Press Release from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Press Release from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
For immediate release: March 18, 2020
Contacts:
Carrie Sampson-Samuels, Public Information Officer – Public Health, (541) 240-8728
Jiselle Halfmoon, Public Information Officer – Tribal Governance, (541) 969-4801
CTUIR Command Incident Command Status Update
MISSION, Ore. – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Incident Command Team (ICT) is working on several plans to ensure the safety of the entire community. The ICT continues to monitor and manage the emerging situation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a very serious situation with Tribal, Local, National and International implications. As this situation progresses, it increasingly appears that COVID-19 is now in the greater population, so taking immediate measures to slow its spread are imperative – especially to vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations include people above 60 years of age, people who may be immunocompromised or other chronic conditions such as lung disease, heart disease and diabetes.
The ICT will share information on a frequent and regular basis as quickly as decisions are made. They have reviewed and considered all recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) as they become available, however, the CTUIR has the authority to choose how the guidance is used in our community.
As of 8:30am today, Oregon now has a total of 75 people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, after the Oregon Health Authority announced 10 new cases of the novel coronavirus.
OHA is reporting new cases in the following counties: Benton (1), Lane (2), Marion (4), Washington (2) and Yamhill (1). Additionally, Oregon Health Authority is reporting that COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll from this virus to three.
Current CTUIR guidelines/updates as of March 18, 2020 at 5:00pm are as follows:
- All updates on the CTUIR response to COVID-19 can be found on the CTUIR website at org/coronavirus.
- Effective immediately, there is a temporary ban on CTUIR Housing evictions. ICT has also directed CTUIR Housing to keep designated office staff and maintenance personnel on call for urgent or necessary repairs on housing units.
- BOT has approved up to two weeks of paid administrative leave for Wildhorse employees affected by casino’s temporary closure.
- BOT will hold a special meeting on Friday March 20, 2020 at 9AM to vote on the following action items:
- Ratify Polled Motion approving the Wildhorse Chief Executive Officer’s Recommendation to temporarily close the Wildhorse Casino and how the other Wildhorse enterprises should be operated in the CTUIR Public Health COVID-19
- NW Farm Credit Services Loan Documents for a loan to purchase the Wheelhouse property
- Grazing Lease with Standing O Ranch and the First Amended Maintenance and Logging Easement
- Wildhorse Resort and Casino has suspended its shuttle service until further notice.
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation is made up of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes, formed under the Treaty of 1855 at the Walla Walla Valley, 12 statute 945. In 1949, the Tribes adopted a constitutional form of government to protect, preserve and enhance the treaty rights guaranteed under federal statute.
###
