The past week was supposed to be a week off for me, of sorts. I hadn't really had a true vacation since going to Japan two years ago, which now seems like a decade. So taking some time off meant the world to me, as I was slowly but surely getting burnt out. In fact I might have already been.
That didn't stop me from calling in for a meeting on Economic Development on Tuesday. And I definitely was inclined to do the same for our two-hour consultations with outside Counsel on how to handle the Leno Letter report. But sometimes you just have to take time for yourself, which I did.
Of course, most of my week was spent doing work-like stuff. Buying a new computer, transferring data from my old one(s). Having lunch with a Tribal member. Sorting out a credit card mistake. Home organizing. Home office organizing. Sorting through old clothes for Goodwill. Plotting out a new tattoo. Catching up on Netflix, since I pay for them and never watch them. You know, that kind of thing.
None of that prevented me from thinking about the Tribe, which I am convinced now is nigh on impossible. But I've gotten a few ideas. One you can see right now on the blog. It is called Twitter. I have heard of this for months, but the latest internet phenomenon never really got my attention until reading about how Charlie Villanueva of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks was jumped on by his coach for "tweeting" during halftime. Even John McCain, who now seems more web-literate than Joe Biden, tweets. Not sure if it will last, but it's easy, short, convenient, and doesn't nearly require the time to follow or write that a blog does. Seems worthwhile....
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
EconDev
A Tribal Council record of instruction was put out to sign on Thursday. Most everyone signed "yes". One Council member didn't like the wording, from what I can tell got two other Council members to change their votes to "no", and before you know it, a new R.O.I. was circulating. I am not sure what the hang up was, or why people changed their votes. It is hopefully not a sign of things to come, because if so, then the reason I opposed creating an Economic Development position/department two years ago is valid.
Here are a couple of observations I've made about economic development in Indian Country: one, it helps since tribes nationwide are all coming to the same realization that while gaming is lucrative, it is not indefinite and with there being limitations to the number of slot machines we can have, you can only add so many amenities to a casino, so many additional revenue drivers before the earning power of the facility starts to peak. Two, enabling an environment where economic environment is even possible might be the greater challenge.
There are multiple tribes in Oregon that have set good examples. One tribe has developed a minor food industry, a creamery, smokehouse, a truckstop cafe. Another, in Eastern Oregon, established the very impressive-looking Cayuse Technologies, though how that has panned out I cannot say. Yet another tribe has a golf course and sports bar, directions we've always talked about in Grand Ronde.
Several years ago we had multiple meetings on creating the position of Economic Development Director, a position that would have undoubtedly blossomed into a department. In the past we had Spirit Mountain Development Corporation, an operation that led to at least one good investment, the Gregory Lofts in the Pearl District of Portland. But for whatever reason that arm of the tribe ceased, one of the main reasons being something I am reluctant to say.
Discussions around creating the position/department ultimately floundered. There were different perceptions about how the we would engage in the process of looking at ventures. Some Council members thought the director would carry out the instructions of Council, while I personally saw it has being somewhat autonomous, with Council through the budget process supplying the necessary capital and having the patience to know that most ventures will be slow at first. In other words, don't expect a profit for some businesses the first year or two. As you might guess, the divergence in expectations played a large role in dousing the hopes the position would move forward.
I was told some time ago that the Grand Ronde Food and Fuel Company, or "GRFFCo" (pronounced griff-co), or the "C-Store" was a total pet project of some then-Council members. It was moved forward despite some objections, having been shown not to be the wisest investment. For the first two or three years, that might have been the case. In fact, it was the case. But now, if we've been informed correctly, the c-store is actually starting to make money, and supply jobs. Point is, you never know.
But the issue remains of to what extent Council needs to get involved in economic development. Business ideas are plentiful from our membership. Probably more than most issues I've gotten comments from Tribal members and non-members about how "such-and-such" would be a good way to make money. In the hallway, at lunch, at General Council meetings, on the phone, via email. Give our membership credit, they are creative and passionate when brainstorming ideas about how to help this Tribe boost earnings. But you have take them all for what they are, ideas, many of them improbable. Problem is, Council members are just as likely to do the same thing, and have the authority (and authority to money) to act on what they think are "eureka" type business ideas. I believe sometimes such thinking might have been integral to the Strategic Wealth Management debacle years ago, interesting considering SWM often seems the reason we are so gun-shy on these sorts of things.
Which goes back to the whole committee sheet at the beginning of this post. If we are haggling over the committee sheet, how will it go when it comes to actually investing the members' money?
Here are a couple of observations I've made about economic development in Indian Country: one, it helps since tribes nationwide are all coming to the same realization that while gaming is lucrative, it is not indefinite and with there being limitations to the number of slot machines we can have, you can only add so many amenities to a casino, so many additional revenue drivers before the earning power of the facility starts to peak. Two, enabling an environment where economic environment is even possible might be the greater challenge.
There are multiple tribes in Oregon that have set good examples. One tribe has developed a minor food industry, a creamery, smokehouse, a truckstop cafe. Another, in Eastern Oregon, established the very impressive-looking Cayuse Technologies, though how that has panned out I cannot say. Yet another tribe has a golf course and sports bar, directions we've always talked about in Grand Ronde.
Several years ago we had multiple meetings on creating the position of Economic Development Director, a position that would have undoubtedly blossomed into a department. In the past we had Spirit Mountain Development Corporation, an operation that led to at least one good investment, the Gregory Lofts in the Pearl District of Portland. But for whatever reason that arm of the tribe ceased, one of the main reasons being something I am reluctant to say.
Discussions around creating the position/department ultimately floundered. There were different perceptions about how the we would engage in the process of looking at ventures. Some Council members thought the director would carry out the instructions of Council, while I personally saw it has being somewhat autonomous, with Council through the budget process supplying the necessary capital and having the patience to know that most ventures will be slow at first. In other words, don't expect a profit for some businesses the first year or two. As you might guess, the divergence in expectations played a large role in dousing the hopes the position would move forward.
I was told some time ago that the Grand Ronde Food and Fuel Company, or "GRFFCo" (pronounced griff-co), or the "C-Store" was a total pet project of some then-Council members. It was moved forward despite some objections, having been shown not to be the wisest investment. For the first two or three years, that might have been the case. In fact, it was the case. But now, if we've been informed correctly, the c-store is actually starting to make money, and supply jobs. Point is, you never know.
But the issue remains of to what extent Council needs to get involved in economic development. Business ideas are plentiful from our membership. Probably more than most issues I've gotten comments from Tribal members and non-members about how "such-and-such" would be a good way to make money. In the hallway, at lunch, at General Council meetings, on the phone, via email. Give our membership credit, they are creative and passionate when brainstorming ideas about how to help this Tribe boost earnings. But you have take them all for what they are, ideas, many of them improbable. Problem is, Council members are just as likely to do the same thing, and have the authority (and authority to money) to act on what they think are "eureka" type business ideas. I believe sometimes such thinking might have been integral to the Strategic Wealth Management debacle years ago, interesting considering SWM often seems the reason we are so gun-shy on these sorts of things.
Which goes back to the whole committee sheet at the beginning of this post. If we are haggling over the committee sheet, how will it go when it comes to actually investing the members' money?
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Under-utilized
Some weekends, and weeknights, I go by the Tribal gymnasium to work out. Most people aren't aware there are multiple gyms and workout rooms at the Tribal offices, one in the Governance Center, one by the gymnasium, and yet another over at Natural Resources. Usually I call our security officers to let me in, since I prefer to work out in the evening when nobody else is around. Honestly, I don't work out nearly as much as I should.
The stage in the gymnasium was set up for some sort of performance. Speakers were out, a man and woman were rehearsing, and chairs were set up to accommodate and audience. A Christian concert will be taking place there tonight, a fundraiser for the Lighthouse Church up Grand Ronde rd., a place I understand where a number of Tribal members go, maybe even a Council member or two. Last summer I attended a heavy metal concert at the same venue. In addition, we've had funerals, General Council and community meetings, a conference on meth, and for that matter, a number of other conferences.
A lot of money has been poured into Tribal buildings over the last ten years. Most of them are quite modern, and compared to what was out here prior to Spirit Mountain Casino and the influx of money it brought, they are state-of-the-art. The main community centers were the local elementary school and St. Michael's Parish. I know, because that is where the Tribe had many functions prior. In the mid-1990's, I can remember the school gym is where we celebrated our Restoration.
The Tribal facilities are getting more use, that is true. But I can't help but wonder if they are getting enough. It would seem that with the influx of a few hundred new residents in 2003 and 2006 because of Tribal housing there would be a greater demand on the gym for recreational facilities, or other buildings for social gatherings. Maybe there is and I just don't know it. But most weekends I find a reason to drive by the Tribal offices and see buildings dormant on weekends. Perhaps people like their homes. It might be rural thing. I know this, having a free gymnasium to use is almost a luxury, what with what how much gyms charge these days. Admittedly, we are not Gold's Gym. But last week, Roy Jones, Jr. the former boxing champion who was in town to promote Spirit Mountain's first ever boxing match saw fit to use it. Safe to say it came in pretty handy then.
The stage in the gymnasium was set up for some sort of performance. Speakers were out, a man and woman were rehearsing, and chairs were set up to accommodate and audience. A Christian concert will be taking place there tonight, a fundraiser for the Lighthouse Church up Grand Ronde rd., a place I understand where a number of Tribal members go, maybe even a Council member or two. Last summer I attended a heavy metal concert at the same venue. In addition, we've had funerals, General Council and community meetings, a conference on meth, and for that matter, a number of other conferences.
A lot of money has been poured into Tribal buildings over the last ten years. Most of them are quite modern, and compared to what was out here prior to Spirit Mountain Casino and the influx of money it brought, they are state-of-the-art. The main community centers were the local elementary school and St. Michael's Parish. I know, because that is where the Tribe had many functions prior. In the mid-1990's, I can remember the school gym is where we celebrated our Restoration.
The Tribal facilities are getting more use, that is true. But I can't help but wonder if they are getting enough. It would seem that with the influx of a few hundred new residents in 2003 and 2006 because of Tribal housing there would be a greater demand on the gym for recreational facilities, or other buildings for social gatherings. Maybe there is and I just don't know it. But most weekends I find a reason to drive by the Tribal offices and see buildings dormant on weekends. Perhaps people like their homes. It might be rural thing. I know this, having a free gymnasium to use is almost a luxury, what with what how much gyms charge these days. Admittedly, we are not Gold's Gym. But last week, Roy Jones, Jr. the former boxing champion who was in town to promote Spirit Mountain's first ever boxing match saw fit to use it. Safe to say it came in pretty handy then.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Taking Ideas from the Blogosphere
You know, when I started this blog nearly two years ago, aside from just offering Tribal members another "news" channel, so to speak, it was also a chance for me to keep my writing skills from getting rusty. Writing is the focal point of what I studied in college, and as we've slowly almost eliminated the "Tilixam Wawa" as a regular publication, I worry if communication skills even matter anymore. They probably still do, but some days I don't know.
Thanks to my discovery of feeds, it has dawned on me that blogs can't always be what my hopes were for this one: an outlet for editorials and columns. The ones I've started following on the assorted feeds, like "US News & World", or "The Oregonian" email alerts are good examples of what blogs were originally intended to be, web-logs. In other words, logs...like journals, diaries, etc. Funny how the word "blog" has become accepted and integrated into our language so easily, because at first it seemed kind of like a silly word, but now even I don't think twice about it.
Anyway, one of the main reasons that my postings have decreased so much since I started this is due to the fact that my goal was always to have something refined and polished most of the time, like the editorials you see in daily newspapers. Problem is, that wears you down quick, especially when your doing it after hours, or during lunch. Doing it apart from work, instead of as work is a luxury that syndicated columnists enjoy. When it cuts into your spare time, sustaining the whole thing gets increasingly difficult.
So basically, I am going to try and follow the model of other bloggers. Meaning more frequently, a little informal, and not always the polished product I want, but hopefully what it is supposed to be, informative.
Thanks to my discovery of feeds, it has dawned on me that blogs can't always be what my hopes were for this one: an outlet for editorials and columns. The ones I've started following on the assorted feeds, like "US News & World", or "The Oregonian" email alerts are good examples of what blogs were originally intended to be, web-logs. In other words, logs...like journals, diaries, etc. Funny how the word "blog" has become accepted and integrated into our language so easily, because at first it seemed kind of like a silly word, but now even I don't think twice about it.
Anyway, one of the main reasons that my postings have decreased so much since I started this is due to the fact that my goal was always to have something refined and polished most of the time, like the editorials you see in daily newspapers. Problem is, that wears you down quick, especially when your doing it after hours, or during lunch. Doing it apart from work, instead of as work is a luxury that syndicated columnists enjoy. When it cuts into your spare time, sustaining the whole thing gets increasingly difficult.
So basically, I am going to try and follow the model of other bloggers. Meaning more frequently, a little informal, and not always the polished product I want, but hopefully what it is supposed to be, informative.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Prior Restraint
If you read the comments following this article, one of the readers makes an interesting point: realistically, there is no freedom of the press in Indian Country. In my experience, that is mostly true. What is interesting about this particular story is that the injunction comes from a Tribal Court, which if my understanding isn't way off means we're getting into some major jurisdictional issues. Or maybe not. I suppose we'll see. Check it out:
http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=9984
http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=9984
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
