Tribal Court continues to seek grant funding where we qualify as a developing court. Case Management: Tribal Court strives to meet the ongoing challenge of new categories of cases and complexity of subject matter. In the last 19 years, Tribal Court has seen an increased caseload from a little more than 100 cases in 2000 to a caseload of nearly 500 cases in 2019 (including new and maintained cases). Since 2013, the caseload averages around 480-500, though the caseload declined between 2018 and 2019. For 2021, the caseload has remained low. This was largely due to the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to affect Tribal Court’s caseload. The per capita caseload was canceled by Tribal Council, lowering the court’s caseload for 2021. The court has operated on an essential office management status, maintaining essential public services and managing the court office duties. The court staff works in conjunction with the chief judge, creating new or modifying existing forms relevant to the ever-changing case criteria. Subject matter continues to be increasingly complex with regard to employment and personal injury cases out of Chinook Winds, other matters ranging from contract cases to enrollment matters, and any other case that may fall within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Siletz Tribal Court. Tribal Court uses Laserfiche, a document imaging program for storing files. Deputy Court Administrator Rebekah Goulet scans past and current court records into the Tribe’s Laserfiche storage, saving cost and space. The records are easily searched. Records not in Laserfiche are our juvenile records; we keep hard files indefinitely at this time. Training: Tribal Court promotes educational enhancement for the judicial and court staff through attendance and participation in trainings and workshops relative to Tribal Court issues. Tribal Court participates with neighboring courts and agencies to create and maintain a good working relationship. The National Judicial College (NJC) in Reno, Nev., continues to be one of our most valued resources for judicial training. Spokespersons are encouraged to gain as much legal education as they can. As funding and schedule allows, Tribal Court sponsors continuing legal education for spokespersons. Public Relations: Representing litigants in Tribal Court matters is a pool of eight active Tribal spokespersons, three Tribal member (non-attorneys), five independent attorneys, two attorneys with Legal Aid Services of Oregon (Newport Branch) and one attorney with Legal Aid Services of Oregon (Portland Branch). Three peacemakers appointed by Tribal Council make up the peacemaker pool. The first qualification for peacemaker court is that all of the parties in the dispute must agree to peacemaker court. Rena Blacketer, Angeline Bell, Margie Downey Tribal Court Enhancement: The Tribal Council has partnered with The Whitener Group, a Tribal consulting firm owned by members of the Squaxin Island Tribe, to: • Review and evaluate the Tribe’s ordinances to identify and make any necessary revisions • Review and evaluate the potential expansion of legal assistance for Tribal members and others who appear in the Siletz Tribal Court 1 assessments, unit layout and design, road layout and design, timber cruising, appraisals, contract development), timber sale administration (contract administration and compliance inspections), silviculture (prescription writing, site preparation, reforestation, animal damage protection, brush control, stocking surveys), forest development (timber stand improvement, precommercial and commercial thinning), forest protection (fire management, insect and disease control), forest inventory and management planning, and firewood permits. It is the mission of the Siletz Tribal Natural Resources Department to care for, protect, enhance and provide for the wise use of all of the Tribe’s natural resources in a manner that ensures all generations to come will benefit from these resources. This philosophy applies to all lands to which the Tribe is historically tied, including its ancient, aboriginal, ancestral lands, its Coast Reservation, and its current and future land holdings. The Siletz Tribal Natural Resources Department is responsible for operating the Tribal Forestry, Aquatics, Wildlife, Hunting & Fishing, Environmental Protection and Realty programs. Funding comes from a variety of sources, including BIA Self-Governance; Tribal Forest Management Deductions; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) General Assistance Program (GAP), Wetland and Clean Water Act Section 106 and Section 319 grants; and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and BIA Wildlife grants. Additionally, the department administers grants from EPA and other entities covering its participation in the Portland Harbor Superfund site monitoring activities, along with contracts with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to conduct precommercial thinning of forest plantations and a number of organizations to provide aquatics monitoring services. The Forestry program covers all aspects of forest management on the Tribe’s 15,875 acres of timberlands, including timber sale planning (environmental • • • • • • The Aquatics program was funded by GAP, 106, 319 and Wetlands grants from EPA, and a number of contracts and funding agreements with outside entities in addition to Tribal and BIA hatchery funding. • • • • • • • Feather Dance 2 Accomplishments for 2021 include: Presales work on 8 timber sale areas totaling 459 acres and 16.26 million board feet Precommercial thinning of 248 acres Completing 142 acres of stocking surveys and 604 acres of stand exams Issuing 98 personal use firewood permits Issuing 111 property access permits Cutting, splitting and delivering 21 cords of firewood during 2 elders firewood distribution events 2021 accomplishments include: Completing third mainstem Siletz River restoration project on three sites Completing 14 wetland assessments Monitoring native oyster restoration efforts at sites in Yaquina Bay Post-restoration monitoring of several projects in the Tillamook, Nestucca, Coquille and Yaquina basins Raising and releasing several thousand winter steelhead Maintaining and enhancing a culturally important native plant nursery for future restoration projects Completing a project to document and store in a searchable database Siletz Tribal traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) associated with lands and natural resources throughout Western Oregon The Wildlife program is funded by a BPA contract covering Tribal participation in the Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program (WWMP). through Tribal funding. This program’s main focus is as the primary repository of all requests for natural and cultural resource consultation from outside agencies. • • • • • Coquelle Thompson In addition to participating in this project, the program provides wildlife expertise and support to other Tribal programs. • • • • • In 2021, accomplishments include: Acquiring a 102-acre WWMP property Due diligence work on an 82-acre WWMP property acquisition scheduled for closing in 2022 Reviewing and ranking 2021 WWMP projects Development work on potential future Tribal WWMP projects Conducting marbled murrelet occupancy and habitat surveys on Tribal timberlands • • 2021 accomplishments include: Reviewing 522 outside agency project consultation requests Participating in activities to monitor assessment and cleanup of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site (funded in 2021 by grants from EPA and various potentially responsible cleanup parties) and the Astoria Marine Construction Cleanup Site Participating in monitoring the settlement agreements covering re-licensing of Eugene Water and Electric Board’s Carmen-Smith and Portland General Electric’s Clackamas River and Willamette Falls hydroelectric facilities Monitoring approval processes for the Jordan Cove Energy project and the Oregon Department of State Lands 404 permit assumption project Participating in the Long Tom 1135 project with the City of Monroe and the Army Corps of Engineers Monitoring ocean issues via the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management task force and the West Coast Ocean Alliance Representing the Tribe at meetings concerning a variety of other environmental issues The Realty program is responsible for providing a broad range of real property management and environmental planning, review and compliance services to Tribal departments, in addition to facilitating the conversion of Tribal fee land to trust and reservation status. • • • 2021 accomplishments include: Continuing work on fee-to-trust applications for 5 Tribal fee properties Performing due diligence for several potential property acquisitions Providing support for various Tribal planning, housing, casino and economic development projects The Hunting and Fishing program handles all aspects of issuing and tracking deer and elk hunting tags and licenses, salmon fishing tags and shellfish gathering permits. The program also covers processing and distributing subsistence salmon to Tribal members and processing confiscated game meat. • • • • • • In 2021, accomplishments include: Issuing 299 deer tags (23 filled) Issuing 126 elk tags (5 filled) Issuing 155 salmon tags (1 filled) Issuing 105 shellfish gathering permits Picking up, processing and distributing 4,544 pounds of subsistence chinook salmon Providing surplus game meat to Tribe’s USDA program for distribution to needy Tribal members The Environmental Protection program is funded half through an EPA GAP grant and half (L to R, back row) Clarice McKnight, Pauline Ricks, Maxine Rilatos (L to R, front row) Shirley Strickler, Ida Bensell, Elouise Case 3 • • 2021 was another year of unprecedented change that required significant effort within the Health Department as the clinic responded to the pandemic. The coronavirus vaccine became available and clinic staff worked tirelessly to provide it to the community and the service areas. • • • • • • • • • • • Medical offered in-person visits and continued to offer tele-visits by both phone and video. Dental and optometry expanded services beyond emergent services, but services remained very limited. Additionally, both departments supported the weekly vaccine clinics. Behavioral Health began offering in-person visits and continued to offer tele-visits for both Alcohol and Drug (A&D) and mental health services. Youth Services continued coordinated creative ways to reach young people, including virtual groups and mailing cultural packages to support ongoing youth engagement. Community Health continued to operate the Resource Line, which served Tribal members and staff in mitigating COVID-19. Services and items available included hotel lodging, food, cleaning supplies and safety supplies. Community Health organized and hosted another successful three-day harm reduction conference in December. The Diabetes Program provided ongoing support of COVID work in any capacity needed. The program also hosted a fun and lively virtual Run to the Rogue event. Pharmacy continued to provide mailing services and with the support of the Community Health team, added delivery services in the local area. Administration and Business Office (Purchased refered care and Patient Accounts) continued to work onsite and often were short-staffed. Basic clinic metrics include: Kept appointments included 4,971 in the medical clinic, 2,404 in the medication-assisted therapy (MAT) program (counselors and peer services), 399 in psychiatric services, 1,442 (A&D and mental health counselors, peer mentor and youth services) in Behavioral Health and 587 in optometry. The Dental Clinic provided 2,211 dentist/dental hygienist visits. The pharmacy dispensed 34,912 new and refill prescriptions. The Health Department administers several grants in addition to our recurring Indian Health Service compact funds: 4 • • • • • • • Healthy Traditions and the Wellness for Every American Indian to Achieve and View Health Equity (WEAVE) grant provide nutrition and traditional foods education and support to a variety of programs and the community. Additionally, Healthy Traditions works toward attaining food sovereignty. Healthy Traditions staff and Diabetes staff also conduct hands-on cooking classes entitled Cooking Matters, in partnership with Lincoln County Food Share. The Diabetes Program operates the Siletz Recreation Center and Tillicum Fitness Center in Siletz, pays for gym memberships outside of the Siletz area and offers monthly educational Talking Circles, individual/family counseling and education. Tillicum Fitness Center staff in partnership with the Siletz Education Program conducts summer programming that involves recreation and traditional games, drum circles and dance classes. The MAT program provides treatment for alcohol and opioid use disorder. The program is multidisciplinary in its treatment approach, including medication assistance, mental health counseling and A&D counseling. The Community Awareness Respect Empowerment (CARE) Program provides culturally specific services to victims of domestic and sexual violence in terms of advocacy, crisis intervention, prevention, outreach and education. CARE collaborates intensely with community partners across the 11-county service area to address the underserved population of American Indians and Alaskan Natives. It provides a variety of direct services along with speaking out to raise awareness about the dynamics of domestic and sexual assault for Indian women. Early Intervention Outreach Specialist/Harm Reduction is a partnership with the region, specifically Lincoln County, to provide services to reduce the rate of HIV, other STIs and overdoses in our community. Tobacco Prevention and Education continues to provide information to youth about the long-term health effects of tobacco use and is now able to provide cessation support. Substance Abuse Prevention helps youth acquire the life skills necessary to avoid substance use and abuse. Behavioral Health Programs: Alcohol & Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention assist the com- • • • • • • • • munity coalition called CEDARR (Community Efforts Demonstrating the Ability to Rebuild and Restore) in developing community-wide strategies to improve community health, especially with substance abuse problems. Youth mental health provides one-on-one, group and family mental health counseling and coping activities. Community Health advocates serve Portland, Salem, Eugene and Siletz. They provide support services through home visits, office visits and community events. They also work on a variety of health and wellness topics, including diabetes, medical transports, proper car seat installation and much more. Services are individualized to meet the needs of Tribal members. The Community Health Department administers the Mobile Help program, which funds medical alert devices for Tribal elders in the service area. The Business Office assists with three billing systems: ScriptPro (pharmacy), Dentrix (dental) and NextGen (medical, lab, Behavioral Health, optometry and transportation). Purchased/Referred Care (PRC, formerly CHS) continue to provide level 4 care throughout the year, thanks to the expansion of Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act and Medicare-like rates for hospitals and primary care. PRC staff administers three additional programs: Out-of-Area Health Benefits, Alternative Health Care and Expanded Mental Health Services. In 2021, PRC also administered additional COVID programs. Tribal members who live outside the 11-county service area are eligible for one service quarterly, including medical, mental health, dental and hearing for a combined benefit of up to $2,000 annually. In addition, Tribal members are also eligible for cataract surgery and pharmacy benefits annually and vision benefits up to $450 bi-annually or annually (depending on status). Alternative Health Care pays up to $75 per visit for acupuncture, massage therapy or chiropractic care while funds are available. Tribal Council increased the benefit from $50 to $75 per visit in 2021. Ada Collins & Daisy Fuller Lindsay John, Edwin Simmons, Griffin & Clark John, Adolf Tronson 5 Job descriptions: Sixteen revised job descriptions were approved: Mission Statement: It is the mission of the Siletz Tribal Human Resources Department to obtain, develop and train the most important resource the Tribe has – human resources. This department will provide services to Tribal programs and employment applicants in an efficient, respectful and helpful manner. It will assist employees with skill development to ensure quality services to Tribal members and personal growth of Tribal employees. Accomplishments/Activities: One of the department’s major functions is to facilitate the hiring process. During 2021, the Siletz Tribe hired 92 employees. • • 69 Regular 23 Temporary In addition to the regular Human Resources duties for the administration, this department contracts out its services (consulting, job description, Human Resources Information System, recruitment, background checks) to other Tribal entities, including the Tenas Illahee Childcare Center, Siletz Tribal Gaming Commission and Siletz Tribal Business Corporation. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 6 New positions: Eighteen new positions were created: Housing Program Compliance Analyst Childcare Specialist Targeted Case Manager Project Manager Facilities Custodian COVID Facilities Support Worker Public Health Modernization Coordinator Childcare Eligibility Worker Garden Manager COVID Lead Coordinator COVID Coordinator COVID Entrance Screener Program Assistant – Housing Transitional Living Center Coordinator Re-Entry Mentor Program Compliance Analyst Accounting Scanner Head Start Recruitment Specialist • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Administrative Assistant – Housing Internal Audit Director General Manager Executive Secretary to the Tribal Council Staff Attorney Administrative Clerk – Legal Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Trainee Benefits Coordinator Case Manager Outpatient Counselor Trainee Resident Aide – Men’s Facility Resident Aide – Women’s Facility Head Start Health Data Clerk Mental Health Therapist Outpatient Counselor Mental Health Therapist Mental Health Peer Mentor Controller Recruitment Activities: Human Resources recruited for the following positions: • • • • • Accounting Grant Accountant Bookkeeper I X3 Accounting Scanner X2 Bookkeeper II X5 Bookkeeper I (Payroll & Retirement) • • • • • • • • • • • • • Administration Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Trainee X2 Eugene Area Office Supervisor Planner/Grant Writer General Manager X2 PC Support Technician Portland Area Office Supervisor Human Resources Clerk Part-Time Enrollment Officer Staff Attorney Benefits Coordinator Executive Assistant to Tribal Council Central Office Clerk Human Resources Manager • • • • Clinic Referral Specialist Medical Lab Technician Transporter X3 Dental Director • • • • • • • • • Patient Care Coordinator – Medical Support Patient Benefits Coordinator Registered Nurse X2 Medical Assistant X3 Outpatient Counselor Trainee COVID Lead Coordinator COVID Coordinator COVID Entrance Screener Community Health Advocate X5 Resident Aide – Men’s Facility Transitional Living Center Coordinator Mental Health Therapist Re-Entry Mentor Case Manager Patient Care Coordinator – Dental Peer Recovery Mentor – Behavioral Health X2 Peer Recovery Mentor – Community Health Nurse Supervisor Transportation Coordinator Harm Reduction Outreach Specialist Health Information/Lead Medical Support Dental Assistant Trainee CARE Program Outreach/Education Specialist Pharmacy Technician Targeted Case Manager Project Manager COVID Facilities Support Worker Outpatient Counselor II Optometry Assistant Dentist Optometrist Facilities Monitor/Custodian X3 • • • Housing Administrative Assistant Program Compliance Analyst Admissions Specialist • • Natural Resources Crewmember Environmental Planner • • • Programs I (Social Services) ICW Case Worker Tribal Service Specialist USDA Director • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Job Developer/Counselor Vocational Rehabilitation Director ICW Program Administrator Elders Council Coordinator • • • • • • • • • Programs 2 (Education & Culture) Education Specialist X2 Childcare Eligibility Worker Recruitment Specialist Portland Head Start Teacher Programs II Manager Head Start Health Data Clerk Salem Head Start Food Service Aide Childcare Specialist Salem Head Start Classroom Aide • • Public Works Maintenance Worker/Groundskeeper Lead Tribal Custodian • • Siletz Tribal Business Corporation Assistant Property Manager Office Support Coordinator/Loan Administrator Incentive Awards program. The following milestones were met in 2021: Years of Service – 5 years Years of Service – 10 years Years of Service – 15 years Years of Service – 20 years Years of Service – 25 years Policy Development: Revised Personnel Manual – June 18, Aug. 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 17 Workers Compensation: Our workers compensation insurance carrier was Tribal First. Employee Assistance Program: Our EAP provider was Reliant Behavioral Health (RBH). Confidential services were available to Tribal employees and their immediate families at no cost, including: • • Siletz Tribal Gaming Commission Administrative Assistant X2 • • • Tenas Illahee Childcare Center Cook Trainee Childcare Worker X3 • Labor Force: At the conclusion of 2021, the Siletz Tribal labor force was made up of: Siletz Tribal Members Other American Indians Non-American Indians Total Workforce 17 5 5 2 3 Counseling: 24-hour Crisis Help, Confidential Counseling, eAccess, Free 24/7 On-Demand Emotional Wellness Support, Peer Support Groups Life Balance: Financial Services, Home Ownership Program, Identity Theft Services, Legal and Mediation Services, Wills and Other Legal Forms, College Planning Program Workplace: Worksite Services, Supervisor Resources 127 9 48 184 Training Activities: COVID Infection Control Training Employee Incentive Activities: The Human Resources Department coordinates the Employee 7 Accounting by the Numbers It is the mission of the Administration Department to provide administrative support to Tribal programs and Tribal government for efficient delivery of programs and services to the Tribal membership and clients. Sharon A. Edenfield, administrative manager, oversees Accounting, Fringe Benefits, Information Systems, Facilities & Fleet, Property & Procurement, and Administrative Support staff. She also serves as the BIA self-governance coordinator, plan administrator, plan trustee and trust officer. Additionally, she serves as a member of the Audit and Investment committees and as staff representative to the Budget Committee. Sharon was also appointed to the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee (TTAC) by Sen. Ron Wyden. She also is co-chair of the General Welfare Exclusion Subcommittee for TTAC. The Tribe along with the nation were still being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For safety reasons, the doors continued to be closed to the membership and community. Services continued to be provided to those impacted, whether staff staggered their schedules to come into the office or worked from their homes. This will reflect throughout this annual report. The Accounting Department had many changes this year in personnel as three staff retired, four staff were promoted and two staff accepted positions in different departments. With all of the changes in personnel, Accounting was still moving forward with processing payments for the much-needed services the programs were providing. The fourth quarter focused on getting positions filled and building morale back throughout the department; with attention to team building. The 2020 tax information was mailed out in a timely manner. Bluebird CPAs in Reno, Nev., completed the 2020 audit, which due to COVID was conducted remotely for the second time. The 2020 audit received an unqualified opinion (highest rating). Audit had one compliance finding, regarding a reporting deadline. The finding did not impact financial statements (Tribe has 122 grants, two grants had a deadline finding; which equals 2% of all grants). 2020 2021 PRC Check Run (checks processed by PRC Dept.) 3,069 3,388 Accounts Payable Checks/ Vouchers* 70,879 58,310 Payroll Check/Vouchers* 6,786 7,010 Cash Receipts 3,653 4,389 W-2s* 441 349 1099s & NEC* 4,970 4,938 Credit Card Transactions* 5,943 9,896 Grants & Contracts* 100+ 122+ EPR Programs 58 55 Funds 15 18 Finance Positions 2 2 Accounting Positions 13 14 Audit Findings 1 N/A *data includes entities (STBC, STGC, TICCC) The Trust Officer provides assistance to Minors, Adult Trust and Unclaimed Funds: • 1,659 Minor Trust (MT) accounts with 28 new accounts at Sovereign • 61 MT payments issued from Stifel (January-July 2021) totaling $356,000 • 82 MT payments issued from Providence/ Sovereign (August-December 2021) totaling $435,000 • 14 Adult Trust (AT) cash accounts at Stifel • 1 AT payment request totaling $2,000 • Transitioned Minor Trust accounts to new investment advisor, Sovereign, and third-party administration services, Providence, in August • Liquidated all MT accounts with Stifel in August. Transferred MT investment value data to Sovereign • Transferred data files (address, etc.) to Providence for MT administration services in August followed with monthly address and/or other data change updates • Coordinated with Providence to mail annual MT Sovereign investment statements • Mailed AT annual Stifel investment statements The Information Systems Department provided services to all Tribal programs and employees. Highlights of a few accomplishments include: 8 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Surveillance cameras at Tolowa and Takelma Court Admin building Sonitrol and fire panel upgrade Set up 150 users to connect to the network and work from home Ordered and configured 175 laptops for home use with AnyConnect Set up the use of TEAMS, Zoom and GoToMeeting for employees to meet virtually NextGen migration to virtual server Upgraded I2I software with all of the COVID-19 changes Windows 10 operating system upgrades RoboClass set up for COVID vaccine Call Manager and Unity Upgrade Network security upgrades Meraki Switch addition and upgrade Laserfiche Workflow Eaglesun software upgrade Updated optometry EHR module OmniSys Fusion IVR upgrade for pharmacy MIP and HR management upgrades Medical X-ray server replaced Medical inventory control Replace Check Point device Continue training – all staff continue to learn new technologies as things in the IT world change The Facilities & Fleet Department maintains usage of Tribal facilities and vehicles. The Tribal Community Center remained closed due to COVID, but was used for the Tribal election and a General Council meeting. The department maintained 43 GSA vehicles with 26 for departments to check out – 14 in Siletz and four in each area office. The remaining 17 vehicles are assigned to eight different programs. The Tribe owns 28 vehicles that are dispersed among seven departments. The department also continues responsibility of the Public Works bills. During the year, staff also assisted with Administration and various programs as needed. The Property & Procurement Department processed 6,164 requests from stock inventory and purchase orders for a total savings of $174,721. This department, along with Fleet, worked staggered hours due to the pandemic and assisted with programs where needed. Procurement accepted excess surplus on a regular basis from Chinook Winds Casino. Also the department has continued to recycle obsolete computers from Tribal programs. The Administrative Support staff provides daily clerical assistance to Central Administration managers and other Tribal programs, which includes assistance to Tribal functions. Administrative staff also were charged with the computer project. Due to a limit of computers that could be ordered, IPads were also issued with 21 of them shipped. Staff continues to distribute The People Are Dancing Again history book to Tribal members. To date, 1,936 have been distributed to the membership. Books are also distributed to new Tribal hires and gifted to organizations with which the Tribe works closely. • • • • • Staff also: Distributed 7 laptops to Higher Education/Adult Vocational Training students Sold 58 Pendleton saddle blankets Sold 107 Pendleton robe blankets Sold 11 Tribal flags Sold 8 Tribal mugs Nee-dash on Nye Beach in Newport, Oregon 9 The majority of Housing Department staff continued to work a hybrid schedule consistent with COVID-19 phase 1 protocols for 2021. All employees worked full time with many added job responsibilities centered in deploying COVID assistance. In addition to providing existing housing services, we implemented new programs through Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Our two newest programs focus services to provide housing stability to households that experienced a material impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Homeownership Assistance Fund (HAF) Pilot Program: Utilizing funding received from the U.S. Treasury as part of the American Rescue Plan, the Housing Department provided assistance to Tribal homebuyers who experienced a material impact due to COVID-19. The program was live for less than 120 days and expended the initial allocation. The HAF is in the Treasury queue awaiting review. Total Expenditure: $382,887.14 Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP): Utilizing funding received from the U.S. Treasury CARES Act, the Housing Department provides assistance to Tribal households who are renters and who experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19. The program provides up to 12 months of rent arrearage and utility payments, provided the arrearage occurred due to COVID-19 impact. Total Expenditure: $1,717,957.91 The cumulative totals for additional CARES Act rent and mortgage relief: CARES Mortgage Relief CARES: $928,715.61 IHBG: $325,317.56 Total Expenditure: $1,254,033.17 CARES Rent Relief CARES: $624,448.39 ICDBG: $659,478.20 Total Expenditure: $1,283,926.59 The Student Rental Assistance Program had a record 71 eligible students this year. We are able to provide assistance to all eligible students, in addition to provid- 10 ing assistance to 35 elder households, by utilizing funds made available through the Indian Housing Block Grant and IHBG CARES Act funds. We are able to utilize IHBG CARES Act funds to assist students with COVID impact. Mamook Tokatee is the second partnership development project with the Native American Youth Association. Mamook Tokatee is a 55-unit apartment complex in Northeast Portland with 20 units secured for American Indian households. Siletz households have first preference in admissions for the 20 units. Construction delays have pushed occupancy and move-in date to mid-February 2022. Salem – Pre-development activities are occurring for the affordable housing development that will be built in Salem. Current program goal is 30-40 units of affordable housing – half for low-income Tribal families and half for non-low-income Tribal families. The environmental review has been completed and the FONSI/RROF (Finding of No Significant Impact/ Request Release of Funds) has been published. The Architect and Engineer Request for Proposals (RFP) contract has been awarded to Rodd Hansen. Rodd Hansen is developing the design to remodel the eight-plex in Siletz that will add dedicated space, electric and plumbing for washers and dryers. In 2019, the executive housing director was appointed by Gov. Kate Brown to serve as a member of Oregon’s Housing Stability Council (HSC). The HSC mission is to provide leadership in, and review and set policy for, the development and financing of affordable housing throughout Oregon. The HSC consists of a nine-person board that meets one day each month. HB2100 Task Force – HB2100 was introduced in January 2021 and ultimately signed by Gov. Brown on July 14, 2021. The bill directs the formation of a task force on homelessness to submit a report to the legislature by Jan. 15, 2022. The Task Force consists of 19 people, including four members of Oregon’s legislature. It was designated to investigate potential changes in Oregon’s funding structure to address racial disparities among people experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness. The task force concluded its initial work with multiple recommendations to move toward racial equity in the homeless services system, including pathways for culturally specific service providers to directly receive funding. The STCCF Advisory Board continued to meet via Zoom each quarter to review applications and send recommendations to Tribal Council for the distribution of charitable funds to a variety of nonprofit organizations. Funding for 2021 charitable distributions was based on dedicated excess pledge revenue generated during 2019 casino operations plus accrued interest and any carryover. A total of 234 eligible applications were received for the year and $1.4 million was available to distribute. The Advisory Board recommended and Tribal Council approved 120 awards totaling $740,011. Overall, 51% of applicants received charitable funding. The median was $3,750 and the average was $5,250 per award. To help mitigate the economic impact of COVID, charitable funding continued to prioritize food security, health, education and public safety. STCCF Advisory Board members were Tribal members Sharon Edenfield (Tribal Council), Cheryl Lane, Rebekah Goulet and Kurt Arden; and non-Tribal community members Karen Gerttula, Mike Holden and Dick Anderson. Holden served as board chair and Denise Garrett as advisory board staff/secretary. Molly Hollis and Lena Rippin 2020 STCCF Charitable Giving by Category The Arts $ 5,000.00 Cultural Activities $ 5,970.44 Education $ 338,743.14 Drug & Alcohol Treatment $ 10,000.00 Health $ 124,134.56 Other Charitable Purposes $ 22,680.76 Environment & Natural Resource Preservation $ 27,358.07 Historical Preservation $ 83,610.96 Housing $ 14,000.00 Prevention $ 35,320.00 Public Safety $ 73,193.23 Total $ 740,011.16 Bruce Butler Jane Hollis Butler, Harriet Hunsucker Brown and John Brown 11 The Programs 1 Department includes six social service programs – Elders, U.S. Department of Agriculture (food distribution), 477 Self-Sufficiency, Indian Child Welfare, Vocational Rehabilitation and Tribal Home Visiting. The Elders Program is partially funded by federal grants as well as gaming revenue. Through a Title VI Nutrition and Support Services grant, the elders Title VI coordinator helps elders access the Meals on Wheels program in the Siletz area. Due to COVID-19, the Elders Program delivered meals to any elder who requested them. This year, 2,237 meals were delivered, 1,145 of which were new COVID meals and were paid for by separate grants. Sixty-four meals were served at the meal site in Toledo. A total of 2,301 meals were provided to help meet the nutritional needs of elders in the Siletz community. The Title VI elders coordinator and the elders receptionist had 20,348 contacts and referrals through outreach, telephone calls, home visits, case management, information for elders, referrals and new/updated elders assessments. Four elders worked as a direct result of CARES Act funding to conduct check-in calls with elders who requested them. Elders are paid up to 40 hours per week; they cannot exceed 500 hours per calendar year. They accrue no leave or benefits. The Elders Program continues to partner with the Tribal Natural Resources Department to provide firewood for elders through wood cutting events. Volunteers deliver wood to needy elders who cannot transport the wood themselves. Advertising for these events goes in the Tribal newspaper and the Elders newsletter. The Elders newsletter is distributed monthly to all Tribal elders. Natural Resources held two wood cuts this summer. During the year, the elders were involved in only two activities due to COVID-19. The Elders Council approved a trip to Portland to see the Trailblazers play the Utah Jazz in December and hosted a holiday party at Chinook Winds Casino. All Elders Council meetings were hosted via Zoom. At the end of 2021, there were 987 Tribal elders. Each one receives a monthly stipend ranging from $100 to $300, depending on their age. Elders Program staff is responsible for coordinating Tribal member funerals/potlucks at the Tribal Community Center. The Tribe has budgeted $200 per funeral/potluck. 2021 has been a challenge for the USDA Program as it has been for most departments within the Tribe. The recently promoted program director is working 12 Colusa & Johnny Williams on community outreach so Tribal members have a better understanding of our program. In the beginning of 2021, a goal was set to switch our inventory system from Automated Inventory System (AIS) to Integrated Food Management System (IFMS) and we have been using IFMS since April. It is more efficient and better for our program as it automatically combines the two warehouses for reports. The help desk is working on a report that will allow us to separate Siletz, Grand Ronde and other households served for our reports. Also in 2021, our ceiling fan was installed at the Salem warehouse that was purchased with USDA COVID funds. Our participant numbers continue to fluctuate back and forth but slowly keep going down. In order to reduce food loss, we continue to revise our food purchases to match demand as well as we can. In the future, we plan to have all “best if used by” dates readily available and easy to view. When a food shipment comes in, the new dates will be added to the chart right away. The 477 Self-Sufficiency Program (477SSP) coordinates funding from the following federal agencies: Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In addition, we coordinate funding from the State of Oregon’s Department of Human Services. We consolidate our funding into a single budget, allowing us to prioritize programs most in demand. This reduces administrative costs and prevents duplication of services. We help American Indian/Alaskan Native/ Hawaiian participants overcome barriers to employment and promote self-sufficiency by offering up to 15 distinct programs. We offer cash assistance through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Non-Needy Caretaker Relative (NNCR) and General Assistance for Single Adults (GASA). We provide employment and training services through Classroom Training (CRT), Work Experience (WEX), On-the-Job Training (OJT), Direct Placement (DP), Core Service, Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) and Diverted Services. In addition to these programs, we offer a Home Visiting Program that utilizes the Family Spirit curriculum. Once clients are enrolled in services, we may offer them child care assistance, support services, employment and wellness workshops, and culture activities. • • • • • • • • 2021 Highlights 254 applications, including 67 new cases 80 approved files Program staff made 315 outside referrals 1,390 contacts or appointments made 59 clients completed a significant goal and received an incentive award 24 clients entered unsubsidized employment 93 clients had an overall successfully case closure A combined total of 657 open cases TANF Pandemic Emergency Assistance Program (PEAF): The program received TANF funds from the American Rescue Plan Act specific to non-recurrent short-term benefits. The program developed a short-term program to provide school clothing and supplies to families receiving SNAP benefits or USDA. The funding required an income test and it was open to families throughout the United States. The 477 staff in Salem implemented the program and assisted a significant number of Tribal families within a short period. The program provided $300 for school clothing and $50 for supplies for each eligible child. The program operated in 2022 as well, to spend the remaining funds. Life Skills Virtual Summer Classes: This summer we had an eightweek life skills series with youth age 12-18 via Zoom. Our planning group included eight 477 staff from each area office. We developed eight weeks of topics and each staff member was in charge of a week, taking care of everything for that week’s topic. We assembled gift bags for each youth that included snacks, file folders, journal, pens, USB, smudge kits and a dental care package. We collaborated with other departments to help facilitate workshops and several provided financial assistance to help with supplies and incentives (gift cards, George Foreman grills, snacks). As a group, we came up with a stipend that each youth would get at the end based on how many classes they attended – $25 per class for a total of $200 plus a $50 bonus if they attended all eight weeks. Twelve youth completed all eight weeks and received $250 on a Visa gift card. Nine youth went to seven weeks of classes and four went to six classes. We gave each youth a Visa gift card and a certificate of completion stating how many classes they attended. Throughout all eight weeks, we had many gift cards of $10-$25 the youth had a chance to win by participating in class, keeping their cameras on and volunteering. Fifty youth signed up and 31 were Siletz Tribal members, 11 were Siletz descendants, four were from other Tribes, three lived in a household with a Tribal member and one was a descendant of another tribe. An average of 31 kids came consistently each week and 37 youth attended overall. Workshop topics included orientation, expectations and icebreakers, self-care, financial planning, learn to cook, education preparedness, culture activities, career profiling and assessments, and volunteering in communities. According to the poll conducted at the end of week eight, the week the kids seemed to like the most was the culture activity. At this workshop, Nick Viles spoke on the history of the Siletz Tribe and we made baskets. In 2021, the Indian Child Welfare Program closed 17 children’s cases. Ten children were returned to parents, one child was adopted and six entered guardianships (four with their Indian custodians). The Siletz Tribe along with Tribes across Oregon continues to experience a shortage of foster homes. This shortfall impacts Tribal communities and the placement of Tribal children. ICW is currently in a passive recruitment phase. This means ICW will follow the guidance of Tribal administration by minimizing contact with clients and working from home whenever possible. If an emergency placement resource needs to be certified to place a Siletz child, ICW staff will observe all safety measures and work to certify that placement. The default case plan for ICW-involved children is to work a return to parent/ parents or relatives. Guardianship with relatives is the preferred concurrent plan in the event that circumstances make it impossible for children to return to their parents. In all cases ICW staff makes every effort to identify and certify a relative or Tribal placement that is culturally appropriate for every Siletz child who enters foster care. Since COVID-19 happened, ICW has been uniquely situated to provide our services remotely. In many instances, our cases occur outside of our geographic and service area, so ICW was already prepared and poised to conduct our work remotely. 13 ICW has been able to nearly seamlessly apply those ongoing practices to our local work. The one area that has been impacted is the foster home certification process. Due to safety concerns, staff is only certifying homes in urgent or emergency instances. We are in the first year of a five-year funding agreement for the Siletz Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Program; we closed our sixth year with six consecutive years of 100%+ grant objectives fulfilled. STVRP has been understaffed for the whole year, with two staff members transferring to other positions within the Tribe. 2021 Services provided Quarter # of # of eligibility new determina- IPEs tions Amended IPEs # of total IPEs Job Successful Placements Closures 1st Qtr. 4 4 0 20 3 2 2nd Qtr. 3 6 4 21 0 2 3rd Qtr. 3 4 3 26 4 0 4th Qtr. 4 4 3 13 1 0 Total 14 18 10 80 8 4 STVRP provides individualized guidance and counseling to Tribal members with disabilities in obtaining or maintaining work. Services provided include systems advocacy, referral to services, assistive technology, adaptive equipment, job coaching, transportation, communication, mental health restoration, cultural services, training placement opportunities and rehabilitation services needed to be successful in an employment goal. The Tribal Home Visiting Program is under Programs I Manager Anita Bailor and a part of the 477-SSP program under Kurtis Barker, 477/SSP director. It provides parenting and life skills for successful and positive parenting. We serve Siletz families who are either expecting or have infants less than 12 months old, continuing through the child’s 3rd birthday. Home Visiting 2021 Data Quarter # of enrolled families # of home visits conducted # of new enrolled # of families who exited program 1st Qtr. 59 59 1 5 2 Qtr. 47 51 1 7 3rd Qtr. 37 48 2 3 th 4 Qtr. 33 44 0 0 Total 176 202 4 15 nd 14 The model and curriculum we provide is called Family Spirit, which was developed by the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. During the year, the program completed 202 home visits via Zoom, FaceTime or other video chat options. In early 2021, the program was approved to conduct in-person visits with safety protocols implemented, but that was suspended due to increases in COVID-19 cases locally. Trainings, Webinars, Conferences and Conference calls: During the year, a current 477/ SSP staff member attended virtual Family Spirit training to become a home visitor. Our team now has three staff qualified to implement the Family Spirit model. Staff attended webinars provided by Family Spirit on Indigenous People’s Day and Honoring Home Visitors by Incorporating Mindfulness. Other trainings staff attended included Trauma and Its Manifestations, Indigenous Wisdom for Listening to Children and Families, and Supporting Tribal Populations through Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. In November, the home visitors started monthly check-in and follow-up training calls as a team with Cibonay Jimenez, Family Spirit’s director of innovations and special projects. Home Visiting staff also attends all 477 client workshops, trainings and weekly staff meetings, and other trainings. Activities: Home Visiting finished a collaboration project with the Education Department on the early language books. All four books were mailed in December to every Tribal household. The program also completed a virtual family story-time activity that was considered a success. Community Partners: The program finished two six-week parenting workshops, which were offered weekly from March-May and again in SeptemberOctober. We collaborated with the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw (CLUSI) and Cow Creek Tribes as well as the Oregon Department of Human Services. Classes were taught via Zoom in the evenings by our presenter Loraine Brave. Topics included child development, self-care, Native storytelling, discipline techniques, picky eaters and youth mental health. Tribal employee Rachel Zinn presented on the youth mental health topic, addressing “Signs Your Youth Might Need Extra Help.” Twenty-one families participated and 10 were Siletz families. All Programs 1 staff participated in virtual team building activities led by Paul Spindel, including how to deliver services in this COVID time we continue to find ourselves in. While this was far different than the team activities we’ve held in the past, it was the best attempt to gather us all for the purpose of building connection and providing some training. We all look forward to being able to gather together in the future. The Programs 1 Department was understaffed at the end of 2021 with the following positions vacant: ICW program administrator, case worker and foster family coordinator; on-call elder transporters in Eugene and Siletz; Elders Council coordinator; Vocational Rehabilitation Program coordinator and job developer/ counselor; USDA Program clerk; and the Programs 1-2 clerk. At this time, with COVID restrictions being set out further into the future, we are currently recruiting for the ICW administrator, Elders Council coordinator and the Vocational Rehabilitation coordinator. This will be re-assessed and acted on when we fully return to the workplace. All Programs 1 staff are able to work remotely from their homes. The Programs 1 workplace emphasis remains fully serving clients in a timely manner. Every program component we can conduct continues at the same service level as pre-COVID. We are limited in some activities to maintain safety for the clients we’re serving as well as program staff. We do look forward to the future and being able to safely gather again. The Programs I manager is responsible for oversight of these social service programs, which includes direct supervision of four supervisors and one program clerk. The manager is a backup for program directors when needed and is responsible for meetings, communication and coordination of the programs and staff. The Programs I clerk is responsible for office administration and is trained to be a backup for clerical staff in the other programs as needed. Jane Yana, Molly Hollis, Stanley Strong, Mamie Strong, Mary Catfish (5 Generations of Strong family) (L to R) Kate Chantelle, Pearl Rilatos, John & Lilly Ponsee 15 Programs 2 houses the following departments: Child Care Assistance, Head Start, Culture, Education, Language and Traditional Arts, Pow-Wow/Cultural Education and Youth Services. Programs 2 staff is responsible for planning and implementing the Tribe’s largest annual events: • Annual Easter Egg Hunt • Memorial Day Ceremony • Annual Student Gathering to honor Higher Education & AVT students • Culture Camp • Nesika Illahee Pow-Wow • Run to the Rogue • Restoration Pow-Wow Programs 2 staff also implements the Tribe’s education and culture-related resource programs and classes: • Higher Education grants • Adult Vocational Training (AVT) grants • Adult Education funding • Tribal Youth Education & Employment (TYEE) programs • Student Incentive Awards • Youth Activity fund • Johnson O’Malley (JOM) • Individual Cultural Enhancement grants • Language classes • Cultural education classes • Child Care Assistance program • 4 Head Start classrooms Three of the Tribe’s eight standing committees are within Programs 2: • • • Culture Committee (staff representative Robert Kentta) Pow-Wow Committee (staff representative Buddy Lane) Education Committee (staff representative Alissa Lane-Keene) 2021 Summary: 2021 was a highly productive year for Programs 2. Existing with COVID-19 (for the second consecutive year), all Programs 2 departments continued to utilize online platforms for delivery of services. Through innova- 16 tive program design, Programs 2 staff successfully provided seamless uninterrupted delivery of services to the Tribal membership. Staff thoughtfully designed programing and meaningful online outreach efforts that provided stability and consistency to the membership in the areas of child care assistance, Head Start, culture, language, education and youth services. The Child Care Assistance Program continued to offer robust assistance to families with child care needs through the year. With much preparation and an abundance of care and caution, three of the Tribe’s four Head start sites opened in the fall of 2021 to inperson instruction. The program transitioned two of these three classrooms to full-day learning to benefit our youngest of Tribal members. Education staff experienced continued growth in enrollment in their JOM, Higher Education and AVT programs. The Culture Department increased the occurrence and levels of language classes and saw great successes in Zoom-adapted traditional arts and culture nights. Programs 2 staff have worked diligently to create online events in place of both our small and larger communal events to provide the feeling of connectedness among Tribal members. All of our initiatives have been well-received by the Tribal membership and we continue to strive to meet the child care, educational and cultural needs of all Tribal Members. Accomplishments: An education specialist is located in each Tribal office (Siletz, Salem, Portland and Eugene). They provide primary and secondary education services to Tribal members from Head Start through grade 12 who reside in the 11-county service area through the Johnson O’Malley and Youth Activity programs. Tribal education specialists provide advocacy, tutoring, and recreational and cultural activities. They design and implement relevant activities to prepare students for postsecondary education endeavors. Each one works closely with school district staff, Indian Education specialists and Tribal Attendance Promising Practices (TAPP) coordinators for the betterment of Tribal students in their respective area. Education specialists also assist Tribal students pursing bachelor and associate degrees as well as those enrolled in vocational training or trade programs. They work with colleges and universities throughout the U.S. on behalf of Tribal students. Together, Sonya Moody-Jurado (Salem), Katy Holland (Portland), Candace Hill (Eugene), Alissa Lane-Keene/Jeff Sweet (Siletz), worked together to provide robust programming for Tribal students of all ages. • • • • Tribal Youth Conference: In partnership with the Tribal Youth Services team, Education staff and the Youth Services coordinator created a virtual format to deliver our annual Tribal Youth Conference. The group collaborated with the Native Wellness Institute and added Supaman as a guest presenter for what was an extremely successful and empowering two-day gathering of 50 engaged Tribal youth. CTSI Outreach Events (College Information Nights; FAFSA Night; Tutor Me Night and Adult Education Outreach Night): The four education specialists created several comprehensive College Information Nights for the Tribal members. Each session included representatives from major universities and community colleges, and provided comprehensive information on applying for college, financial aid, scholarships and grants, being a transfer student, campus living, accessing Tribal housing assistance and more. These Zoom events proved to be extremely successful in connecting Tribal members to education staff and resources. JOM family engagement send-home activities: Education staff worked diligently this past year to engage JOM students throughout the 11-county service area via COVID-safe methods for providing family engagement activities. Enrolled JOM students were able to register for monthly “send-home” kits that consisted of items thoughtfully selected to encourage family engagement and creativity, and stimulate young minds and bodies. Kits included a healthy snack box (per household) each month from a Siletz Community Health Clinic partner program. Education staff realized high numbers of enrollment and participation throughout all four areas. CARES COVID-19 STREAM kits: Education specialists put together a CARES/ COVID learning kit program funded through CARES COVID dollars. The group named the program STREAM (standing for Science Technology Reading • • Engineering/Environment Art & Mathematics). The program’s intent was to counter the disruption of education services caused by the pandemic. Staff provided Tribal youth with innovative learning materials throughout the summer months. This program was open to all enrolled Siletz Tribal members between 3-18 years old (if returning to a high school or GED program) across the U.S. This program served 927 students and expended $290,394.01. COVID Youth Assistance program: Education staff designed a COVID Youth Assistance payment program funded through CARES to help working-age youth who may not be able to safely find work, have seen a reduction in work hours, or have been laid off or cannot work due to COVID. This program consists of a one-time $1,000 payment to enrolled Tribal member youth between 14-18 years old (if returning to a high school or GED program in the fall). Throughout the U.S., 269 Tribal members were served and $269,000 expended. BIA CARES School Supply Stipend (JOM) program: Education staff created a robust school supply stipend program funded through BIA CARES. This program was developed to help families purchase traditional school supplies, COVID personal protective equipment, cleaning and sanitizing products, and newly required individual items such as water bottles and hand sanitizer for school. This program served 422 JOM students and expended $63,300. Nee-Dash 17 The Education Committee works to provide opportunities for all Tribal members to their reach full potential, establish independence and improve their quality of life through education and lifelong learning. It met nine time times during 2021. The committee awarded $9,000 in scholarships that benefited nine Tribal students attending post-secondary education programs. Youth Services Coordinator Jeff Sweet works year-round providing an array of activities for Tribal youth. This year he worked even more closely with Education staff to design and implement a comprehensive list of activities for Tribal and JOM youth. Jeff was key in designing and implementing all JOM and CARES-COVID programming throughout 2021. During position vacancies, Jeff assumed more program responsibilities. He did an amazing job connecting Tribal families with services while providing addition support to the program manager. Director DeAnn Brown oversees the Tribe’s Child Care Assistance Program that helps Tribal families in the 11-county service area with securing child care services and child care expenses. In 2021, the program served 29 families – 5 Siletz-area families, 5 Eugene-area families, 5 Salem-area families, 11 Portlandarea families through the certificate program and 3 Tenas Illahee Childcare Center, totaling 50 children: • • • • • 10 Siletz-area children 6 Eugene-area children 11 Salem-area children 17 Portland-area children 6 at the Tenas Illahee Childcare Center In addition, another 12 Siletz Tribal children were served at the Tenas Illahee Childcare Center but they were not CCDF-eligible. Under the direction of DeAnn Brown, Head Start director, the Siletz Tribal Head Start program prepares 3- and 4-year-olds for entering kindergarten. The Tribe has four Head Start classrooms, one in Siletz, Lincoln City, Portland and Salem, all known for their outstanding programming. All classrooms provide developmentally appropriate curriculum, health screening and bus transportation for students. Our classrooms offer a culturally enriched environment, complete with Siletz Dee-ni language lessons and regular cultural activities. In the fall of 2021, with much care and consideration, three of our four Head Start classrooms opened to in-person instruction (Siletz, Salem and Lincoln City). Siletz and Salem transitioned to full-day learning, while Lincoln City remained at half day. Our Portland classroom remained closed during this time due to lack of staffing. One hundred twelve (112) children were enrolled across our three open locations during 2021. DeAnn, her teachers and support staff have worked tirelessly to keep students safe while focusing on their education needs. 18 Culture Resource Director Robert Kentta oversees the Tribal Culture program. Robert represents the Tribe on various cultural matters and specializes in site protection, Tribal laws and traditions, governmental policies and NAGPRA. Throughout 2021, Robert provided numerous presentations via Zoom, gave final review of SB13 curriculum and aided in guiding individuals and/or groups who inquire on the topic of land acknowledgment within our ancestral homelands. Robert also spent time maintaining the Tribe’s collections. Representing the Tribe on post-2020 fire response teams, the Interstate Bridge Replacement project, Willamette Falls Trust and the Indigenous Gardens Network, Robert provides a cultural resources perspective in these various arenas. Cultural Resources Technician/Historical Researcher Peter Hatch and Historical Research clerk Marci Simmons are both housed within the Cultural Resources Department. Peter assisted the Cultural Resources director in providing Tribal consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office and other federal, state, local and county agencies on cultural resource matters. Peter has also been responsible for providing appropriate historical information to Tribal members, approved researchers, agencies, nonprofits and the general public when requested. He also continued to serve as the staff representative to the Indigenous Gardens Network, which focuses on land management practices in our Southwest Oregon homelands. Marci continued her work transcribing important historical manuscripts. While tedious and time consuming, this work is extremely important to the Culture Department. Buddy Lane, Cultural Education Director, is responsible for planning and implementing the Tribe’s largest cultural events and is also charged with educating the wider population on Siletz culture, history and traditions through presentations and classes. Through Buddy’s vision, Tribal members were able connect virtually for our most coveted events despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Culture Camp; Nesika Illahee Pow-Wow; Run to the Rogue and Restoration were all offered through various virtual platforms. Buddy, with the assistance of the Culture Department, GIS and IS staff, and the clinic’s Diabetes Program, developed innovative ways for Tribal members to come together throughout the year. From sharing pow-wow memories from years past to tracking your miles virtually on Run to the Rogue to learning traditional artistry and harvesting through video instruction, we remained strong in our cultural connectedness. Throughout the year, Buddy led professional development presentations at local school districts and Native studies presentations for colleges and universities throughout Oregon. The Culture Committee awarded 74 Individual Cultural Enhancement grants in 2021. Buddy, with assistance from area education staff, processed these requests for awarded Tribal members. In November, 3,240 Siletz Restoration calendars were mailed to Tribal (heads of) households. As a team, Buddy, Nick Viles and Peter have development numerous lesson plans as part of their ongoing Senate Bill 13 – Tribal History Shared History placebased curriculum development. In February, Nick Viles assumed the position of Language and Traditional Arts instructor in the Culture Department. He quickly adapted program offerings and learning opportunities to virtual platforms. With support and collaboration from other Culture Department staff, Nick was able to design and launch weekly virtual language courses by spring and co-host monthly virtual culture nights with the cultural education director by summer. Together, Nick and Buddy offered monthly culture nights for Tribal members to learn about traditional arts, harvesting and ceremonies. These virtual sessions of learning and sharing have been a wonderful additional to the department’s annual activities. Nick also took on the project of creating a series of four early reader books in Siletz Dee-ni Wee-ya’. The set of four books were community-illustrated and designed especially for our youngest learners. A complete set of books was mailed to all Tribal households and videos of the books were posted online to assist Tribal members with pronunciation. Nick was appointed this past year as the culture staff representative for the SB13 – Tribal History Shared History place-based curriculum project. Nick worked diligently to organize and streamline the process of creating meaningful and accurate lessons. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Child Care Assistance & Head Start Statistics: 54 children were served through Child Care Assistance program 112 children were served through Tribal Head Start program Education Statistics: 142 students served through Higher Education program 28 students served through Adult Vocational Training program 10 students served through Graduate Funding program 17 students served through Adult Education program 1,425 students served through JOM program 127 youth served through Youth Activity program 71 students served through Student Incentive program 269 students served through COVID-19 Youth Assistance Program 422 students served through BIA/CARES School Supply Program 927 youth served through CARES COVID-19 STREAM Education Kits 9 students awarded Education Committee Scholarships Cultural Education and Language Statistics: 3,277 Tribal households received a complete set of Dee-ni board books 74 Tribal members were awarded an Individual Cultural Enhancement grant 3,240 Tribal households received a Restoration calendar Lucy Metcalf 19 Overall, STBC had a positive net income in 2021, mainly due to retention of existing tenants and the increase in monthly lease revenues. Hee Hee Illahee RV Resort: The resort’s contract manager made staff and subcontractor changes at the park. Occupancy was up slightly from 2020 and the resort maintains its top Good Sam rating. Logan Road RV Park: With plans to raise rates in 2022, the park underwent some deferred maintenance. We predict an increase in revenue for 2022. STBC describes 2021 as the year filled with change, challenges and accomplishments. We are consistently evaluating our strategy in the face of changing business environments and market conditions. As we look at how pandemic stress tested our portfolio and our business model, we noted the following: • • • At the onset of the pandemic, STBC took a proactive position and implemented a COVID Rent Relief policy that allowed tenants to suspend payments for up to five months. These payments were divided over several months and will be repaid over time. Three tenants took advantage of this program. Because of this policy, STBC was able to keep all of its existing tenants. Only one of our tenants continued to struggle during this period. One of the other tenants has been consistently paying down the amount owed and another only needed a brief amount of time to recoup. It repaid the suspended payment within a few short months. Direct tenant relationships with strong regional and national operators matter. Our tenants generally have the scale, financial strength and depth of management expertise to weather unanticipated disruptions, such as those caused by COVID-19. Some businesses thrived during the pandemic. The RV park industry is an example of this as many people took advantage of the working from home status and decided to take it on the road. They found they had all the technology they needed to stay connected, a safe way to travel and have a socially distant place to stay. STBC’s bottom line for 2021 shows lower expenses overall due to streamlined staffing and operations. STBC staff continues to monitor costs and evaluate systems to improve its overall efficiency. Personnel: STBC had some staff changes in 2021. Ann Lewis, commercial property manager, holds the position of acting CEO and Tracy Garrison, loan administrator/office coordinator, is now the assistant commercial property manager. There is an open position for the loan administrator/office coordinator. Financials: Retaining most its existing tenants, STBC has maintained its 91% occupancy rate with a grand total of 152,062 square feet. 20 Properties: Occupancy rate of the commercial real estate properties managed by STBC and Siletz Management, LLC ended the fourth quarter of 2021 at 91% (excluding the Siletz-Yaquina Riverfront Industrial Property). • • • • • • • • Deferred property maintenance included: Resurfacing the parking lot at the Lincoln Shores building Resurfacing a portion of the parking lot at the Harbor Freight Center in Salem Installing security cameras at most of the properties using CARES Act funds Installing thermal imaging technology at all STBC and Tribal offices managed by STBC using CARES Act funds Installing new upgraded energy-efficient LED indoor and outdoor lighting at several properties using Energy Trust of Oregon’s Small Business Energy Savings Grant money Installing a security fence at the Siletz Business Complex. This project was partially funded with CARES Act funds Installing a new fence at the Logan Road RV Park Completing a new roof at the Salem 2.0 shopping center Depoe Bay Building: Unfortunately, the Depoe Bay property was damaged by fire. STBC is in the process of determining the highest and best use for this property. Some deferred maintenance challenges need to be addressed as well as the parking constraints. With the real estate market on the Oregon coast seeing rapid growth and a shortage of housing, however, Depoe Bay has become a very desirable area. Siletz-Yaquina Riverfront Industrial Property: Stantec, an environmental consul- tant firm, recently completed a new master plan for the Toledo Mill site utilizing funds from an EPA Brownfield Grant. STBC worked with the City of Toledo on an easement to relocate the city’s existing waterline that ran almost the entire length of the property. Instead of running through the center of the property, the water line is now adjacent to the railroad line that also runs through the property. Salem Trust Property: This vacant land is earmarked for future development by the Siletz Tribe. A small portion is currently leased to a billboard company. Siletz Hotel: STBC recently executed a lease with the Siletz Tribal Arts & Heritage Society (STAHS) for the entire building. Salem Flex Building: This is the home of the Tribe’s Salem Area Office, the Tribal USDA Food Distribution Center, Super Bounce and Aramark. The building remained 100% occupied throughout 2021. One tenant was negatively impacted by COVID19 and continues to struggle. Our national tenant, however, is doing well and renewed its lease for an additional five years. Eugene Area Office: This is the home of the Tribe’s Eugene Area Office and a medical software company tenant that occupies the entire second floor. The building 100% occupied. Siletz Market and Gas: This property changed hands and the building is currently undergoing a complete remodel. The cost of the remodel is the sole responsibility of the new tenant. In addition, monthly revenue was also increased. Lincoln Shores: This property generated a profit and remained 100% occupied throughout 2021 with Tribal and casino entities. It is projected to remain fully occupied and generate a profit in 2022. Siletz Business Complex: This is the home of the Tribe’s Portland Area Office. The largest tenant is a medical training facility and a massage business. This property is 100% occupied. Due to safety and security issues, it was determined a full security fence would be added to this location. Utilizing CARES Act funds, a touchless gated system was installed. Logan Road Parking Lots: This property generated a profit in 2021. STBC executed a two-year lease with FEMA for families who lost their homes in the Echo Mountain Complex fire in Lincoln County. In addition to the monthly lease payments, FEMA added more than $1 million of infrastructure to the property. The lease is expected to expire in December 2022. The STBC Board is in the process of planning the highest and best use for the future of this property. Salem Development Properties 2.0: This property houses six separate leases with an occupancy rate of 80% and includes one national tenant. All tenants at this property are doing well. One of the main challenges facing STBC is managing homelessness issues at all properties, with Salem being the most difficult. STBC has developed a team to address the problem. This includes working cooperatively with the City of Salem Police Department, contract security and a towing company. This is a daily issue and although extremely challenging and time consuming, the efforts by the Siletz Tribe have helped to keep Salem’s Portland Road area properties clean and safe. New Acquisitions: STBC assisted the Tribe with two acquisitions in 2021. A property at 145 N. Gaither St. in Siletz will be the future home of a Tribal pharmacy and a property at 1831 SW Highway 101 in Lincoln City is the future home of a Siletz Tribal clinic. Both acquisitions should rate high within the Tribe’s portfolio. Medical acquisitions are listed as one of the top commercial real estate trends driving price appreciation in 2022. The Siletz Tribe Revolving Credit Program (STRCP) worked to continuously improve its operations and fulfill one of its primary missions – to help Tribal members access resources through a business, consumer or home improvement loan. STRCP finished the year issuing eight consumer loans and one home improvement loan for a total of $36,807.07. Twenty-eight loans were paid off in 2021, with only four past due. The STRCP board thoughtfully reviews all loan applications and actively encourages applicants to learn more about Tribal resources available to them that are outside of STRCP and also to gain business knowledge training should they pursue a business loan. It looks forward to continuing the improvement of the loan program for the benefit of the Siletz Tribal membership. Scott Lane Jr., Minnie Lane, Esther Pond, Alfred Pond 21 Executive Chef Michael Durham represented Chinook Winds on the Portland TV news show Good Day Oregon, promoting not only our partnership, but also our available in-person dining options and menu options. Chef Michael also hosted a Zoom event for the Friday night portion of the festival where he answered questions live while engaging viewers with our resort offerings and solidifying our importance in the community. The start of 2021 was challenging due to the unfortunate circumstances the pandemic brought to the state of Oregon. We reopened Jan. 15 after a six-week closure for the safety of our guests and team members. When we re-opened, our team and guests were ready for the sense of normalcy we provided. Although we had modified hours and operations, the resort was able to provide most of the reasons our guests enjoy visiting us – gaming, dining, the beach and great customer service. We continued to be a strong community partner while operating with a smaller staff and shortened hours. Marketing: We successfully modified outdoor events with anniversary fireworks, Brewer’s Golf Classic, Surf City and Celebration of Honor as well as indoor events like Comedy on the Coast and the popular Halloween party to ensure all guests felt, safe as well as had a sense of normalcy in the time of uncertainty. Our weekly promotions were strong and steady while new engaging promotions kept our guests entertained and encouraged multiple visits. We provided fun interactive promotions to keep our guests engaged throughout the year. The most successful and popular promotions were Monster Match and Hot Seat Hijinks as well as Anniversary Travelling Kinko Game, the Indian Summer Giveaway and Punch Into Summer The Surf City Classic Car Show and Sound-off was successfully rescheduled to October and raised more than $20,000 for Angels Anonymous. The original date in August was rescheduled due to closure, but our team made the best of it with live music and provided a safe event. We continued to host Late Night Comedy on the Coast and UFC viewing parties to round out our entertainment offerings. Four of our Facebook social media posts, including information on the buffet reopening, contribution to North Lincoln Fire and Rescue, increased operations post about opening more amenities and fewer restrictions on Feb. 15, and finally our Valentines Giveaway, reached a total of 54,159 viewers. This is an indication of our followers looking for content on our sites and our strength in engagement. We maintained a strong engagement among our social media community in all the offerings at Chinook Winds. The Chinook Winds mobile app continued to gain strength as a convenient resource of information for our guests by allowing our team to send immediate updates to our guests who chose to opt into staying up-to-date on events and promotions at the casino. Our partnership with the Newport Seafood and Wine Festival included several successful virtual events. 22 Operations: The Operations departments continued to offer our guests a safe and fun environment to play and our guest service continued to impress our guests. Despite the fears of COVID and another couple of closures in 2021, the Operations departments generated 4.2% more in revenue than budgeted. In 2021, Slots were 1.96% over budget for win and 4.1% over budget for net income. For Bingo, eight of the 12 months in 2021 were record months. We will continue to utilize the promotions we know to be successful and will keep innovating new promotions to keep our guests coming back. Total Keno sales, led by an extremely successful Keno coupon, were 16.87% over budget and 4.22% over 2019. Food and Beverage: 2021 was another year of challenges with the pandemic still controlling how we operated throughout the year. It started off with the casino closed until Jan. 15; with the reopening of the doors came the uncertainty of what the year would have in store for us. When we opened in January, we saw guest levels that exceeded expectations. We continued with our safety measures in place to ensure that team members and guests were protected to the best of our abilities. As the restrictions started to be removed and we headed toward normalcy, we faced a new variant that sent us back into another closure in August and then reopened with more restricted operations. Throughout all the obstacles and challenges that 2021 brought, Food and Beverage still managed to have a successful year. The Rogue River Room had a very successful year with all the uncertainty, restrictions and staffing issues. It ended the year 11.5% over budgeted revenue. The Siletz Bay Buffet reopened after a year-long closure with some modifications to service to ensure the safety of everyone. During the closure in December/ January, we took advantage of the time to reimagine a way for the buffet to operate safely and took the steps necessary to make those changes happen. We reopened the buffet with a hybrid-style of buffet service that could be safely executed by our team and allow us to welcome back our guests. The Euchre Creek Deli continued to be the outlet that was open during all casino operating hours, providing a range of options to our guests. It was impacted by the lack of big events that usually drives guests to the outlet for a quick meal. Banquets was a challenge in 2021. Many large events were canceled for the year due to the pandemic. Many small-group weddings took place throughout the year that kept the department operational, ending the year just below budgeted net revenue. Chinook’s Seafood Grill (CSG) had a recordbreaking year in revenue in 2021. Despite the restriction in place for social distancing, the grill came in at 49.7% over budget for the year. Aces Sports Bar & Grill continued to follow county/state guidelines of operations during 2021, with reduced hours and capacity limits until they were lifted by the governor. Even with all the restrictions, Aces managed to increase revenue by 19%. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Project Team: Installed 4 new variable air volume units Purchased 2 new portable AC units Installed smoking room automatic doors and direct ventilation Completed buffet remodel for salad bar and desserts Installed new louvers for air handling units 3-4 New AC unit in electrical room at floor bar New roof ladders Replaced RF1 roof cap Completed casino exterior paint Installed 2 new furnaces at Aces New flooring and fresh paint at hotel pet rooms New exterior hotel lighting New make-up air unit for Chinook’s Seafood & Grill Completed ocean-side windows on first floor of B, C and D buildings Finished new break area for hotel Built new slot bases Removed trees and shrubs in main casino parking lot Installed new reach-in beer coolers in the Rogue Installed new parapet flashing above the Rogue Cleaned casino main floor air duct • • • Golf and Hotel Hotel vs. last year: Average daily rate (ADR) up 5.9% Revenue per available room (REVPAR) up 32.94% Room revenue up 36.15% • • Golf vs. last year: Greens and cart fees up 6.64% Total pro shop and fitness revenue up 5.04% Gift shop sales increased by 59.15% vs. last year. We also set a record for the number of times we turned over our inventory in a year. Human Resources: We were still seeing an employee shortage at Chinook Winds due to the pandemic and ended the year with 583 employees. To help with hiring, we instituted weekly job fairs in the buffet every Tuesday. To help with retention, we increased the frequency of our employee recognition events from every quarter to every month, increased our pay during the summer months, and added a referral bonus and a hiring bonus for critical positions. Despite our shortage of employees, we were and still are able to offer the fun and excitement our guests are looking for when they visit our resort. Our outlook on 2022 is positive as we have found ways to maintain our core competencies and guest service advantages that make Chinook Winds great. We are looking for innovative ways to get new employees hired and retained through the next year so we can come out of the pandemic stronger than before. John Adams Family 23 Chairman Delores Pigsley Vice Chairman Alfred “Bud” Lane III Secretary Sharon Edenfield Treasurer Robert Kentta 24 Frank Aspria Sr. Lillie Butler Loraine Butler Sharon Edenfield Robert Kentta Alfred “Bud” Lane III Delores Pigsley Angela Ramirez Selene Rilatos Tillicum Fitness Center 1016 W Buford P.O. Box 320 Siletz, OR 97380 541-444-9656 Siletz Rec Center 1010 W Buford P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380 541-444-8209 Salem Area Office 3160 Blossom Drive NE, Suite 105 Salem, OR 97305 503-390-9494 Chinook Winds Casino Resort 1777 NW 44th St. Lincoln City, OR 97367 541-996-5825 chinookwindscasino.com Siletz Tribal Gaming Commission 2120 NW 44th St., Suite A Lincoln City, OR 97367 541-996-5497 Logan Road RV Park 4800 NE Logan Road Lincoln City, OR 97367 541-994-4261 loganroadrvpark.com Administration Building 201 SE Swan Ave. P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 541-444-2532 Eugene Area Office 2468 W 11th Ave. Eugene, OR 97402 541-484-4234 Hee Hee Illahee RV Resort 4751 Astoria St. NE Salem, OR 97305-1106 503-463-6641 heeheeillahee.com Siletz Community Health Clinic 200 Gwee-Shut Road P.O. Box 320 Siletz, OR 97380 541-444-1030 USDA Food Distribution Center Siletz Warehouse 815 Logsden Road P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380 541-444-8279 Siletz Tribal Business Corporation 2120 NW 44th St., Suite D Lincoln City, OR 97367 541-994-2142 stbcorp.net Tenas Illahee Childcare Center 930 W Buford Siletz, OR 97380 541-444-2450 Portland Area Office 12790 SE Stark St., Suite 102 Portland, OR 97233 503-238-1512 USDA Food Distribution Center Salem Warehouse 3160 Blossom Drive NE, Suite 185 Salem, OR 97305 503-391-5760 Visit the Tribal Members Only area on the Tribal website for enrollment postings, Tribal resolutions, language study materials, Nesika Illahee newsletter, Tribal member unclaimed funds, ordinance review, Tribal Council minutes, Paul Washington Cemetery details and other information. 25 Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 178 Salem, OR --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Aconfederated_siletz%3Ae73fb548056307e7. Public record. Not legal advice.