Message:
Over the next 18 to 36 months the PBPN will be facing daunting challenges beginning with an increase in competition within the Kansas Gaming arena. Currently the four tribes in Kansas compete against the 10,000+ slot machines in the Kansas City, MO area. However with the passage of Expanded Kansas Gaming the PBPN will face another 6,000 to 8,000 slot machines attached to resort style casinos ranging in cost from 200 million to 260 million dollars each to build. There is also the possibility of another Indian casino in Kansas City, Ks. adding potentially another 1,000 slots and expansion of an Indian casino north of PBP Casino with 200 to 300 more slots. Our environment will be changing and we as the PBPN need to be ready to meet this competitive environment. We need to continue to develop PBP Casino into a World Class casino drawing players willing to play to maximum amounts and offering them amenities they desire in order to get them to return. Also we need to develop markets other than the Kansas City area to grow our business. Some look to Shabeynay as a Ace in the hole and it is but with a price tag initially starting out at 25 million to build a Class II facility and progressing to a 250 to 300 million dollar project as presented to General Council awhile back. How will we finance this huge sum of money? At this point the PBPN has not been able to develop a partnership with any venture capital group to put forth the capital to fund Shabeynay without an excessive loan charge. Venture Groups are hesitant to commit even with the letter from the Department of Interior on the Land Claim. Shabeynay was designed to be a self-sustaining project able to pay for all costs plus contribute to the PBPN in Kansas by itself. The PBPN current investment of $63,000+/acre makes this a project to be dealt with. Impact of what I have just mentioned will impact all PBPN members both on and off the Reservation and all of the PBPN programs. We need to begin a discussion in General Council as to how best for Tribal Council to meet this challenge and set priorities to provide services to the PBPN membership and succeed in the end. The Preamble of our Constitution can be the guiding tool to set our priorities. At last count the PBPN maintains 101 budgets, another impact to the funding of these budgets lies with the mail out vote to increase Per Capita to 48%. My opinion on this matter is it is up to PBP membership to say what they want through this vote and the Tribal Councils role is to manage the outcome and plan budgets accordingly providing as many services as reasonable with the income available. Lastly, after having sat along side 5 chair’s (MR,GM,BW.ZP,TS) I have come to learn what will reasonably work and not work and understand cooperation, communication and Tribal Council approval is the key for Tribal Council members to move forward in the same direction. I will have no other job than that as the chair during my term if elected. What I have to offer is Experience, Knowledge and Cooperation.
I can be contacted at [email protected]
Personal:
-Age 55, Married (34 years), 2 adult Children, Wolf Clan,
Grandchild of Dewy M’Jessepe (Ga-kee-kaw-bah) “Bad Boy”and
Minnie M’Jessepe (Sho-wak-e-yah) Eagle Clan and son of Laura
M’Jessepe-Ortiz (Pshuck-to-quah) Thunder Clan.
Experience:
Bachelors of Business Administration, Washburn University of Topeka, KS.
Honorable Discharges from United States Marine Corps and United States Army Reserves. Life member of We-Ta-Se and served on Color and Honor Guard services
22 years management experience in the corporate world’s of IBM, Kansas Power & Light, and Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Experience of understanding constitutional issues and the constitutional role of the Chair.
8 years experience (1998-2006) as Secretary for the PBPN, prepared Tribal Council meeting minutes and General Council Summary for approval
Served as past President of the Three tribes (PBPN, Sac & Fox, Iowa’s) Health Board
Served as Secretary of the PBPN Health Board
Served as a member of the Oklahoma City Inter-Tribal Health Board
Served as Secretary of the PBPN Housing Board
Served as Secretary of the PBP Utility Corporation
Served as a member of the National Indian Gaming Commission Task Force on Health & Safety in Indian Casinos
Served as PBPN Alternate Delegate to the National Indian Gaming Association
Served as PBPN Alternate Delegate to the National Congress of American Indians
Worked with and communicated with the PBP Gaming Commission on fulfilling their mission to protect the integrity of our games, protect the assets and keep the criminal element out of our gaming operation.
Worked with Banking and Financial institutions doing business with the PBPN. Also attended financial planning sessions offered by these institutions.
Worked with both Skyline and Liberty Alliances on the Shabeynay Project
Worked Tribal Lobbyist at the State level and Washington D.C level
Developing a working relationship with the Regional Federal Director appointed by the President on sharing grant information to Tribes through the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services which Indian Health Services and childcare services area part of.
Knowledge:
Over the past eight years developed a working knowledge of the following agreements and relationships
Knowledgeable of PBPN agreement with Liberty Alliances concerning the Shabeynay Project.
Understanding of the Line of Credit the PBPN has with banking institution and it’s ramifications to the Nation.
Understanding of the Self-Governance Agreement the PBPN has with Indian Health Service concerning Healthcare and Dental.
Understanding of the Older Americans Act, USDA Commodities Program, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services concerning Early Head Start, Head Start and Childcare Development Fund Grant.
Understanding of National Indian Gaming Commission rules on Class II and Class III gaming. Also and understanding of Johnson Act as it relates to gaming machines being transported and the issues that may arise. An understanding of the on-going issues of the N.I.G.C. issues concerning class II gaming machines which could impact Shabeynay.
Understanding of Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, HUD programs and Raymond James Home funding program used by the PBPN. Also experience with tribal national programs for under and over income members needing a home loan or improvement grant.
Experience of working with Harrah’s Entertainment on casino operational costs management, casino hold percent and profitability, marketing programs, cost/benefit return analysis of marketing programs and cost / return analysis for reaching out to new customers, customer satisfaction analysis, Customer amenities issues, employee issues and potential union organizing issues.
Cooperation:
Eight years of understanding how cooperation is important between the Chair and Tribal Council to fulfill the requests of the General Council that pass by majority vote.
Work to cooperate with tribal program directors and employees to bring costs under control. Over the past nine years the Tribal Councils focused on infrastructure development and now we need to focus on maintenance of the infrastructure that was built.
Cooperate in determining at what levels tribal programs will be funded at with income available.
Cooperation will be needed to develop a program to employ more tribal members and train them.
Cooperation between the Chair and Tribal Council to ensure our heritages of religions, language and customs are preserved per the constitution.
Cooperation to ensure are Healthcare is adequate to provide emergency services, routine health and Dental care, and adequate law enforcement. Perhaps Casino management should provide security for the gaming operation and use tribal police on an as needed basis in the casino operation.
Cooperation with the PBP Gaming Commission, PBP Casino Board, and Tribal Council so as not interrupt the operation of the casino and keep the casino in compliance with National Indian Gaming Commission rules for Class III gaming and Kansas Gaming Compact. Also cooperation with PBP Gaming Commission, PBP Casino Board, and Tribal Council to operate Class II gaming in Illinois.
Short Term Goals to work with Tribal Council on:
Increase the PBPN tribal government cash reserves and increase the casino cash reserves that were depleted by transition costs and purchase of Shabeynay land.
Revisit the salary pay range for tribal government pay grades 1 thru 6.
Maintain a working and positive relationship with the DeKalb County Commissioners.
Increasing capacity at the Childcare Center to handle another 70 to 90 children that are on the waiting list.
Completion of paving the road to the Snows Church which was on the original road plan approved by Tribal Council but not completed as of yet.
Work to seek investors for funding the Shabeynay Gaming project so the PBPN does not have to take on additional debt.
Steve Ortiz (Mon-wah)
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