Letter to the Membership

The letter I am mailing to Tribal Members is below. Any questions and/or comments are welcome.

_______________________

Dear Tribal Members,

My name is Dakota Rae Sangretta-Whitecloud. Thank you for reading my letter, learning about me and what I believe in, and consider supporting me this year.

My Heritage: I am fifth (5th) generation Holmes family. My Mother was Pearl McGee; my Grandmother was Theresa (Holmes) Zavadoski. My Great Grandmother was Mary Holmes and my Great Great Grandfather was Joseph Sangretta. My Father’s people were Sioux and Apache (Wolf and Eagle Clans respectively). I have two remaining children and several Nephews and Nieces. I lived in the Willamette Valley most of my life; I also lived in the Umpqua Valley before coming home in 1989.

Experience: Just recently retired, I worked for the Tribe for nearly 22 years. I worked in the Executive, Legal and Finance Offices and for the Tribal Council. I know our Tribal laws and policies. I am a past member of the Education, Archaeology and Pow Wow Committees, as well as the Election Board and Housing Authority Board. I am now the Chair of the Veterans Special Event Board.

Important Issues / Long-range Planning and Dependable Leadership: I have watched the Tribe grow and I believe the Tribal Council needs to focus on long-range planning. Private gaming is still a threat and with the Cowlitz Casino in Washington looming on the horizon, we need to question our spending patterns. The Tribal Council needs to consider “what the real benefit is to the Tribe” and “does it benefit the entire membership” when traveling and making budget decisions. We cannot ignore economic diversity any longer; it is something we must actively work toward resolving. Tribal Council members should restrict travel as much as possible. Too often meetings are cancelled due to “lack of quorum”. Also, Council members should be physically present at Tribal Council and other meetings instead of relying on phone calls; lately this has become the rule rather than the exception. We also need to review the Tribal Council and Budget Ordinances; they are out of date and need to be revised.

Broader Membership Involvement: Not even one-half of our eligible voters submit a ballot. I would like to know why, because voting is important. I want to know what is important to you. People talk about “change”, but no one says what change they want. My question is “What changes are you looking for?”

Determination and Working Together: People know me as honest, hard working and straight forward. I will make the hard decisions on important issues. I will vote “no” when necessary and I will hold other Council members accountable for their actions. One person cannot make changes happen; but, can often provide options that others may not have considered. We must put the Tribe back on track to make sure the membership comes first, and at least slow the downward spiral we are currently in.

My wish is to serve the membership by using the knowledge and skills I have gained over the years to benefit the membership. I welcome your questions and comments. You can call me 503-879-4240, email me at sangretta@yahoo.com, visit my FACEBOOK page or visit my website, dakotasviews.blogspot.com. The important thing is that you consider voting for people who will put the membership first. I also ask that you consider the things I have said.

Thank you again, and I would appreciate your support. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Dakota Rae Sangretta-Whitecloud
Roll # 1587