1982-05-15 Char-Koosta News

              PABLO, MONTANA 59855 ISSN: 0528-8592
Bio SKY Country
Chief Charlo
Chief Koostatah1
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NEWSPAPER OF THE SAUSH, PEND d'ORQLLE AND KOOTENAI TRIBES OF THE FLATHEAD INDIAN RESERVATION, WESTERN MONTANA
VOLUME II NUMBER 1 NEW MOON OF THE BITTERROOT MAY 15, 1982
Tribal salaries frozen April 30; thawed May 7
In an effort to save money, the Tribal Council froze all Tribal employees' wages, including it's own salaries, effective April 30. The motion was made by Elmo's Al Hewankorn and included a 5% cut in Council salaries, and exclusion of entry-level wages.
A week later, however, following a presentation by Executive Treasurer Vern Clairmont to the Administration Committee, the wage freeze was rescinded. The money saved, the Council decided, wouldn't make that great a dent in the budget after all
Clairmont explained that at any given time, there are 500 people or more employed by the Tribes. Money to pay most of these comes from contracts and grants; no Tribal dollars are involved.
About 160 employees work for Tribal programs and enterprises, and in a broad category called "the main office". Wages for many of these are recoverable through indirect funds: a small percent of each contract and grant is paid to the Tribes to cover administrative costs. Some, too, are paid with revenue sharing dollars.
Wading through a page of figures, the councilmen decided that (in the words of Vic Stinger), "It needs a little more thought".
During the discussion, an interesting "reverse auction" took place. Stinger, perhaps thinking a 5% cut was too small, suggested retroceding from last year's 11.7% cost-of-living increase. Noel Pichette and E.W. Mori-geau went a step further when they proposed, "Why not go for $50 a meeting?"
(Continued on page 2)
675-4600 is the new main phone number for Pablo's Tribal offices
Anyone trying to phone someone at the Tribal Complex these days ~ in any of the three buildings in Pablo: the Main Office, the Annex, or the Burland Building (Law and Order) — puts himself at the mercy of the Tribes' sophisticated new phone system.
Callers will need to exercise patience for the next few weeks until all the employees become familiar with the new pushbutton phones' functions. Inaugerated early in May, the number "675-4600" reaches most of the Tribal departments in Pablo, with these exceptions: Housing (SKHA) and the college (SKC) will be keeping their old numbers, and Char-Koosta and Property and
Supply won't be on the main system until the two departments are settled in their new quarters across the highway, sometime this week.
(Continued next page) INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
"Around the Campfire".......................Page 13
Map of Annex — Part Two....................Page 14
Tribal Complex phone directory...............Page 15
Tribal Council minutes.......................Page 17