Robert Kentta, Gerald Ben and Judy Muschamp were elected to the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in an election held Saturday February 3rd. Kentta, from Logsden, Ore., was elected with 399 votes; Ben, from Salem, Ore., was elected with 296
votes; and Muschamp, also from Logsden, was elected with 279 votes. Eight candidates ran for the three open positions and the three who received the most votes were elected.
These individuals will serve with Alfred “Bud” Lane III and Bonnie Petersen, both from Siletz, and Delores Pigsley from Keizer, Ore., whose terms expire in 2025; and Loraine Butler, Alfred “Buddy” Lane IV and Marita “Selene” Rilatos, all from Siletz, whose terms expire in 2026. Term of office is three years for each position on the nine-member council.
Enrolled members of the Siletz Tribe who are age 18 and older are eligible to vote in Tribal elections. The Tribe has more than 5,600 enrolled members. The swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected council members took place Sunday February 4th.. Officers are elected on an annual basis and those selected for 2024 include:
Delores Pigsley, chairman
Bud Lane, vice chairman
Robert Kentta, treasurer
Judy Muschamp, secretary
Pigsley currently has served 38.5 years as Tribal chairman out of 45 years on the council, while Bud Lane has 26; Loraine Butler, 19; Robert Kentta, 18 years; Selene Rilatos, 4 years; Gerald Ben, 3 years; Bonnie Petersen, 2 years; Buddy Lane, 1 year; and Judy Muschamp, 1 year. The Siletz Tribe has spent the last 46 years rebuilding its government and economic structure. The signing of Public Law 95-195 in 1977, which restored government-to-government relations between the Siletz Tribe and the federal government, started this process.
The Siletz Tribe was the second in the nation – and the first in Oregon – to achieve restoration. The Siletz Tribe was among the first to become a self-governance Tribe, giving Tribal government more control over services provided to Tribal members. Under self-governance, the U.S. government provides general funding to the Tribe (rather than to specific programs), then Tribal employees and the Tribal Council decide how funds will be spent.
