JAN 2024 VOL. 58 No. 1
Election Issue
2024 Candidate Goals | PAGE 04
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CONTENTS Candidate Objective Letter: Senate Seat #10 Eric Day, Incumbent
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Candidate Objective Letter: Senate Seat #10 Rodney John
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Candidate Objective Letter: Senate Seat #10 James Bobb
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Candidate Objective Letter: Senate Seat #11 Brian Wilbur, Incumbent
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Candidate Objective Letter: Senate Seat #11 Bruce James
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Candidate Objective Letter: Senate Seat #11 Myrtle Rivas
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Provisional Members For Adoption Family Trees
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Notice of Senate Candidate Certification Senate Seat #10 Eric Day, Incumbent Rodney John James Bobb Senate Seat #11 Brian Wilbur, Incumbent Bruce James Myrtle Rivas Pursuant to STC 2-01.130, a Primary Election is required for Seats 10 and 11.
The Primary Election will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2024 Pusuant to STC 2-01.230(A), the Election Board shall certify the first and second place finishers for each Senate position subject to the Primary as candidates for the General Election.
The General Election is scheduled for Saturday, February 10, 2024 3
2024 CANDIDATE GOALS SWINOMISH ELECTION BOARD
Senate Seat #10 Eric Day, Incumbent
My name is Eric Day, and my traditional name is Stooltsa. My son and I carry that name in honor of my maternal Grandfather, his nickname was Moose. My mom is Linda Day-Williams, my father is father Ronald Day Sr., my maternal grandparents are Henry and Geraldine Williams, and my paternal grandparents are Garfield and Dorothy Day. I’m currently serving as Secretary for the Swinomish Tribal Senate. It has been a privilege and honor serving my first term on the Senate, and I am seeking your support for a second term. I come from a long line of tribal leaders from both sides of my family. I am blessed that I’m able to follow in the path they have laid before me and serve the Swinomish people. As a Senator, I’ve always said that I appreciate how the Senate always takes care of our tribal members, and I’m grateful to be a part of that winning scenario. Early in my tenure we had to make difficult decisions to protect our tribal members, as well as keeping the tribal programs operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’d like to thank all that helped us through this difficult time. By pulling together, we were able to navigate this trying time and come through the challenges stronger. We have always met challenges as a people, and honor our ancestors in this way. Committees: Chair: Tribal Employment Rights Office, Tax, Youth Center Vice: Casino Gaming, Elder Services Member: Planning, Environmental and Lands, Fireworks, Protect Mother Earth Senate: Budget/Personnel
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I was able to travel up to Anchorage, Alaska to witness two of our tribal members graduate Dental Health Aid Therapy and bring those skills back to Swinomish. We built relationships with Skagit Community College, we now offer that same DHAT training. This work has led to the expansion of the Dental Clinic and built our capacity to care for our tribal members. I am grateful for the way we have been able to expand the care and services of Didgwalic’ from 250 to now 500 clients. This work that supports recovery from addiction is critical to our health as a community, and ending the grief that we all suffer. During this time, we also provided more housing for tribal members. I learned from traveling to conferences, NCAI, ATNI, PNW regional and National TERO, Centennial Accord, IGA (NIGA). As a Senator I’d like to continue paddling forward in a positive direction. Continue and expand necessary services, provide more housing. Work with law enforcement to keep our community safe and drug free. Support our youth in whatever their education goals might be. Through personal experience I know that college is not for everyone. Trade schools and working with unions can provide a comparable living, and give a person an enhanced sense of accomplishment. Just as a degree would provide. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to get to know me a little better. And look forward to continue my work on our Swinomish Senate.
2024 CANDIDATE GOALS SWINOMISH ELECTION BOARD
Senate Seat #10 Rodney John
I am seeking the chance to represent the Tribe in senate seat 10 for this year’s election. I ran for senate in 2020, and with all your support was two votes short of making it to the General election ballot. That shows every vote matters. It was a great honor to have so much support from our Swinomish people. I have worked hard all my life, off and on reservation. I was taught by parents to work hard for my family do what is needed to make sure they don’t go without, and that’s what I intend to do for my Swinomish people if elected. We have a great foundation and need to continue to grow and improve what we have for a better quality of life for our community. I am committed to listening to your wishes and bringing them to the Senate, because you are what make Swinomish home and your voice matters. A few areas I feel are important. Job opportunity and work force: I feel strongly that we can provide better opportunities for our community, we have development happening now and we will continue to build in the future. We need to get our community involved, get them trained, and look at help getting them started in being contractors, or support Tribal member owned business so that way we create jobs that stay within our community and with that you help them have a better future. We have come a long way, we can strive to be better, and give our people more opportunity’s with our growing economy right here at home.
Elder Service: It is our responsibility to continue to take care of our elders, and provide them with support. We have the need for assisted living and we should pursue providing that help to our elders, create a development within our homelands to help them. I am in support of finding better ways to help our elders in any way possible. Single parents: I would like to find ways to better, help single parents raising children on their own. It said it takes a village to help raise a child. Economic Development: I am in support of economic development. I would like to see more in this area, for one it creates funding for the community needs, and will create job opportunities as well. Build for a better future. I would like to thank you for your support and I know if given the chance, I can represent my community well with all of the knowledge I have gained through the years. Thank you, Rodney John Jr “Sa-Bal-Shal-Good”
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2024 CANDIDATE GOALS SWINOMISH ELECTION BOARD
Senate Seat #10 James Bobb
Greetings to all my fellow tribal members, My name is James Bobb, but most people know me as Jimbo. My father was the late Terry Bobb (Makah), and my mother was Susan Wilbur. I belong to a family that is filled with individuals who possess the traits of perseverance and independence and are great role models. I am running for seat position #10, and I humbly request your support. I have had the privilege of working with tribal leadership in the past, which taught me the importance of listening and treating people with compassion when imparting knowledge. I aim to concentrate on the betterment of the youth and elders by enhancing their relationships and supporting one another. My upbringing was marked by the unifying power of sports, as we traveled from tribe to tribe, competing and bonding with people who would become lifelong friends. It is essential to bring awareness to the various opportunities available to our youth. I have had conversations with collegiate athletes who are leading the way for our younger generation. It is scientifically proven that social relationships contribute to the longevity and mental well-being of our elders. My objective is to bring elders to witness the strength of our youth while they pursue excellence in academics and sports.
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As a fisherman since the age of 13, I strongly value our treaty rights and the security of our fleet. I believe there is a need to increase the space available to our fishermen and ensure the safety and security of our entire village. I am eager to be a part of the solution and contribute to making our community a better and safer place to live and work. As I reflect on my late mother’s time spent in the senate, I appreciate the importance she placed on developing relationships with neighboring schools. Her message of “education, education, education” was deeply ingrained in me, as was the value of embracing challenges and moving forward. I am eager to serve my community and dedicate my time to helping others, just as it was shared with me. Vote Jimbo seat #10
2024 CANDIDATE GOALS SWINOMISH ELECTION BOARD
Senate Seat #11 Brian Wilbur
To Our Great Community: I am seeking a fourth term with the Swinomish Tribal Senate. As I reflect back on the work we have accomplished over the last 15 years, it’s clear how much the policies and programs we’ve implemented compliment each other to make our community a better place to live. We are working to raise the next generation of Tribal members to be better than ourselves. The increased scholarship program, from a one-time $2,500 payment to a full ride, has enabled members to attend schools anywhere in the world, helping them become more educated and more employable to provide services the community needs. We’ve also integrated a hugely successful wellness treatment program ensuring future generations can financially provide for their families without the burden of addictions. This is how we strengthen and solidify the future of our Tribe. Our wellness initiatives are first-class and change the lives of our people for the better. Didgwalic is being used as a model for Tribes across the country. Most importantly our treatment facility is making people healthier, but it also provides funding for scholarships, elders and medical needs. Swinomish also has one of the best Dental Clinics in the State that employs and trains Dental Therapists. Swinomish is the first Dental Therapy education center in the lower 48 and has spearheaded State legislative changes to authorize Dental Therapists to work across the State. As the Chairman of the Dental Licensing Board I want to thank our incredible team for achieving our goal of providing superior oral health to our community. We have begun realizing our goal of building new housing for our members. The Tallawalt 2 project started this year offering single family homes and apartments. With growth comes challenges. The Tribes’ sewer discharge to LaConner is nearing its contractual capacity. I hope to continue working on contract details with LaConner to limit potential stagnation and continue our expansion.
In partnership with LaConner, Swinomish helped finance a new award winning library that carries our name and will help enhance our children’s education goals. The above mentioned examples are just a few of the Senate goals I’ve had the honor and privilege to support. My work on the Executive Board, Budget/Personnel, HESS, Utilities Board, 401K, SDA, Dental Licensing, Golf Board and Tax Committees produced many other benefits for the community. Still, there is more work to be done including but not limited to: Elder care and assisted living Master lease negotiations with Shelter Bay Water services to Shelter Bay including fire flow Medical Clinic expansion Hotel expansion Sewer contract with LaConner MORE HOUSES, including support for the homeless Housing repair program BNSF trespass case Swinomish won that could help support many more goals in the future I ask for your continued support and vote in this year’s election. I deeply look forward to continuing the great work this Council has started and being a voice for the people. Thank you, Brian Wilbur
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2024 CANDIDATE GOALS SWINOMISH ELECTION BOARD
Senate Seat #11 Bruce James
First, let me introduce myself, my name is Bruce James and my traditional name is Yellakabol. I am running for Senate Seat 11 and I’m humbly asking for your support. I have been asked, “why are you running for Senate”? My simple answer is that I enjoy helping people. Helping people comes naturally to me from teachings from my family and mother Barb James. I was also fortunate to learn and work with other elders on the Fish Commission such as Glen Edwards and Lorraine Loomis. These two elders, along with the other fish commission members taught me great skills such as communication, listening, being open and honest, teamwork, planning, resource management, and how to compromise but also how to hold your ground when necessary for the benefit of the fisherman that we are representing. I’m honored to also serve on the Gaming Board for our Tribe that guides decision for our Casino. On this committee I have gained further knowledge about personnel management, revenue, policies and procedures. The committee work we have been doing has taught me about Roberts Rules of order, making hard decisions, questioning our Casino staff about increasing tribal member employment and ask for further information when their recommendations don’t fit the goals of the Tribe and committee.
I also serve on the Tallawhalt Housing Committee. This committee work has been the most challenging for all of us due to the housing market and inflation. We have a housing crisis here at Swinomish and although we do have more houses being built, we aren’t able to build houses at a reasonable price in this current economy. This committee work has taught be about having compassion for our members who need housing and to offer supports and resources to them when applying for loans and mortgages. Lastly, to those who know me know that I walk the Red Road in sobriety. Today I am healthier and live my life by the Serenity Prayer, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference”. This prayer along with the skills mentioned above has taught me that when working in a group that we are not always going to get our way and accept it without resentments, but to also to find the courage to fight for our people that we represent when absolutely necessary and the wisdom to know the difference in each situation. In closing, I am a humble person who is ready to become an elected leader and will use all the teachings from our elders and my role models if I am elected to the Senate. My main goals are to work hard to represent the voices of our members, update our current enrollment policies, work to get more housing, and look for funding to provide additional help for our children/elder. Thank you for your time and I am respectfully asking for your vote for the upcoming elections. Bruce James
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2024 CANDIDATE GOALS SWINOMISH ELECTION BOARD
Senate Seat #11 Myrtle Rivas
My name is Myrtle Elizabeth Bailey Rivas, my Indian name is ba-du-litza. I was born to the late Ernest ‘Bobby” Bailey and Alfreda “Beetle” Bailey, in Mt. Vernon, WA and raised on the Swinomish Reservation with my grandparents the late William “Buck” Bailey and Myrtle Dan Bailey, Alfred & Elizabeth “Lizzie” Sampson. I graduated La Conner Schools in June of 1985 and went to work at the bingo hall and I currently still work at Swinomish Casino & Lodge for the last 38 years. I started when it was just the bingo hall and I grew up with the property.
a. I lost my baby brother and many other family members to overdose of drugs.
My intent is to receive enough votes to win Senate seat eleven. This will allow me to better assist in the achievement of the goals that have been previously set. My goal is to be the best senator that I can be, while working with fellow senators to build a better relationship with our community.
4. To aid in the continuing improvement of services that our elders need and deserve.
Objectives: 1. To do everything in my power to get a handle on the current drug epidemic that we are dealing with. The drug epidemic has affected me personally.
b. As a community we have lost many of our family and friends due to this epidemic 2. To work towards improving the outstanding issues within in the tribal departments. 3. Continuing to support and improve services to our community.
5. To continue to support the education and welfare of all our tribal children. Thank you for the opportunity! Myrtle E. Rivas ba-du-litza
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PROVISIONAL MEMBERS FOR ADOPTION FAMILY TREES ENROLLMENT DEPARTMENT
Cassandra Kaubin Edgar Kaubin Kiowa
Mildred Kokoom Kiowa
Ernest F. John Sr. Swinomish
Esther George Swinomish
Harry Cheer Whonnick Band (BC)
Jo Ann John Swinomish
Russell F. Kaubin Sr. Kiowa
Annie Jobe Henderson Tatshama Nooksack Umatilla
Everest P. Cheer Sr. Nooksack
Lillian Williams Colville
Frances Tatshama Colville
Annice D. Cheer Colville
Russell F. Kaubin Jr. Swinomish
Cassandra Kaubin Provisional Member
Charles Baker Jr. Thomas Baker Candace Sherwood Standing Rock Standing Rock
Joe Meyer
Ace Baker Standing Rock
Julie Bobb Swinomish
James Starr Yakama
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Charlene Clark Warm Springs
Madeline Starr Swinomish
Shaelee Starr Yakama
Charles Baker Jr. Provisional Member
Enrolled Swinomish
Richard Cayou Swinomish
Brian Starr Yakama
Marlys Meyer Swinomish
Charles Baker Swinomish
Provisional Member
Annette Kishwalk Warm Springs
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