Quarterly meeting addresses fire season, gaming

By Sam Sandoval

PABLO - During a pleasant Friday last week, Tribal Council met for the fall 2006 quarterly meeting to discuss current issues, the fire season and the ever-evolving developments of gaming.

Tony Harwood updated the Council on the fire program. The fire program grew 60 percent in the last year, with 15 people on staff and 30 on fire crew. He also said they had eight fire engines and a heli-attack crew on standby. The 2006 fire season was busy with 94,000 fires across the United States that burned nine million acres. The Flathead Reservation itself had 94 fires, the largest being the Ashley Lake Fire that burned 3400 acres in the Mission Mountains. The Ashley Lake fire is still active and is being closely monitored by fire managers.

Before concluding, Harwood spoke about the Fire Education Project. Overseen by Germaine White, the Fire Education Project has been winning awards nationally. The book from the project, "Beaver Steals Fire," also won the 2006 American Indian Youth Services Literature Award (see related article).

Tribal Secretary Joe Dupuis began the afternoon session with updates about the ongoing negotiations with the state about tribal gaming and the tribe's purchase of Joe's Smoke Ring in Evaro. Locally, the CSKT tribe is at loggerheads with the State of Montana negotiators about the compact for tribal gaming, while fighting changes to Class II regulations on a national level.

Tribal Chairman James Steele then detailed the struggle with the Tribe and State's differences about the gaming compact. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes had submitted a proposal to the state that allowed the Tribes to take control of its gaming operations. Part of the issue has been the inequity of moneys generated from gaming that went to the State and Tribes. As it stands, the State gets a larger cut of the gaming moneys than does the Tribe, a clear contradiction to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. In response to the Tribe's proposal, the state of Montana countered with a proposal that allowed only 400 machines, a $2,000 dollar increase in jackpot winnings and no mention of the Tribes taking over all gaming operations.

Steele said that he and Council felt insulted by this counter-proposal and expressed disappointment with Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer. "He's worked well with us on all other issues," Steele said, "but when it comes to tribal gaming, his negotiators treat us like another gaming operation, not a sovereign nation." Steele said that the lack of movement from the Montana negotiators not only harms the Tribe's gaming efforts, but also non-tribal gaming businesses on the reservation. He said the Tribe wishes to work with the Lake County Tavern Association.

Presenting issues for the gaming situation on the national level, Cher DesJarlais of Decker and DesJarlais Law Firm, talked about the differences between Class II and Class III gaming and how the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) is trying to change the specifications of Class II gaming. She explained that states have no control of Class II gaming; therefore, state governments do not get any money from these machines.

NIGC has been working to alter Class II regulations that make it more difficult for tribes to profit from gaming and allows state and national governments to take larger shares of the profits. These actions are a direct contradiction of the purpose of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which is designed so tribes profit from gaming for the use of improving life for its members. The NIGC claims the new regulations will clear up issues with Class II gaming, especially details about what is considered bingo based games. Tribal Council is not convinced however, and has sought legal action against the NIGC.

Ultimately, said James Steele, the attacks on tribal gaming are attacks on tribal sovereignty as tribes use casinos as an economic development tool for use in reservation infrastructure, healthcare for children and the elderly, education and housing improvements.

Other concerns brought before council were:

* Problems with contacting people within the organization. Councilwoman Carole Lankford said the issue would be evaluated and corrected as needed.
* Pat Pierre, Salish Language educator and elder, asked Council for aid in repairing the Nkwusm Language School's roof.
* Tribal member and Lake County resident Wyman McDonald spoke about two initiatives being brought to the voters' ballots this fall. He also suggested council continue to look into the issue of split-families.

Concluding the quarterly meeting, councilman Steve Lozar responded to criticism that most of the tribal council members didn't attended the Peace Rally held at the DHRD parking lot. "Prevention of drug and alcohol abuse and domestic violence is important to me and this Council," he said.

Unfortunately, the Peace Rally was organized on the same day as the quarterly meeting, which had been scheduled months in advance.

According to the Tribal Constitution, Council members must attend the quarterly meetings; Lozar acknowledged this and said he felt bad he and the rest of Council could not attend the rally.

Tribal Chairman James Steele, Jr. represented the Council as he spoke at the rally.