The Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1993-09-24

              Salaries at Minneapolis IHB excessive
By Bill Lawrence
In last week's edition of the
PRESS, we reported that the IHB's
executive director was paid
$97,112 in 1992, $88,811 in 1991,
and $78,019 in 1990. In addition,
and not reported last week, was
the salary for the IHB's
comptroller, which was $63,831,
$65,127and $56,457, respectively
for the past three years. Though
curious, the PRESS was unable to
learn the reason for the $1,296,
reduction in the comptroller's
salary for the year 1991 to 1992.
In order to show the excessiveness
of the IHB's administrative
salaries, the PRESS compiled the
followingsalaryscheduleand associated
management responsibilities for
I                                                                                                                                                                                                               — ———                    1
Secretary
U.S. Department of
Health & Hunan
Services
Area Director
Benidji Area Office
Indian Health Smites
Commissioner
MNDentof
Health
Administrator
Red Lake
Reservation
IHS Hospital
Executive
TKrectok
Mupiwapolis
Health Board
J^Mies
Health Center,
Salary (1992)
$148,400
$ 92,900'
$ 67,500
$60,000 2
(est.)
$97,112
$ 40,885
# of Employees
(1993)
129,000
400
1,000
80
70 (est)
40+
Annual Budget
$590 Billion
(FY "93)
$80 million (FY 93)
$168 million
(FY 94)
$4 million
$3 million
(FY 93)
$2 million
(FY 93)
Live Births
-
-    ■
-
Unavailable
177
175
#    of   Medical
Encountera                                                            ~
1/ Incumbent u a medicil doctor.
2/ SiImv nnge for IHS Honita] Adminutnton if from GS-13. Step 1: $47,900 to OS-M,
2/ Ddtveriea re not done « either clinic.
-
Unavailable
20,878
20,000+
The shaded area ofthe graph are comparisons ofthe Minneapolis Indian Health board and
another Minneapolis based health care facility that is comparable to the Indian Health Board
other health care providers and
agencies.
It is obvious from a comparison
ofthe above salaries that the salary
for the executive director of the
INB is way out of line and is simply
not justifiable. Perhaps the best
comparison to the IHB and its
executive director's salary is that
of the Model City Health Center,
since it is located in St. Paul and
its health clinic appears to be of
comparible size. Since the IHB is
approximately one third larger
than Model Cities due to other
programs being administered by
it, then it would seem reasonable
that an executive director's salary
at IHB should be approximately
one third higher. But a salary that
is nearly two and one half times
larger seems way out of proportion.
With reduced revenue of nearly
$200,000 in indirect costs and
rent, due to the demise to the
Golden Eagles program, it make"
it even harder to justify that
$100,000 salary. Assuming the
IHB's executive director received
the average annual pay raise thai
she got in 1990 through 1992, ol
$8,798, then her salary for 1993
should be $105,910.
Whitehorse School dedication planned
Madison,WI-A traditional Winnebago feast, a teach-in and other tribal
ceremonies will mark an all day celebration to dedicate the Annie
Greencrow Whitehorse Middle School
on September 24th.
The dedication and celebration will
honor Whitehorse, a teacher and
leader in both the Winnebago and
Madison communities. Whitehorse
School is one of five middle schools
recently renamed by the Madison
School Board to honor outstanding
women and minorities. The schools
were chosen for renaming because
they have adjoining elementary
schools that will retain the former
name.
The school (formerly Schenk) is
located on Madison's east side where
Greencrow Whitehorse lived and
where hundreds of Winnebago families have lived for thousands of years,
long before others settled in the Madi
son area.
Annie Greencrow Whitehorse is being recognized for her work teaching
Indian culture in the Madison schools
and at UW-Madison, conservation ol
land (including wetland) on Mud
Lake, and her tireless efforts to promote race relations.
According to Mary Natani, Chair
ofthe Madison area committee for the
School/See Page 3
Smith holds giveaway and her motives questionable/ Page 1
Leech lake RTC being questioned again/ Page 4
Keeper of White Buffalo Calf Woman Pipe plans vigil/ Page 5
Dev Fairbanks moves from University to upstate location/ page 5
Native American honor guard at Highground/ Page 8
Birds of Prey exhibit discussed/ Page 6
Voice of the Anishinabeg
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Founded in 1988      Volume 5   Issue 13 September E4, 1933
Copyright. The Ojibwe (Mews, 1393
Jzj? m NewVietNam Veterans
JL   Intertribal Association
^'^^m forms
Ted Christian, Commander of
Native American Intertribal
Association discusses Vets
future.
Pictured is the new Smith dance studio of Maple Grove
Photo by Gary Blair
Photo by Mel Rasmusaen
By Mel Rasmussen
Ted Christian, the current
Commander ofthe Oneida Chapter
of Viet Nam Era Veterans
Intertribal Association is a soft
spoken individual who has a
mission. In an interview at the
WWII Memorial Dedication at the
Highground in Neilsville,
Wisconsin he spoke ofhis concerns
for Native American veterans.
Christian spoke of the failing
need of the various service
organizations towards the needs
and concerns of Native American
veterans. He spoke of this matter
as it has been a chronic problem in
this country for some time. An
example of this failure of serving
veterans was pointed out how even
local Veterans Service Officers
have never been to reservations to
serve the needs ofNative American
veterans.
Christian stated that this failure
of recognition ofthe veterans is a
shame. He talked about his
attending classes in Colorado to
learn about the different services
that are available for veterans. He
stated that this is a major concern
and a driving reason for
developing this intertribal
association.
Christian stated that these
Intertribal Associations are
starting to spring up throughout
facet of this new Intertribal
Association has been in the
development of other Intertribal
Association chapters across the
country and more specifically in
the State of Wisconsin. According
to Christian the next chapter to
receive its charter from this
Intertribal association will be in
Lac du Flambeau.
Mr. Albany Poets, a CD Counselor
for the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa has been the
driving force in his community to
reach out for the needs of veterans on
his home reservation. According to
Christian there will be a Chapter
formation meeting at the First Lac du
Flambeau Veterans Pow Wow
scheduled for November 6, 1993.
It is expected that there will be a
significant turnout of Native
American Veterans at the Lac du
Flambeau Pow Wow. Christian stated
that this support is indicative of the
growing support of the ways we
support our veterans. He felt that this
first Warriors pow wow at the
Highground isjust the beginning of a
wave of change and honoring of our
brother and sister warriors.
Changes on tap for Indian Health Service
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) Indian
tribes could get more control of
hospitals on their reservations
under President Clinton's healthcare reform plans, the nominee to
head the Indian Health Service
said. Other possible changes at
the IHS include more cooperation
with agencies such as the
Department of Veterans Affairs
and shifting some responsibilities
to an' 'IHS-like" agency, said Dr.
Michael Trujillo.
Trujillo is Clinton's pick to head
the IHS, an agency of the
Department of Health and Human
Services responsible for providing
health care for the nation's
Indians and Alaska Natives. He
was in Rapid City this week to
visit the Sioux San IHS hospital
and talk with agency officials.
Trujillo, a Laguna Pueblo
native, is chief medical officer for
the IHS regional office in Portland,
Ore. From 1985 to 1989, he held
the same position in Aberdeen,
S.D. "I know where things are,"
Trujillo said. "I know the
distances, the weather, the
history." He said he also knows
the problems in recruiting doctors
to South Dakota, the health
problems faced by Indians in the
state and the problems with
crowded, dilapidated facilities
such as Sioux San.
Clinton's health care plan will
guarantee a "core group" of
health benefits which would apply
to Indians, Trujillo said. Some of
those benefits may be delivered by
a separate agency, he said. But
IHS funding for community-based
programs such as sanitation and
community health will continue,
he said.
Trujillo is the first nominee to
head the IHS to face confirmation
by the U.S. Senate. Congress
recently elevated the position to
the level of a presidential
appointment, meaning input in policy-
level decisions, Trujillo said.
Christmas comes early at the Indian Health
Board: Hand says, "She'll take the money with her ...
By Gary Blair
It appears Norine Smith, Executive
Director of the Minneapolis Indian
Health Board (IHB), may be getting
ready to, as the cliche goes,' 'read the
writing on the wall."
Recently, Smith, who has been the
clinic's director for over twenty years,
was hit with numerous counts of employment discrimination by the
Commissioner ofthe Minnesota Department of Human Rights. Charges
of financial mismanagement have also
been leveled against the Red Lake
enrollee who resides in the Twin Cities suburb of Maple Grove.
This week over three hundred Indian community members attended
what was billed as a feast and giveaway held in IHB's parking deck on
the first level of the clinic. Some
members ofthe community are wondering where the money for the food
and giveaway came from, especially
since IHB had to take out a loan to
make last week's payroll.
It appeared that many of those who
attended the meal weren 't fully aware
of why the event was staged. However, any lack of awareness that may
have existed was short lived when
former IHB board chairperson Floyd
Hand began giving a defense of
Smith's management ofthe clinic.
The invitation that announced the
feast read as follows: INDIAN
HEALTH BOARD PATIENTS you
are invited to attend a feast and giveaway at the Indian Health Board of
Minneapolis -1315 East 24th Street,
Wednesday, September 22,1993,6:00
- 8:00 p.m. Lakota and Ojibwe Pipe
ceremonies: Floyd Hand and Oliver
Poile. Honor Songs, Dinner and Giveaway. Discussion of changes at the
Indian Health Board.
PRESS sources say the clinic's
Board of Directors weren't officially
informed ofthe meeting until the last
minute. Lack of communication between Smith and IHB's board of
directors are part ofthe allegations of
mismanagement against her. Past and
presentMB staffhave told the PRESS,
"Smith does as she pleases."
For nearly two hours, Smith and
other IHB staff including Sally
Fineday, Virginia Schuster and Dr.
Lydia Caros, traded allegations with
their detractors. Smith,defendingher
management style, said, ' 'I am bad,
but I am bad because I care.'' Apparently, her idea of "bad" includes
referring to clinic staff who go outside to smoke as "garbage", calling
others halfbreeds and alcoholics, and
imposing Lakota spirituality on the
entire clinic with no regard to the
differing Indian cultures of staff and
?5
clients. Smith herself is an Ojibwe.
Anita Lussier Wensnian, an Indian
elder, may have delivered the
evening's strongest allegation against
Smith's character. She told how she
started a sewing project at the clinic
working for $4.30 per hour. She
started crying as she told how Smith
had MB staff throw out the group's
projects and personal items which
they left behind between work sessions. "That'showmeanNorineis,"
she said. Smith gave no response to
Wensman's remarks.
Although IHB handed out written
responses to last week's article in the
PRESS, neither Smith nor other staff
members verbally defended Smith's
fiscal management at the gathering.
Their purpose seemed to be trying to
convince people that they had been
doing an excellent job of providing
services to the community. They tried
to discredit the former employees
who are responsible for the charges as
simply "disgruntled employees" out
for revenge.
At one time during the meeting,
when it had become clear that Smith
was not receiving the sympathy and
support she had hoped for, she stated,
"I'll even resign if that's what you
want." At that point there was loud
Smith/See Page 3
Bemidji State University takes steps to honor
and respect Native American artifacts
By Mel Rasmussen.
In a late night ceremony that was
attended by several local Native
Americans and a spiritual elder, the
remains of sacred items were blessed
and cleansed in the ceremony. This was
becauseoftheconcernsofthe University
to honor and respect the traditional and
sacred items that are in their current
exhibit at the Talley Gallery.
Bemidji State had received a collection
ofNative American art and relics from
theLanhamcollection in Grand Rapids.
After reviewing this collection it was
determined that there were definitely
items that should not be displayed to the
public. The Art Department then called
discretely upon members ofthe Native
American community for help in
determining the proper way ofhandl ing
and honoring these items.
The community responded in kind
and came foward to honor their
ancestors. After consulting with these
elders it was determined that a number
of items should be taken out of the
exhibit. These items were of a religious
nature or were part of a burial ceremony
in which they should be returned to the
earth.
In this quiet ceremony of smudging
and cleansing the spirits of these
objects and honoring their ancestors
these staff members were told ofthe
reasons for this type of ceremony. It is
to BSU's credit that they have staff
who are insisting on correcting these
errors by others. Now the staff will be
able to continue with their exhibit
and they are now starting to find
out how to return these sacred
items back to the community for
burial or for the proper use of
these religious items.