MISSION — The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Board of Trustees approved key appointments for its Water Rights Negotiation Team.
The board held its regular meeting on Jan. 12 in the chamber at the Nixyaawii Governance Center. Eight trustees attended, with Trustee Toby Patrick out on personal leave.
During the meeting, the board appointed Chair Kat Brigham, Department of Natural Resources Director Eric Quaempts, tribal contract attorney Brent Hall and tribal water rights consultant Joe Ely of Stetson Engineers to serve on the Umatilla Basin Water Rights Negotiation Team.
The Umatilla Basin Water Rights Negotiation Team brings together the CTUIR, the state of Oregon, the federal government and local irrigators to settle the tribes’ federally reserved water rights while balancing tribal cultural and economic needs with existing agricultural and environmental demands in the Umatilla River Basin.
Fiscal Management Policy Updates
The discussion then turned to Part VII, Procurement, of the CTUIR’s fiscal management policies, which the board approved with updates retroactive to Jan. 1.
The Board of Trustees reviewed the proposed amendments Jan. 8 and found them consistent with the tribes’ current needs. The changes update rules governing financial management and purchasing.
Under the resolution, the executive director must review any new procurement procedures with the board before they are adopted. The board’s treasurer and the executive director are authorized to take the actions necessary to implement the changes.
The resolution remains in full force and effect as of Jan. 12.
Trustees to Attend Summits and Local Events
Next, the board considered participation in upcoming events. Members of the Education and Training Committee, along with staff from the Office of Legal Counsel and Tribal Court, will attend the Summit for North American Indian Law (NASLA) on Feb. 7 at the University of Oregon School of Law and the Many Nations Longhouse.
The summit brings together Native American law practitioners, community organizers, leaders and law students to promote the study and practice of Tribal law and raise awareness of legal issues affecting Indian Country. The 2026 event, themed “Moving Beyond Acknowledgment,” encourages current and future attorneys and advocates to go beyond acknowledgment and engage in decolonization through concrete, action-driven efforts.
Chuck Sams, the first Indigenous director of the National Park Service and CTUIR member, will deliver the keynote address. During his tenure under former U.S. President Joe Biden, Sams led initiatives prioritizing climate change, tribal sovereignty and public lands management.
After completing his term, Sams joined the Oregon Law Center as the Oregon Tribes scholar-in-residence and a senior fellow with the Native Environmental Sovereignty Project.
Finally, any available board member will attend the State of the City event on Feb. 25 at the Pendleton Center for the Arts, including a $500 sponsorship funded through the CTUIR Reserve Fund. Pendleton Mayor McKennon McDonald will deliver the keynote address, providing insight into the community and local economy.
Next Meeting
With Jan. 19 observed as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 26.
