The Agency District Budget Meeting was held on Monday October 17th at the Agency Longhouse.
Jim Souers reported for the Warm Springs Economic Development Corporation (formerly known as Ventures) and offered an update on the progress at the Kah-Nee-Ta Village, where $1.3 Million out of $4.58 Million has been spent. Souers says construction is happening now.
“We’re beyond Demo, the pool has been demoed, we’re now in the construction phase, we’re digging new lines we’re forming new pool sections. The hot springs section, the forms the rebar, we’ll be putting some of the gunnite, which is the cool kinda concrete. So were now moving from just, it was designed built this week, had to look at it find out that the entire pumping system has to be replaced. We got into it and it’s just unfortunate that was something we didn’t anticipate, but we’re going to have to replace the entire pumping solution of the pool.”
If all goes well – the Kah-Nee-Ta Village will open by summer next year.
Jim Souers reported with some details about plans for the Tribes’ cannabis business.
“We’re going to be growing Cannabis/THC on the reservation. Won’t be growing hemp.“
Cannabis will be grown on the Tribal Farm and it is expected that next year – there will be a crop that will be harvested and sold. Hemp will not be grown but there will be a Hemp component to the Tribal Cannabis Business.
“We’re branding a product from an Oregon Customer that grows it, processes it and creates a product, so it’s all within the Oregon territory. You can kinda consider that home. And we’ve created a brand and we will be marketing that online, Because CBD could be sold nationally, it’s not a controlled substance anymore.”
Warm Springs Tribal Membership voted overwhelmingly to get into the Cannabis business 7 years ago in December.
Brian Prater presented information about the Warm Springs Timber LLC. He talked with KWSO earlier in the day about operations.
“In 2023 our budget cycle, calendar year 2023, we expect our revenues to be somewhere between 3 and 4 Million dollars. We’re targeting $3.5 Million back to the tribe in 2023 and that’s based upon a reasonable economic condition. If the economy worsens and we go into a significant recession, we could be looking at closer to 3 million.”
Following Enterprise reports – Tribal Government Branches did presentations about their services. The Seekseequa Budget meeting is Tuesday October 18th with Simnasho on Wednesday October 19th and a general council meeting will be scheduled.
