totemtracks
T h e K e t c h i k a n I n d i a n C o m m u n i t y n e w s l e tt e r
w w w. k i c t r i b e . o r g
inside
December 2011
2 Letters from
KIC leaders
The President and General
Manager list exciting
achievements from the past
year and those to come.
Yesterday, today
and tomorrow
3 IT TEAM keeps
Kic humming
A
KIC computer experts
replace the network.
5 Edwardson
a busy man
Chas. Edwardson will
take on local and state
leadership positions.
6 KIC offers
apprenticeships
The BERT program will give
two Members hands-on
experience.
7 KIC profiles
Meet Michael Dixon and
Steve Hudson.
9 KIC expands
influence
Members of the KIC Tribal
Government have taken key
posts.
14 Need a car?
A new partnership offers
KIC members financing for
used vehicles.
15 Program
to serve Elders
Honoring Our Elders gives
Elders the assistance they
need to stay independent.
16 KIC member
spotlight
Rayanna White’s boot liners
sell like hot cakes.
19 Swimmers
take on
diabetes
Three KIC Members
swim from Alcatraz to San
Francisco.
KIC Annual
Membership
Meeting
held in
November
pproximately 250 Ketchikan Indian
Community members were treated
to lunch and five different Native dance
groups on Saturday, Nov. 19th, at the Ted
Ferry Civic Center during their annual
meeting. The theme for this year’s annual meeting was:
“Yesterday, Today
For more
and Tomorrow.”
Before the en- photos
tertainment por- of the annual
tion of the gath- meeting, see
ering members pages 10-12 »
were provided an
overview of the 2012 proposed budget
and Tribal Council Committee Chair
reports on finance, health, education,
housing, economic development, enrollment, and subsistence.
Norman Arriola, Tribal Council
President, highlighted the most reContinued on page 18
>
Isabel Williams and Deja Williams enjoy the fun at the annual meeting.
annual election slated
Are you registered to vote on Jan. 16?
K
»
etchikan Indian Community’s
annual election is scheduled for
Monday, Jan. 16th. This annual election
gives members an opportunity to vote
for the candidate they feel will represent
them on the Tribal Council and the
Advisory Health Board. Voting will
take place at the Plaza Mall between 9
a.m. and 8 p.m.
The KIC membership expressed a
desire to the Tribal Council to return
to an elected Tribal Advisory Health
Board and they listened. On January’s
ballot you’ll see all of the candidates
desiring to represent you on the Ad-
To read about the
candidates see pages 20-22
For sample ballots
see pages 23-24 »
visory Health Board. Most recently
the Advisory Health Board has been
appointed by the Tribal Council. Now
members will have a direct voice in who
represents them on both the bodies.
There are spaces for write-ins for both
the Health Board and the Tribal Council.
In order to vote you must be registered. Registration is easy. Just stop in
at the KIC building at 2960 Tongass
and go to the 5th Floor. If you already
are registered you can pick up your new
registration card, which were prepared
early in 2011. Members can also access
the voter registration form online at
www.kictribe.org. Download the form,
fill it out and return it to KIC no later
than Dec. 30.
KIC members who are eligible to
vote may request an absentee ballot
if they cannot get to the polling place
because of undue travel expense, hardship or hazard to the voter or because
of employment. Absentee ballots will
Continued on page 4
>
T he Presiden t's Let t er
Norman
Arriola
Greetings Everyone,
It’s hard to believe another year has passed.
On behalf of myself and the Tribal Council I
want to wish all of you a healthy and prosperous New Year. I hope your Christmas holiday
was filled with lots of family and even more
happiness.
When a new year is beginning it’s an exciting
time to not only look ahead to the challenges
we face, but to review the many accomplishments of KIC in 2011. The primary purpose of
Ketchikan Indian Community is to provide for
the general well-being of all Tribal Members and
beneficiaries through the various programs and
services provided by the Tribe.
2011 was a momentous year in many respects. On the economic side KIC renovated
and opened the Tribal House Retail Store
and Pharmacy and completed the Southern
Southeast Alaska Technical Education Center.
In conjunction with the development of new
businesses KIC established a Section 17 Charter,
which allows for the formation of a business
corporation and protects KIC assets not associated with those businesses.
Another important development was the filing of the paperwork with the State of Alaska to
establish a non-profit entity called the Heritage
Foundation. This new entity qualifies for certain
grants unavailable to Tribal Governments.
The annual KIC election is just a short time
away. I encourage all members to register and
vote in the election which will be held on January 16th at the Plaza Mall. KIC staff is ready and
eager to help you get registered. Stop by the
5th Floor or call and a registration form will be
sent to you. The greater the participation the
stronger our Tribal government will become.
You asked that we return to an elected Ad-
visory Health Board and the Tribal Council
listened. Besides voting for four Tribal Council
members you also will be selecting four Advisory
Health Board representatives as well. Two will
serve for a one year term and two who will
serve for two years. Please register and vote on
January 16th!
Looking ahead to the New Year the Tribal
Council hopes to conclude work on constitutional reform. Much has been done but the next
step is to ensure our by-laws and ordinances
adhere to the constitutional amendments. A
referendum vote on these matters will occur in
2012 prior to the 2013 elections. Once again, I
can’t stress enough for you to register and vote
to make your voice heard.
In conclusion I want to wish you and your
family a most healthy and profitable New Year.
Sincerely,
Norman Arriola
Tribal Council President
T h e G e n e r al m a n ag e r ' s L e t t e r
Debbie
Patton
Dear KIC Tribal Members,
2011 has been a busy and productive year
at KIC. Our accomplishments are many, all
designed to expand or improve the programs
and services KIC provides. I will touch on a few
in this letter; others are identified in either the
President’s letter or elsewhere in this newsletter.
We will also provide more detail in our annual
report, which will be presented to members in
mid-January.
We’ve signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Veteran’s Administration
that will allow KIC to provide services to veterans, such as health care, benefit exams, training
and education services. The MOU establishes the
relationship but there is still work to be done
in order to implement this program.
This is a great opportunity for KIC to be
able to provide care to veterans closer to home
2 totemtracks
eliminating the need for travel to Anchorage
or Seattle. Once this agreement is in place,
Veterans can receive medical care right here
in Ketchikan. Watch for more information over
the next several months.
We opened the KIC Youth Center located in
the lower level of the 615 Stedman St. Southern
Southeast Alaska Technical Education Center
building right below the Little Village Learning
Center. The center provides tutoring and after
school activities for junior and high school
students. The mission of the center is to provide
a safe environment for you while concentrating
on cultural activities including language, regalia
making and weaving. Technology workshops
include photography and imovie with more to
come. Elders and culture bearers are encouraged
to spend time leading and teaching our youth.
If you’re interested in knowing more or helping
out at the Youth Center, contact Sonya Skan
at 228-9374.
We’ve worked on some of our internal
systems and staff structure in an effort to
streamline and update our processes. We’ve
implemented a new accounting software, a
new E-requisition program and timekeeping
system, payroll and benefit program in the
Finance Department.
In the IT Department we have expanded our
staff, implemented a new server, new Outlook,
E-Fax, new phone system and electronic health
record system in the clinic to identify just a
few of the projects which happened in 2011.
In the administration department we have
reorganized and retitled our staff. This was
done to streamline communication and provide
more accountability within the departments.
Before this reorganization KIC had a fairly flat
structure. At one point up to 14 directors or staff
members were reporting directly to me. Now the
four positions that report to me are the Chief
Administrative Officer, Chief Financial Officer,
Health Administrator and Chief Operating
Officer. We will provide updated organizational
charts in the annual report. We’ve also updated
our salary study to make sure we’re competitive
with our wages and salaries to assist with
recruitment and retention of employees and
working on archiving our records and improving
record retention and management.
KIC has also been working hard to improve
our communication with our membership as
well as increase our public relations through
our quarterly newsletter, centralized print
Continued on page 5
>
IT team keeps KIC humming
W
hen we head
into the office
and log onto our workstation how many of
us really know what is
at the end of that Ethernet cable plugged
into the wall in your
office? How many
care? If you like talk- rod short
ing about computers,
networks and technology and you have some spare time, spend a few
minutes with Rod Short, System Administrator
for Ketchikan Indian Community – assuming
he has some spare time. More about Rod a
little later.
Rod came on board at KIC in October of 2010.
In January the following year life became just
a little more interesting not only for Rod but
the entire IT crew as well. We’ll find out more
about them soon.
KIC’s network infrastructure hadn’t been
updated in about ten years. This equipment,
primarily consisting of 3 Com network switches,
was aging and frankly on its last leg. During
that ten year stretch 3 Com was purchased
by HP. The network switches not only weren’t
being manufactured any longer, they weren’t
even being supported by the factory. This is an
extremely challenging situation when attempting to make repairs and troubleshoot problems.
In January, just three short months after Rod
became System Administrator, things started
happening; bad things. The situation became
so dire that workstations were losing their
network connection every 15 minutes. After
about a week of trying to trouble shoot and
repair ten year old equipment it became obvious
a major project, which had been planned for
2012, was going to happen much sooner. Not
only had advancements in technology passed
the KIC network by, over the years cable runs
became schizophrenic (See before and after
pictures on this page). In April, over a very long
weekend, everything was replaced. A stable,
efficient and state of the art network allows
KIC employees to do their jobs and serve KIC
members in the best possible way.
During his high school years Rod and some
of his classmates at Kayhi started experimenting
with something called Bitnet – a part of the
early Internet – and soon they were “chatting”,
as we now call it, with people hundreds or
thousands of miles away. He had been bitten
by the technology bug. After graduation Rod
Charlie
Lindgren
James
Llanos Jr.
rich
darrington
Cliff
Guthrie
Before …
And After
studied everything he could get his hands on
dealing with computers and technology.
Along the way he made many friends in the
rapidly growing Internet industry and it wasn’t
long before he got a call from one of those friends
working at a dot-com company encouraging
him to apply for a position there. One phone
interview later he was hired. From there Rod
moved up the technology ladder working at
technology companies like Intermind, US West
(now Qwest), MediSystems, and DataChannel.
For 7 years he worked at a biotechnology and
Flu vaccine company called ID Biomedical
– this was his favorite job until he came to
work at KIC. Before coming back to Ketchikan
in 2010 he worked at a company called QL2,
which specialized in “deep Internet” searches
for companies like Expedia, Orbitz and other
travel web sites. What all of this means is KIC
is lucky to have someone with a vast working
knowledge to keep our network infrastructure
humming right along.
Replacing an entire network in an organization this size in a short amount of time could
never have been accomplished without a great
IT team working as a finely tuned engine. Let’s
meet them.
Charlie Lindgren has been with KIC six and
half years. He came to Ketchikan from the Seattle
area and much like Rod, held various positions
in the computer world learning all along the
way. Charlie’s computer career began after a lay
off from Todd Shipyard, where he had worked
nearly 15 years. Charlie went to North Seattle
Community College in the Edmonds area North
of Seattle and got his Associate Arts Degree in
computer system information. Upon receiving
his degree, Charlie went to work with Delphi
Computers for a year and then for the next
year and half worked for Entex Information, a
sub-contractor to Microsoft. That led to a five
year stint with Microsoft until 2001. Three years
with the Transportation Security Administration then a little time off around 2004 Charlie
was hired at KIC in June of 2005. When asked
how he felt about that long weekend of work
Continued on page 8
>
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KIC Members receive
this newsletter
via email
And get important
information via email
blasts quickly!
Send your first and
last name plus your
email address to:
[email protected]
Election: Choose who speaks for you
< Continued from page 1
also be available to those who are unable to
attend because of physical disability on Election Day. Absentee ballots requested because
of illness or disability must be signed by the
applicant and accompanied by a letter from a
licensed physician or a statements signed by
two qualified voters.
Non-resident students and active duty
military may also request an absentee ballot which must be written and signed by the
Tribal Member and received no later than three
days prior to the election at 2960 Tongass Ave.,
Ketchikan, AK 99901. Non-resident absentee
ballots will only be sent to full time students
over the age of 18 and active duty military.
All KIC members are invited to a candidate’s
forum which will take place at the ANB/ANS
Hall at 429 Deermount St. This opportunity
to ask questions will be held from 6-9 p.m. on
Wednesday, Jan. 11. Complimentary snacks
will be provided.
After the election has been certified and prior
to the regular Tribal Council meeting, there will
be a swearing in ceremony on Monday, Jan. 23 in
the Tribal Council chambers on the 5th Floor.
New members will then join existing members
Get out and vote!
Voting will be 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday,
Jan. 16, at the Plaza Mall.
How to register
Go to the 5th Floor of the KIC
building at 2960 Tongass Ave. If you
already are registered you can pick
up your new registration card.You
can get the registration form at www.
kictribe.org. Download the form, fill it
out and return it to KIC by Dec. 30.
Candidates forum
6-9 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 11, at the
ANB/ANS Hall at 429 Deermount St.
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding
the election, call 228-4900.
and get down to business.
Tribal Council President, Norman Arriola,
encouraged KIC members to participate in
the election process stating that a large voter
turnout means we have a strong organization.
Annual Elections
Ketchikan Indian Community
Monday January 16, 2012 9am-8pm
The Plaza Mall
Not registered to vote? Its easy!
Stop by the 5th Floor KIC Building and get registered.
If you are registered pick up your voter registration
card. See sample ballot this issue. OTE!!!
It's your right and obligation!
4 totemtracks
Edwardson named to state, Southeast posts
K
etchikan Indian Community Workforce
Development Director, Chas. Edwardson,
has been named to the Alaska Workforce Investment Board by Gov. Sean Parnell. News of the
appointment was made public recently. The
vision of the AWIB is to build connections that
put Alaskans into good jobs. Job training has
been a passion of Edwardson for many years.
Edwardson will be a busy man. He also
was elected President of the State of Alaska
Homebuilders Association and was named to
a two year term on the Southeast Conference
Board of Directors. When asked how he would
balance his busy schedule of meetings he said,
“I have balanced for many years my training efforts and various board meetings with running
a successful general contracting company. By
prioritizing what’s on the agenda for the day
it’s simple. First address that issue and move
on to the next. It’s really not any different than
many of us do each day in a business that we
love. Construction and construction training
is what I love to do so anything that promotes
those efforts is really just part of my job”.
Debbie Patton, KIC General Manager, noted
Chas. Edwardson
“These appointments are just another example
of the positive work KIC is doing for its members and the community which highlights the
continued support at the State level ensuring
success of the Southern Southeast Alaska Technical Education Center.”
Starting in 1999 Ketchikan Indian Community established a training component to their
workforce program. The program has evolved
into a deeper realization that a responsibility
exists not only to the members of KIC, but to
the community and region.
Completion of the Southern Southeast
Alaska Technical Education Center (SSEATEC),
located at 615 Stedman Street in Ketchikan
earlier this year, has brought a regional job
training facility from which all Southern Southeast residents can benefit. From unemployed
Alaskans looking for jobs to existing workers
wanting to upgrade their skills in a changing
work environment SSEATEC will be offering a
variety of training courses ranging from culinary
arts and shipyard career exploration to construction techniques and computer training. As the
job market and economic conditions change so
will SSEATEC’s class offerings.
KIC Members can call 228-9365 for more
information or stop by SSEATEC at 615 Stedman
Street. See display ad for a list of 1st quarter 2012
classes being offered. Members are encouraged
to take a short survey regarding existing and
possible future classes on line. Find the link on
the homepage at www.kictribe.org.
The General Manager’s Letter, continued
< Continued from page 2
and media advertising, email blasts to an
email database of members on events or other
information we want disseminated in between
the newsletters. There are radio commercials
which are updated and rotating between health
promotion, program and event promotion and
general public relations. KIC is updating its
brochures and patient handbooks, has updated
the programming on the waiting room televisions and is keeping the website up to date.
We’ve updated our signs, posters and booths
(you may have noticed this at the annual meeting on November 19th) for any public booths
or presentations provided by KIC.
We are improving our annual report format
so as to make it more user friendly for our
membership. We have launched a new website
for the Deer Mountain Hatchery and Eagle
Center (www.dmthec.org) and have started
a membership campaign for the hatchery and
eagle center. So go on line and check that out! In
2012, we plan on developing a website for the
SSEATEC vocational training and educational
programs and utilize social media as another
venue to reach our target audiences. We’d like
to hear from you—so please contact us at
[email protected] and give us your
name and email address to receive announcements, important information and more!
We’ve updated our Economic Impact Study
completed by the McDowell Group out of Juneau. Some of the key points are KIC’s economic
impact on Ketchikan such as an average of 175
full time jobs with a peak employment of 201
in the summer months, direct expenditures
in the Ketchikan economy of $13 million dollars. This economic activity filters through the
economy providing jobs for KIC members in
many cases. KIC revenue increased from $10.6
million dollars in 2004 to over $31 million in
2010. In 2010 there were 46,969 visits to the
clinics and pharmacy by over 3,300 patients.
KIC Housing Department serves over 2,300
American Indian and Alaska Native Families
living in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough. It
has helped acquire or repair over 500 homes
since it began operations in 1997. There are many
more accomplishments by KIC in the McDowell
Study. If you would like a copy, stop by the 5th
Floor for a complimentary copy.
2012 projects include finalizing the commercial kitchen on the first floor of the SSEATEC
facility. This kitchen will serve several purposes
for the Tribe including housing the senior
services Meal on Wheels and congregate meals
program, providing hot lunches to the LVLC
daycare center, implementing culinary arts
instruction, the only such effort in Southeast
Alaska, with hands-on training and catering
services to KIC functions such as meetings
and events. (See article on expansion of Elder
services in 2012 in this issue)
We are pursuing funding to renovate the
Deer Mountain Tribal Hatchery and Eagle Center. The facility is very dated and is in desperate
need of some love and care. One possibility will
be a complete renovation and improving the
theatre for tours, improving the indoor and
outdoor mews for the birds and updating the
hatchery. We hope this renovation will allow
us to capture more revenue through tours and
fish return for increased production and retail
sales. Watch for more information on this as it
is still in the planning stages.
I have enjoyed the challenges and successes
of this past year and look forward to accomplishing even more in 2012. On behalf of the entire
KIC staff I’d like to say Happy Holidays and a
prosperous New Year to all of you!
totemtracks 5
From left to right are Robert Boyd, Sam Bergeron and Samson Mullenax.
KIC Tribal Youth Program
KIC Tribal Youth Program
~ Design
~ Design
~ Drum
Making
~ Drum
Making
~ Painting
Painting
~ Beading
Carving
~ Beading
~~Weaving
Carving
~ Regalia
Making
~ Weaving
~ Genealogy
~ Regalia
Making
~ FUN
~ Genealogy
~ Snacks Provided
~ FUN
Featuring local artists, elders, and culture
~ Snacks Provided
bearers
Featuring
local
culture
All activities
areartists,
free ofelders,
charge,and
and
open
to all tribal youthbearers
who live on the island.
All activities are free of charge, and open
Hours
to all tribal youth who live on the island.
Monday and Tuesday
3-5 pm Middle School
Hours
Wednesday and Thursday
Monday
and Tuesday
3-5 pm High
School
3-5 pm Middle School
Friday
Wednesday and Thursday
3-5 pm Middle and High school
3-5 pm High School
Location
Friday
615 Stedman Street
3-5 pm Middle and High school
Call 907 228-9374
Location
615 Stedman Street
Call 907 228-9374
6 totemtracks
KIC first in Alaska
to introduce BERT
apprenticeship
K
etchikan Indian Community (KIC) is
proud to announce it is the first entity in
Alaska to sponsor the Building Energy Retrofit
Technician (BERT) apprenticeship developed
in cooperation with the U.S. Department of
Labor, Office of Apprenticeship.
Robert Boyd and Samson Mullenax were
recently indentured and will complete their
registered apprenticeship while working for
the KIC Weatherization Program over the next
year. Robert Boyd recently changed careers after
working in sales. He is the son of Claudia Boyd
of Saxman. Samson Mullenax is a recent graduate
of Ketchikan High School and the Ketchikan
Construction Academy. He is the son of Harvey
Mullenax of Ketchikan. Both apprentices will
complete their on-the-job learning under the
tutelage of Sam Bergeron, an experienced journey worker and KIC Weatherization Manager.
“KIC’s leadership in program sponsored
apprenticeships, like BERT, is an example of
the high-quality vocational training offered
by the Southern Southeast Alaska Technical
Education Center,” said Chas Edwardson, KIC
Workforce Development Director.
Apprenticeships combined on-the-job
learning and related technical instruction to
ensure workers learn practical and theoretical
aspects of their occupation. The 2,000-hour
program will expose apprentices to a variety of
The 2,000hour program
exposes
building
apprentices
to a range of
experiences.
work processes including building inspection,
diagnostics, retrofitting, building repairs and
energy systems. University of Alaska Southeast
will provide 144 hours of related technical
instruction for the apprentices during Winter
2012. According to John Hakala, State Director for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office
of Apprenticeship, “BERT was developed in
partnership with the Alaska Housing Finance
Corporation, University of Alaska Southeast
Construction Technology program, Tribal Housing Authorities and building contractors. The
goal of the one-year apprenticeship program is
to develop a qualified and skilled workforce
for home energy efficiency and weatherization
programs across the state.”
Weatherization installers and technicians
are considered “Bright Outlook” occupations
by the U.S. Department of Labor, with projected
job growth much faster than the average occupation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
estimates a 20%+ increase in weatherization
jobs over the period 2008-2018. Alaskans, exposed to more severe weather conditions, benefit
from weatherization services which reduce
the cost of energy for families and improve the
safety of their homes.
For more information about the KIC Apprenticeship Program, please contact: Chas
Edwardson at (907) 228-9365.
KIC PROFILE | Senior Accountant
Meet Michael Dixon
I
t’s no secret an organization which is growing
as fast as Ketchikan Indian Community
needs a solid finance staff. Keeping the books in
balance and meeting stringent federal and state
accounting requirements make it mandatory.
Not to mention planning for the future requires
some of the best and brightest.
Michael is of the Diesheetaan house of Angoon, Raven Beaver Dog Salmon Moiety. Born
in Ketchikan, he grew up here and in Klawock
where his mother, April Dixon, still lives. He
is an alumnus of Ketchikan High School. He
double majored in finance and economics at
Rutgers University, graduating Cum Laude
in 2007.
During a summer derivative trading internship at Lehman Brothers in New York City,
shortly before its collapse, a family situation
caused him to withdraw from his graduate
program in economics and created an opportunity for him to return to Alaska. In retrospect,
the fast-paced world of Wall Street wasn’t as
gratifying as Tribal health care for Michael. For
the last two years, Michael has been working
at SEARHC in Juneau as a financial analyst.
Early in 2011, KIC General Manager Debbie
Patton recruited Michael to come work at KIC,
where he says he wanted to work anyway. In July,
he assumed his position as Senior Accountant.
Michael is very passionate about helping the
Tribe and its members and feels he’s doing his
part providing essential financial planning for
Ketchikan Indian Community. He wants to see
KIC expand the services it provides to members
in the areas of health, education and job training. Providing solid financial and budgetary
planning will help make that possible.
When Michael isn’t busy doing his finance
work at KIC, he says, “I have lots of family to
keep me busy.” Historically he is a member of
the Presbyterian Church, but has not found a
local church as of yet to call home. KIC is lucky
to have someone with his background and
education in finance and economics.
Michael Dixon
KIC PROFILE | Deputy Health Administrator
Meet Steve Hudson
M
eeting Steve Hudson for the first time
you feel like you’ve known him all your
life. He possesses a warm smile and exudes
a quiet confidence, attributes which make
for a successful person. Many KIC members
may know Steve’s Mother, Tribal Council VicePresident Verna Hudson.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Steve came back
to Alaska at the age of three when his Mother
wanted to be closer to family. Steve is Tlingit,
Tsimshian and Chippewa and is an Eagle-Wolf.
Steve went through the Ketchikan school system
and attended Washington State University,
where he attained his undergraduate degree. He
continued his graduate work at the University
of Alaska Anchorage, earning a master’s degree
in social work.
Steve’s career has taken him through positions in the behavioral health care field in
Anchorage as well as Ketchikan. Before joining
the KIC team as Deputy Health Administrator,
Steve spent 13 years in Child Protective Services,
starting out as an initial assessor and ending
up in Ketchikan as a supervisor with the State
of Alaska. While performing his duties for the
State, he also did some work related to the Indian Child Welfare Act designed to promulgate
the best interests of Alaska Native children
experiencing difficulties in their home.
Earning a promotion at his previous position would have meant relocating away from
Ketchikan something he did not want to do – his
roots are here, says Steve. Citing his desire for
a new challenge Steve decided to join the team
at KIC. He also noted his wish to give back to
KIC, which helped him financially to acquire
his college education.
Some of Steve’s initial duties include working with Behavioral Health as they move into
integrated billing, reorganization of staff and
expansion of services. Steve will also be part
of the team preparing for the upcoming accreditation. He sees his biggest challenge as
slowing down and assessing. Steve says he was
raised on how to get from point A to point B.
With an organization this large, Steve says, it’s
challenging to communicate with staff and
gather information for effective decision making.
Steve and his wife Lori have two children.
A son named Hitsati, which in Tlingit means
Steve Hudson
speaker of the house, and a daughter, Catherine.
If you get a chance to meet Steve Hudson,
take it. You’ll feel like you’ve known him a
long time.
totemtracks 7
Tribal Health
Clinic
Reminds you to get your
flu shot.
Who should get
a flu shot?
All persons who are:
Alaska Native
American Indian
6 months or older
or have
Chronic respiratory
diseases such as:
Asthma
Renal
Hepatic
Neurologic
Hematologic
Metabolic Disorders
Pregnant or will be
Health Care Personnel
Caregivers for at risk
patients
Watch for free walk
in flu shot clinics or
call the Tribal Health
Center for an appointment
228-9201
8 totemtracks
IT team: KIC’s experts make
network replacement possible
< Continued from page 3
in April Charlie just smiled. It’s easy to tell
when an employee feels pride in a job well done.
James Llanos Jr. has put his time in at KIC.
He started in 2000 through the OJT Program
and worked his way up to Windows Network
Administrator, and then in 2004 he took some
time off and relocated to Anchorage with his
family. It wasn’t long before he returned to
KIC in the IT department and has been here
ever since. For those that think you need a
four year degree to be successful in IT talk to
James. He has taught himself nearly everything
he knows and the rest has been learned with
practical experience and from his co-workers
in the IT department. James was instrumental
in wiring the 429 building and re-wiring of
2960 in his first term, he has been involved in
similar circumstances as the long weekend in
April. But as he says, “There was a lot more help
this time.” James’ first memory when asked
about that long weekend is all the old cables
lying on the floor.
Rich Darrington is a relatively recent hire
in the IT Department at KIC. How he came to
live in Ketchikan is a fishy story. Well, kind of.
15 years ago he visited Ketchikan to do some
fishing with his father and he never left. When
his wife needed more college the family moved
to Fairbanks where Rich got his first taste of
technology working for Xerox. When Rich and
his family returned to Ketchikan he took a look
at the job landscape and decided earning his
Associate Degree from UAS was his best bet.
A practicum course, which is essentially an
internship, happened that fateful weekend
when the entire KIC network was replaced. His
memory of that long network change weekend:
He said it became nearly impossible to remove
and replace each cable so to speed up the job, a
pair of wire cutters was used and the connectors
simply removed from the equipment.
Every great baseball team has an even better
bullpen. This is the true of the KIC IT department. Meet Cliff Guthrie. While he wasn’t
intimately involved with the long weekend
of work during the network changeover, he was
a part of the IT team. Cliff was born and raised
in Ketchikan and has been a KIC employee for
10 years. Cliff is holding down the Resource and
Patient Management System (RPMS) department while KIC recruits for a manager.
Possessing a state of the art computer network means KIC employees can perform their
duties easily, quickly and efficiently which
means improved services to KIC members. Next
time you see or meet a member of the IT team
thank them for keeping us connected.
KIC earns federal grant to fund Student
Strength, Tribal Strength program
K
etchikan Indian Community has been
awarded a two-year $322,392 grant from
the Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Native Americans.
Social and Economic Development Strategies
Tribal Governance funds projects that strengthen the internal capacity and infrastructure of
tribal governments to increase services provided
to children and families. SEDSTG projects also
emphasize increasing tribal governments’
ability to exercise local control and decision
making over their resources.
Ketchikan Indian Community’s Student
Strength, Tribal Strength seeks to improve
interoperability between the tribal community
and the local school district by empowering
tribal leaders and parents to advocate for tribal
youth’s educational rights. In particular, project
funds will be used to reconstitute the Indian
KIC seeks coordinator
KIC is currently recruiting a project
coordinator. Contact human
resources at 228-4900 or Project
Director Cara Wallace at 228-9230.
Education Board, provide training workshops
for parents and tribal leaders, and work towards
the development of a Memorandum of Agreement for interoperability between KIC, the
Organized Village of Saxman and Ketchikan
Gateway Borough School District.
Our tribal community’s future is linked to
our young people; ensuring the unique educational needs of our tribal students are met
is a necessary investment. Parent workshops
beginning in March 2012.
KIC Nation proud
K
etchikan Indian Community members can be proud of its management,
staff and Tribal Council. Why? Many are serving as members of boards
and organizations that have a direct impact on Tribal affairs as well as federal
and state budget and legislative issues. Others are working hard to bring
economic well-being and quality of life not only to the members of KIC, but
to the community of Ketchikan. When Ketchikan thrives, so do KIC members.
Chas. Edwardson was elected President of
the State Homebuilders Association recently.
He also was appointed by Gov. Sean Parnell
to AWIB. AWIB stands for Alaska Workforce
Investment Board, which exists solely to build
connections that put Alaskans into good jobs.
Not only that, Chas. was appointed to the
Southeast Conference Board of Directors. (See
associated story on page 5) His passion for work
force training and development can be put to
good use in these positions, resulting in more
opportunities for KIC members.
If earning a living wage is important, then
having access to the best possible health care
can’t be far behind. CeCe Johnson was nominated and elected to be the SAMSHA primary
representative; 1st At Large Alaska Native Health
Board Executive Committee. Alaska Native
Health Board, or ANHB, is recognized as the
primary organization promoting the health
needs and concerns of Alaska Native people. It
emphasizes the importance of self-determination in healthcare services, encouraging wellness
and healthy lifestyles in Native communities
through policy change. CeCe also sits on the
Unaffiliated Tribe Executive Committee. In
addition she is a member of the ANB/ANS
Board of Directors.
Debbie Patton, KIC General Manager serves
on the University of Alaska Campus Advisory
Council. While Economic Development Director,
Tony Azure, is the Alaska Representative to
the Alaska Native American Indian Tourism
Association, a national organization recognized
as the voice of Indian Country as it relates to
tourism. Tony was also recently appointed as
an adviser for 2012 to the Ketchikan Visitors
Bureau Board of Directors.
Joel Azure sits on the Board of Directors of
the Alaska Association of Housing Authority
and the Southern Southeast Alaska Building
Industry Association.
Tribal Council member Rob Sanderson is a
busy person, as well. He is 2nd Vice-President
of the Central Council of Tlingit Haida Indian
Tribal Association Executive Council and the
Ketchikan delegate to CCTHITA. Rob also is
chairman of the Gulf of Alaska Coastal Communities Coalition.
Victoria Canul-Dunne is a member of the
Ketchikan Wellness Coalition as well as a board
member of Big Brothers Big Sisters. She also
serves as ANS Grand Camp 1st Vice-President
and is Vice-President of ANS Camp #14 and
is a member of the Board of Directors as well.
Several staff members were Ketchikan
Delegates to the Central Council of Tlingit
and Haida Indian Tribal Association’s annual
convention, including Helene Simpson, Marsha
Ramirez, Robert Hull and Candace Williams.
James Llanos Jr. serves on the ANB/ANS Board
of Directors.
Life can’t be all business, and the arts play an
important role in the life of KIC members, too.
Tribal leaders have a positive
impact at the community, the
state and the federal levels.
Cara Wallace, Tribal Education Director, serves
on the First City Players Board of Governors.
Southeast Alaska is also well represented
in national Tribal organization leadership
positions. Ed Thomas, of Central Council of
Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska based
in Juneau, was recently elected as secretary
of the National Council of American Indians
Executive Board.
In the area of local government KIC has a
voice. Sam Bergeron was recently elected to the
Ketchikan City Council and he also serves as
a Planning Commissioner for the Ketchikan
Gateway Borough.
There’s not enough ink to mention all of the
volunteers who donate countless hours tutoring
and mentoring to preserve the Native language,
culture and heritage. Please thank them for their
service to KIC members and our community.
What all of this means is KIC management,
staff and Tribal Council members, along with
Southeast Alaska Natives, will have the opportunity to guide policy decisions through these
important organizations. They are working
hard for the interests of Alaska Natives and
KIC members.
totemtracks 9
Tradition & progress
The KIC Annual Meeting
Warren Beluta in his regalia performs after the business portion of the annual meeting.
Ketchikan Inter-Tribal Dancer Carol Corbett displays her regalia. Bertha Williams
to her left looks on.
10 totemtracks
Nathan Corbett performs at the annual meeting.
From left to right, KIC General Manager Debbie
Patton and Tribal Council Treasurer Joe Reeves.
In the background is Tribal Council Member
Donna Frank.
Members of the Gamiilgm Niiyam Dancers include, from left to right, Patrick Morgan, Terry Burr,
Lorraine Kahle and Jordan Inman.
The future generation even participates in dance. Makai Williams is pictured here.
From left to right are Alice Demmert and Carol Williams.
At left,Tribal Council President Norman Arriola
and, at right, Deputy Health Administrator Steve
Hudson pause prior to the annual meeting.
From left to right are Sheila Aniskett and Mary Holmes.
totemtracks 11
Ketchikan Inter-Tribal Dance Group members, from left to right, Nathan Corbett, Roger Wilson and David Williams.
The Diabetes
Prevention Team
include, from left to
right, Leslie Wheeless, Marsha Ramirez,
Helene Simpson and
Bill Hardy.
Elders are very important to KIC. From left to right, brothers Johnny and
Wilbur Reeves share lunch at the annual meeting.
12 totemtracks
Katherine Wood and Donna Gillian
First International Pilot Bread
Festival Slated for spring 2012
I
nterbake Foods, producers of Sailor Boy
Pilot Bread, has agreed to be the corporate
sponsor of the inaugural International Pilot
Bread Festival scheduled for May 5, 2012, at
the Saxman Community Center located in
Ketchikan, Alaska.
This event will coincide with the annual
Celebration of the Sea weekend in Ketchikan
and will feature booths for artists, crafters,
food and more.
Dave Jensen, Festival Director, said, “Celebration of the Sea is all about art, music,
culture and fun, and so is the International
Pilot Bread Festival”.
Even though the event is in the early
stages of development some events are
starting to come together such as ethnic
food booths, music of all kinds, dancers,
costumes, arts and crafts. Other plans include
an ethnic fashion show, juried art show and
First quarter
classes for
2012 unveiled
at SSEATEC
K
IC’s Southern Southeast Alaska Technical Education Center announced their
2012 classes. The facility, which was completed
mid-year, will host a class in Lead Abatement
Training on Jan. 13. This class is certified by the
Environmental Protection Agency and those
successfully completing the one-day, eight-hour
course will receive a certificate that is accepted
nation wide. KIC is only the second Tribal
Government in America to offer this training.
Contractors, homebuilders and construction
trade workers can also use this for continuing
education credit.For more class offerings, see
the ad on page 14.
Let SSEATEC know if you like the initial
class offerings. Take a brief survey at www.
kictribe.org. For additional information about
SSEATEC classes stop by 615 Stedman St. or
call 228-9365.
talent show.
The idea for this festival emerged with the
recognition that different cultures share some
commonality, such as pilot bread. Pilot bread,
also known as hardtack, saw its genesis in the
11th century. Ninety-eight percent of Sailor
Boy Pilot Bread is shipped to Alaska and is
used universally across the state. It is now
considered a traditional Alaska Native food.
Ketchikan Indian Community has signed
on as a sponsor. The International Pilot Bread
Festival is in search of those willing to help
make this event a successful and fun addition
to Ketchikan’s event schedule.
If you’d like to help or are interested in
being an exhibitor or participant of any kind,
contact Festival Director Dave Jensen by email
at [email protected]. Regular planning
meetings are taking place. Email Dave to get
on the notification list via email.
First Five to email
the correct
answer will
receive a $25 gift
certificate from
the Tribal House
Retail Store and
Pharmacy
totemtracks 13
KIC SSEATeC
Upcoming Classes:
Lead Abatement TrainingJanuary 13th
CPR/First Aid CertificationJanuary 2012
Commercial Driver’s
License Training-March
2012
Interpretive Guide ClassMarch 2012
Internet Safety-March
2012
Adobe Beginners &
Intermediate-March 2012
Microsoft Excel Beginning
& Intermediate-March 2012
Road Survey Class-March
2012
Construction SurveyingApril 2012
Construction TechnologyApril 2012
Powder Puff ConstructionApril 2012
Home Buyers Training2012
SSEATeC
615 Stedman Street
Training for tomorrow’s
jobs today!
228-9365
14 totemtracks
Thomas elected as Executive
Board Secretary of the NCAI
C
entral Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian
Tribes of Alaska President Edward Thomas
was recently elected as Executive Board Secretary of the National Congress of American
Indians (NCAI). This is the third highest elected
office in the nation’s largest Alaska Native and
American Indian advocacy organization. NCAI
organized in 1944 and has the reputation of
being the most effective advocacy organization
on behalf of Native Americans.
President Thomas pointed out in his campaign speech that it is important to have tribal
leaders who are experienced in dealing with
administrative and legislative branches of the
federal government at this point in our history.
National politicians appear to be hell-bent on
cutting federal programs to the needy and increasing scrutiny on already over regulated and
under-funded programs for Native Americans.
He previously served three terms as the Alaska
Area Vice-President (VP) to NCAI and a couple
of terms as the Alaska Area VP Alternate.
Incumbent NCAI President Jefferson Keel
was re-elected unanimously, First VP Juana
Majel was re-elected, as was Treasurer Ron
Allen. Former Tlingit Haida Central Council
President Bill Martin was re-elected as the
Alaska Regional Vice-President of NCAI. All
officers of NCAI serve two-year terms.
“I look forward to working with these national tribal leaders in addressing the political
President Edward Thomas is sworn in at the
National Congress of American Indians.
challenges of Indian Country,” President Thomas
said. “Serving as an officer of NCAI gives me
increased access to federal officials and information important in addressing our significant
tribal issues. I am honored and humbled that
our nation’s tribal leadership elected me into
this prestigious position.”
Partnership provides car loans
A
SEDA Fleet, based in Shawnee, Okla., has
partnered with Credit Union 1 in Alaska to
help Alaska Natives qualify for loans allowing
them to purchase an affordable, pre-owned,
quality vehicle. ASEDA along with Credit Union
1 provides support and flexible terms, making
loan approval much easier for Alaska Natives.
KIC Chief Administrative Officer Tom
Gubatayao discovered this financing option
for Natives while negotiating future leases
for KIC vehicles and researching options for a
personal car purchase as well.
Here is how it works. KIC members send an
email stating their interest in purchasing or
leasing a vehicle. The member will then be sent
a credit application, which, when returned, will
be used to determine what vehicle the member
may qualify for including the vehicle’s value,
year and maximum mileage along with the
monthly payment limit and the total amount
Credit Union 1 may finance. Once this has been
determined, the member will receive a Vehicle
Preference Form, or VPF.
The KIC member then simply fills out
the VPF, which instructs ASEDA to find the
preferred vehicle including color, make and
model. The ASEDA Washington State fleet
team attends area auctions to search for your
requested vehicle that best fits your budget and
wish list. They’ll send photos and details about
the vehicle to you. Upon approval, Credit Union
1 will confirm your vehicle loan and the ASEDA
team will arrange for transportation to Alaska.
KIC members who want financing through
this program can email [email protected].
They can also call 405-878-6782.
Elder Spotlight
KIC implements Honoring Our Elders program
K
etchikan Indian Community’s “Honoring Our Elders” Services
Division strives to improve services for our Elders with the Title VI
program specifically intended to provide services to KIC Tribal Elders
who are 60 or older or are legally disabled and living in the Ketchikan
Gateway Borough (excluding Saxman Elders, who receive services from
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska). KIC wants
to improve the quality of life for these Elders by helping them maintain
their independence.
Some Elders may need in-home services. The Elders Services Manager
will do an assessment of services prior to a care provider being authorized.
There are also respite and care services available. KIC has two caregivers
who can help by giving a break to a family caregiver, performing yard
work, light housekeeping and running errands. The services must be
for tasks the Elder is unable to provide on their own.
Many times an Elder has questions about Tribal services or benefits
but is unsure whom they need to contact within the Tribe. The Elders
Program staff is aware of most Tribal programs and services and can
assist Elders with reaching the appropriate contact.
New Services are coming in 2012!
KIC will be opening our new Meals on Wheels program April 1, 2012,
at the new commercial kitchen at 615 Stedman Street which is now under
construction. The Meals on Wheels program is delivered Monday through
Friday to Elders that are home-bound due to medical reasons. If you
are Alaska Native or American Indian who are 60 or older or are legally
From left to right are Agnes Bohannon and Mary Fitzgibbon.
disabled, including Saxman residents, you may sign up for this program.
Transportation is important to Elders, and KIC will be purchasing a
new, 12-passenger, handicapped-accessible bus to provide transportation
to Alaska Natives and American Indians.
If you wish to sign up for either the Meals on Wheels program or
transportation services, you may do so any time after Jan. 1, 2012, however
the programs will not actually start until April 1.
College Reach for 11-12 Graders
The goal of College Reach is to support the development of young Alaska
Native scholars and leaders by assisting in their preparation for the college
experience.
· Develop a college list based on their talents interests and needs
· Receive personalized college counseling
· Complete an admissions and financial aid portfolio
· Participate in test prep for ACT/SAT (Juniors)
· Complete scholarship applications (Seniors) Other Benefits for
College Reach
Students:
COLLEGE REACH
To sign up for the College Reach class:
College Reach will be offered during 4th period
· Take the ACT/SAT
for free! College
of the Spring 2012 Semester. Students must
Reach will pay for
change their schedule by contacting a Kayhi
one test fee (Approx.
counselor. Only Juniors and Seniors who meet
$45). Also get
free test prep material! credit and GPA requirements are eligible to
· Seniors can have up to enroll. College Reach cannot conflict with
2 college admission test completion of core academic courses. Sign up
fees paid (Approx.
today or call 228-9365 for more information.
$100)
College Reach Students
at Colorado College on 2011
Southwest College Tour
What about Freshmen and
Sophomores?
An afterschool College
Reach club will be offered
Spring Semester. Keep an eye out!
totemtracks 15
KIC Member Spotlight
White’s boot liner business off and running
S
ome time ago, an automobile manufacturer
had as their advertising slogan, “we are
driven.” If you really want to see driven, obsessively driven, meet Rayanna White.
Rayanna is the owner – or, as she likes to
call herself, “Top Slug” – of a going concern she
started called With the Rain. You’ll understand
the nickname in a moment.
Like some successful endeavors, With the
Rain started from an existing product. Rayanna
was given a gift upon her return to Ketchikan
after college. She had asked her Mom for a pair
of rain boots, but not Xtratufs – she wanted
fancy Seattle rain boots with a liner. As she
tells it, “I lived in those boot liners.”
When a friend asked her to share a booth
at the 2010 Blueberry Festival, Rayanna said
she didn’t have anything to sell, but she had an
idea for a boot liner — she called them Slugs.
She borrowed a children’s sewing machine
from her grandmother, Barbara Pearce, and even
though she didn’t know how to sew, she wanted
to see if she could make her vision happen. It
wasn’t long before she figured it out and made
about 40 pairs of boot liners from plain grey
fleece fabric. She sold out half-way through the
first day of the Blueberry Festival.
In 2011, Rayanna made 175 pair of boot liners,
or Slugs, and sold 130 for the Blueberry Festival.
At this year’s Winter Arts Faire, she made a
similar amount and sold 140. Do you get an
idea where this is going? Rayanna has an idea
where she’s going with future goals that include
a book, a retail store and more.
Rayanna attended college at the Art Institute
of Seattle and has an associate degree in Applied
Arts. College was made possible in part by a
loan from KIC for her housing during her two
years in school. And for her tuition, books
and supplies she received a scholarship from
16 totemtracks
We want your stories!
If you know a Ketchikan Indian
Community member climbing the
ladder of success with help in part
by KIC we want everyone to know
about them. Send your story idea
to [email protected]. Let’s
celebrate achievement and success!
Rayanna White holds one of her Slugs.
Tlingit and Haida.
Rayanna employs two part-timers during
the busy holiday gift giving season. During
the off-season, she makes her Slugs and other
products when she’s not working as an accounts
payable clerk at Alaskan & Proud.
You can see her products at a trendy website
which features handmade items. The site address is www.withtherain.etsy.com. Slugs are
available for men, women and children. She also
makes stuffed slugs called Tongass Slugs and
has started a campaign called Adopt a Slug. A
Slug book is in the works perhaps in 2012. For
now she’ll keep her job at Alaskan & Proud,
but don’t be surprised if you see a “Slug” sign
in downtown Ketchikan soon with Rayanna
behind the counter. To contact Rayanna directly
her email address is [email protected].
What does GPRA mean for you and KIC?
The Health Clinic won an
award for improving patient
care. KIC was the first clinic to
combine behavioral health and
substance abuse counseling.
G
PRA stands for Government Performance
and Results Act. The last word in that previous sentence means it is law and is intended
to show Congress that the Indian Health Service
is meeting certain goals based on a set of specific
measures. Simply put, are Tribal Health Clinics
around the nation funded by IHS providing the
best possible care to its members?
There is another important aspect of GPRA.
Poor performance could mean reduced funding
to the Indian Health Service and the health
clinics funded by this agency. No one wants
this to happen, so the KIC Tribal Health Clinic
must not only provide the best possible care
to KIC members, but it also must report its
performance annually.
You, as a KIC member and patient, have a
stake in GPRA as well. For example, if you’re
diabetic, have you had your blood sugar levels
and blood pressure taken recently? Did you
have a cholesterol, urine, diabetic eye exam and
dental exam in the last year?
There’s more. For women age 21-64, have
you had a pap smear in the last three years?
If you are a woman between the ages of 50-65
have you had your bi-annual mammogram?
All adults between the ages of 51-80 need to
be checked for colorectal cancer. These exams
are important for two reasons: Because early
detection means a greater chance of successful
treatment and because this is how KIC receives
the necessary funding levels so important to
Left to right: Maureen Northway, Bill Hardy, Debbie Patton, Cecelia Johnson and Brent Simcosky at
all staff meeting in August to accept the State of Alaska GPRA Award .
Need health
screenings?
If need any health screenings or
exams, or if you’re unsure about
whether or not you are due for any,
call 228-9201.
the Tribal Health Clinic.
KIC’s Tribal Health Clinic is proud of its
improving GPRA results thanks to a renewed
effort by the medical team as well as better data
input. In fact, recently the Health Clinic won
an award for improving health care statistics
and patient care – Cecelia Johnson accepted
the award along with the General Manager
Debbie Patton at the Alaska Native Health
Board meeting in Anchorage. The Behavioral
Health Award was presented by the Indian
Health Service under the auspices of SEARHC
at the All Staff meeting in August. KIC was the
first clinic to combine behavioral health and
substance abuse counseling.
You can ensure better health for you and
your family by taking advantage of preventative
care offered by the Tribal Health Clinic. This
means keeping your screenings up to date, blood
pressure checked and so on. Not only will you
enjoy peace of mind but you’ll help insure the
clinic is fully funded by IHS.
Call the Tribal Health Clinic if you’re unsure
of your needed medical tests and screenings.
The number is 228-9201.
KIC gives $30,000 in donations to community
I
Brent
Simcosky
n mid-August of 2011, Brent Simcosky, Ketchikan Indian
Community Health Administrator, personally delivered
three checks, in the amount of $10,000 each, to the Salvation
Army, Park Avenue Temporary Home and United Methodist
Day Shelter
Simcosky stated everyone was extremely appreciative
and said when he delivered the check to PATH at their
board meeting, a couple of the members started crying. This
combined $30,000 donation was made at the request of the
Tribal Council as a way of thanking these organizations
for the services they provide to our KIC membership and
making Ketchikan a better place to live.
The Salvation Army is using the proceeds of KIC’s donation to order much needed kitchen equipment. This
organization provides weekday lunches to those in need
and prepares food baskets during the holidays.
Ketchikan Indian Community Tribal Council President
Norman Arriola also sent along a letter with the donations
expressing KIC’s gratitude for the good work these organizations provide not only to the community but also to KIC
members in some cases.
“Kindness is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.” KIC members can be proud of its organization and
the many positive influences on Ketchikan and its residents.
totemtracks 17
Annual meeting: KIC’s future looks bright
< Continued from page 1
cent accomplishments of Ketchikan Indian
Community in a keynote speech titled “Today.”
He spotlighted the completion of the Elder
Housing units, the opening of the Tribal House
Drugstore and the Southern Southeast Alaska
Technical Education Center at 615 Stedman St.
Arriola also pointed with pride to the positive
economic impact KIC has on the community
of Ketchikan being in the top tier of employers
averaging 175 employees throughout the year
and over 200 during the tourist season many
of them KIC members.
KIC members requested reinstatement of
election of the Advisory Health Board and the
Tribal Council listened. Members will vote
on the health board in the upcoming election
on Jan. 16. (See associated story and sample ballot
this issue.)
One of the other important issues for the
Tribal Council was constitutional reform. A
committee was established to tackle this issue
and spent many hours throughout 2011 working through the critical questions including
membership, jurisdiction, Council make-up
and processes, elections and powers. The next
step is to insure that the by-laws and ordinances
adhere to the constitutional amendments. A
referendum vote is planned in 2012 prior to
the 2013 elections.
Ketchikan Indian Community is embarking
on for-profit enterprises and as a result came the
need for the Tribe to establish a Section 17 Charter which provides for a business corporation.
This will allow the Tribe to conduct business
under a separate charter which will protect
assets outside of its business operations. A separate board will be established and eventually a
CEO will administer these companies reporting
to the KIC Business Board of Directors similar
to the way the GM reports to the Tribal Council.
A strategic goal for many years has been the
establishment of a non-profit called the Heritage
Foundation to allow for application of grants
which currently are not available to a Tribal
Government. Finalization of this foundation
should occur in early 2012.
Dave Jensen, former Tribal Council President,
took a historical look at KIC accomplishments
while delivering an address called “Yesterday.”
Those old enough recall The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. It was shortly after that in
1940 that Ketchikan Indian Community was
incorporated. In 1975, KIC had a staff of two
providing education programs in local schools
and one building in the preliminary stages of
18 totemtracks
by working together.
Just a short list of “tomorrow” projects
include:
44 Education programs that train KIC members for the jobs of tomorrow.
44 A Behavioral Health program to identify
at-risk members early and provide access
to counseling, housing, training and jobs.
44 A housing department that works to improve health concerns such as dangerous
household chemicals, hazardous indoor
air and more.
44 Preserving and revitalizing our languages
through full-time staff dedicated to language immersion to preserve the remaining
speakers knowledge for tomorrow.
Tribal Council President Norman Arriola.
construction. At that time, KIC’s total budget
was around $2 million. The Tribal Council
back in the day met once a month nine times a
year and took three months off for subsistence
gathering.
Contrast that with today. Ketchikan Indian
Community’s staff numbers above 200 in the
summer, the Tribal Council meets twice a month
all year long, its budget is over $30 million
dollars and the programs it administers are
too numerous to mention. It’s called progress.
Verna Hudson, Tribal Council Vice-President
delivered a presentation entitled “Tomorrow”.
She noted a sense of pride with a smile as she
marked the progress of KIC and looks forward
to its future. Hudson believes there can be 50
affordable rental units under KIC management
in the next 5 years with the development or
assistance in the creation of 20 additional
homeownership units during this same period.
KIC plans to weatherize at least 40 homes for
Tribal members driving down the cost of heating
for KIC members.
Expanding the Behavioral Health influence to reach Tribal members in trouble before
trouble becomes a catastrophe is another important goal. Taking care of Elders will be even
more important tomorrow as baby boomers
enter retirement. Training our Tribal members
to meet tomorrow’s community and tribal needs
through education and workforce education
will also happen.
Hudson rhetorically asks, “What will our
language look like tomorrow?” She admonishes that Tribal members must revitalize our
language, preserve our history and enhance
our cultural knowledge. This all can be done
44 Workforce development programs partnering with community leaders to develop
relationships with industry allowing
members to gain skills critical to finding
tomorrow’s jobs in Ketchikan.
All of this is possible, Hudson says, by working together. Our tribal dreams for tomorrow
come from the experiences of yesterday and the
actions of today.
Native Owned Business?
Advertise in
Totem Tracks!
Reach 3500 KIC
Members
15%discount for
Native Owned
Business
Contact: Steve Rhyner
[email protected]
Alcatraz to San Francisco, freestyle
K
etchikan Indian Community members,
as well as a member of the medical staff,
took the plunge Oct. 17 when they swam from
Alcatraz to San Francisco. The approximately
1.2 mile swim was part of an educational and
experiential swim program sponsored by Path
Star, a non-profit organization committed to
inspiring and revitalizing sustainable health
and well-being practices within Native American community.
Ruth Pechay and Bill Hardy, who are members of the Tribal Health Clinic medical staff,
along with Ruth’s daughter, Anita PechaySeludo, who has been diagnosed as pre-diabetic,
were the first participants from Alaska to take
part in this annual event.
Each day for a week, everyone in the group
started and ended their day with a swim. In
between swims, the 12-member group, with
representatives from the Pine Ridge in South
Dakota, the Colville Tribe in Washington and
KIC in Alaska, participated in lifestyle coaching,
nutritional education and other activities that
emphasized a healthy diet and exercise using
whole foods, organically grown vegetables and
lifestyle changes. The goal for the participants
is to bring this knowledge back to their local
communities along with their inspiration.
Ruth Pechay suggested a goal of constructing
a community greenhouse.
Educational meetings lasting 16-24 weeks
are being held now for the first group of participants in the Diabetes Prevention Program.
The next session will start mid-spring with up
to twelve participants.
Alaska Natives and American Indians have
the highest age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes
among all U.S. racial and ethnic groups. Indians
are twice as likely to die from complications of
diabetes as non-Indians.
Using funding from two separate grants,
The Path Star Swim Team, from left to right, is Ruth Pechay, Anita Pechay-Seludo and Bill Hardy.
Ketchikan Indian Community Diabetes Prevention Program is using a two-pronged approach:
prevention and treatment of those already
suffering from diabetes. A blood test can determine if you are pre-diabetic. Those who are
pre-diabetic can prevent it’s onset with lifestyle
changes and a commitment to a healthy diet
with moderate exercise. The Diabetic Prevention
Program team encourages you to enroll in the
next session of classes.
If you are pre-diabetic, you become part of
the next session. KIC members can get more
information by calling the Diabetes Prevention
Program at 228-9323.
Ketchikan Indian Community
Owned & Operated
Tribal House Drugstore & Pharmacy
Downtown
All of your over the counter needs
Gifts for all Occasions
Convenient Downtown Location
Pharmacy Open to the General Public
Tribal House Pharmacy now accepts all
major insurance
Tribal House Coffee Shop
Open Mon-Fri 7:30am-3:30pm Saturday
8:00am-3:00pm Lattes, Mochas,
breakfast, lunch, snacks and
free WIFI too!
Ruth Pechay, foregound, and daughter Anita
Pechay-Seludo, submerged in background, swim
in San Francisco Bay.
KIC Members Support The Tribal
House Drugstore!
totemtracks 19
Tribal Council
Donna
Frank
Robert A.
Cheryl
Sanderson, Jr. Haven
James
Llanos, Sr.
The majority of my life has been
spent in Ketchikan. I am Aleut as
well as a member of the Sukteeneidi’
Clan through adoption by Laverne
John. I am Raven Dog Salmon. I am
married to Floyd Frank Jr. and have
a wonderful extended family of
parents, children and grandchildren.
I earned a Bachelor’s degree in
Business Administration from
Colorado Technical University
with a concentration in finance. I
am currently enrolled in a Mater
Certificate Program in Hospitality Management through Cornell
University. My professional career
has been in accounting and business. I currently am employed at
Cape Fox Corporation as Business
Manager of Saxman Operations, a
senior position. I also held a series
of professional positions at KIC for
11 years and worked for SEARHC in
their finance department.
During the years I worked at
KIC, I became very familiar on how
the IHS and BIA programs worked,
along with the financial and federal
regulations that pertain to them.
Knowing this will help me to make
sound decisions regarding these
programs.
My experience overseeing forprofit businesses and having an
understanding of SBA 8(a) processes
will be invaluable to reinvigorating the KIC economic development
program.
I pledge to use my skills diligently to sustain and improve all
programs within KIC.
Robert A. Sanderson, Jr. was born
in Ketchikan, Alaska to Romay D.
(Edenshaw) Sanderson and Robert
A. Sanderson, Sr. He was raised in
Hydaburg, Alaska, and is Haida
Eagle/Killerwhale. His maternal
grandparents are the late James and
Bertha (Lee) Edenshaw; his paternal
grandparents are the late Edward and
Helen B. Sanderson and his biological paternal grandfather is the late
Robert A. Cogo, Sr.
Robert was a Longshoreman for
Southeast Stevedoring for 17 years. He
currently serves as a councilmember
for the Ketchikan Indian Community
and is the President of the Ketchikan
Tlingit & Haida Community Council. He is actively involved in many
issues affecting Alaska Natives and
serves on the following:
Ketchikan Indian Community
Tribal Council (6 years), KIC Enrollment Chair (3 years), KIC Our Way of
Life Committee Chair (3 years), KIC
Housing Authority Board (4 years),
CCTHITA Executive Council 2nd
Vice President, CCTHITA Ketchikan
Delegate, SEARHC Suicide Prevention
taskforce member, Alaska Inter-Tribal
Council Alternate, National Congress
of American Indians Delegate, Chairman of the Gulf of Alaska Coastal
Communities Coalition, Indigenous
People’s Council for Marine Mammals
Member, North Pacific Fisheries Management Council Participant, Alaska
Tribal Leaders Committee liaison,
representing Southeast Tribes with
the USDA/Forest Service, Tongass
Futures Roundtable Member, EPA
Region 10 Tribal Leaders Summit
Planning Committee (2009).
Robert’s goals are to work for the
betterment of all tribal citizens and
to ensure the best future his son
Keenan (age 14).
I am tuwat and come from Saanya
Kwaan Teokweidi (Brown Bear Clan),
Hootz Kudi Hit (Brown Bear’s Nest
House) with ties to the titka Hit
(Thunderbird House) from Unuk
River. I am married to Cynthia Llanos
(Hoowileckshum hannuck), daughter of Greta Weston (Fawcett Family)
who are Niss’gaa Eagle people from
the House of Spoox from a village just
North of Kincolith, B.C.
I was born in Ketchikan and my
Grandmother was a charter member
of KIC. As a member of KIC, I served
on the original Health Board operated
under SEARHC in the late 1980’s. I
have been an ANB member since 1991
and was a past ANB Camp Treasurer
and I have served on the ANB Camp
14 as a Camp Council.
After working in the fishing
industry in the 1960’s I moved to
California to complete my education.
During college I worked for the Internal Revenue Service. Next I worked
for Bay Data Processing. For the next
18 years I worked for the Union Bank
of California in various positions
finishing at Vice-President of Special
Processing and International Banking
for Northern California. I also worked
the San Francisco Federal Home Loan
Bank Association.
When I returned to Ketchikan I
worked for First Bank. Other jobs
I’ve had include Video Rental & Sales,
Comptroller for Yuwasa Funashoku,
Inc. In 1990 I left private industry to
work for the Forest Service, retiring
in 2010.
I wish to help the Tribe transcend to the next level of self-rule
and accountability to its citizenry
and strive to increase its civility to
all. I hope to help KIC become an
effective professional organization
while serving its citizens.
20 totemtracks
Greetings, my Tsimshian name,
‘Shimghet Hytgin’, means stands
strong and was given to me in
Metlakatla at a ceremony where my
family prepared for a whole year for
my give-away to honor witnesses. I
pledge to ‘stand strong’ for KIC Tribal
Members. I believe in tradition and
following protocol. My grandmother
was Ann Ridley from Metlakatla, and
my grandfather, Alex Didrickson
from Sitka. My parents are Mervin
and Arlene Haven. Recently retired
from KIC where I worked for 16 1/2
years, I was involved in many projects with the Tribal Council as their
executive assistant. My extensive
knowledge in KIC’s policies and
procedures are an asset in serving
KIC Tribal Members.
I am the founder and leader of
the Ketchikan Inter-tribal Dancers/
Drummers.
My favorite hobbies are weaving, beading, Alaska Native designs,
watercolor painting, crafting, Native
dancing, gardening and animals. I
also enjoy gathering and putting up
S.E. Alaska Native traditional foods.
My goal as a council member
would be working together with the
council to improve KIC’s health care
services, improve financial assistance
to all higher education students,
and better communication between
Tribal Members and Council.
Merle N.
Hawkins
Delores Dee
Cook
Delores E.
Churchill
Elroy C.
Edenshaw, Jr.
Merle N. Hawkins served on
the Tribal Council from 1998-2009
and is filling an appointed position
since August of 2011. She graduated
Ketchikan High School in 1975 and
from University of Alaska Southeast
Ketchikan in 2004 with an Associate
of Arts degree.
I am presently self-employed.
From 1989-2009 I worked for the
City of Ketchikan Public Library.
From 1997-2006 I was employed by
the Forest Service. Starting in 2006 I
began working for Allen Marine Tours
and I have also been self-employed in
the rental and jewelry business as an
Alaska Native Artist.
I have attended numerous conferences, conventions and training
seminars and have served on many
boards. I was a delegate to Central
Council Tlingit and Haida Tribes of
Alaska form 1999 up to and including
2011. In 1997 I joined the ANS Camp
14 and served as Secretary in 1998
then as Vice-President in 1999 and
I was President from 2002-2004.
I volunteer and work extensively in recovery and well-being
utilizing holistic, mind, body, spirit,
community relationships and selfacceptance for individual growth
of myself and others in culturally
relevant activities. I would appreciate and be honored by your vote on
January 16th.
My Haida name is ‘K’antwaas’. I
was born in Ketchikan but raised
in Hydaburg and I have lived in
Ketchikan for 23 years. My Mother
is Alma (Douglas) Cook and my
Father is Bruce Cook Sr. I worked
for Ketchikan Indian Community
for 12 ½ years in various positions
giving me knowledge, experience
and familiarity with KIC policies and
procedures. My hobbies are weaving, reading and spending as much
time as possible with my grandson.
My goals are to advocate for better
healthcare, bring the health board
back, more financial help for our
young adults seeing higher education and more assistance for elders.
Delores E. Churchill is Ils’ Kylas Gaw Gitans and was born in Masset, British Columbia Haida Gwaii.
Delores graduated from Ketchikan
High School in 1948 and attended
Ketchikan Community College. She
retired as Assistant to the Controller
of Ketchikan General Hospital in
1974. She became business manager
of the Ketchikan Arts and Craft Coop
in 1975. Delores owned Yellow Taxi
from 1976-1979. She has served on the
following boards: President, Tongass
Toastmistress Club; Treasurer, Tongass Historical Society; Treasurer,
Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp #14;
Delegate, Tlingit and Haida Conference in Hoonah; Governing Board
Member, Alaska Diocese Episcopal
Church; Board Member, Sealaska
Heritage Foundation; Member, Ketchikan Indian Community Health
Board and she served as consultant
when the Museum of the American
Indian was built. I believe my past
experience will be an asset to the
KIC board.
Elroy C. Edenshaw Jr. is the
son of Louise Helen Haldane and
Elroy C. Edenshaw Sr. I served in
the United States Marine Corps
from 1981-1984. If elected I shall
serve the interests of KIC citizens
with adherence to KIC governing
documents, constitution, bylaws
and ordinances the documents that
embody the tribe and character of the
tribe. But also joined and combined
with my personal relationship with
God/Abba and Jesus would regulate
my standard of an effective Tribal
Council member that would adjust,
allocate, determine, govern, guide
legislation with moral quality and
fair for all KIC citizens. I would like
to thank you in advance for your
support and vote and if you have any
questions about more specific issue
or concerns please feel free to ask or
contact me. Ha”waa for your support.
totemtracks 21
Advisory Health Board
Martha
Johnson
Martha Johnson was born and
raised in Ketchikan, Alaska. She
graduated from Ketchikan High
School and attended Griffin-Murphy
Business College.
Martha married Robert Johnson,
who was in the U.S. Coast Guard,
February 7, 1959. In 1960 they moved
to Bob’s home state of Ohio until 1981
when they returned to Ketchikan.
Upon returning to Ketchikan,
Martha became very active in many
organizations including the Ketchikan Chapter of Tlingit & Haida;
Haida Society; Tsimshian Tribal
Association; and the Nifty Fifties.
Martha is a Raven, Gaanax.adi
from the Taanta’Kwaan (Tongass
Tribe), Yan Wulihashi.hit., the
Drifted Ashore House.
She is a member of Sealaska
Corporation; Ketchikan Indian Community; Tlingit & Haida Central
Council and a life-long member of
the Episcopal Church.
Bob and Martha have three children, Bob Jr.; Brenda Sells and Debra
Patton; three grandchildren: Ciara
and Cassidy Patton and Shiree Sells.
Cecelia
Johnson
Cecelia Johnson is married with
four children, 10 grandchildren
and 2 great grandchildren. I retired
from the Indian Health Service as
a Social Worker Associate in 1998.
I also worked for the Alaska Court
System for six years. I went to Bryant & Stratton Business College for
Office Machines. I also attended the
University of Alaska Southeast and
Seattle University and earned an
Associate Degree and a Certificate
for Advanced Substance Abuse
Counseling.
Currently I’m serving as Tribal
Council Secretary and I am Chairperson of the Health Committee.
My passion is Tribal Health and I
would appreciate your vote for the
Advisory Health Board.
Delma Inman
Delma Inman was born in Metlakatla and lived in Ketchikan most
of her life. I lived in Seattle for 24
years but returned to Ketchikan
to care for my mother, Irene. I was
employed at KPU from 1945 until
1956. When I returned to Ketchikan
I babysat my grandchildren until
I was employed by the Ketchikan
Historical Museum, funded by a
grant. Early on I was a member of the
Health Board in 1989 for a term. I also
served on the Enrollment Committee
as well as other committees at the
time. I enjoy working with people
and helping our members. I have
one son, five grandchildren and six
great grandchildren whom I love very
much. I would appreciate your support for the Advisory Health Board.
When and
where do I
vote?
Voting will be 9 a.m.-8
p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at
the Plaza Mall.
How do I
register?
Go to the 5th Floor
of the KIC building
at 2960 Tongass Ave.
If you already are
registered you can
pick up your new
registration card.You
can get the registration
form at www.kictribe.
org. Download the
form, fill it out and
return it to KIC by
Dec. 30.
Where can
I meet the
candidates?
At the candidates’
forum from 6-9 p.m.,
Wednesday, Jan. 11, at
the ANB/ANS Hall at
429 Deermount St.
What if I have
questions?
If you have any
questions regarding
the election, call
228-4900.
22 totemtracks
Sample Ballots
|
|
IS LINE
FOLD BALLOT TO TH
OFFICIAL BALLOT
COM
KETCHIKAN INDIAN
CORPORATION dba
KETCHIKAN INDIAN
, ALASKA
MALL, KETCHIKAN
ZA
PLA
CE:
PLA
G
POLLIN
JANUARY 16, 2012 AD
VISORY HEALTH BO
MUNITY
ARD ELECTION
9:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.
THERE ARE
AS MANY VOTES AS
ENTITLED TO CAST
H VOTES AMONG ANY
SUC
RECORD SHALL BE
E
OF
BUT
ER
TRI
MB
DIS
ME
Y
H
EAC
BE ELECTED, AND MA
EES.
BOARD MEMBERS TO
ONE OR MORE NOMIN




The number of votes cast
for each candidate must
be written on the line in
front of the candidate’s
name.
Judges shall declare the
four votes, the Election
be filled or votes more than
s than there are seats to
name
more
s
mark
voter
If a
not be counted.
ballot “invalid” and it shall
on in which it appears.
invalidate only that secti
Erasures or corrections
t will be destroyed
er ballot. Your ruined ballo
tion Judge and receive anoth
may return it to the Elec
If you ruin your ballot, you
in your presence.
MBER
HEALTH BOARD ME
TWO (2) - 2 Year Seats
TWO (2) - 1 Year Seats
est number of
idates receiving the high
R (4) votes. The 4 cand
al voting
Vote no more than FOU
tion
frac
no
be
will
re
Member. The
Advisory Health Board
DIDATES
votes will be seated as a
CAN
NSON
____ MARTHA A. JOH
N
____ CECELIA JOHNSO
____ DELMA INMAN
______________
______
____ _______________
__
_____________________
____ ____________
FOLD BALLOT TO THI
S LINE
WRITE-INS
|
|
___
_______________
____ _______________
___
KET___
___
CHI___
KAN
IND
IAN
______
____ _______________
OFFICIAL BALLOT
CORPORATION dba
KETCHIKAN INDIAN
COMMUNITY
POLLING PLACE: PLA
ZA MALL, KETCHIKAN
, ALASKA
JANUARY 16, 2012 ELE
CTION
9:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.
EACH MEMBER OF
RECORD SHALL BE
ENTITLED TO CAST
COUNCIL MEMBERS
AS MANY VOTES AS
TO BE ELECTED, AND
THERE ARE
MAY DISTRIBUTE SUC
H VOTES AMONG
ANY ONE OR MORE
NOMINEES.

The



number of votes cast for
each candidate must be
written on the line in front
of the candidate’s name
.
If a voter marks more name
s than there are seats to
be filled or votes more than
ballot “invalid” and it shall
four votes, the Election
not be counted.
Judges shall declare the
Erasures or corrections
invalidate only that secti
on in which it appears.
If you ruin your ballot, you
may return it to the Elec
tion Judge and receive anoth
in your presence.
er ballot. Your ruined ballo
t will be destroyed
TRIBAL COUNCIL ME
MBER
FOUR (4) - 2 Year Seat
Vote no more than FOU
s
R (4) votes. The 4 cand
idates receiving the high
Tribal Council Member.
est num
____ DONNA FRANK
There will be no fraction
al voting
CANDIDATES
ber of votes will be seat
ed as a
____ MERLE HAWKIN
S
____ ROBERT SANDER
SON JR.
____ DELORES COOK
____ CHERYL HAVEN
____ DELORES CHURCH
ILL
____ JAMES LLANOS
, SR.
____ ELROY C. EDENSH
AW
WRITE-INS
____ _______________
______
____ _______________
______
______________
______________
____ _______________
______
____________
____ _______________
______
____________
totemtracks 23
K e t c h i k a n I n d i a n Co m m u n i t y
2 9 6 0 To n g a s s A v e .
Ketchikan, AK 99901
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
KETCHIKAN, AK
PERMIT NO 22
primar y K I C ser v ices
O Ur mission
Ketchikan Indian Community, working together, shall provide for the general well-being of all
Tribal Members and beneficiaries through the various programs and services provided by the Tribe.
44 Tribal government
44 Business development
44 Medical, dental and behavioral health
44 Education and job training
44 Housing assistance and development
44 Fish and wildlife preservation and sustainability
K I C t ribal co u ncil
44 Norman Arriola, President, [email protected]
44 Irene Dundas, Member, [email protected]
44 verna hudson, Vice President, [email protected]
44 Donna Frank, Member, [email protected]
44 Joseph Reeves, Treasurer, [email protected]
44 Rob Sanderson, JR., Member, [email protected]
44 Cecelia A. Johnson, Secretary, [email protected]
44 Merle Hawkins, Member, [email protected]
commi t t ee C hairs
44 finance, Joseph Reeves
44 Veterans, Joseph Reeves
44 Our way of life, Rob Sanderson, Jr.
44 Constitution, Irene Dundas
44 Education, Cecelia Johnson
44 Housing, Verna Hudson
44 Personnel/Grievance, Verna Hudson
44 Policy, Donna Frank
44 Enrollment, Donna Frank
44 Economic Development, Donna Frank
For after-hours medical care and emergency pre-authorization, please call 1-888-635-3376