|
|
|
|
|
The Roseburg News Review---November 29, 2006
Commissioner Marilyn Kittelman's stance on land transfers is her own.
Kittelman plans to continue to challenge the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians about the exercise of its rights under federal law. (applying to put land transfers into federal trust).
However, a majority of county residents are not supporting her to travel to Washington to argue her personal opinion and members of the Oregon congressional delegation have said there is no likelihood that attempts to change federal law on this issue will be successful.
NEWS-REVIEW EDITORIAL
It came as no surprise that Douglas County Commissioner Marilyn Kittelman was off in the nation's capital last week, attending the One Nation United meeting.
Her speech on her return showed she plans to continue to challenge the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians about the exercise of its rights under federal law.
Yes, she had earlier announced that the next meeting of the commission was canceled so commissioners could attend the Association of Oregon Counties meeting in Eugene. That's where her fellow commissioners went, and worked on such issues as securing the timber safety net that pays a lion's share of the county's expenses.
But, anyone who heard of the ONU meeting assumed that's where Kittelman would choose to go, even if she was reluctant to announce it up front. Her adviser-spokesman-campaign manager David Jaques is president of ONU, known for its opposition to Native Americans' rights as sovereign nations.
Kittelman and Jaques have made it no secret that they seek the national stage to pursue their quest.
The first-term commissioner is within her individual rights, of course, to meet with ONU.
However, she can't represent Douglas County since she is in a minority position on the board on this issue. It's her cause, not the county's.
The same goes for Jaques, whose title as chairman of the county planning commission is non-elective and unpaid. He failed in his one attempt to win public office as county clerk.
Commissioners Doug Robertson and Dan Van Slyke, at the urging of Oregon Sens. Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden, in July approved a resolution to work with the Cow Creeks and other taxing districts on the issue of putting local land transfers into federal trust.
Incoming commissioner-elect Joe Laurance said in public candidate forums he looked forward to working with the Cow Creeks and other groups.
The personal views of Kittelman and Jaques do not represent the majority view of the elected commission.
While Kittelman certainly has some local supporters for her stance on Native American rights, a majority of county residents are not asking her to go to Washington to argue her points.
So far her efforts on this front have been ineffective, other than to cause conflict.
Members of the Oregon congressional delegation have said there is no interest or likelihood that attempts to change federal law on this issue will be successful.
Kittelman seemed to return from her ONU session re-energized in her determination to keep up her battle with the tribe, which is one of the county's largest creators of new jobs.
That's no surprise, either. Her stance on the Cow Creeks seems to be how she wants her term on the commission to be remembered.