Suquamish News - Oct. 2021

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Suquamish News

Suquamish.nsn.us

October 2021 | 1

Suquamish News Volume 21

October 2021

No. 10

Back to School

CKA Returns to the Classroom!

Chief Seattle Days 2021

Honoring those in Recovery — p5

In this issue: ELC adapts to challenges -- p4 Officer Honored -- p7 Tribal Welcome at Sea-Tac -- p9 Meet the new Health Clinic Dir. — p3

Fern Street Studios Open — p5

Honoring those in Recovery — p5

Suquamish News

2 | October 2021

Community Calendar Events & Meetings Suquamish Tribal Council Tribal Council meets Oct.4 & 18. Links are sent to Tribal members via SUN or ask Rebecca Purser, (360) 900-8031, rebeccapurser@suquamish.nsn.us.

Regular Hours

Government Offices Communications: (360) 394-7184/7102 Community Dev: (360) 394-8415 Community Health: (360) 394-8468/8594 2022 Government Budget Hearing Emergency Management: (360) 394-8507 will take place on Oct 18 @ 5pm via Emergency Work Orders: (360) 900-7050 Zoom. A SUN alert will be sent with log- Emergency Utilities: (360) 710-3223 in information.

Finance: (360) 394-8432 Fisheries: (360) 394-8438 Suquamish Warriors Health Benefits: (360) 394-8424 Suquamish Warriors meetings will be Human Resources: (360) 394-8409 on 1st Tuesdays @ 5:30pm at Suquamish Human Services: (360) 394-8465 Warriors Vet Center. For information, IT Help Desk: (360) 394-8485 contact Jean Belmont at (360) 601-7918. Maintenance: (360) 394-8590 Tribal Child Welfare: (360) 394-8480 PME Board meets online and in person Tribal Court: (360) 394-8697 on Oct. 13 @ 9am. Contact Emily Sato, emilysato@clearwatercasino.com (360) Suquamish Elders — contact: 598-8703.

Della Crowell (360) 394-8417 Donna Sigo (360) 394-8472 Suquamish Tribal Gaming Comm. meets online Oct. 7 & 21. Contact Suquamish Police Department lobby is Angela Brainerd at (360) 394-8652 for available for government-related paperdetails. work. Mon-Fri, 8am–4:30pm Front Desk: (360) 598-4334 Suquamish Seafoods Board meets online Emergency: 911 on Oct. 12 @ 1pm. Seafoods Retail is open Thurs-Sun. Contact Shanel Carlson at (360) Wellness Center 394-8512 for details.

Front desk: (360) 394-8558 Suquamish Museum Board Meets Oct. 21 @ 11am-1pm online.

Contact Jennifer at (360) 394-8499 for info.

Suquamish News •

Published monthly by the Suquamish Tribe: 18490 Suquamish Way, Suquamish, WA 98392

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Email us at: communications@suquamish.nsn.us

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Send letters to: Suquamish News Editor, PO Box 498, Suquamish, WA 98392-0498

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Suquamish.nsn.us

Elders 65+ soon eligible for third dose of COVID vaccination New shot clinics beginning mid-Oct.

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he Suquamish Tribe is preparing to provide third doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations to Suquamish Tribe Elders 65 years and older during a series of vaccination clinics slated for Oct.13,14, 20, and 27.

At press time, boosters for Pfizer had been approved for that age group with a green light for Moderna expected in the coming weeks.

“We’re hoping by mid-October we’ll have Moderna approved for our 65-and-up Elders,” said Suquamish Tribe Emergency Operations Manager Cherrie May. “If not, at the very least we’ll be providing first and second doses of Moderna and Pfizer to all Tribal members or anyone in their households that still needs their initial shots.”

Pfizer is currently available to anyone 12 and up. Moderna has been approved for those 18 and over.

The October clinics will also provide third shots of the Moderna and Pfiizer vaccinations for those with a compromised immune system. Check with your health care provider to see if you qualify.

Medical officials are also considering expanding approval of the Pfizer vaccine to include children 5 years old and up. “We’re putting plans in place to provide that when it’s approved,” said May. “We’re hopeful it could happen during our October clinics.”

More details on the clinic will be released as they become available in the Suquamish Weekly Update email and via SUN texts.

On the cover...

Students and staff returned to the classrooms of Chief Kitsap Academy in August.

See page 4 for more. (Photo by Jon Anderson)

Suquamish Tribal Council Leonard Forsman

Chairman

Wayne George

Vice-Chair

Windy Anderson

Secretary

Robin L.W. Sigo

Treasurer

Rich Purser

Member

Sammy Mabe

Member

Luther Mills, Jr.

Member

Reproduction of Suquamish News, in whole or in part, without written permission from the Suquamish Tribe is strictly prohibited.

Production Staff Leonard Forsman Sarah van Gelder Jon Anderson JoAnn Joe Heather Purser

Editorial Policy

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Photography/Design Communications Associate

Publishers of the Suquamish News reserve the right to refuse publication of letters to the editor and guest editorials. Submission of editorials and letters is encouraged. However, they represent the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Suquamish Tribe. As such, we reserve the right to refuse to print any letter, for any reason.

Suquamish.nsn.us

Suquamish News

October 2021 | 3

Community

New Health Clinic Director Promises Better Care and New Opportunities

Suquamish Tribe’s new Health Clinic Director Stephen Kutz (Photo by Jon Anderson)

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tephen Kutz is excited not only about what new a health clinic can offer the Suquamish people, but also what the Suquamish people might be able to offer the clinic as well.

Kutz came aboard as the Tribe’s new Health Director in August, charged with opening a new health clinic in the coming months. He’s uniquely suited for the job.

“Steve has served on numerous important health related boards in Indian Country and brings a wealth of connections, talent and experience to us,” said Scott Crowell, Suquamish Tribe’s Acting Co-Executive Director. “Having our own clinic has been a desire of ours for a very long time and we are glad to have Steve aboard as we set off on this new adventure.”

Decades of Experience Kutz received his bachelor of science degree in nursing from Eastern Washington University in 1974 and has worked as a nurse and health administrator for more than 47 years. He received his master’s degree in public health from Tulane University

in 1993.

Kutz comes to Suquamish from the Cowlitz Tribe, where he served as Executive Director for their Health & Human Services Department in Longview, Wash. Kutz began working there in 2006, shortly after Cowlitz opened their own clinic.

“We started with one clinic and two staff members,” says Kutz. “As I left, we had four clinics – in addition to the one in Longview, there's now one in Vancouver, Wash., one in Tukwila, and one in Dupont, with a total of about 200 staff and an operating budget of about $30 million per year.”

Kutz also served on the Cowlitz Tribal Council for about 20 years, including several terms as the Chair of their Tribal Council.

Before that, he was the director of the Mason County Health Department and managed their nursing program for more than a decade. And all that came after serving 25 years in the U.S. Army, where he worked in hospitals and clinics big and small as well as preventive medicine programs at duty stations across the U.S. and Europe, before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.

New Opportunities for Tribal Members A new health clinic for Suquamish Tribal members and their families not only means a quality Tribal-run health facility on Port Madison Indian Reservation, but also a variety of well-paying jobs and long-term career opportunities for those in the community interested in working in the medical field, says Kutz.

“We’re going to open up a really nice clinic here on the Reservation to serve the Suquamish people and their families. We’re going to put a good team together and offer a good, quality, well-run program,” he says.

The first building for the Suquamish Health Clinic is expected to be installed by November across the street the Tribal government administration center.

The existing Community Health team and WIC staff are expected to move into the new building, joined by new primary care providers along with additional medical and administrative staff.

“Our biggest hurdle is going to be staffing. We’re going to have the new building here soon but it will take time to find the right providers to fill it. There’s a real critical shortage of medical providers and other professional staff right now and whole lot of people are burned out because of COVID,” he says.

“And we want to find providers who are good fit, who understand working with Native populations, particularly with the chronic health disparities that exist with our people.”

Obviously, a lot of people already have their own doctors, so we’re going to have to work really hard to be better than everybody else,” says Kutz.

But the challenge of staffing a new clinic also presents opportunities for the Suquamish community in the coming years, especially as Suquamish looks to the next phase of its health program by building a much larger facility and offering an even wider array of services.

“There’s going to be some fantastic career opportunities. I would love to have some conversations with kids in school right now and anyone else in the Tribal community who is interested a career in the healthcare field.

And that's not just doctors and nurses, he says, but also billers and coders, medical assistants, lab techs, and x-ray techs, just to name a few.

“There are going to be a lot of new positions that can become the start of some really great long-term careers,” he says.

“It’s a challenge as well as a lot of fun to learn to run a health care system, especially in the Indian Health Service system. And hopefully there’s someone in the Tribal community who can replace me one day.”

By Jon Anderson

Suquamish News

4 | October 2021

Suquamish.nsn.us

Education

Early Learning Center adapts to COVID crisis

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hallenges faced by the Marion Forsman Bouche Early Learning Center in the first weeks of September have required ELC administrators and Suquamish Tribe’s educational leadership to close multiple classrooms for the health and safety of its staff, students, and the larger Suquamish community.

To help the ELC run as smoothly as possible and decrease the possibility of future closures, ELC acting Director Cori Sivi and her staff are asking all parents and families do the following: • Review and follow the ELC's COVID-19 Response Plan.

• Assess child and parent health before leaving home each day.

• Complete the daily COVID-19 screening for children and staff before entering the building.

• Continue wearing masks when gathering with others.

• Continue taking precautions when planning holidays and other celebrations.

• Report “Out of state travel” and follow protocols pertaining to children and parents.

• Meet or exceed the quarantine and/or isolation guidelines, if applicable.

“We understand and value the importance of this center and the responsibility we carry to help our community shift from surviving this pandemic to recovering and thriving once again.”

As of late September, the ELC was providing in-center services to 109 children, including Infant Childcare, Early Head Start, Head Start, ECEAP, and School-age Childcare services.

Virtual class sessions and in-home learning kits are being provided to the 16 children across 15 families who are waiting to transition into the center once services are again offered beyond the current group of Tribal member, Government and PME families.

COVID hitting hard The ELC and local school districts made their first full return to in-person learning on Aug. 31. One week later, four individuals connected with either or both the ELC and Suquamish Elementary tested positive for COVID-19.

In response to the spike, three ELC classrooms were closed to prevent a wider spread, and staff and parents of peers deemed close contacts to the four individuals were officially instructed to quarantine. Then, just two days later, on Sept. 9, three new cases were confirmed, followed by two more classroom closures.

In less than a month, the ELC has seen 25 children and (Continued on p12)

CKA returns to in-class instruction

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he yellow school bus pulled into the gravel parking lot with the rising sun still burning off the morning dew. As students stepped off the bus, a new day was dawning in more ways than one.

538 days. That’s how long it had been since the entire Chief Kitsap Academy student body and staff had been able to gather together. Not since Mar 13, 2020.

All that changed on Sept. 1 when CKA welcomed students back to the classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months and kicked off the new school year.

To start the year off, everyone gathered in the school’s traditional big circle with drumming and singing as well as staff and teachers introducing themselves.

CKA’s new principal Rex Green welcomed everyone back to school and outlined new safety rules designed to minimize risk to COVID-19 exposure.

All hallways are now one-way, for example, so students and staff are not passing each other between classes. Desks have been arranged so that everyone is at least three feet apart.

“It’s good to be back, finally,” said one student with a wide smile. CKA had been quick to adapt to the COVID pandemic, offering online classes and one-on-one support to students as best as possible over phones and through video chats. But it was hard on many.

Students and staff alike were clearly glad to be back into physical classrooms.

“This has been a challenging 18 months for our students, staff, and families. It was a lot of work, but when you see the smiles on our students and staff, we know in-person instruction is what is best for our students!” said Green.

By Jon Anderson

Suquamish.nsn.us

Suquamish News

October 2021 | 5

Suquamish Tribe Opens Fern Street Studios

x̌əčəbalʔtxʷ

Mind, Heart, Spirit

Honoring Those in Recovery

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he Suquamish Community gathered to “Honor Our Community in Recovery” on Sept. 17 at the House of Awakened Culture.

It was all part of The Suquamish Wellness Center's annual Recovery BBQ. But this year, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the event was drive thru and walk up.

The BBQ lunch was distributed along with a swag bag that contained a T-shirt with a bison artwork, designed by Tribal member Brandy Boure.

“The bison animal represents hope, which is what People have when they come to the Wellness Center,” she said. “I used the color blue because it represents confidence, wisdom, and inspiration. I have incorporated animals from every direction because Wellness is diverse in Tribes - Plains, Southwest, Coast Salish.”

The Suquamish Tribe Community Development team celebrated the completion of the Tribe's "Fern Street Studios" tiny homestyle development in September.

The six-home micro-neighborhood, located on Fern Street and Division in Suquamish, is designed to provide affordable housing to Suquamish singles or small families, says Community Development Director Scott Crowell.

Each unit comes equipped with a kitchen -- including a stove, oven, cabinets, and small fridge, -- a bathroom, heating, storage, and front entryway porch.

Four of the units have a walk-in closet. In the remaining two units, that closet has been converted to a small bunk room suitable for young children.

The development also includes parking for 11 vehicles.

Rental fees are based on a sliding scale depending on income, "but even the highest payment most people would find extremely reasonable," says Crowell.

"Our goal here is to provide safe, quality, clean, and affordable housing for our Tribal members. And I think we've accomplished all of those with this development."

Crowell said the Tribe will next focus on building "two or three more duplexes in the coming year."

While the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the Tribe's "Housing 50" initiative to cut the housing waiting list by 50 percent, construction on the first a new of wave four- and sixplex homes is also expected to begin in the coming year.

By Jon Anderson

To view a video tour of the new Fern Street Studios, open the camera app on your phone and scan the QR code.

(Photo/Video by Jon Anderson)

Suquamish News

6 | October 2021

Suquamish.nsn.us

Community

Healing of the Canoe offers appreciation to Grandparents T he Healing of the Canoe — a Suquamish organization that strives to increase community connection and prevent addiction among youth through culturally grounded prevention — honored Suquamish grandparents Sept. 9.

The drive-thru event, part of National Grandparents Day, was organized by the HOC’s Training and Curriculum Development Coordinator, Lisa Jackson, who says honoring Elders and strengthening intergenerational relationships with them is a large part HOC’s mission.

Tribal Councilwoman Robin Sigo, who is a known advocate for holistic community healing and fostering resiliency among the youth, wanted to demonstrate the respect we have for our Elders with this event and to recognize the importance of intergenerational relationships in our families and among the greater Tribe, says Jackson.

Tribal member and Tribal household grandparents were greeted by the smiling faces of volunteers who passed out kits to make s’mores and a framed 5x7 art piece,

created by Jackson, wrapped in the tissue paper filling the bags.

The artwork is a beautifully detailed image of a young eagle nestled into the chest of an older one to represent intergenerational relationships for a more culturally connected, healthy, and thriving community.

Shirts were also given away courtesy of the Language Program featuring the phrase “ʔuʔušəbicid čəd -- I love you” along with a design by Tribal member Kate Ahvakana, colored by Tribal youth M. Bradwell, who won a t-shirt coloring contest for the Language Program earlier this year.

Albi and Nigel Lawrence donated their time passing out the gifts along with HOC Grants Contractor Stella Spivey, Jackson, and Language Program Director Lena Maloney.

Jackson says the Healing of the Canoe project, which has primarily focused on youth, has been more active in the larger Suquamish community in recent months. They have plans to increase their

Suquamish Tribe Grandparents Tina Zaiss and Lori Bakken show off their new t-shirts during Grandparents Appreciation Day. presence and create more opportunities for culturally interactive events for Tribal members and their families. Drive-thru giveaways designed to celebrate the people are now one part of establishing their

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Pause, reflect, and — if necessary — take action Sometimes it’s good to pause and reflect.

That’s the idea behind National Domestic Violence Prevention and Awareness Month, says Elizabeth Tonti, Suquamish Tribe’s Integrated Victim Services Program Supervisor.

For example, she says, consider these facts: • More than four in five Native American adults have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime.

• Native American women are 2.5 times more likely than the general U.S. female population to experience sexual assault • A national survey found 15.5% of Native American couples reported violence within their marriage, 7.2% of that was severe violence.

“Domestic violence can come in many shapes and forms,” says Tonti. “It can be physical violence, or threats of violence, it can be mental or psychological abuse, it can happen while you’re dating or after 40 years of marriage.”

Consider this definition the National DV Hotline: “Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate. People of any race, age, gender, sexuality, religion, education level, or economic status can be a victim — or perpetrator — of domestic violence.

That includes behaviors that physically harm, intimidate, manipulate or control a partner, or otherwise force them to behave in ways they don’t want to, including through physical violence, threats, emotional abuse, or financial control.

Sometimes it’s good to pause and reflect, says Tonti, but there also times

when real action is needed.

“If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please contact the Suquamish Tribe DV advocates,” she says. “Anyone in immediate danger should always call 911, but if you would like to talk to someone about your situation, access resources and support, or know how to find a way out of an abusive relationship, we are here to help.”

Get help with safety planning, protection orders, emergency financial assistance, shelter and housing options, protecting children, or to talk about your legal options by calling DV legal advocate Selina Ayres at (360) 9006499.

presence on the Reservation and a way to contribute to their ever-evolving creative work to prevent addiction and grow our community well-being.

By Heather Purser

Suquamish.nsn.us

Suquamish News

Suquamish PD officer honored for caring for injured Elder

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n April 6, 2021, Suquamish Elder Nancy Joan McPherson, 74, was struck by a vehicle on Suquamish Way, and later died from her injuries. Her husband, Donald McPherson was with her that day, and also injured.

The story is a tragic one that has left family members and community grieving.

At the scene that day were North Kitsap Fire and Rescue, the Kitsap Sheriff 's office, and also Suquamish Police officer Jason Olsen.

On Sept. 17, at the urging of Suquamish Elder Barbara Lawrence, Officer Olsen was honored for the part he played during the aftermath of the accident.

According to a Police Department letter recognizing his work, “Officer Olsen, recognizing that the aid crew did not yet have enough crew on scene to properly manage the injuries of both victims, did step in and begin to work with the aid crew in lifesaving efforts to assist Suquamish Tribal Elder Mrs. Nancy McPherson.

“Officer Olsen lay down on the street with Nancy to provide a closer, more human touch and, while holding her head still with his hands and providing what comfort he could while speaking calmly and empathetically with her until the aid crew made her stable enough to transport.”

At the September honoring, James Old Coyote smudged Officer Olson and his family, while Tribal Council member Sammy Mabe sang an honor song

Officer Jason Olsen is honored by Suquamish culture keepers in ceremonies Sept.

17. (Photos by Sarah van Gelder)

belonging to the Sacred Water Canoe Family and the Suquamish Tribe. Barbara Lawrence and Nancy McPherson's widower, Don McPherson, wrapped Officer Olsen in a blanket and thanked him.

“Know that the community has a lot of love for you, for the work you've done for us,” Mabe told Olsen. “And the family has a deep love for you for taking care of Nancy during her final moments. And they wanted to show their gratitude.”

Officer Olsen also received a “Life Saving Ribbon (Attempt)” for the work he did that day.

By Sarah van Gelder

October 2021 | 7

Remembering Lorraine Loomis

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he Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission lost an irreplaceable leader last month when our chairperson, Lorraine Loomis, walked on.

Lorraine’s contributions to protecting treaty rights can’t be overstated. Before being elected NWIFC chair, she served as a commissioner for more than 40 years, many of those sitting beside Billy Frank Jr. as vice-chair.

When Billy passed in 2014, Lorraine carried on the work. And when COVID-19 closed down our offices, that didn’t slow her down. She moved her computer into her sewing room, and when you didn’t think she could put in any more hours, she did just that.

She also served as vice-chair of the Fraser River Panel of the U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Commission and co-chair of the Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition.

It’s hard to imagine how we are going to fill her shoes, but I truly believe that Lorraine wouldn’t want us to miss a step. We must continue fighting for our treaty-protected resources. That means keeping focused on our priorities, including: • Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition After the inaugural Billy Frank Jr. Pacific Salmon Summit in March 2018, we formed the Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition. The coalition is committed to restoring and protecting salmon habitat, enhancing salmon hatchery production, and better managing seal and sea lion populations.

• Habitat Recovery Lorraine recognized that we can’t manage fisheries in isolation. We must also consider habitat recovery at the same time.

An important part of her legacy is that she and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife director Kelly Susewind created a co-managers’ habitat work plan for the North of Falcon process. Wherever salmon fisheries are constrained by weak stocks, we must improve the habitat. We began this work in 2020, with a pilot project in the Stillaguamish watershed.

• Restoring Riparian Habitat Streamside trees and vegetation provide shade, filter harmful runoff, and slow erosion to salmon habitat. The need for quality

habitat is increasing as climate change leads to higher water temperatures and lower flows. Two years ago, Gov. Jay Inslee connected his concerns about climate change to salmon habitat recovery and directed state agencies to develop a uniform, science-based management approach. We created a joint Tribal/state initiative to achieve that goal.

• Defining Net Ecological Gain We know urban development leads to air and water pollution, and habitat loss. But our land-use regulations allow developers to build now and attempt to fix habitat later.

This makes it impossible to achieve a net gain of habitat, which is what we need to recover declining salmon runs. Recently, state legislators funded a study that aims to define “net ecological gain,” which is a necessary first step to fix our broken ecosystem.

• Understanding Marine Survival Tribes have collaborated with Long Live the Kings on the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project to learn more about what happens to juvenile salmon after they migrate to sea. Last summer, the project reported that two of the main reasons for poor salmon survival are that there are too many predators and not enough prey. Tribal natural resources departments are continuing important research about marine survival, while also working to restore estuary habitat and protect water quality.

• Rec Impacts on Treaty Resources Increased recreational activities on public lands have degraded our treaty-protected resources. We saw this escalate during the coronavirus pandemic. Tribes are working with state and federal agencies to ensure that meaningful government-to-government engagement involves tribes in recreation policy, planning, funding, assessment, and project implementation.

Now is not the time to slow down. The best way we can honor both Billy and Lorraine is to stay the course, because we have more work to do to recover salmon and protect our treaty rights.

By Shawn Yanity NWIFC Vice Chair

8 | October 2021

Suquamish News

Suquamish.nsn.us

Government

Chairman’s Report T

he Suquamish Tribe is committed to preserving its culture, history, and heritage. An important part of this is recognizing the accomplishments of our ancestors. The recognition of the Suquamish Tribal Baseball Team that traveled to Japan 100 years ago was one of those opportunities.

The Seattle Mariners acknowledged us at a pre-game ceremony, during the first pitch by Tribal Elder Marilyn Wandrey, and in an in-game announcement.

There are many people to thank here at the Suquamish Tribe and beyond.

Thanks to the Museum Board and the Tribal Council for supporting this effort.

Thanks to Casey Sixkiller for connecting me with Fred Rivera of the Mariners who was able to get the honoring arranged.

Thanks to Jon Anderson, Yoichi Nagata, Lydia Sigo, Gus Purser, Janet Smoak, Gerry Elfendahl, and Sarah van Gelder for their work on the history of the team.

Thanks to Jon Anderson for his work on the baseball cards. Thanks to Craig Miller, Maggie Turrieta, and Sammy Mabe for their work on the ticket distribution.

Thanks to Tony Ledesma for the T-shirt production. Thanks to Della Crowell and Donna Sigo for help with the Elders travel arrangements and the pre-game reception. Thanks to Rosie Bayes for supporting the planning and arranging for transportation. Thanks to everyone who represented the Tribe and the original team members at the pre-game reception including Dickie Belmont Johnson, Molly Middleton, JimBob Armstrong, and Della Crowell who spoke about the players at the reception and were supported by Marta Heath, Peter Johnson, Angee Harrington, Rosie Bayes, EJ Lanham, Lena and Colin Maloney, Rob Purser, Ibriham Purser Trawally, Jamie and Cliff Gooby, Jay and Joanie Mills, and “Hody” Belmont (#70).

A special thanks to Joey and Denita Holmes for their traditional song and gift to the M’s and Lena Maloney for the blessing.

And finally, thanks to all of the Suquamish Tribal citizens and their friends and family who attended the game and witnessed the acknowledgment.

Proper acknowledgment Many organizations are engaged in developing land acknowledgment statements as they work to be respectful of the original inhabitants of our traditional lands and waters. I have encouraged some to use land and people acknowledgments to recognize our population that are still here. I met with The Mountaineers, a non-profit group that encourages outdoor activity, to help them develop their land and people acknowledgment.

Inter-tribal efforts As chairman of the Suquamish Tribe and ATNI president, I attend several inter­-tribal meetings to advocate for Tribal issues on a regional and national basis.

The National Congress of American Indians held their monthly executive board meeting where we received reports on the finances of the organization, trending issues for Tribes in Washington, DC (especially the infrastructure bill talks), Supreme Court Update, and information on the upcoming virtual annual meeting.

ATNI held a special meeting entitled the Sovereignty Summit that brought Tribal leaders together to discuss taxation, government-to-government consultation, and other issues crucial our self-determination.

The National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO) asked me to help open their virtual Sacred Sites Summit, a meeting to explore challenges and opportunities for Tribes to protect cultural sites essential to the preservation of their culture and spirituality.

The Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA) held their monthly meeting in a hybrid setting at the Little

Chairman Forsman to welcome Sea-Tac arrivals in new video “Hax sle hil” — the traditional Lushoo-

tseed greeting — will soon be among the first words travelers hear when passing through Sea-Tac International Airport.

Representing Native people throughout the region, Leonard Forsman will soon welcome visitors as they arrive at the airport in a video featured on screens throughout the main terminal.

“Hax sle hil. Hello. I’m Leonard Forsman, chairman of the Suquamish Tribe and president of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians,” the video begins.

“On behalf of our 57 member Tribes, welcome to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, gateway to the Northwest.

The people of the Northwest Tribes have lived here along the Pacific Ocean, the inland waters of the Salish Sea, the Cascade Mountains, the Columbia River and other ancestral places since time imme-

Creek Casino. WIGA provided a progress report on our study of the impact of Tribal gaming on the state economy and previewed next year’s legislative session.

The Potlatch Fund Board held their retreat at our casino/resort and asked for an update on the Suquamish Tribe’s past

morial,” says Forsman in the video.

The video is part of a new effort by the Port of Seattle to remind travelers of the region’s rich indigenous cultures. Forsman filmed the video on the shores of Elliot Bay in downtown Seattle.

“Following in the footsteps of Chief Seattle and other traditional leaders, we continue to govern ourselves, always prioritizing the wellbeing of the next seven generations,” Forsman continues in the video.

“We work hard every day to protect our treaty rights to fish, gather, and hunt, and to protect the habitats that insure the survival of salmon, killer whales, and the other wild species of this region. We invite you to join us in protecting the waters, lands, and air while you enjoy this extraordinary place we call home.”

By Jon Anderson

and future initiatives.

Natural resource protection efforts take commitment and determination as our region grows. Northwest Tribes continue to press the federal government to protect our treaty reserved resources: salmon, shellfish, and other wildlife.

Suquamish News

Suquamish.nsn.us

The NW Indian Fisheries Commission arranged a meeting with members of the Biden Administration to ask their support and commitment to investing in efforts to save our salmon runs.

I joined other Tribal leaders in reminding the White House of their responsibility to uphold and protect our treaty rights.

Restoring and protecting Locally we are working with the Central Kitsap School District to support the restoration of Strawberry Creek in Old Town Silverdale. Alison Brooks and Steve Todd of our Fisheries department led the tour of the existing creek that is channelized in a concrete channel.

Government-to-government meetings are critical to the strength of our Tribal government.

Our diplomacy and intergovernmental activities range from Washington, D.C., to our local government officials.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) held a meeting with Tribal leaders that was led by FEMA Administrator Deanne Chriswell to hear about our respective needs, especially in regard to climate change.

White House officials also held a meeting to discuss a new permitting process called FAST-41 meant to improve the efficiency of the federal review process for infrastructure projects.

I expressed the importance of early and meaningful consultation with Tribes in planning projects that have the potential of negatively impacting our lands and waters.

The Friends of Waterfront Seattle met again to get updates from staff on a variety of public programs held at Pier 62 during the past summer. I also met with the City of Bainbridge Island to discuss the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the Suquamish Tribe and our mutual desire to re-engage under its terms to address ecosystem protection and art programs.

Educating our youth As in-person learning has returned to our local schools, we are reminded of the importance of the education of our

youth. The University of Washington held a meeting to plan our efforts to build Phase II of the Intellectual House on the Seattle campus.

This will help attract American Indian students and improve their on-campus experiences.

I also met with representatives of the Washington Education Association, the teacher’s union, to work on getting their engagement in supporting Tribal student success.

There is always work to do here on the reservation as well.

The Suquamish Elders Council’s monthly meeting focused on the feasibility of constructing a new Elder’s lodge.

The Suquamish Foundation Board held a meeting to discuss our charitable giving to local and regional non-profits.

I also made a presentation to the Suquamish Citizens Advisory Council regarding the history and culture of the Suquamish Tribe, and made suggestions on how the Tribe and local Suquamish residents can work together to preserve the Tribe’s heritage and improve our community.

By Leonard Forsman Suquamish Tribe Chairman

October 2021 | 9

The Suquamish Tribe Is Recruiting Foster & Respite Homes for Tribal Youth

If you have a compassionate, safe, loving home, and the desire to make a difference in a foster child’s life CALL US at (360) 394-8480 or EMAIL Erika at ecordero@suquamish.nsn.us

You do not need to be a Tribal Member to be a Foster and Respite home for the Tribe

Boat Ramp Win for Suquamish Tribe

T

he US Army Corps of Engineers has denied Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife’s proposal to build a boat ramp at Point No Point in Hansville, Washington.

“The Army Corps decision denying WDFW’s boat ramp protects not only the Suquamish Tribe’s treaty rights but also the other tribes with fishing rights in the area,” said Suquamish Tribe Chair Leonard Forsman.

Tribal fishers testified against the plan that was rejected due to its ceremonial and cultural value to Tribes and for the protection of treaty rights. The decision was announced July 28, 2021.

“The Army Corps’ decision denying

WDFW’s boat ramp protects not only the Suquamish Tribe’s treaty rights but also the other Tribes with fishing rights in the area,” said Suquamish Tribe Chair Leonard Forsman.

Over the last 12 years, the Tribe offered numerous solutions and alternatives to WDFW. In spite of those efforts, “the impacts from the proposed boat ramp to the Tribe’s treaty-reserved right to access our fishing grounds were never addressed, so we remained in opposition to the project,” Forsman said.

The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, and the Tulalip Tribes also objected to WDFW’s

application under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act based on impacts to each Tribe’s treaty-reserved fishing rights at that location.

“The Suquamish Tribe worked hard over the last 12 years to reach a middle ground with WDFW,” said Forsman. “It’s the Tribe’s responsibility to protect our people’s rights, which arise from the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott, and our fishing and cultural practices, which date back to time immemorial.”

“As our federal trustee, the Army Corps upheld its trust obligation and legal obligation to the Suquamish Tribe and other similarly situated tribes when it denied this permit application.” Forsman said.

10 | October 2021

Suquamish News

Suquamish.nsn.us

Government

Tribe Focus Land Purchases on Strategic Goals “Tribal Lands should be in Tribal

hands.” This is the simple mantra that drives everything Eddie Ayub does for the Suquamish Tribe.

As the Tribe’s Strategic Acquisitions Officer, it’s Ayub’s job to scout out the best properties for the Tribe to purchase.

“This is my whole philosophy, getting Tribal lands back into the hands of Tribal people,” he says.

It may be a simple philosophy, but it’s no easy task. Ayub must balance a finite budget with Tribal needs, along with environmental and cultural priorities, against explosive property values and expensive development costs to find the best properties to focus his attention on.

That work includes researching the background, ecological, topographical details of various properties, performing market analysis, and then merging those findings with the work of others in the Community Development team to finally present recommendations to Tribal Council for their decision.

Lay of the land In Ayub’s office, a framed composite photo of Chief Seattle looks over his shoulder to big maps of Port Madison Indian Reservation covering the opposite wall.

Chief Seattle was instrumental in helping ensure a homeland was reserved for the Suquamish people as part of the Treaty of Point Elliott. Over the years, however, much of that land had been sold off to non-Natives.

Indeed, by the 1970s, less than 30 percent of the Reservation was in Native hands. Today, Tribal ownership — whether by individual Tribal members, the Tribal government or its business enterprises — has expanded to 52 percent.

Meanwhile, the size of the Reservation itself has also gotten bigger, most notably with the purchase of White Horse Golf Course in 2010, which added 238 acres to the Reservation’s boundaries.

Today, Port Madison Indian Reservation spans across more than 7,600 acres

Port Madison Indian Reservation

By the Numbers Reservation total size:

7,602 acres Individual Tribal member Trust:

2,542 acres Tribe-owned Trust:

1,320 acres Tribe-owned Fee:

171 acres Individual Tribal member Fee: Suquamish Tribe’s Strategic Acquisitions Officer Eddie Ayub (Photo by Jon Anderson)

of Kitsap County. That’s nearly 12 square miles, with more than half of it now in Tribal hands.

Connecting the checkerboard Tribal lands are split into three main categories: Tribal Trust, Allotted Trust, and Fee. Tribal trust land is held by the U.S. government, to used communally by the Tribe and managed by the Tribal government. Allotted trust lands are held in trust for the use of individual Native Americans or their heirs. Fee lands are held by an owner, whether Native or non-Native.

Working with Rit Bellis, director of the Tribe’s Legal Department, who predominantly focuses on Trust land acquisitions, Ayub concentrates most of his time on Fee land purchases from non-Native owners.

In the last year alone, they helped secure about 24 acres within the Res-

ervation, purchased by the Tribe from private landowners.

“I wish we could buy every single piece of property that comes on the market,” says Ayub. But of course, there’s only so much money available and sky rocketing property values throughout the area make it only harder.

“That’s why we have to be very strategic with our purchases,” he says. In most cases that means, looking for property adjacent to other parcels already owned by the Tribe. Because the reservations is checkerboard of properties owned or not owned by the Tribe or Tribal members, “we’re always looking to connect the Tribal pieces of the checkerboard.”

This was what Ayub calls “expanding contiguity – making the Tribal pieces of the checkerboard bigger.”

The idea, he says, is to maximize the use of existing infrastructure – roads, water, sewer, and power lines – to reduce the cost of development.

37 acres

“So, for example, if we can buy land next to an existing housing area, it’s much less expense to develop that land and connect with the infrastructure that’s already there, than to run it all out there ourselves.”

That’s the biggest different between just buying up property and being strategic and smart, he says.

“Strategic acquisition is almost always about expanding our contiguity. The more we are able to fill in that checkerboard, the more we really have Tribal lands not just in Tribal hands, but actually being used and enjoyed by the Tribe.”

Ayub credits Tom Curley, Chuck Deam and Community Development Director Scott Crowell, along with Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman and the rest of Tribal Council with helping him build on their success.

By Jon Anderson

Suquamish News

Suquamish.nsn.us

October 2021 | 11

In Memoriam

Build a Lushootseed Language Nest

Stanley Speaks

haʔł sləx̌il (Good Day). Cassan-

T

ribes across the Northwest are mourning the loss of Stanley Speaks, a determined servant of Indian Country, who passed away Sept. 15 at his home in Pryor, Ok. He was 87 years old.

Speaks, a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, spent his career involved in Indian affairs of every nature.

Born in 1933, Speaks joined the Bureau of Indian Affairs after graduating from college and never stopped devoting his time to bettering the way of life for

Native Americans.

“Stan Speaks was a champion for tribal governments across the Northwest, no matter how large or small, and worked tirelessly on the behalf of the Suquamish and other Puget Sound Tribes to have the BIA support our mission of self-determination,” said Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman.

Recently honored for his years of service to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Speaks’ career included serving as a teacher, supervisor, manager, agency superintendent, area director and most recently as the director of the BIA Northwest Regional Office in Oregon, which oversees 15 agencies that serve 45 federally recognized tribes.

There will be no formal services. To leave his family a message, please visit his Tribute Wall at: shipmansfuneralhome.com.

Traditional Heritage Specialist News

W

elcome to fall and colder weather. We are getting ready for icy windshields and salted roads. It is almost Halloween.

Is there going to be Trick or Treat this year? We are not yet sure, as COVID is changing and people are still getting sick. Best to be careful and just stay in family groups.

Tribal events and things are up and down for the protection of the community and we need to understand that we are doing everything to respect the best interest of our families.

Please if you have questions call or email the staff, leave voice mails and people will get back to you. We are all working hard to take care of everyone.

I would like to prepare zoom meetings for people to talk about what they need, their feelings, they ways they are surviving, how they are care for their families, and what are your needs.

I would also like to if possible have our CKA youth prepare questions to ask and do interviews with people willing to talk with them about this time in their lives.

I feel it is a great way to educate the youth and help them to understand the world we are living in right now.

Please contact me at mjones@suquamish.nsn.us or (360) 394–8526 and let me know if you are interested in doing these interviews. Thank you!

By Marilyn Jones

dra Fowler (George) tsi dsdaʔ. My name is Cassandra Fowler (George.)

I am from the Bagley/Sigo family.

I am honored to be the Lushootseed Language Specialist for the Suquamish Tribe and wish to keep the community updated on our Language Program’s work.

The goals of the Suquamish Language Program are to improve the vitality of the Lushootseed language by creating an environment where our speech communities can develop.

Historically, we defined the health of our language based on how many people had knowledge about the language and could read and write it.

However, we are now measuring the health of our language based on language use. We are concerned about: Who speaks the language? (age, gender, etc.) How many people use the language? Where are they using the language? (home, work, ceremony, etc.) How much time do they speak the language? Who do they use the language with?

We utilize the language nest project and the conversation project in our classes to improve the health of our language.

The type of language nest we support is the kind that nests the language. It differs from the other type of language nest that nests the children (daycare, preschool, etc.)

There is an expectation to speak the language in the language nest. To begin, we have our students work on reclaiming domains. They self-narrate daily tasks (washing hands, brushing teeth) in the language in their target space (i.e. bathroom).

After they have reclaimed enough domains (15-20), most students are comfortable putting up a sign that says “No English”. When this sign goes up and there is an external expectation for Lushootseed to be spoken only, a language nest is established.

We currently have six language

nests in our community. There means there are six places where Lushootseed is spoken only. No English is allowed in these spaces.

We have several students that are close to having enough domains reclaimed to create the language nest. To increase the number of nests, our program must continue to offer learning opportunities. With time, this number will grow.

As our speakers work on reclaiming domains and creating a language nest in their home, we provide the support and place needed to begin daily conversation.

Our speakers begin learning greetings and departures. They then learn how to ask, “Where did you go today?” and “I went to ______.” We build on these simple phrases until our speakers can answer the question in Lushootseed.

After each course, our speakers take a Lushootseed Survey, which asks them to list everyone they speak Lushootseed with and how often.

With this data, we now know most of our current speakers are female.

95 percent of the speakers only speak with people in their online class. They are not speaking to each other as a family unit on a regular basis.

What this means is that if they are not in a language class, the speakers are not speaking Lushootseed to each other. This is not a stable speech community.

We want to develop stable speech communities in the family unit, so that when the teacher is removed, the language will still be used.

If we can get more than one person in each family home to speak the language, we can stabilize our speaking community. If you are interested in joining the community language class email me at cfowler@suquamish.nsn.us You can also find us on Facebook and YouTube under Suquamish Language Program.

By Cassandra Fowler

12 | October 2021

Suquamish News

Early Learning Center (continued from p4) sion fatigue at times, but not defeat.

The Early Learning Center continues to strive to meet Tribal, state, and federal guidelines and program outcomes while modifying services.

Like the rest of the Tribe, the administrative and working staff of the ELC, along with The ELC had a drive-thru graduation this year to the children and famminimize COVID risks. ilies they serve, would like to see a return to normal and more families in quarantine, along with ten of stable operations. the staff. Silvi says ELC administrators To get there, it will take everyone beand teachers anticipated illness with the lieving that it's possible and working tobeginning of the new school year. gether toward that goal.

What's different is the unusual chalBy Heather Purser lenges of COVID-19.

Knowing the variants of COVID-19 and their impacts on the Suquamish community is a challenge for ELC staff and families alongside the rest of Tribal government, Kitsap County, and Washington State, Silvi says Fatigue but not defeat Silvi says she and her staff understand and empathize with parents and families when classrooms or the center closes and reduced hours impact parents’ ability to work or anticipate care for their children. Furthermore, she says that throughout all of this, Early Learning Center staff have experienced compas-

Nigel Lawrence steps down as head of ELC

N

igel Lawrence resigned as director of the ELC to pursue a Masters of Education degree from the University of Washington Tacoma's program for Practicing Educators.

“It is with a heavy heart that I submit my resignation from my position as the Director of the Marion Forsman-Boushie Early Learning Center,” Lawrence wrote in a letter to his team at the ELC. “My 6 years here has challenged my abilities and helped me to grow.”

Suquamish.nsn.us

Build your money skills with Financial Literacy and Counseling Workshop

C

ommunity Development is pleased to announce the upcoming “Financial Literacy and Counseling” workshop for Suquamish Tribal members.

The four-part series starts Oct. 1, from 1:00pm-4:30pm in the Suquamish Tribal Council Chambers. The classes will prepare Tribal members to make significant financial decisions, which can have a lasting impact on your financial future.

Topics will include: the fundamentals of budgeting, money management, how to start saving, and understanding the importance of debt-to-income ratios. Participants will work on individual debt assessments and money saving strategies Eddie Ayub, Community Development's Financial Counselor, will facilitate the workshops. Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, space is limited. Class seats will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. If enough Tribal members do not sign up for the class, the workshop will be opened up to Government staff.

The goal is provide a small class environment to maximize interaction.

The workshop comes in the wake of a pilot class Ayub offered over the summer in coordination with the Tribe's Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act Program.

Interested Tribal Members may contact Lois Sullivan, (360) 394-8416, (360) 337-9529, or email lsullivan@suquamish.nsn.us

Suquamish News

Suquamish.nsn.us

Elder’s Lunch Menu October 2021 Mon

Tue

Wed

October 2021 | 13

Elder’s Kitchen: 360-394-8407 Please call to inform the kitchen if you would like to cancel home delivery for the day.

Thu

Fri 1 Geoduck Chowder w/ crackers Chef Salad (w/ ham, hard boiled egg, sunflower seeds) Blueberry Bran Muffin Yogurt Parfait w/ Fruit

Beverages Served Daily: Choice of 1% Milk or Lactose Free Milk

Occasional substitutions may be necessary 4 Birthday Celebration Macaroni-Beef Casserole Germany Blend Veggies Spinach & Blueberry Salad Birthday Cake & Ice Cream

5 Calico Bean Soup Tuna Fish Sandwich Cucumber-Tomato Salad Fresh Fruit

6 Sliced Turkey w/ Gravy Mashed Potatoes Winter Squash Tossed Salad Wheat Roll Fresh Fruit

7 Steak & Green Bean Casserole Brown Rice Kale Salad Angel Food Cake w/ Berries

8 Salmon Boiled Potatoes Mixed Veggies Tossed Salad Pachado Bread Peach Crisp

11

12 Beef & Bean Burrito Spanish Rice Spinach Salad w/ sunflower seeds and dried cranberries Fresh Fruit

13 Baked Fish Sweet Potatoes Brussels Sprouts Apple, Celery & Pineapple Salad Wheat Roll Frozen Fudge Bar

14 Breakfast for Lunch Egg, Vegetable, & Cheese Frittata Oven Roasted Potatoes Applesauce Muffin Fresh Fruit

15 Beef Stew Tossed Salad w/ sunflower seeds & dried cranberries Buttermilk biscuits Cottage Cheese & Peaches

18 Baked Chicken Quinoa Salad Germany Blend Veggies Cucumber-Tomato Salad Chewy Chocolate Cookie

19 Hamburger Vegetable Soup Egg Salad Sandwich Cole Slaw Fresh Fruit

20 Baked Potato Bar w/ chili, broccoli & cheese sauce Tossed Salad Blueberry Bran Muffin Applesauce Cup

21 Chicken-Rice Salad (chicken, rice, tomatoes, lettuce, & cucumber) Corn Bread Fresh Fruit

22 Ham Hocks w/ Beans Brown or White Rice Steamed Kale Tossed Salad w/ cranberries Pachado Bread Italian Ice

25 Tuna-Noodle Casserole Fresh Steamed Spinach Tossed Salad Oat Bran Raisin Muffin Fresh Fruit

26 Split Pea Soup Turkey & Cheese Sandwich on Whole Wheat Broccoli Salad Fresh Fruit

27 Meatloaf Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy Capri Veggie Blend Tossed Salad Wheat Roll Fresh Fruit

28 BBQ Chicken California Blend Veg. Potato Salad Carrot-Raisin Salad Pumpkin Cookie

29 Indian Tacos (w/ ground beef, beans, lettuce, tomato, salsa, cheese, sour cream) Fresh Veggie Platter Fresh Fruit

Closed Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Elders’ Corner

H

appy birthday and a big welcome to our new October Elders: Martha Mabe and Karen Villanueva.

We would also like to wish a happy milestone birthday to William (Bill) Stroud.

Sending our prayers to the family of Margaret Duggan, whom we lost this past month; Matt Charwood who has worked and live in Suquamish for many years; and to Ivy Cheyney who lost her significant other, Berent Middleton.

We were visited by two Florida Suquamish Elders, Claudette Leva Kasper, Charles Vollenweider, and his wife.

They returned home with gifts from our Elders Program. If you are out of state and in the area, we would love to see you, too!

Five Elders attended our cedar hat class, taught by our own master weaver, Denita Holmes. Thanks, Denita, for being an excellent teacher. We are hoping to add another class soon.

Special thanks to the following Elders for volunteering at our Chief Seattle Days distribution and salmon bake: Ardy Longway, Georgia George, James Forsman, Patty Medina and husband Rick, Della Crowell, Donna Sigo and her husband Ray. We all had so much fun seeing everyone. There was a lot of laughter going on. Our hands go up to all of you.

We had about 20 Elders who attended Suquamish Night at Mariners Stadium, where Elder Marilyn Wandrey threw the first pitch. This was quite an honor and exciting. We had fun working with the Fitness Center staff, Craig Miller and Maggie Turrieta, in coordinating tickets and T-shirt distributions for this event.

We send thanks to both of you.

If you haven’t completed your COVID Hardship application, please contact us for assistance. The last day to apply is Oct. 31.

If you haven’t been vaccinated, please get your shots. Wear your mask when out. Wash your hands or sanitize. We love you all and want to keep our community safe.

By Della Crowell & Donna Sigo

Suquamish News

14 | October 2021

Suquamish.nsn.us

Birthdays

r e b o t c O October 1 Jacob Johnson Victory Mowitch October 2 Alice Pondelick Alicia Lawson Damian Lawrence October 3 Ah-nika-leesh Chiquiti October 4 Chelsea Forsman David Sherman Jeffrey Elevado Kenneth Hagen William Stroud October 5 Clarence Ross Jr. Cynthia Williams Jeffrey Riggins October 6 Molly Middleton October 7 Ashton Purser Denita Holmes Tracy Tabafunda October 9 Gordon Hawk III Kassia Smith Ronnie Glaze

October 10 Ibrahim Trawally Patrice Wilcox Ronald Purser Jr. October 11 Aaron Lawrence Robin Sigo October 12 Blain Wolten Douglas George October 13 Frank Cordero Nigel Lawrence October 14 Dale Ahvakana Gaylon Vaught

October 15 A-lish-tassen Chiquiti Charles Vollenweider Jana Mills Lillian Pondelick Melita Zaiss Rose Sigo Shelly Immken Sherry Robles October 16 Charles Deam Jr. John Jones Nadia Armstrong Wyatt Mabe October 17 Lawrence Elevado Robert Forsman

October 18 Bryce Bradwell Dolores Bakken Kirt Napoleon October 19 Danielle Palomino Maddox Duthie October 20 Cheyenne CastanedaSigo Daniel Pratt Heather Purser October 22 Pierce Peterson October 23 Aaron Napoleon Destiny Mabe Lawrence (Pete) Hawk Martha Mabe Shanel Carlson Shelley Wood October 24 Ian Lawrence Jacob Patrick James Clark October 25 Chynna Murphy-Rubeck Emmy Fowler Janet Surratt Jordan Joe Shery Werbelo October 26 Emily Castaneda-Sigo Karen Villanueva Robert George Sr. October 27 Aiden Willis Gloria Viray Jerin Bagley

October 28 Irene Carper October 30 Aubrey Collier BrittanyBakken Celia Williams Destiny Pool Erika Cordero Hunter Brown Raymond Pondelick Robert Alexander Jr. October 31 Cindy Webster-Martinson Rebekah Stewaart Timothy Midkiff William Forsman

Suquamish News

Suquamish.nsn.us

Natural Resources welcomes new environmental science expert

A

ndrew Schmeising joined the Natural Resources Department this summer in the position of Environmental Scientist to work on superfund sites in Kitsap County, with an emphasis on sites at Keyport and Jackson Park.

A third-generation Washingtonian, he grew up in the Montlake and Capitol Hill areas of Seattle.

There were frequent trips to visit grandparents in Hoquiam, where his mother grew up, and to dig razor clams when staying at the family’s small property in Oyehut.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Geological Sciences from Brown University in Rhode Island, and started his career in environmental assessment and remediation in New Jersey in 1988.

Six years later, he and his young family moved to Colorado. After 20 years there as an environmental consultant, he returned to the Pacific Northwest in 2013.

As a senior project manager at Tetra Tech, he managed remedial action contracts for U.S. Navy Superfund sites in Alaska and Washington, most recently managing the NEX Station cleanup at Jackson Park Housing Complex on Ostrich Bay. Andrew lives in Silverdale with his wife Debra, who works as an RN in the cardiovascular clinic at St. Michael Medical Center.

He enjoys hiking, gardening and especially single-track mountain biking.

October 2021 | 15

Public Hearing: Long-Range Transportation Plan A public hearing is scheduled at 5pm on Oct 6, 2021 on Zoom to review proposed additions to the Suquamish Tribe Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

The LRTP is the required mechanism for federal funding of transportation (public highway, road, bridge, trail or transit system) projects. Put simply, roads must be listed in an approved LRTP in order to be part of the national Tribal transportation facility inventory. That’s what allows them to be considered in applying for federal dollars through the ‘Fixing America’s Surface Transportation’ (FAST) Act that became law in 2015.

Suquamish Tribe: Fall Cleanup 2021 haʔlid ʔə ti pədt’əsəbil

On Saturdays, from 9am to 3:00pm, the Suquamish Tribe will be holding a clean up in the following neighborhoods: Indianola: Oct. 16 Eaglemere: Oct. 23 Wee Wun: Oct. 30

Tundra: Nov. 6 Sackman: Nov 13 Woolly Dog: Nov 20 George Lane: Nov 27

Items Accepted (no empty, leaking, or damaged containers) • Liquid Household Wastes (up to 15-gallons/household): Paints, Oils, Antifreeze, Cleaning Products, Flammable Liquids and Solvents, and Herbicides and Pesticides • Household Batteries, Aerosol Cans, Fluorescent Tubes and CFL Bulbs, Mercury Thermometers, and Road Flares • Other Household Wastes (up to 10 items/household): Isobutane or Butane/ Propane Pressurized Fuel Canisters, Propane Bottles (1 Liter or Smaller), and Auto Batteries We are not accepting household garbage, furniture, appliances, mattresses, or electronics. If you have larger quantities or any questions, please contact Jaime Lawrence (Solid Waste Coordinator) at (360) 471-3500.

To view an expanded version of this map, scan the QR code above with the camera app on your phone and click on the website link.

This is an arcane and difficult-to-navigate federal program, and an experienced consultant has been retained for this to be a success. A number of roads are currently in the inventory, through previous iterations in 1993, 1999 and 2015.

We are limited by contract to adding 16 new roads in this effort, but have agreed that for maximum flexibility in the future all roads within the reservation should be in the inventory. Funds can only be used for improvements to “public” roads or for those roads that will become part of the public road system. The LRTP cannot address private or special use roads, or roads that are not open to the general public to use without restrictions.

With those constraints in mind, and looking at the Tribe’s near-term (the next five years) planning efforts as a guide, a list of 16 additions to the LRTP are being proposed (see map above).

Please contact Tom Curley, GIS Program Manager, at 360-394-8503 for more information. A Zoom link to the hearing will be sent to Tribal Members via SUN.

Public Hearing- 2022 Tribal Government Budget

A public hearing will be held Oct. 18, 2021 to review and discuss the Suquamish Tribe's 2022 Government Budget. The hearing will be held on Zoom. A link will be sent to Tribal members via SUN.

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID

Suquamish Tribe is Hiring!

To find current career opportunities with the Suquamish Tribe, please check out the regularly updated job posting on the Tribe's website at:

www.suquamish.nsn.us/careers For more information call the Job Hotline at: 360-394- 8414

Kent, WA Permit No. 71