Gov. Brown visits Warm Springs, receives briefings on water, other tribal issues

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Governor Kate Brown visited the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs late this week for government-to-government meetings with tribal leaders on several issues.

During her visit on Thursday and Friday, the governor attended a Tribal Council meeting, where she received a briefing on ongoing water treatment issues and toured the Tribes’ Native American Youth Suicide Hot Line office, as well as Warm Springs’ shelter units, which are helping people experiencing homelessness transition to permanent housing. She also visited the Museum at Warm Springs.

Brown was joined by Tribal Council members, including Vice Chair Raymond Moody and Acting Secretary-Treasurer Michael Collins, General Manager for Health and Human Services Caroline Cruz, as well as Executive Director of the Legislative Commission on Indian Services Patrick Flanagan.

“I want to thank the Warm Springs Tribal Council and staff for their hospitality, and for showing me how they are working to invest in the next generation and make quality-of-life improvements to tribal facilities for their members,” Brown said in a Saturday statement.

“Ongoing water treatment infrastructure challenges are incredibly concerning, and I appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from the Tribe on how they are working to use state and federal resources to address these issues," she said. "I am grateful for every opportunity to strengthen Oregon’s long-standing government-to-government relationship with the Warm Springs Tribe.”