Yurok discuss use of new funds

June 20, 2007

By Hilary Corrigan

Triplicate staff writer

Yurok Tribe members and leaders have started discussing – and debating – how to manage a $90 million settlement fund that the tribe secured in April.

The tribal council must craft a plan that requires a majority vote from the approximately 3,700 registered voters in the approximately 5,100-member tribe.

At the first meeting on the issue held last weekend, tribal members talked about financial needs for social service programs, business development, individual members, alcohol and drug abuse prevention services. Others have suggested land acquisition, education, housing.

Members also want to see some of the money right away. About 30 rallied in front of the tribal office in Klamath on Monday to promote a direct payment option.

Some voiced concerns about tribal government spending, complaining of waste and misdirection, and doubted tribal programs would properly fund such services as education and elder care efforts.

"If we knew that was gonna happen, we wouldn't think twice about voting for it," said David Gensaw Sr., a tribal member and Humboldt State University student. "If we knew it was gonna work that way."

Programs such as child care and education have done well and could grow, Gensaw said.

"These programs need this money," Gensaw said. "But there's a lot of doubt in my mind. That's why I say we could spend it better ourselves."

The money comes from the 1988 Hoopa-Yurok Settlement Act that partitioned the Yurok and Hoopa Valley tribes' reservations and set up a fund with more than $56 million in timber money that the U.S. government made from the lands, plus another $10 million in federal money.

Over nearly two decades of legal wrangling between the Yurok and Hoopa tribes and the federal government, the fund has grown.

In March, the U.S. Department of the Interior awarded the money to the Yurok Tribe and in April, transferred the funds. A financial firm now manages the money, still in the same mix of low-risk accounts and government bonds from before the transfer to the tribe, and financial advisors are working on different scenarios.

The tribal council aims to put a plan for it on the ballot in October, during an election for three district representative seats on the tribal council.

"It's a pretty aggressive timeframe," said deputy executive director Reweti Wiki. "Council has a pretty difficult task."

‘Give and take'

At Monday's rally, signs proclaimed: "Lump sum for all tribal members," "Council members should work for all tribal members, not just a few" and "Recall."

Butch Sanderson and Lynell Simpler attended, saying that their portion could fund a smoked salmon business in Klamath that they have long wanted to start. They sought a loan from tribal programs, but couldn't put up a required match. They live in Oregon because of a lack of jobs in Klamath.

"Like a whole bunch of other people who want to come home, too," Sanderson said. "There's nothing here for us."

Council chairperson Maria Tripp has heard the complaints and knows the limits of the tribe's economic development efforts. Income-based service programs, for instance, have left out many who seek help.

"We have very little base funding," said Tripp, who also wants to see tribal programs serve more members who need help with fishing rights, education, cemetery maintenance and burials, among other areas. "We write grants. That's what we do to survive."

The process has just started to gather public input, with a survey and the first of several public meetings.

"Whatever the membership wants will be a part of the plan," Tripp said. "It will be a compromise. We'll all give and take."

At coming meetings, the tribe may provide members with more information on financial planning to teach members about the possibilities in the unusual case with so much capital coming into a community at one time.

"It can be overwhelming about what you want to do with it," Wiki said.

Tribal member Judith Marasco filed a petition with the tribal government last week, listing 547 names of members – more than 20 percent of the number of registered voters required for such a move – seeking to list per capita payment as a plan option on the October ballot.

"We can find ways to support our families with this money. It belongs to the tribe," Gensaw said. "They're afraid that we don't know how to use that money."

Wiki was not surprised by Monday's rally.

"It's healthy for the community, any community, to express frustration with their government," Wiki said. "This is one of those issues that people are going to have very, very strong opinions."

Reach Hilary Corrigan at hcorrigan@triplicate.com.

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