Holiday Toy Drives Spread Cheer Across GRIC The spirit of...

www.gilariver.org/newsDecember 2009 Vol 12, No. 12

Serving all seven districts of the Gila River Indian Community

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Holiday Toy Drives Spread Cheer Across GRICSACATON-For some departments, holiday toy

drives are more than an annual endeavor. The

drives have come to encompass the spirit of

giving which lays at the heart of the Christ-

mas season.

Such is the case with Tribal Social Serv-

ices (TSS), as ‘09 marks the seventh year

the department has conducted and organ-

ized a toy drive for children in need.

According to Ramon Mendoza, Acting

Director for TSS, the holiday toy drive started

when case managers from TSS sought gift spon-

sors for children who are wards of the Gila River

Indian Community (GRIC) court system.

“We sponsor all the kids who are wards

of the court,” Mendoza said. “If the courts are

the guardian, we sponsor them.” Mendoza went

on to say that last year they took on approxi-

mately 300 children and that this year they

have about 100 more.

The responsibility

they assume in the toy

drive is not dictated, nor lim-

ited, by a certain number but

more so by need. The effort is also driven by the

spirit that the holidays should be a festive time

for everyone.

Although TSS concentrates its efforts on

children from the Community, in many cases the

kids are spread far beyond Community boundary.

Some children are with their family members,

some are in residential youth homes and still fur-

ther, some with foster families.

“There are over 100 children in shelters.

By Mihio ManusGRIN Managing Editor

Roundtable discussion brings together mediaMinority groups voice concerns over 2010 Census

PHOENIX-Sandy Close, Executive

Director of New America Media, a na-

tionwide association of over 2000 eth-

nic media organizations, led a

roundtable discussion on ethnic

media’s role in the 2010 Census at the

Lexington Hotel in Phoenix, Ariz. on

Nov. 19, 2009.

Media outlets that cater to

various groups are seen as a vital link

between the Census Bureau and hard

to count minorities. Census officials

were on hand to offer insight into the

partnerships formed with media

groups representing the Phoenix area’s

diverse segment.

Media groups representing

Hispanics, Asians, African-Americans,

Muslim-Americans and Native Amer-

icans provided intermediated informa-

tion on their concerns of the 2010

Census. Close said the event was, “a

real investment” into strengthening the

connections between media outlets

representing minorities.

Minorities and immigrants

are the most difficult groups to count

because they are in unfavorable polit-

ical situations and the topics discussed

revealed how important the 2010 Cen-

sus is to every ethnic group in the

United States.

Tribal specialists have been

sent to every federally recognized tribe

to make information more accessible

to Native communities to shore up the

gap between enrollment numbers and

Census data.

Members of the Hispanic

media voiced their worries about the

confidentiality of the Census amid the

profiling of their population. Citizen-

ship status has no bearing on an immi-

grant’s participation as Census data is

not shared with any organization under

penalty of law. Citizens and non-citi-

zens must be counted.

By Roberto A. Jackson

GRIN Reporter

Roberto A. Jackson/GRINCathy L. Lacy, left, Regional Director, U.S. Census Bu-

reau and Arnold A. Jackson, Associate Director for

Decennial Census.

Continued on Page 5

SACATON-This is the second year that GRIC’s

Employment and Training Program (E&T) has

taken it upon themselves to extend a helping

hand to their clients through a Christmas Angel

Gifting Program.

Realizing that there are families out

there who are struggling to make ends meet,

Elisia Manuel, Administrative Assistant with

E&T along with the program’s coordinators,

nominated families they felt needed assistance

during the Christmas season. The department

wanted to do whatever they could for those

families they knew could use a holiday boost.

“We know the need is out there. We

see these families,” Manuel said. “The reason

we do this is because we see it. We serve

them.”

The E&T program provides work-

force training for Community members while

also assisting them in gaining employment

The spirit of giving decorates E&T’sChristmas Angel Tree.

By Mihio ManusGRIN Managing Editor

Continued on 2

Continued on Page 13

Gila River Indian News December 2009

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December 2009 Gila River Indian News

William R. Rhodes, GovernorJoseph Manuel, Lt. Governor

Gila River Indian CommunityP.O. Box 97

Sacaton, AZ 85247520.562.9500

www.gilariver.org

Arthur Felder, Tribal Treasurer Charmaine Escalante, Community

Council Secretary

LETTERS POLICY: GRIN welcomes lettersand columns from readers. Letters should belimited to 200 words and be in good taste.Material that could be libelous or slanderous isnot acceptable. All letters or columns shouldbe signed with the writerʼs true name, addressand telephone number in the event GRIN mayneed to contact the writer. Only the name ofthe writer will be printed in the paper. Letters orcolumns without a complete signature, name,address or phone number will not be accept-able to GRIN for publication. GRIN reservesthe right to edit submitted materials for gram-mar, spelling and content.

Write to:Editor, GRINP.O. Box 459

Sacaton, AZ 85247

Published letters or columns do not necessarilyreflect the opinion of the editor or Gila River In-

dian Community.

District #1: Arzie HoggAugustine Enas

District #2: Jewell Whitman

District #3: Rodney JacksonMyron Schurz

District #4: Barney B. Enos Jr.Rebecca RoweDarrell GerlaughJohn Antone

District #5: Brenda RobertsonBrian DavisFrank Pablo, Sr.Delane Enos

District #6: Anthony VillarealAlbert PabloTerrance B Evans

District #7: Devin Redbird

Material published in the Gila RiverIndian News may not be reproduced in

any form without consent from theGila River Indian Community.

Gi la River IndianNews

MIHIO [email protected] Managing Editor

(520)562-9718

JERI [email protected] Office Manager

(520)562-9717

GINA [email protected]

Receptionist(520)562-9715

ROBERTO A. [email protected]

Reporter(520)562-9719

Fax: (520)562-9712Email: [email protected]

www.gilariver.org/index.php/news Gila River News

Letters

We live in a world where constantefforts to improve things make it easy to dis-card ideas, objects or practices on the as-sumption that the new way will always bebetter. In spiritual and traditional matters,this is not necessarily the case.

My personal experience has shownme that some spiritual and traditional prac-tices still work. For instance, the spiritualprinciples held by many of our forefatherswere, are and will continue to be sound andeffective beliefs. They are beliefs essentialto a productive community.

Few community members todayare aware of the supreme importance ourpast tribal leaders placed on spiritual guid-ance when they constructed our constitution.They were farmers and Christians who weremindful that those who govern would beheld accountable by a higher authority forthe use they made of their constitutionalpowers.

With such noble characters as ourforefathers were and sound foundation theyformed for us, why is Gila River Reservationexperiencing such turmoil today? We suffer

from increasing violence, rampant drug ad-dictions, hideous child abuse, climbing di-vorce, deteriorating family life, non-existentmoral boundaries, questionable ethics, gangviolence, destruction of homes and churches.

These violent acts against our com-munity indicate that something is seriouslymissing, perhaps its time to stop and thinkabout what we as a community are doing orwhat we are not doing. Should we re-evalu-ate our connection with the Great Spirit?Should we look back and review our past tra-ditional practices that have worked towardsthe betterment of our community? I believethese questions are on the minds of a numberof our community members and I believethat Gila River Indian Community has beenblessed, because of its original loyalty to itsChristian principles.

But lately, our community mem-bers have turned to other beliefs. We seemobsessed with materialism and with our-selves. I hear this at community meetings, “Iwant, I need, you owe me.” We no longer askfor spiritual guidance for the betterment ofthe community. I sometimes wonder what

the future of our community is going to belike. The way things are going, I fear that ourcommunity is heading towards self-destruc-tion. I hope I’m wrong.

I once read a statement that Sena-tor Jesse Helms wrote, and I quote:

“There comes a time in history ofall great civilizations when the moral foun-dations upon which it rests are shaken bysome momentous turn of events. That timehas come for America. The historical expe-rience of western man indicates that such up-heavals can ultimately destroy a nation. Thecollapse of Rome being only one of manyexamples. Great nations die when theycease to live by the great principles whichgave them the vision and strength to riseabove tyranny and human degradation”

The good Senator’s observationmay have been slightly off base at that time,and I sincerely hope that I am also. But it’ssomething to think about.

Donald R. Antone Sr.District 3 Community Member

Old Fashion Faith & Traditions

I would like to send out a very spe-cial thank you to the Phoenix Indian Center,Native American Connections, SheratonWild Horse Pass and to all of our loving fam-ily members and friends and their donationsof flour, salt, baking soda, powder milk andmoney.

Many family and friends traveled agreat distance to make Oct. 23, a very specialday. It’s our annual Powwow celebration ofour Native Customs to all here at PhoenixWest State Prison.

It’s very comforting to know thereare still loving, caring people in this worldwho still help out in whatever they can do.

May the Great Spirit bless them allfrom all the inmates here at PHX West.

Proud Gila River MemberLB Antone

Thanks for donations

Rodriguez family extends gratitude for donations

Looking for wood donations

In keeping with our Native tradi-tion, we are in need of firewood to keep onpracticing the sweat lodge ways. Helpkeep our culture alive so we can drawstrength from the creator. If anyone canhelp please contact Chaplain Grammer at602-290-0883.

Thank you,LB Antone

Hi my name is Johnny Rodriguez

and I’m from District 6. I would like to

thank the people that donated so much to

my family, when my father died on No-

vember 30, 2009.

My father, who was not

a tribal member, didn’t have the privileges

of any tribal programs to pay for funeral

expenses and I didn’t have the money to

pay for the funeral upfront. So I began ask-

ing for donations and talking to charities in

the phoenix area, because that’s where my

father lived. When I was turned down and

knew that I wasn’t going to receive any as-

sistance, people from the community came

to help my family and I.

I would like to thank the

following people, not in any specific order

for their donations, support, advice and per-

sonal time to help my family and I: Gila

River Fire Department/IAFF Local 3853,

Gila River Police Department, Gila River

Alarm Room/PD Dispatchers, Genesis, Gila

River Headstart, Gila River Child Care, Dis-

trict 6 Service Center Staff and Coordinator,

Special Services, Tribal Social Service, Dis-

trict 6 Department of Construction, St Johns

Mission Church, Care taker of St. Johns

Cemetery, Lowman’s Funeral Home, and

last but not least our wonderful friends and

family for your love and support. Thank

You!!

Johnny & Jerusha Rodriguez

Above: Johnny and his father Juan Rodriguez (5/12/59 - 11/30/09).


Journey into the DesertRide-Along with Cpl. Sichling

SACATON-It’s a typical morning

for Cpl. Richard Sichling of the

Special ServicesDivision/Rangers

with the Gila River Police De-

partment (GRPD). After a brief-

ing at the station, he is on the road

when most people are barely wak-

ing up.

As sunlight begins to

cross the threshold of night, Cpl.

Sichling is making the rounds in

his all-terrain vehicle.

A voice on his police

radio provides static-laden mes-

sages while his rifle rattles against

the seats. On this clear November

day, we head to D7 where there

are prevalent examples of the ille-

gal dumping taking place in the

Community. Along the way Sich-

ling elaborates on the duties in-

volved in his line of work. “We

go out and find the problems,”

said Sichling of the proactive na-

ture of his patrols. The crimes are

taking place in remote areas

where rangers must travel to

every corner in the Community,

not just a residential district or

along major roads.

The rangers have a skill

set that combines a wide range of

law enforcement detail. They are

a hybrid of Border Patrol, City Pa-

trol, County Deputies, Game &

Fish and Forest Rangers. Within

GRPD there are 11 rangers and

two corporals. Sichling said that

their department is supposed to

carry 21 officers.

The sort

of person suited

for this kind of

work according

to Sichling is an

individual with

an extreme Type-

A personality.

The aggressive-

competitive type

is said to thrive in

such dynamic

working situa-

tions.

W h i l e

we venture to the

Westend, Sich-

ling points out a,

“No Hazardous

Material sign” on

51st Ave. The

rangers were able to work with

Maricopa County to get the warn-

ing in place. Truckers face severe

penalties for transporting haz-

ardous materials through the

Community in D6. Sichling is

working to keep the signs placed

through out the Community.

The place we visit is not

far off 91st Ave. The scene typi-

fies the kind of dumping that is

plaguing the Community. In a

clearing surrounded by brush,

there are hundreds of used tires,

discarded building materials, cans

of paint and oil, and crumbling

furniture. The debris has been

turned into a makeshift course for

paintball.

“Nothing upsets me

more than seeing people dumping

illegally in the desert,” Sichling

said. He would rather use his ex-

tensive knowledge of the Com-

munity to put together better

protection services for animals so

it promotes growth of resources.

Since the Ethan Fire, en-

closures have been installed on

the Westend through a BIA grant.

Access has been restricted to non-

Community members, which has

considerably curbed dumping in

those sectors. For Community

members who wish to utilize cer-

tain areas, keys to the gates are

available at Service Centers. The

Community also provides free

trash pick for residents.

The enclosures have

neutralized illegal dumping in

certain areas but it remains con-

stant issue. When Sichling

catches someone dumping he

confiscates their vehicle. It is not

unusual to see grown men weep

when they realize that their trucks

are being taken away over their

misuse of Tribal lands. Sichling

also said he would like stricter

fines for violators.

He points to laziness and

greed as motives for dumping

trash in the desert.

The environmental haz-

ards are significant. Harmful ma-

terials such as oil, lead paint, and

poisons cause damage to sur-

roundings and damage water sup-

plies. Building materials such as

concrete and roofing items are

strewn in large masses. For in-

stance, after a job landscapers will

also “dump & run” in the Com-

munity leaving behind their palm

and desert trimmings and pesti-

cides.

Sichling showed me a

location where a car was aban-

doned and set ablaze; a common

occurrence for insurance fraud.

Once a vehicle is torched toxins

are released and the heavy metals

in the engine block have the po-

tential to start major brush fires.

If violators are not

dumping or misusing the land,

they are using areas within Com-

munity bounds to partake in al-

cohol or narcotics. The desert is

also a popular location for shame-

less dalliances. The lustful cou-

ples that use remote areas to

consummate their desires are im-

mediately given tickets for their

lewd behavior. These hopeless

romantics are dubbed, “desert

humpers.”

Our next stop in D7 was

further off the road. The ride was

bumpy, and if you are riding with

a ranger, I’d suggest leaving the

tea cups at home. After navigat-

ing across rugged terrain we reach

sewage run-off that flows like a

river. It is often mistaken for “El

Rio,” and it is extensively used for

recreation. The fish in the sewage

aren’t a delicacy yet are still

caught and eaten.

While in this area, Sich-

ling points out the pleasant cedar

trees that grow in the Community

in very large numbers. The trees

look harmless enough as their

green-yellow foliage add charm to

the desert backdrop. Upon further

inspection Sichling tells me that

the tree that looks so innocent is

actually the notorious salt cedar

tree. Salt cedar is an evasive

species that damages waterways,

displaces native vegetation, in-

creases fire risks and causes great

harm to the surrounding habitat.

Native to Eurasia and Africa, salt

cedar was originally planted as an

ornamental shrub but since then

has devoured water supplies

whereever it is planted.

Other unwanted guests

found in the Community are the

infamous killer bees and white-

flies. Africanized bees kill the

hive’s bees and take over the hive

by mating with the females.

Whiteflies are a major infestation

on plants and crops that kill the

host plant by feeding and spread-

ing diseases.

While riding near the

Village of Santa Cruz we drive the

dirt roads heading toward Mari-

copa. The cab of the truck is ele-

vated and while

I observe the

desert scenery,

Sichling is keep-

ing a stark vigi-

lance of our

surroundings.

Sichling is so

adjusted to the

desert that he is

able to spot

snake tracks

while sitting in

his truck and

driving at a

rapid rate of

speed. He asks

me if I noticed.

I didn’t. He

backs up, we get

out. We kneel

down and on the

road is a long and smooth snake

track. The snake was making a

road of his own.

We continue and he tells

me that the rangers photographed

every known petroglyph location,

and since then they’ve been able

to tell how much damage is done

to the art on the rocks particularly

near the Sierra Estrellas. “It’s

heartbreaking,” he said.

Vandals are making their

mark on the rocks and damaging

existing petroglyphs.

After a trip through

Maricopa the road brought us

back to the Community. We pass

through the heart of the Commu-

nity’s agricultural area and some

of the best fishing spots where

rangers take Community youth to

cast their poles. In one area

known as, “Pima Beach” there


GRIN Reporter

Roberto A. Jackson/GRINIllegal dumping, damgage to the environment and histori-

cal sites and litter left by immigrants cause major concern

for Community safety.

Continued on Page 5

Ten-year-old Katherine Evans, daughter of Kim-

berly Dutcher and Daniel Evans submitted the prize-win-

ning logo for the Gila River Farmer’s Market logo contest.

In winning the contest, Evans won three gift cards worth

$100 dollars each, a round of golf for two at the Whirlwind

Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass, and another gift card for $40

dollars to the Kosin Restaurant located in the Sheraton at

Wild Horse Pass.

A true philanthropist, Evans used the gift card to

purchase gifts for her friends and her pet dog. Also in the

spirit of Christmas, she also used her winnings to purchase

gifts for a child she had adopted.

“For Christmas, I adopted a girl who is 8 years

old, and bought her shoes, a calendar, and a backpack that

she wanted,” Evans said. “I had fun picking out her stuff,

and getting it ready to give to her. Thanks for having this

contest to allow kids that are artists the chance to win great

prizes.”


SACATON- A neighborhood beautification proj-

ect was recently spearheaded by Tim Antone, D3

Recreation, George Osife, GRPD, and Penny Mix,

Community Housing Recreation, at the South

Housing playground.

“It is all about the kids,” said Antone, as

he scanned the results of the morning efforts. He

said the ground was covered with broken glass.

“We picked up most of it and laid down some

sand. Before, there were a few kids on the play-

ground. It wasn’t safe. We knew the turnout was

going to be low. I was raised in this neighborhood.

It was tough,” said Antone.

Lt. Governor Joseph Manuel and Coun-

cil Representative Myron Schurz, D3, and a few

of their family members were present, as well as

Talia Porter, Gila River Prevention Coalition and

Lorena Clashin, Gila River Youth Council. All

were on hand to assist with facilitation and game

playing.

Anna Nichols, intern with the D3 Recre-

ation, secured a donation from Bob Green, of

Lowe’s Home Improvement, of 60 potted plants,

soil, paint and brushes, to beautify the grounds.

Beyond beautification efforts, informa-

tion about the ill effects of meth use was available

from the Gila River Prevention Coalition.

Co-ed volleyball, horseshoe toss, and 3

on 3 basketball games ran throughout the after-

noon.

“Big and small people were having fun

together. It was good to see all sizes were active.

I never see that,” said Talia Porter. “We thought it

was important to come out and support the efforts

of D3 and hope other districts will follow suit,”

she said.

The day ended at the Boys and Girls

Clubs with music by the Kyyitan Band while peo-

ple enjoyed plates of Thanksgiving dinner spon-

sored by D3.

Antone would like to thank Debra and

Anthony Jackson, the Bullock family and all the

departments who helped make the event a memo-

rable one. The next outing is Feb. 20 at the East

housing basketball courts. Antone stresses to all,

“Together we can make a difference.”

Together We Can Make a Difference

Children from D3 Housing frolic in the jumping gym set up at theneighborhood beautification effort. (GRIN Photo - Jeri Thomas)

By Jeri Thomas, GRIN Office Manager

For the month of November

2009, a cultural treasure is being recog-

nized as Governor’s Employee of the

Month. The recipient is Ernestine Nel-

son, the Cultural Instructor and Educa-

tion Assistant for the Department of

Rehabilitative Services’ Juvenile Facil-

ity.

Nelson is no stranger to acco-

lades as her diligent efforts have earned

her the Employee of the Quarter three

times. Most recently she received her

15-year service pin.

Earlier this year she was also

honored as the Culture Teacher of the

Year by Gila River’s Education depart-

ment. To her credit, this past May, Ms.

Nelson was the winning candidate for

the “Innovative Program of the Year” an

award presented by the Arizona Correc-

tional Educators at their annual confer-

ence in Tucson.

Ernestine began her tenure at

the juvenile facility over 15 years ago as

a Teacher Aide and Secretary and has

been a teacher of native language, his-

tory and heritage for more than 10-years

at the juvenile facility to our youth at

risk.

She achieved her Associate’s

degree and completed language classes

at the University of Arizona certifying

her to teach our native language of O’od-

ham, Akimel O’odham.

When an official Orthography,

a correct way of using a specific writing

system to write a language or a language,

was created and adopted by GRIC,

Ernestine answered a community “call”

to teach our language.

Ernestine also participated in

creating the adopted orthography which

strengthened the development of a cur-

riculum for all schools in the Sacaton

School District.

It is important to implement

standardized methods of teaching a

newly formed alphabet. Now residents

can see the words spoken and use ‘an al-

phabet’ that helps sound out and visual-

ize their language.

A new program is being intro-

duced that will integrate our O’odham

language and gardening. Giving an op-

portunity to identify native plants, their

traditional preparation for a meal, to

learn plant names and their uses that sus-

tained our ancestors.

Ms. Ernestine Nelson not lives

but sustains our Himdag.

were large cranes flocking the

shoreline. There are approxi-

mately 300 species of birds

within the reservation such as

killdeer, cattle egret and great

blue heron. In the Westend

during migration, bald eagles

can be spotted as well.

Along with illegal

dumping and environmental

damage, other major concerns

deal with human and drug traf-

ficking. “We have evidence

they are doing it everyday,”

Sichling said.

One spot near the

Sacaton Mountains had all the

hallmarks of human traffick-

ing. Tattered clothes, shoes,

backpacks, human feces, blan-

kets, towels, and empty bottles

pile in areas where the border

crossers hide from sight. The

ones they catch have multiple

health issues such as hepatitis,

and tuberculosis. Their gar-

ments commonly have fleas

and lice. There are spotters

that detect law enforcement

and alert border crossers be-

fore they are discovered.

Sichling uses his vast

knowledge of the Community

to give presentations for Tribal

departments such as Depart-

ment of Environmental Qual-

ity. Sichling also presented

for Arizona State University

and solid waste companies.

He has over 8 years experi-

ence as a ranger and previ-

ously was a firefighter said

Sichling who grew up in Flo-

rence.

After traveling 150

miles of spectacular

panoramic views, desert ter-

rain and disheartening obser-

vations my ride-along ends but

the problems in the Commu-

nity’s remote areas persist. Il-

legal dumping is a severe

problem and the environmen-

tal impact is enormous. Drug

and human traffickers pose a

threat to the surroundings and

also the safety of Community

members. Damage to petro-

glyphs means damage to

O’odham history. Evasive

species disrupt the harmony of

the desert’s natural symphony.

The rangers remain

positive will finding solutions.

“To me, the ranger is the ideal

job,” Sichling said. For more

information on the problems

and solutions or the ride-along

program call (520) 562-7139.

Ride-Along/from page 4

Muslim and Asian

representatives asked if the

Census would be available in

their respective languages.

Census material is customized

to reach out to Muslims and

Asians to bring them into the

center of the count ensuring

more accurate data. African-

Americans inquired about the

availability of Census infor-

mation in inner-city communi-

ties. There will be a Census

bus tour that will visit cities

and neighborhood schools

which is part of the $400 mil-

lion advertising campaign to

promote a very critical tally.

Arnold Jackson, As-

sociate Director for Decennial

Census at the U.S. Census Bu-

reau, said the Census, “is one

more chance to stand up for

your community.”

Census question-

naires are available at certain

sites for individuals who did

not receive one in the mail.

Look up www.cen-

sus.gov/2010census/ for more

information about Census data

and questionnaires.

2010 Census/from page 1

Governor’s Employee of the Month -Ernestine NelsonSubmitted by Janelle Sixkiller

Gila River Farmer’s Market Logo Contest winner,Katherine Evans

Katherine Evans displays her award win-ning logo for the Gila River Farmerʼs Mar-ket alongside her mom , Kimberly Dutcher.

Mihio Manus/GRIN

Jeri Thomas/GRIN


On October 23, 2009, the Tribal

Constitution Reform Project (TCRP), Task

Force presented its Proposed Revised Gila

River Indian Community Constitution to in-

terested members of the Legislative Stand-

ing Committee (LSC), Government &

Management Standing Committee (G&M)

and the Governor’s Office. Although the

joint session was proposed to be a work ses-

sion lasting several hours, the two commit-

tees limited the TCRP presentation and

question and answer session due to urgent

matters involving the budget. In the rela-

tively short period of time allowed, the Task

Force went over some of the demographics

of the Community, the proposed changes

and answered a few questions from inter-

ested committee members.

The Task Force presented some in-

teresting demographics about the Commu-

nity that will play into any election strategy,

as follows:

•In 2007, Enrollment Department records

reflect the tribal membership at 19,412

members. Of those, roughly 41% or 8,042

reside off the reservation.

•As of March 2009, enrollment increased by

about 100 members to 19,510 and about

12,900 are 18 years of age or older (the age

eligible to vote in any Secretarial Election).

•Despite the large membership, Tribal Elec-

tion Officee records show that only 6,368,

about 49% of those eligible to vote are reg-

istered to vote in tribal elections with a ma-

jority of those registered claiming District 3

as their respective district.

•Urban members select the district where

they will vote but it is unclear how many of

the 6,363 registered voters are urban mem-

bers.

During the Task Force presentation

to LSC and G&M, the Task Force pointed

out some of the special circumstances pre-

sented by the urban members and their po-

tential impact on the outcome of the

Secretarial Election. The Task Force felt

that it was important to take into account

this demographic in developing a campaign

strategy. Initially, it was uncertain whether

urban members would be allowed to vote in

any Secretarial Election. In 1990, there was

a previous attempt to amend the Commu-

nity’s Constitution and by decision of the

Bureau of Indian Affairs, voting was limited

to members residing on the reservation. The

Bureau based its decision on their interpre-

tation of the Code of Federal Regulations.

In this reform process, however, the Com-

munity had early communications with the

Bureau of Indian Affairs inquiring whether

off reservation voters would be allowed to

participate in the Secretarial Election and

provided some legal analysis explaining

why the off reservation members should be

allowed to participate in any Secretarial

Election. In September 2009, the Bureau

notified the Community that voter eligibility

would not be restricted to on-reservation

members. The BIA further elaborated that

in 1990 the wrong provision of the Code of

Federal Regulations was applied and in

1990, the class of voters should not have

been restricted to on-reservation members.

Therefore, in any future Secretarial Elec-

tion, the class of voters will be those meet-

ing eligibility requirements, regardless of

residence and who registers to vote in the

Secretarial Election. In addition to dis-

cussing urban members, the Task Force fo-

cused on the other substantive changes in

the TCRP Proposed Revised Constitution.

Following the presentation, LSC

and G&M members asked a few questions

and made some commentary. One Council-

man commented that his constituents resid-

ing on the reservation were of the opinion

that off reservation members should not be

allowed to vote or otherwise participate in

the process and impact what happens on the

reservation. The reasoning is that these

members don’t live on the reservation and

don’t feel the impacts of the decisions, so

they shouldn’t have a say in the process.

There was some debate on this issue and in

the end the LSC and G&M Committees

moved to send the Task Forces’ Proposed

Revised Constitution for review by the Law

Office with a deadline for completion No-

vember 30, 2009.

The TCRP Task Force was hopeful

that when it met its August 2009 deadline to

submit the Proposed Revised Constitution

that a review could be completed expedi-

tiously and a Secretarial Election could be

conducted as early as February 2010. Un-

fortunately, it does not appear that this will

be possible, given the fact that the TCRP

Proposed Revised Constitution is still under

review by the Law Office. Following Law

Office review, the LSC will decide whether

additional changes are required or whether

to forward the document to the Community

Council for determination of whether to re-

quest a Secretarial Election. Community

members will have to wait for a final deci-

sion on the matter to determine when a Sec-

retarial Election might occur.

TCRP Presents to LSC, G&M and Governor’s Office; Urban Member Participation Discussed

By Mihio Manus

GRIN Managing Editor

The Executive Team came forward

with a proposed Fiscal Year 2010 Operating

Budget during a Special Council Meeting on

Tue, Nov. 24. The motion to approve the

proposed FY2010 Operating Budget was

carried unanimously with all 17 councilmen

voting in favor of the budget.

Within the 2010 Operating Budget

an overall reduction was achieved without

the Community having to implement the re-

duction in force option, which was initially

considered and presented at district-wide

outreach meetings.

Striking a balance in the budget

was achieved by tasking every GRIC de-

partment to undergo a 13.1% reduction in

operating budgets while partially utilizing-

funds that were proposed to be used for sav-

ings.

The following options were in-

cluded within the passing of the FY2010

Operating Budget:

•All GRIC departments reduced their oper-

ating budgets by 13.1%. There were no Re-

duction In Force (RIF) other than the Fire

Department who lost four Battalion Chiefs.

•The proposal to adopt leave without pay

(LWOP) for holidays and work furlough

days was not recommended by Governor

Rhodes and will not be scheduled to occur in

FY2010.

•GRIC employees will not be provided a

Holiday bonus for FY2010.

•The 4 day/10 hour work schedule was dis-

continued effective Dec. 1, 2009.

•The Compensation Study was postponed

pending completion of the Reorganization

Project.

•The 4% wade adjustment was not renewed

for FY2010.

•The Community budgeted 8% of revenues

to be applied to savings.

•The Community reprioritized Capital Proj-

ects, reducing spending to $69M for

FY2010.

•Per Capita payments were not affected for

FY2010.

•The EAP Program will continue to be

funded in its entirety.

Council Discussion

Although the Community has now

overcome the hurdle of evaluating its finan-

cial resources in moving forward on this

budget, the process seems to have given

members of both Council and the Executive

Team further insight into how Community

spending, operations and revenue must con-

sistently be a top priority.

“We’ve gone through a 60 day con-

tinuance. It’s been eye opening to see the

way we’re spending,” said Anthony Vil-

lareal, Sr., D6 Councilman. “At the same

time, we’ve been able to produce, through

the Governor’s staff at the districts, a pre-

serving of Community programs.”

In Council, Villareal Sr. also went

on to express that he was very optimistic in

looking at future of the Community’s rev-

enue generation.

Not every proposed budgetary re-

duction made it onto the FY2010 Budget

proposal. Councilman Rodney Jackson D3

said he felt that the seven holidays after Jan.

2, 2010, should have been given more con-

sideration along with the work furlough

days.

“That’s 7M dollars right there that

we could have saved,” Jackson said before

Council. The D3 Councilman went on to

compare keeping tabs on the Community’s

finances to balancing your checkbook.

“Just like your checkbook. If there’s no

money there, there is nothing to spend.

However, if there is money there, there is

something to be managed.”

D4 Councilman, Barney Enos, Jr.,

questioned the measures that are currently

in place to forecast and evaluate economic

situations that the Community could face in

the future. “I think the bottom line is that

we need to get down to some fiscal respon-

sibility,” Enos, Jr. said. “What metrics do

we have in place to say that we’ve grown.

When it comes down to making decisions,

what cost saving measures do we have in

place? We need to create these baselines.”

With the economic conditions as

they are, not only locally but on the national

level as well, it could be a matter of years

before the Community will see it’s enter-

prises generating revenue as they once had.

GRIC Treasurer, Arthur Felder said

that moving forward the Community is

going to have to monitor its resources more

closely while furthering communication sur-

rounding them.

“Working with each other on cer-

tain levels, the solution is there with some

out of the box thinking,” Felder said. “I

think that it’s going to be a difficult road.”

Could the Community be in the

same situation next year? Felder said in all

likelihood it is possible.

“I do believe that we’ll be here

again next year but hopefully when we do

meet here again, we’ll have a plan. A plan

that we’ll start working to correct these

problems,” he said.

GRIC moves forward on FY2010 Operating Budget


The following includes edited excerpts from a longer articleby Jeff Vance Martin on the history of the Gila River IndianCommunity Water Settlement Act

December 10 is designated Gila River Indian

Community Historic Water Rights Day, marking the fifth

anniversary of the passage of the GRIC Water Settlement

Act in 2004, which brought to an end more than 100 years

of litigation and negotiation over the waters of the Gila

River.

The Akimel O’odham and Pee-Posh once had vil-

lages throughout the Gila River Valley, from present-day

Florence to the base of the Estrella Mountains. The Gila was

a verdant oasis then, with cottonwood and willow forests

along its floodplain, a ribbon of green in the desert.

Irrigation, using floodwater and canals, supported

a large population. After the introduction of wheat by the

Spanish, the peoples of the Gila River became agricultural

entrepreneurs, selling their crops and giving charity to trav-

elers to the gold fields of California, settlers in the region—

even the U.S. Army.

However, non-Indian settlers upstream began to

divert the waters of the Gila for agriculture, mining and live-

stock. This led to desertification, salinization, subsidence of

groundwater levels, and loss of topsoil, native flora and

fauna. The Gila River eventually became “little more than

a drainage ditch,” often dry between Florence and its con-

fluence with the Salt River.1

The result was an environmental and economic

disaster. From an ecological perspective, the GRIC’s land

became “disturbed wasteland,” suffering severe xerification

and a marked decline in vegetation—mesquite forests were

lost, species died or moved away, and irrigated agriculture

became next to impossible. Diversion destroyed the GRIC’s

economy, pushing the once proud and independent farmers

into poverty. With the economic basis of O’odham life ef-

fectively destroyed, even sustenance-level production was

difficult, and the tribe suffered famine, crime, emigration

and factionalization.

And despite appeals by the tribe, the federal gov-

ernment failed to decisively move to protect the GRIC’s

water, instead allowing for the dispossession of the tribe and

the expansion of non-Indian activities through its “benign

neglect.” When they did step in, it was to dole out canned

foods—stemming the worst of the disaster, but aiding a

change in diet (also brought on by the loss of agriculture)

that would lead to some of the highest rates of diabetes in

the U.S.

While the tribe had legal claims on the waters of

the Gila dating back to 1859 (the year the Reservation was

created by Presidential Executive Order), these were not

recognized for many years, and it was only through long

legal struggle that progress was made. The battle for GRIC

water includes the Gila River Adjudication, initiated in

1979, one of the longest-running civil court cases ever.

Finally, the legal work of the community and its

allies pressured neighbors and governments to the negotiat-

ing table, as the State of Arizona and neighboring users saw

they had much to lose by continuing to fight GRIC claims.

After nearly 20 years of negotiation, the late 1990s saw a

concerted effort to draft a settlement agreement. Finally, on

February 4, 2003, the Gila River Indian Community agreed

to a water settlement proposal, which was signed into law

by President George W. Bush as the Arizona Water Settle-

ments Act in 2004.

The settlement was a milestone for the community,

the State of Arizona, and the broader struggle for Indian

rights. The largest Indian water rights settlement in the his-

tory of the United States, it brings water back to the com-

munity—both a practical necessity and a symbol of

sovereignty and identity—and allows the GRIC to begin to

consider its future.

The struggle to reestablish economic independence

and return to an agrarian economy promises “the founda-

tion of a revitalized future for our people, the promise of

economic prosperity and improved quality of life.” Agri-

culture can help to begin to address the effects of poor diet

and diabetes (through the restoration of traditional crops and

lifestyle practices) and create jobs through ripple effects in

the local economy. One day, the community hopes to once

again become “the breadbasket of Arizona,” providing food

for itself and its neighbors.2

The Gila River Indian Community Water Settle-

ment Act represents a victory for the GRIC and an opening

from which to grow. The settlement was the result decades

of effort on behalf of many individuals who combated gen-

erations of ingrained practice and doctrine. But what is to

come for the community will be the result of a struggle for

sovereignty waged by the people of the Gila River to deter-

mine their own future.

1 Webb, Robert H., Stanley A. Leake, and Raymond M.

Turner. The Ribbon of Green: Change in Riparian Vegeta-tion in the Southwestern United States. Tucson: University

of Arizona Press, 2007. (337).

2 DeJong, David H. Where the Water Flows, Life Grows.Sacaton: Gila River Indian Community, 2005. (5, 30).

Celebrating GRIC’s Historic Water Rights DaySubmitted by Jeff Vance Martin


2010 Census “It is Safe It is Easy”By: Jeri Thomas, GRIN Office Manager

MESA- A “Spirit of Community Celebration” was the uni-

fying theme at the new Mesa Census office that serves the

Gila River Indian Community and the cities of Chandler and

Mesa. The office is located at 1102 North Higley Road.

Kevin Harke, Pastor, Chandler Trinity Christian

Fellowship Church, said, “The Census is easy, 10 questions

to millions of households will give key demographics on

age, gender, and race, of all household residents from grand-

parents to friends.”

At a minimum, answers to Census questions pro-

vide data for voter/legislative representation and redistrict-

ing, Social Security and Medicare benefits, and projections

for highways, schools, hospitals, cemeteries, and veteran’s

benefits.

“The cornerstone of the duty of the U.S. Census

Bureau is to count, one time, and only one time, and in the

right place,” said Scott Smith, Mayor of the City of Mesa.

“It’s so important that it’s embedded in the Constitution.”

Smith went on to say, “It’s important we exercise

and get our fair share of state and federal dollars. Our found-

ing fathers wanted to know who we are and define where we

call home. We are diverse, yet similar. The Census is a se-

rious task and we are in favor of the efforts to get the mes-

sage out at forums, schools, and associations.”

The three-minute GRIC public service announce-

ment, produced by Edit Box, a division of Employment and

Training, aired wherein Governor Rhodes implores to view-

ers, “We need to participate to be sure we benefit from it. We

have been losing out of the benefits because the numbers

weren’t correct,” referring to the 2000 Census count.

Jane Johnson-Woody, GRIC Census Tribal Liai-

son, previously said, “In the 2000 Census, we were mas-

sively undercounted.” GRIC answers were erroneously

credited to Salt River-Pima, or Salt River-Maricopa, or to

other southern Arizona tribes.

The 2010 Census “race” question establishes five

subcategories. Johnson-Woody stresses, “Use the write-in

area to report your enrolled tribe. Remember to write in

‘Gila River Indian Community’ at question 9.”

By law, information cannot be shared with federal

or law enforcement agencies. The Census is safe.

For employment opportunities please contact the

GRIC Recruiting Assistant Jan Stewart (520) 840-1239, or

the Mesa office at (480) 270-8361, or refer to the schedule

for district testing times and sites.

Key Dates:

Fall 2009 Recruitment begins

February –

March 2010 Census questionnaires are mailed or

delivered to households

April 1, 2010 Census Day

May –

July 2010 Census takers visit households that

did not return questionnaires by mail

December 2010 By law, Census Bureau delivers

population counts to the president

for apportionment

March 2011 By law, Census Bureau completes

delivery of redistricting data to

states

Mesa District 5 Councilmember Dina Higgins, DenverRegional Area Manager Mike Benton, and Local Cen-sus Office Manager Nigel Beckford.

DEPARTMENT OF LAND USE PLANNING & ZONING

Subdivision Administration

Subdivision Administration of Land Use Planning & Zoning is currently updating the DISTRICT ONE Waiting List for Homesites.

Below are the names of Community members who do not have addresses, phone or message numbers, and no GRID numbers.

If your name is on this list, or, if you know how to contact any of these individuals, please come in or call us to update your information.

This is a 30-day notice for you to update your information. If we do not receive any information, we will place your name at the bottom of the

waiting list for District One.

Contact Dean Howard, Subdivision Administrator or Suzanne Acuña, Subdivision Administrator Assistant at (520) 562-6003 or 6004 with

your information or come to our office at the address listed below.

Subdivision Administration is located at the Department of Land Use Planning & Zoning

315 W. Casa Blanca Road, Executive Ke’, Sacaton, AZ 85147 -- Tel. 520- 562-6003.

61. Boyea, Regina

62. Mark, Carmelyn

63. Allen, Nicole

64. Brown, Michael

65. Quintero, Barbara

66. Jones, Nicolette

67. Kisto, Gregory

68. Smith, Gracie

69. Hugo, Soyna

70. Castillo, Therin

71. Allen, Danielle

72. Jackson, Virgil O. Jr.

73. Johnson, Malcolm

74. Odell, Gina

75. Davis, Michaelene

76. Lyons, Ronnie

77. Lewis, Dianna

78. Lewis, DeAlva

21. Eddie, Laura

22. Jackson, Cheryle

23. Dawahoya, Rudy

24. Williams, Jason

25. Johns, Rene

26. McGill, Jesse

27. Enas, Lisa

28. Rhodes, Carolyn

29. Lewis, Sonya

30. Lewis, William

31. Etsitty, Sage, Sr.

32. Satala, Shannon

33. Valenzuela, Mario

34. Baca, Elizabeth

35. Alaynia, Macias

36. Lopez, Dorothy

37. Lewis, Wade

38. Setoyant, Gerald

39. Nazarratte, Antonio

40. Delowe, Kari

41. Castillo, Elizabeth

42. Flores, Becky

43. Flores, Linda

44. Florez, Sandra

45. Johnson, Eva Marie

46. McDaniel, Renee (Jackson)

47. Whitechair, Sunshine

48. Williams, Antonia

49. Rodriguez, Juses

50. Rodriguez, Sylvia

51. Enas, Adrian

52. Richards, Susan

53. Macias, Fern

54. Kyyitan, Eileene

55. Grijalva, Roberta S.

56. Osife, Erwin

57. Narcia, Marlene

58. Joaquin, Gena Moyah

59. McNeal, Michelle

60. Garcia, Caroldine (Lewis)

1. Yucupicio, Leonard

2. Antone, Duke F.

3. Gomez, Melissa

4. Prince, Lisa

5. Antone, Sylvia J.

6. Bolorques, Marcos

7. Evans, Decondra

8. Molina, Mario

9. McGill, Tanya

10. Dorene, Noriego

11. Alvarez, Mary Ann N.

12. Vavages, Stephanie

13. Rivera, Jose Alfonso

14. Aranaydo, Corey

15. Vincent, Shannon

16. Rhodes, Donald

17. Lewis, Stacy

18. Zuniga, Erica

19. Williams, Linda


Support your community members at the Gila River Farmers’ Market at Wild Horse Pass.

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We have several children in treatment facil-

ities. We have children all over the valley

and in Tucson, Wilcox and Prescott,” Men-

doza said.

In previous years, the department

had sponsors drop off their gifts at the TSS

office and from there the case managers

would take the gifts to children’s homes.

For the most part, gifts were delivered well

before Christmas morning. However with

an excess of 300 children to serve, it’s un-

derstandable that the department isn’t al-

ways able to beat Santa Claus. Nonetheless,

TSS has always made sure to get the gifts

out as soon as possible.

“I had a grandmother on the West

End that had six grandkids and their parents

were not around,” Mendoza said. “I could-

n’t deliver the gifts on the night previous

[Christmas]. So, I went out there on Satur-

day and knocked on the door. I told her that

I had gifts and delivered tons of gifts. She

was so grateful and said, ‘I don’t know what

I would have done.’”

The toy drive is similar to a Christ-

mas Angel program where children place

wish lists on a Christmas tree and those who

want to sponsor them assume responsibility

for the list. Case managers consult with

clients and compile these wish lists.

Solicitation for the toy drive has

been made at Community events like job

fairs and also through both email and flyers.

But as is standard throughout the Commu-

nity, word of mouth is the most powerful

and efficient tool.

Accordingly, TSS has a lot of peo-

ple who have called in and said they’d like

to sponsor the program. Therefore, provid-

ing gifts has rarely been a problem as spon-

sorship comes from far and wide. People

throughout Community departments want to

be involved as well as those from outside the

community.

“The support that pours in is

tremendous,” said Arlanna Jackson, Secre-

tary for TSS’ Case Management Depart-

ment. “We just picked up two Xerox boxes

full of gifts and another sponsor got chil-

dren’s bikes.”

Whereas in previous years, staff

members have taken on the role of Santa

Claus and delivered gifts to children, the cir-

cumstance changed when the Sheraton at

Wild Horse Pass stepped up and proposed a

Christmas party to be held at the Koli Eques-

trian Center in 2008. Case managers from

TSS still gathered wish lists but the Sheraton

raised money through sponsorships and

fundraisers to purchase the gifts for all the

children.

Although the Sheraton’s Christmas

party was spectacular, it left many Commu-

nity departments feeling left out and won-

dering why they weren’t we able to be

involved, as the Sheraton had been able to

sponsor all the children. Therefore, this year

the two entities have worked in tandem to

divide up the sponsorship load with the

Sheraton taking half and TSS picking up the

rest.

Both TSS and the Sheraton believe

that this years Christmas event will be a def-

inite improvement over last year’s event.

“Last year was a learning experience and

this year I think we’ve improved because we

have more people involved,” Mendoza said.

“This year we’re involved in more collabo-

ration.”

The other side of the sponsorship

coin sees the Sheraton at Wild Horse Pass

(WHP) rolling up its sleeves to fundraise for

both the Christmas Party event and for their

half of the gift load that they’ve taken re-

sponsibility for. Although the endeavor en-

compasses great financial contributions, the

heart of the matter really lies in an altruistic

effort to fill the lives of children with Christ-

mas spirit, no matter what their circum-

stance is.

“Over the past few months through

various departmental fundraising efforts, the

Sheraton at Wild Horse Pass has earned

about $25K dollars to fund the collaborative

Christmas event,” said Stephanie

Heckathorne, Director of Public Relations

for The Sheraton at WHP. “It really is a tes-

Members of the TSS Office gather sponsors to accommodate the wishlists of those GRIC chil-

dren who are wards of the court. Pictured above is the staff with a couple loads of gifts for the

children.

The Christmas party held at the Koli Equestrian Center is the culmination of both TSS and the

Sheraton’s fundraising efforts. Last years party garnered over 300 attendees.

Mihio Manus/GRIN

Photo Courtesy of the Sheraton at WHP

Continued on page 13

Holiday Toy Drive from page 1


WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General

Eric Holder and Secretary of the Interior

Ken Salazar today announced a settlement

of the long-running and highly contentious

Cobell class-action lawsuit regarding the

U.S. government’s trust management and

accounting of over 300,000 individual

American Indian trust accounts.

The class action case, which in-

volves several hundred thousand plaintiffs,

was filed by Elouise Cobell in 1996 in the

U.S. District Court for the District of Co-

lumbia. The case has included hundreds of

motions, 7 trials constituting 192 trial days;

has resulted in 22 published judicial deci-

sions; has been up to the Court of Appeals

ten times; and has been the subject of in-

tense, and sometimes difficult, litigation.

“This is an historic, positive devel-

opment for Indian country and a major step

on the road to reconciliation following years

of acrimonious litigation between trust ben-

eficiaries and the United States,” Secretary

Salazar said. “Resolving this issue has been

a top priority of President Obama, and this

administration has worked in good faith to

reach a settlement that is both honorable and

responsible.

Under the negotiated agreement,

litigation will end regarding the Department

of the Interior’s performance of an histori-

cal accounting for trust accounts maintained

by the United States on behalf of more than

300,000 individual Indians. A fund totaling

$1.4 billion will be distributed to class mem-

bers to compensate them for their historical

accounting claims, and to resolve potential

claims that prior U.S. officials mismanaged

the administration of trust assets.

In addition, in order to address the

continued proliferation of thousands of new

trust accounts caused by the “fractionation”

of land interests through succeeding gener-

ations, the settlement establishes a $2 billion

fund for the voluntary buy-back and consol-

idation of fractionated land interests. The

land consolidation program will provide in-

dividual Indians with an opportunity to ob-

tain cash payments for divided land interests

and free up the land for the benefit of tribal

communities.

By reducing the number of indi-

vidual trust accounts that the U.S must

maintain, the program will greatly reduce

on-going administrative expenses and future

accounting-related disputes. In order to pro-

vide owners with an additional incentive to

sell their fractionated interests, the settle-

ment authorizes the Interior Department to

set aside up to 5 percent of the value of the

interests into a college and vocational school

scholarship fund for American Indian stu-

dents.

The settlement which will require

legislative and judicial approval to become

effective, is fair to the plaintiffs, responsible

for the United States, and provides a path

forward for the future.

President Obama said at later press

conference, “But it is important to note that

today’s actions are not the final step. The

District Court for the District of Columbia

must formally endorse the settlement, and

Congress must enact legislation to authorize

implementation. I urge Congress to act

swiftly to correct this long-standing injus-

tice and to remember that no special appro-

priations are required. I congratulate all

those in Indian Country that have waited for

this news, and join them in waiting for a

quick conclusion to the process.”

If approved, it will resolve the

plaintiffs’ claims for an historical account-

ing for funds that the government held in

trust for Native Americans and resolve po-

tential claims alleging that, over decades, the

government has mismanaged the acres of

land and millions of dollars that it holds in

trust for Native Americans. Between the ac-

counting claims and the trust administration

claims, the plaintiff class will receive ap-

proximately $1.4 billion.

“While we have made significant

progress in improving and strengthening the

management of Indian trust assets, our work

is not over,” said Salazar, who also an-

nounced he is establishing a national com-

mission to evaluate ongoing trust reform

efforts and make recommendations for the

future management of individual trust ac-

count assets in light of a congressional sun-

set provision for the Office of Special

Trustee, which was established by Congress

in 1994 to reform financial management of

the trust system.

The land consolidation fund ad-

dresses a legacy of the General Allotment

Act of 1887 (the “Dawes Act”), which di-

vided tribal lands into parcels between 40

and 160 acres in size, allotted them to indi-

vidual Indians and sold off all remaining un-

allotted Indian lands. As the original hold-

ers died, their intestate heirs received an

equal, undivided interest in the lands as ten-

ants in common. In successive generations,

smaller undivided interests descended to the

next generation.

Interior currently manages about

56 million acres of Indian trust land, admin-

istering more than 100,000 leases and about

$3.5 billion in trust funds. For fiscal year

2009, funds from leases, use permits, land

sales and income from financial assets, to-

taling about $298 million were collected for

more than 384,000 open Individual Indian

Money accounts and $566 million was col-

lected for about 2,700 tribal accounts for

more than 250 tribes. Since 1996, the U.S.

Government has collected over $10.4 billion

from individual and tribal trust assets and

disbursed more than $9.5 billion to individ-

ual account holders and tribal governments.

Today, it is common to have hun-

dreds-even thousands-of Indian owners for

one parcel of land. Such highly fractionated

ownership makes it extremely difficult to

use the land productively or to provide ben-

eficial use for any individual. Absent serious

corrective action, an estimated 4 million

acres of land will continue to be held in such

small ownership interests that very few in-

dividual owners will ever derive any mean-

ingful financial benefit from that ownership.

Additional Information is available

at the following sites: www.cobellsettle-

ment.com. The Department of the Interior

website: www.doi.gov. The Office of the

Special Trustee website: www.ost.doi.gov

Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar announces settlement of Cobell lawsuit for $1.4 Billion

within GRIC departments. Operating on

both state and federal funding, with supple-

mental funds provided by the tribe, E&T

services also extend toward assisting partic-

ipants in gaining food stamps or tangible

tools necessary for workers to perform their

jobs.

“We do a lot of supportive service

here at the program,” she said. “We provide

services for people ages 14 on up. If we get

a 66 year old who needs a GED, we’ll help

them. Our main goal is to get Community

members trained and into the workforce.”

Every E&T coordinator is like a

caseworker that tracks information on the fi-

nancial, educational and work needs of their

clients. Because the program assists many

people who are struggling with lower in-

come situations, the coordinators are able to

gauge the need that exists throughout their

clientele database as it fluctuates throughout

the year.

And while the need consistent, it is

often times great.

“Every month we get about 500

people that walk through our doors,”

Manuel said. “Right now we have well over

500 clients that we’re serving.”

Moving into the holiday season,

E&T’s Christmas Angel Program is a two-

fold endeavor. The coordinators first look

through their files to evaluate and determine

which clients they feel need Christmas as-

sistance. They then nominate certain whole

families that they are able to sponsor by pro-

viding them with gifts and a holiday dinner.

“Last year we sponsored five fam-

ilies,” Manuel said. “This year we could

only do three. E&T will provide a dinner for

them along with Christmas caroling and

other activities.”

The second part is the actual

Christmas Angel Program where E&T sends

out a letter and application to everyone they

serve and through this outreach, children are

nominated to be included in their Christmas

Angel pool. The nominated children then

submit wish lists that are placed on a Christ-

mas tree that is centrally located at the E&T

office. From there sponsors are able to take

these lists and buy gifts for the angels they

wish to provide gifts for. Currently they

have about 84 Angels (children selected to

be sponsored).

Manuel has taken it upon herself to

sponsor angels for the holidays. “They’re

not asking for much and it’s not so much

about the toys,” she said. “What more joy

can you get than to put a smile on a child’s

face?”

During the Christmas season,

E&T’s focus is to do what they can to serve

the community and give back. All of the has

staff bought gifts for Christmas Angels.

Compared with last years Angel

Program, Manuel said that sponsorship this

year is waning. Because of which the num-

ber of angels they can support will top out

at approximately 100.

Last year Hamilton High basket-

ball team participated by sponsoring a

woman who had just gotten her GED along

with her children. The team went out and

did house deliveries. “We went to most

every district and handed out gifts on a home

delivery,” Manuel said.

2008 also saw the hospital helping

out in a big way with donations.

“I had a doctor donate $100 gift

card to homeless man,” she said.

As we move closer to the arrival of

Santa Claus, with Christmas day peeking

right around the corner, the E&T department

is preparing to load their sleigh with gifts

and spread Christmas cheer throughout the

Community.

tament to how privileged everyone feels to

represent the Community and how they will

benefit the benefactors of GRIC.”

The Sheraton’s parent company,

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide,

Inc., is reputable for sponsoring charitable

programs on a national level for all proper-

ties they own. Starwood is consistently in-

volved in supporting the Juvenile Diabetes

Research Foundation (JDRF).

Two years back, Ginger Martin,

Cultural Concierge for the Sheraton at WHP,

approached Starwood posing the question,

“Would it be possible to give back to a local

cause within the Gila River Indian Commu-

nity?”

With Starwood giving the Sheraton

a green light to move on this endeavor, Mar-

tin then began working with TSS to organize

a Christmas party to benefit all those chil-

dren who are wards of the GRIC court sys-

tem.

According to Heckathorne,

“There’s really two legs to this: the fundrais-

ing effort to fund the party and the Christ-

mas Angel tree to sponsor children.”

It’s fair to say that every depart-

ment associated with the Sheraton has done

their part in fundraising, from the food/bev-

erage and banquet staff to Aji Spa and the

sales department. Every department has put

forth initiative to raise funds for the party.

In making efforts to adapt and

grow, Heckathore says that this year the

Christmas party will be bigger and better.

The Sheraton Adventure club will conduct

fun games like pin the nose on Rudolf. The

children will enjoy horseback rides along

with traditional food exhibits and dancing.

And it will all be hosted by Kai’s own Chef

Michael O’ Dowd.

Another highlight of the party is

that one teenager will be provided financial

assistance through the Grant a Wish pro-

gram which is a collaborative effort between

the both the Sheraton and TSS.

In all the hustle and bustle of this

time of year, the Christmas season really

fosters a time for people reflect on the things

that are most meaningful to them. Whether

you’re donating time or donating financially,

the generosity in spirit really tends to bring

out the best in everyone.

“It’s perfectly reflected in this

Christmas party,” Heckathore said. “It’s

proof that people’s hearts are in the right

places and making the season a great time

for the children.”

Mihio Manus/GRIN

Holiday Toy Drive from page 12

Christmas Angels from page 1

Below: Elisia Manuel stands before Employment and Training’s Christmas Angel Tree with gifts

that sponsors have dropped off.


Arsenic Levels Above DrinkingWater Standards(Sweetwater and Stotonic WaterSystems)

The Sweetwater and Stotonic water sys-tems were recently found to be in viola-tion of the Community’s drinking waterstandard. A level of arsenic higher thanthe limit was detected and, although thisis not an emergency, customers utilizingthis water have the right to know. TheGila River Department of Public Worksis dedicated to provide you informationabout what this means, what you shoulddo as a consumer and what we aredoing to correct the situation.

What should I do?

This does not mean you are required touse an alternative water supply such asbottled water. Because of the very lowlevels of arsenic this is not an immedi-ate risk. You would have been notifiedimmediately if your health was at risk. Ifyou do have specific health concerns,consult your doctor and follow his ad-vice.

Where does arsenic come from?

Arsenic in drinking water can come fromthe erosion of natural deposits, or therunoff from orchards, or glass and elec-tronic parts production wastes, woodpreservatives, and from manufacturingof paint, drugs, dyes, soaps, and met-als.

What does this mean?

In 2005, the federal maximum contami-nant level (MCL) for arsenic in drinkingwater was 50 parts per billion, or 0.05mg/l. In January 2006, the EPA loweredthe MCL from 50 parts per billion to 10parts per billion or 0.010 mg/L. The GilaRiver Department of Public Works con-ducts routine monitoring for the pres-ence of many drinking water

contaminants, and on September 30,2009, test results reveled that the sys-tems exceeded the maximum contami-nant level (MCL), for arsenic. Thestandard is 0.010 mg/l and arsenic wasfound at 0.012 mg/l in the wells that feedthe Sweetwater and Stotonic water sys-tems.

What is being done?

To solve this problem and provide drink-ing water at levels below the MCL for ar-senic the Gila River Department ofPublic Works is installinginstallingplan-ning to install new water mains. Thesemains will provide Sweetwater and theStotonic area with water which meetsthe standards for arsenic. by bringingacceptable water into the area. We ex-pect to have these new water mains op-erational by XXXXXXXXin July of 2010,pending funding.

Some people who drink water contain-ing arsenic in excess of the MCL overmany years could experience skin dam-age or problems with their circulatorysystem, and may have an increased riskof getting cancer.

Please share this information with allother people who drink this water, espe-cially those who may not have receivedthis notice directly (for example peoplein apartments, nursing homes, schools,and businesses). You can do this byposting this notice in a public place ordistributing copies by hand or mail.

For more information, please call theDepartment of Public Works at 520-562-3343.

This notice is being sent to you by theDepartment of Public Works for theSweetwater Community in District 5 andStotonic water system in District 4.

Distribution Date: May 29Decem-ber 20, 2009

IMPORTANT INFORMATIONABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

Charisse Holiday, MS, RD, CDE

The Holidays are here which means parties and dinners will be hosted and

gathered upon.

This Christmas and News Years enjoy your family and make it a healthy

one by making some minor changes to your recipes and practicing moderation in

portions. Over time, making healthy changes by small steps will have big benefits

in the long run.

Making recipes or dishes healthier involves substituting an ingredient with

a healthier one. A healthier one is lower in fat, sugar, salt, or calories. These sub-

stitutions are easy to do, healthy of course, and make little or no difference in taste.

There are many basic, easy techniques to healthy cooking, but the second

part of healthy Holiday eating is keeping portions in moderation. Even though one

may decide to alter traditional recipes so they are healthier, it is also important to

take note on portion size and amount. Just because something is lower in sugar, fat

and calories it does not mean that we can overindulge in it. The more food that we

eat then the more calories, fat, and sugar that goes into our bodies. Try these sim-

ple tricks to keep you satisfied and to enjoy the once or twice a year Holiday meals.

•Follow the plate method. Divide your plate into 4 equal parts. One part for a lean

meat. Another for a starchy food such as rice, potatoes, bread, pasta. Make the

two other parts a place for a non-starchy vegetable or salad. Remember, corn, peas,

and potatoes are considered starchy.

•Chew your food 10-15 times before swallowing. Put your fork down in between

bites and have a sip of your sugar-free beverage.

•If you want second helpings, wait 15-20 minutes before serving yourself again. It

usually takes 15-20 minutes for your brain to recognize that you just ate and that

you are full.

•Choose more vegetable and whole grain dishes. They have fiber which is healthy

for you and can make you feel fuller.

•Drink water while you cook, before you eat and with your meal.

•Be sure to eat breakfast and lunch prior to dinner. This will curb your appetite and

prevent you from overeating at dinner.

Healthy food preparation and keeping portions smaller are two very im-

portant parts to healthy eating. Practicing these two parts takes time and it is not

recommended to completely change everything at once. Pick 1 to 2 easy substitu-

tions and at least 1 pointer for practicing portions. Practice these and when you

are ready to try another healthy behavior, do it. Making healthy changes takes time.

The staff at the Life Center and Diabetes Education wishes you a Happy

Healthy Holidays!

Promoting Healthy Lifesty lesThoak Thag Ke’ Life Center(520) 562 – 7940 HuHukam(520) 550 – 6221 Komatke

Healthy Holiday Eating: Change YourRecipes & Practice Your Portions

To Lessen Sugar Amount and Intake

Substitute regular sugar and brown sugar with the same amount of Splenda®

Use � applesauce and � sugar in place of the full amount of sugar

Serve sugar-free drinks such as water, diet, sugar-free and calorie-free

Drain the syrup from canned fruits and rinse with water

To Make Your Dish Low in Fat

Use 1% or skim milk instead of whole, 2%, or heavy creams

Use fat free, low sodium broths

Use fat free Cool Whip

Use 2 egg whites or � cup of egg substitute in place of 1 whole egg

In baking, replace applesauce for the same amount of oil needed

Bake, boil, broil, steam and grill foods instead of frying

Use ground turkey or lean ground beefs (95% lean) or drain the grease

Trim the white, fatty parts off the meat and skin the chicken

Use a cooking spray rather than frying with oil or using butter

If fat is needed use a canola or olive oil

To Lower the Amount of Salt

Choose “no salt added” canned vegetables or drain and rinse canned vegetables

If possible use fresh or frozen foods, fruit and vegetables in cooking

Use spices, herbs, chilies, garlic and onions to flavor your food/dishes

Cook meats with onions and peppers to add flavor

Go easy or cut back on pickles, ketchup, salad dressings and other sauces

Steam or stir-fry foods to retain the food’s natural taste


Genesis Program’s 5th Annual Christmas BazaarIra H. Hayes Memorial ParkDecember, 11 2009 By Roberto A. Jackson GRIN Reporter


SACATON-Respect, trust,

and commitment are values

of the Gila River Cheer

Elite Team that have guided

the team like a compass to

championships and abun-

dant success.

The team made

their second consecutive

trip to the National Ameri-

can Youth Cheer Champi-

onships (AYC) in Orlando,

Fla. this time to defend their

2009 Championship. “The

girls did a solid routine and

I am very proud of them,”

said Rachel Hernandez who

coaches the squad with

Letha Lamb. They placed

4th in the 12 and under di-

vision and were the only

Native American squad

paricipating

The team formed

two years ago to cheer on

the Gila River Raiders

Football team with a total of

seven girls. This year’s

squad has 20 cheerleaders,

with a competition team of

6 girls. The competition

squad recently won the

Central Arizona Youth

Football League Cheer

Competition in the 12 and

under Division, followed by

the Spirit Award garnered in

Tucson.

The girls, whose

age range from 6 to 12,

have developed a profound

bond during the season.

“They’re like sisters,” said

Hernandez.

The oldest cheer-

leader, April Jackson, 12,

also noted the team’s mar-

velous chemistry as the girls

are all able to have fun to-

gether.

Bianca Hernan-

dez, 10, said that they are

receiving superb instruction

from Hernandez and Lamb.

“I think we’ve been suc-

cessful because we have re-

ally good coaches.”

Youth sports nor-

mally operate on a “no pass,

no play” policy and Gila

River Cheer Elite Team is

no exception. “We have to

get good grades to stay,”

said Hally Leftkowitz, 10.

The team raises

money through food and

bake sales as they are a non-

profit organization. The

uniforms were provided by

Tribal Recreation, but out-

of-pocket costs are usually

covered by the coaches.

During a dazzling

performance before Tribal

Council, the team received

several compliments in-

cluding support from a

proud Lt. Gov. Joseph

Manuel, himself a former

football coach. “He ad-

mired the coaches for

spending the time [with the

team].”

The girls have rep-

resented themselves with

class and admiration for the

name on the front of the

uniforms: Gila River.

“Whatever you do it repre-

sents yourself,” Hernandez

frequently tells her Champi-

onship team.

Gila River Cheer continue success


GRIN Reporter

L to R, Bianca Hernandez, 10, Chasity Norris, 9, April Jackson, 12, Dayle Morago,

12, Halle Leftkowitz, 10, above Marissa Manuel, 6 make up the Gila River Cheer Elite

Team who placed 4th among 20 teams in Fla. after winning the Central Arizona

Youth Football League Cheer Competition.

Roberto A. Jackson/GRIN

Former Champs walk away with 4th place trophyOnly Native team represents Community withpride and dignity

Washington, D.C – Mary Lou Leary, the

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the

Department of Justice’s Office of Justice

Programs (OJP) and National AMBER

Alert Coordinator, Presented Mark Hill

with the AMBER Alert Coordinator of the

Year Award during the National AMBER

Alert Symposium in Tampa, FL on Tues-

day.

Hill, the AMBER Alert Coordina-

tor for the Gila River Indian Community,

near Sacaton, Arizona, received the award

for his committed efforts in developing the

first fully functional AMBER Alert pro-

gram in a tribal community. Despite chal-

lenges he encountered, Hill created a

program within the Gila River Indian Com-

munity that implements the principles and

standards of the AMBER Alert initiative

while maintaining the integrity of the his-

torical and cultural needs of the community.

“Keeping children safe is our

number one priority, and the Amber Alert

System is an important tool for all of us,

“said Mary Lou Leary. “When a child is lost

or abducted we want everyone to be vigi-

lant and aware. We need to be sure that our

response is both swift and seamless.”

This year, during the National

AMBER Alert Symposium, OJP recog-

nized individual or collective efforts to pro-

tect children from abduction and to recover

missing or abducted children. Award cate-

gories are:

•AMBER Alert Coordinator of the Year

•AMBER Broadcast/Media Person of the

Year

•AMBER Alert Law Enforcement Leader-

ship Award

•AMBER Alert Citizen Award

The AMBER (America’s Missing:

Broadcast Emergency Response) Alert sys-

tem began in 1996 when Dallas-Fort Worth

broadcasters teamed with local police to de-

velop an early warning system to help find

abducted children. The system was created

in memory of nine-year-old Amber Hager-

man of Arlington, Texas, who was abducted

while riding her bicycle and later found

murdered. Amber Alerts are emergency

messages broadcast when a law enforce-

ment agency determines that a child has

been abducted and is in imminent danger.

For more information about the Amber

Alert program please visit http://www.am-

beralert.gov.

The office of Justice Programs,

headed by Acting Assistant Attorney Gen-

eral Mary Lou Leary, provides federal lead-

ership in developing the nation’s capacity

to prevent and control crime, administer

justice, and assist victims. OJP has five

component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice

Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics;

the National Institute of Justice; the Office

of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Pre-

vention; and the Office for Victims of

Crime.

Additionally, OJP has two pro-

gram offices: the Community Capacity De-

velopment Office, which incorporates the

Weed and Seed strategy, and the Office of

Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Ap-

prehending, Registering, and Tracking

(SMART). More information can be found

at http://www.ojp.gov

Justice Department honors

GRPD’s Mark Hill as Amber

Alert Coordinator of the Year

Mihio Manus/GRINMark Hill, Communication Engineer for the Gila River Police Department

brought Amber Alert to the Community in 2006 as a pilot site for the

AMBER Alert in Indian Country Initiative.


PHOENIX – Leslie Ranger, 41, ofSacaton, Ariz., was sentenced here to 228months in prison, by U.S. District JudgeMary Murgia. Ranger had pleaded guiltyon February 25, 2009 to Abusive SexualContact.

The facts showed that between July2007 and July 2008, the 9-year-old victimhad been living with her aunt and her aunt’sboyfriend, the defendant. When the auntwas in the hospital getting dialysis treat-ments, the defendant would sexually abuse

the child. The child reported the offensesto her aunt, but the aunt did not believe her.The child eventually reported the conductto her father and an investigation resulted.Ranger then admitted to various sexual actswith the child.

The investigation in this case was con-ducted by the Gila River Police Departmentand the FBI. The prosecution was handledby Sharon Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorney,District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Sacaton man sentenced to 19 yearsfor sexual abuse

PHOENIX – Augustine Bernal Thomas, 37,

of Phoenix, was sentenced yesterday to 20

years in prison by U.S. District Judge David

G. Campbell. Thomas pleaded guilty on

August 20, 2009, to Second Degree Mur-

der. Co-defendant Joshua Phillips pleaded

guilty to the same offense and was previ-

ously sentenced to 20 years for his involve-

ment.

Thomas and Phillips were involved

with the homicide of an adult male on the

Gila River Indian Reservation. The victim

had allegedly been spreading rumors that he

was having an intimate relationship with

defendant’s girlfriend. Those rumors

caused defendant to become upset and to

enlist the assistance of co-defendant Joshua

Phillips, to “watch his back.” Prior to trav-

eling to the scene, co-defendant Phillips al-

legedly called a fellow “brother” of the

Warrior Society and asked for permission

to assist Thomas in the assault.

When the defendants arrived at the vic-

tim’s home, the victim came outside with a

garden hoe. The victim allegedly began hit-

ting Thomas’ vehicle with the hoe. Thomas

then got out of the vehicle and began stab-

bing the victim. Phillips assisted in the as-

sault because Thomas was losing the fight.

Phillips grabbed the hoe from the victim

and began wielding the hoe into the melee.

The pair overpowered the victim and re-

peatedly stabbed, beat and kicked him. The

victim died at the scene as a result of mul-

tiple stab wounds suffered during the as-

sault.

The investigation in this case was con-

ducted by the Federal Bureau of Investiga-

tion, the Gila River Police Department and

the Salt River Police Department. The

prosecution was handled by Sharon Sexton

and Heather Belt, Assistant U.S. Attorneys,

District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Phoenix man sentenced to 20 yearsfor involvement in homicide ofGRIC member

Submitted by U.S. Attorneyʼs OfficeDistrict of Arizona

Submitted by U.S. Attorneyʼs OfficeDistrict of Arizona

GRIC Crime Report forNovember 2009


ACTION SHEETCommunity CouncilPO Box 2138Sacaton, Arizona 85147Phone: (520) 562-9720Fax: (520) 562-9729The first regular monthly meeting of the Community Councilwas held Wednesday, November 04, 2009, 9:00 a.m., in theCommunity Council Chambers at the Governance Center inSacaton, Arizona.CALL TO ORDERThe meeting was called to order with a quorum of 14 Coun-cil members present.INVOCATIONDistrict 5 Councilwoman Brenda Robertson provided the in-vocation.ROLL CALLRoll Call was taken via circulating sign-in sheet.Executive Members Present at Roll Call:Governor William R. RhodesCouncil Member Present at Roll Call:D1—Augustine Enas, Arzie Hogg; D2—Jewel Whitman;D3—Myron Schurz, Rodney Jackson; D4—Darrell Ger-laugh; John Antone; Barney Enos, Jr., Rebecca Rowe;D5—Delane Enos, Franklin Pablo, Sr., Brenda Robertson,Brian Davis, D6—Anthony Villareal, Sr., Albert Pablo, D7—Devin RedbirdCouncil Member Present after Roll Call:D6—Terrance B. Evans; D7- Devin RedbirdAPPROVAL OF AGENDATable Minutes 1-7; Report #1; and Unfinished Business # 2:APPROVED AS AMENDEDPRESENTATIONPresentation of short film “Indios Primeros” Presentation and introduction of Police Academy Graduate,

Vanessa EnosMINUTES *1. June 17, 2009 (Regular)*2. August 05, 2009 (Regular)*3. September 29, 2009 (Special)*4. October 08, 2009 (Special)5. September 11, 2009 (Special)6. September 03, 2008 (Regular)7. October 01, 2008 (Regular)TABLED AT APPROVAL OF AGENDAREPORTS*1. Annual Report from Legal Council Roger FerlandPresenter: Margaret CookTABLED AT APPROVAL OF AGENDA2. Sacaton Middle School Annual Report 2008-2009Presenter: Mary QuinnanREPORT HEARD3. Sacaton Elementary School Annual Report 2008-2009Presenter: Carol VirklerREPORT HEARD4. Gila River Business Enterprise Management & OperationsUpdatePresenter: WHPDA Administration, Board, and Arthur FelderREPORT HEARD

[Lunch Break, Reconvene 1:30 p.m.]5. Native American Asset Watch; Rethinking Asset Buildingin Indian CountryPresenter: Brian Bennon and Lucius KyyitanREPORT HEARD6. Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley–Gila River BranchesQuarterly ReportPresenter: Dustin Williams and Jason JonesREPORT HEARD7. Four Rivers Indian Legal Services Semi-Annual Report forApril 1, 2009 through September 30, 2009

Presenter: Fred PinskyREPORT HEARD8. Gila River Gaming Enterprises, Inc. (Executive Session)Presenter: Harold Baugus and Board of DirectorsREPORT HEARD IN EXCUTIVE SESSION

9. Gila River Gaming Commission General Report–Septem-

ber 2009 (Executive Session)Presenter: Courtney Moyah and Scott SandersonREPORT HEARD IN EXCUTIVE SESSIONRESOLUTIONS*1. A Resolution Approving and Authorizing an Amendment#2 to the Agreement between the Department of Environ-mental Quality of the Gila River Indian Community andRoger K. Ferland, ESQ., Quarles & Brady Streich Lang,L.L.P. (NRSC & GMSC forward to Council with recommen-dation for approval)Presenter: Margaret CookTABLED*2. A Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Agreement be-tween the Gila River Indian Community and Joe and MarilynHeal of Coolidge, Arizona, for the Replacement of a CertainIrrigation Ditch within the Newly Acquired Right-of-Way alongthe Pima Lateral Canal East of the City of Coolidge (NRSCand GMSC forward to Council with recommendation for ap-proval)Presenter: David DeJongAPPROVED*3. A Resolution Approving the Enrollment of Angelina Duarteinto the Gila River Indian Community (LSC forwards to Coun-cil with recommendation for approval)Presenter: Enrollment CommitteeAPPROVED4. A Resolution Approving and Designating .33+/- Acres ofCommunity Trust Land in District Seven of the Gila River In-dian Reservation from Vacant Open Space to Residential

Land Use under the Community’s General Land Use Planand for the Development and Construction of a CommunityHomesite (NRSC forwards to Council with recommendationfor approval, contingent on letter from District Chair)Presenter: Dante NashTABLED5. A Resolution Approving the Amended and Restated Agree-ment among the United States of America, the Gila River In-dian Community and the Central Arizona Water ConservationDistrict (GMSC forwards to Council with recommendation forapproval; NRSC concurs)Presenter: Jennifer GiffAPPROVED6. A Resolution Approving the Agreement between the GilaRiver Indian Community and the Central Arizona Irrigationand Drainage District Providing for the Delivery of In-LieuWater for Water Storage at a Groundwater Savings Facility(GMSC forwards to Council with recommendation for ap-proval; NRSC concurs)Presenter: Jennifer GiffAPPROVED7. A Resolution Approving the Agreement between the GilaRiver Indian Community and Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation andDrainage District Providing for the Delivery of In-Lieu Waterfor Water Storage at a Groundwater Savings Facility (GMSCforwards to Council with recommendation for approval; NRSCconcurs)Presenter: Jennifer GiffAPPROVED

8. A Resolution Approving the Agreement between the Gila

River Indian Community and the Hohokam Irrigation and

Drainage District Providing for the Delivery of In-Lieu Water

for Water Storage at a Groundwater Savings Facility (GMSC

forwards to Council with recommendation for approval;

NRSC concurs)Presenter: Jennifer GiffAPPROVED9. A Resolution Authorizing and Approving the Chevron Re-tailer Supply Agreement between Chevron Products Com-pany and the Wild Horse Pass Development Authority(GMSC forwards to Council with recommendation for ap-proval)

Presenter: Jason HauterAPPROVED10. A Resolution of Consent to Grant a Liquor License to WildHorse Pass Development Authority for Use at Wild HorsePass Gas Station and Convenience Store, Located in theWild Horse Pass Development Authority (GMSC forwards toCouncil with recommendation for approval)Presenter: Jason HauterAPPROVEDORDINANCES: NONEUNFINISHED BUSINESS:*1. Gila River Farms Board of Directors Job Description &Plan of Operation (EDSC motioned to forward to Council withrecommendation for approval: (1) Approve salaries of$24,000 for Board Members; (2) Accept the [Job Descriptionin accordance to the] Plan of Operation; (3) Declare [5] Va-cancies, and that the letters of interest and resumes be sub-mitted by November 24, 2009 by noon and for theappointments to be made at the regular Council meeting ofDecember 07, 2009; GMSC concurs) (Executive Committeeforwards for discussion)Presenter: Anthony Villareal, Sr.MOTION TO TABLE AND REFER TO G&MSC2. Muhadagi Doag TCP (CRSC forwards to Council with rec-ommendation to concur with the proposed Revised Plan)Presenters: J. Andrew DarlingTABLED AT APPROVAL OF AGENDAAppointment (1) Gila River Indian Community Utility Author-ity Board of DirectorsPresenter: Community CouncilMARSHALL SUNNA APPOINTED4. Department of Community Housing Monthly Report–Sep-tember 2009Presenters: Nellie GilmoreREPORT ACCEPTEDNEW BUSINESS:

1. Declare a Vacancy; Huhugam Heritage Center Board of

Directors (CRSC forwards to declare (3) vacancies to Coun-

cil, with recommended deadline of 12/04/09 at 12:00 noon

and appointment at the 12/16/09 Council Meeting)Presenter: Richard P. NarciaTABLED [Addendum to agenda]2. Water Hearing Before Arizona Supreme CourtPresenter: Jennifer GiffREPORT HEARD3. Council ConcernPresenter: Terrance B. EvansITEM HEARD IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONMOTION TO CANCEL THE NOVEMBER 05, 2009 SPE-CIAL COUNCIL MEETING APPROVEDANNOUNCEMENTS:-Food Drive ReminderADJOURNMENTMEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:23 PM.* Denotes TABLED from previous meeting(s)

ACTION SHEETCommunity CouncilPO Box 2138

Sacaton, Arizona 85147Phone: (520) 562-9720Fax: (520) 562-9729The second regular monthly meeting of the CommunityCouncil was held Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 9:00a.m., in the Community Council Chambers at the Gover-nance Center in Sacaton, Arizona.CALL TO ORDERThe meeting was called to order at 9:03 a.m. with a quorumof 11 Council members present.INVOCATIONLt. Governor Joseph Manuel provided the invocation.ROLL CALLRoll Call was taken via circulating sign-in sheet.Executive Members Present at Roll Call:Governor William R. RhodesLt. Governor Joseph ManuelCouncil Member Present at Roll Call”D1—Augustine Enas, Arzie Hogg; D2—Jewel Whitman;D3—Myron Schurz; D4—Darrell Gerlaugh, Barney Enos,Jr., John Antone; D5—Delane Enos, Franklin Pablo, Sr.,Brenda Robertson, Brian Davis, Council Member Present after Roll Call:D3—Rodney Jackson; D4- Rebecca Rowe; D6—AnthonyVillareal, Sr., Albert Pablo, Terrance B. Evans; D7- DevinRedbirdAPPROVAL OF AGENDAMove Resolution #6 to after Approval of Agenda, add GRTIunder Presentations, Dispense Unfinished Business #1,Dispense Report #1, Dispense Resolution #2; APPROVEDAS AMENDEDRESOLUTION #66. A Resolution Relinquishing the Enrollment of Jenifer AnnAntone from the Membership Roll of the Gila River IndianCommunityPresenter: Irvina PabloAPPROVEDPRESENTATIONS1. Gila River Cheer Elite Team and Gila River Football All-starsPresenters: Rachel Hernandez & Letha Lamb[Addendum to Agenda]

2. Gila River Telecommunication, Inc.Presenters: Board of DirectorsMINUTES *1. June 17, 2009 (Regular)*2. August 5, 2009 (Regular)*3. September 29, 2009 (Special)*4. October 8, 2009 (Special)*5. September 11, 2009 (Special)*6. September 3, 2008 (Regular)*7. October 1, 2008 (Regular)8. October 15, 2008 (Regular)TABLEDREPORTS*1. Annual Report from Legal Council Roger K Ferland

Presenter: Margaret CookDISPENSED AT APPROVAL OF AGENDA2. Navajo Generating Station IssuesPresenter: Ann Marie Chischilly & Timothy PiersonREPORT HEARD3. Ira H. Hayes High School 2nd & 3rd Quarter ReportsPresenter: Richard StonerREPORT HEARD

4. Student Services Department Report on Scholarship Is-

suesPresenter: Myrtle R. Charles & Nadine WilliamsREPORT HEARD5. Sherman Indian High School ReportPresenter: Rocky WhitmanREPORT HEARD6. Corrective Action Plan RTCPresenter: Ashley PiconeDISPENSED AND REFERRED TO H&SSC7. Summary Report of the 2008 Winter Bird CountPresenter: Margaret CookREPORT HEARD[Lunch Break until 1:30]Tribal Constitution Reform Project 4th Quarter ReportFY2009Presenters: Anthony Hill, Belinda Nelson, & Gerald Cal-nimptewaREPORT HEARDGaming Internal Audit Department Fourth Quarter Report:July 1, 2009–September 30, 2009 (Executive Session)Presenters: Robert Russin & AuditorsREPORT HEARD IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONRESOLUTIONS*1. A Resolution Approving and Designating .33+/- Acres ofCommunity Trust Land in District Seven of the Gila River In-dian Reservation from Vacant Open Space to ResidentialLand Use under the Community’s General Land Use Planand for the Development and Construction of a CommunityHomesite (NRSC forwards to Council with recommendationfor approval, contingent on letter from District Chair)Presenter: Dante NashAPPROVED*2. A Resolution Approving and Authorizing an Amendment#2 to the Agreement between the Department of Environ-mental Quality of the Gila River Indian Community and RogerK. Ferland ESQ., Quarles & Streich Lang, L.L.P. (NRSC andGMSC forward to Council with recommendation for approval)Presenter: Margaret CookDISPENSED AT APPROVAL OF AGENDA3. A Resolution Approving and Authorizing Financed Equip-

ment Lease between Gila River Indian Community and Agri-credit Acceptance LLC for the Leasing of Golf Cars (GMSCforwards to Council with recommendation for approval)Presenter: Jason HauterAPPROVED4. A Resolution Revising and Approving the Income Guide-lines for the Assistance to Members, Temporary EmergencyRelief, Elderly and Disabled Quality of Life and Home EnergyAssistance Programs from the Phoenix Metropolitan Statisti-cal Area to 200% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines(GMSC forwards to Council with recommendation for ap-proval, LSC concurs)Presenter: Jose SolarezAPPROVED5. A Resolution Authorizing Publication of “The Gila River In-dian Community’s Water Asset Case Study” by First NationsDevelopment Institute as Part of their Native American AssetWatch: Rethinking Asset-Building in Indian Country Final Re-port (NRSC forwards to Council for discussion)Presenter: Lucius Kyyitan & Brian BennonAPPROVEDORDINANCES:UNFINISHED BUSINESS:*1. Gila River Farms Board of Directors Job Description &Plan of Operation (EDSC motioned to Forward to Councilwith recommendation for approval: (1) Approve salaries of$24,000 for Board Members; (2) Accept the Plan of Opera-tion; (3) Declare [5] Vacancies, and that the letters of inter-est and resumes be submitted by November 24, 2009 bynoon and for the appointments to be made at the regularCouncil meeting of December 07, 2009; GMSC concurs.)(Executive Committee forwards for discussion)Presenter: Anthony Villareal, Sr.DISPENSED AT APPROVAL OF AGENDA*2. Muhadagi Doag TCP (CRSC forwards to Council with rec-ommendation to concur with the proposed Revised Plan)Presenter: J. Andrew DarlingTABLED3. Declare a Vacancy; Huhugam Heritage Center Board ofDirectors (CRSC forwards to declare (3) vacancies to Coun-cil, with recommended deadline of 12/04/09 at 12:00 noonand appointment at the 12/16/09 Council Meeting)Presenter: Richard P. Narcia DISPENSED4. Department Of Community Housing Monthly Report Octo-ber 2009 (GMSC forwards to Council under Unfinished Busi-ness)Presenter: Nellie Gilmore REPORT HEARD5. Appointment of (2) Vacancies to the Gila River Indian Gam-ing Enterprises, Inc. (GRGE) Board of DirectorsPresenter: Community CouncilCAROLYN WILLIAMS & DALE G ENOS APPOINTEDNEW BUSINESS:

1. Report of Audit – Gila River Indian Community School

Grants (Executive Session) (GMSC forwards to Council in

Executive Session with recommendation to accept audit)Presenter: Robert Keller & Penni McCabe REPORT HEARD IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONMOTION TO ACCEPT REPORT AND TO SEEK REIM-BURSEMENT THROUGH REDUCTION IN ALLOCATIONSAPPROVED2. Request to Amend MOU to Authorize an Extension to theFinancial Obligation of the Gila River Gaming Enterprise, Inc.for the Surveillance Department (GMSC forwards to Councilfor approval and authorization to extend funding of the sur-veillance department by GRGE to assume operational costfor the surveillance department until December 31, 2009 andGaming Commission will assume the surveillance depart-ment under their FY 2010 Operating Budget on January 01,2010; and further direct GRGE/ESC to bring forth the resolu-tion to modify their budget not to exceed $780,000 in carry-ing forward the surveillance department.)Presenter: Courtney Moyah & Scott SandersonAPPROVED3. H1N1 Response in Community and at ORBS (ESC for-wards to Council under New Business, HSSC concurs withESC)Presenter: Chris Banham & Jeff ThornburgTABLED4. Declare Vacancies GRHC Board of Directors (HSSC Mo-tioned to forward under New Business for two (2) vacancies;announcement to be made at the November 18, 2009 Coun-cil meeting. Applications for the vacancies shall go to GilaRiver Health Care Corporation HR for the purpose of back-ground checks by December 17, 2009 by 12:00 pm; there-after GRHC will submit applications to the Community CouncilSecretary’s Office December 31, 2009 by 12:00 pm, and theappointments made at the January 6, 2010 Council meeting.) Presenter: Cheryl Pablo VACANCIES DECLAREDANNOUNCEMENTS:- Nancy Dooley testifying before Senate Committee on In-dian Affairs on behalf of the Community - Casino hosting Four Tribes meeting- Invitation extended to Council to attend G&M budgetmeeting with Executive Team

- Concern with GRTIMEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:49 PM.* Denotes TABLED from previous meeting(s)

Community Council Action Sheets for Nov. 4 and Nov. 18 meetings


Happy Holidays!FROM GILA RIVER GAMING ENTERPRISES, INC.

GILA RIVER GAMING ENTERPRISES IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE

TOY DRIVE 2009Support the Toy Drive by donating new and unwrapped toys to

Gila River Fire Department Toy Collection | Station 429 5002 N. Maricopa Rd. | Chandler, AZ 85226 | 520.796.5900

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