1974-06-15 Char-Koosta News

              THE NEWSPAPER OF THE SALISH, PEND d ORIELLES AND KOOTENAI TRIBES OF THE FLATHEAD RESERVATION
15 C
HARKOOSTA
Volume 4 • Number 4    FULL MOON OF THE CAMAS    June 15,1974
Council Approves 1975 Budget of $681,053.
Dixon: Inflation and higher operating expenses were responsible for a nearly $200,000 increase in the tribal operating budget for fiscal year 1975 (July 1 , 19 7 4 to June 30, 1975).
The total budget package approved by the Council for the coming year is $ 6 81 ,0 5 3. This is an increase of $ 18 0,416 over the FY 1974 figure of $490,637.
The new budget was passed by the Council during a meeting May 30, with only one dissenting vote. Councilman Fred Whitworth, Arlee, said that the new budget "flew in the face" of the 9 0 -percent distribution mandate of the people of the Tribe and pointed out several areas where he felt costs could be cut. Whitworth noted particularly that increases in administrative salaries and Law and Order and Tribal Court expenses were "too fat."
However, Councilman Tom Pablo, Hot Springs, said that the budget was "as tight as we could make it without depriving the people of essential services." Pablo, a member of the Council's Administration Committee which has the responsibility of drawing up the budget, said that across-the-board increases in equipment and administration costs were to blame for the higher budget. "Every business and governmental unit in the country is having the same problem", he explained, "The fact is, it is costing more just to tread water." He said the new budget offers essentially the same package of services as the 1974 budget....multiplied by the enormous rise in the cost of living.
Tribal Secretary Fred Houle Jr., said that although the budget is higher this year, so is the estimated income from tribal resources. Houle said that income for FY 1975 has been conservatively estimated at $ 4,9 4 3.511, up from the 1974 estimate of $ 4,8 8 3,4 9 9. Houle also pointed out that the 197 4 estimate turned out to be extremely cautious because the actual receipts for the year will amount to nearly $6,297,928.
Houle also noted that even based on the conservative projections for income in 1975, "the budget is not all that bad." "The budget is 13.7 7 percent of the estimated income. The income is only an estimate and could be higher and some of the costs will be offset by federal grants which could reduce the percentage to ten percent or less. "
All three main categories in the tribal budget show substantial increases for 1975. Tribal operations, the business of running the tribes government and business, ,is up over $70 thousand. Operations, which includes most staff salaries, Tribal Council salaries and expenses and legal fees, will cost
$358,519 this year, compared to $288,010 last year.
Community Services, which includes Law and Order, Tribal Court, Commodities (or Food Stamps), education and employment and burials, is up nearly $88,000 from$164,7 07 to $251,641.
Resource management, which includes buildings and utilities and the Tribal Realty office, jumped nearly $18,000 with a 1975 figure of $52,543 compared to $34,420.
Projected income for 1975 is based primarily on forestry revenue. The estimated income for sales of 5 7 -million board feet of timber for the year was set at $3,52 8,000. Forestry income, which is by far the largest wad in the tribal bankroll, is almost impossible to guess accurately. The 1974 budget estimated that logging sales would kick $3,500,000 into the tribal coffers....actual receipts for the year, however, amounted to $6,297,928. The difference between estimated and actual forestry income is based on timber market fluctuation.
Other major contributors to tribal revenues are the lease
(Cont. on page 3) see....BUDGET
BPA Utility, Tribe Still Deadlocked on Easement
Dixon: The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has lost two rounds of negotiations with the Tribal Council for easements to improve their Hot Springs to Hungry Horse transmission lines....a third round of bargaining has been set for June 13.
The giant bureaucratic agency ,which operates severpl electrical generating facilities on the Columbia River drainage and sells their power to local utilities, has encountered a strong resistance from the Tribal Council on leases of right of ways. The utility says it needs 7.2 5 acres of existing BIA access roads to improve the service on their Dayton to Hungry Horse 230 kila-volt line.
Otto Kassner, a realty officer for BPA, appeared before the Council for the second time May 31 to sweeten the pot for the northern reservation right of way the utility says it needs. Kassner told the Council that construction on the existing lines would include the repositioning of 18 towers, ad dition of three, installation of a new line and replacement of conductors. He said the work could be done by using the utility's current right of way agreement but "it would substantially increase our costs." He said that the additional road right of ways would be necessary to facilitate the new construction and provide maintenance access.
Kassner opened the second round by making the same (Cont. on page 3) see.....POWER LINES