Cowlitz Indian Tribe

The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is trying to build a multi-million dollar mega-casino in Clark Country where some tribal members are challenging their own leaders' right to run the project of the new casino. This brings us to a major question of, which policy should the Cowlitz Indian tribe adopt in determining who is a full member of their tribe? After analysis data we discovered that this policy will ultimately determine who has a right to become a director of the proposed casino, who has a right to a share of any projected casino profits, and who is entitled to other benefits of tribal membership. This became a very important problem because the blood quantum ultimately determine who will be entitled to share any future casino proceeds and other tribal benefits such as subsidized housing or monetary compensation. It could also help determine who is eligible to be a tribal council member, which is central to this case as they are the ones who will likely direct the operations of the new multi-million dollar casino.

This issue became a problem when two card-holding members of the Cowlitz tribe Steve Myers and Tomas Hill, recently came in "possession of internal documents that raised questions about whether three out of eight leaders even belong to the tribe" (Tilkin, KATU, 2013, p.1). These documents stated the standards used to establish the blood quantum of Tribal Administrator Carolee Morris, Human Resource Director Nancy Osborne and Tribal Enrollment Officer Randy Russell (citation needed – website). Documents "signed by Nancy Osborne in 1974 said she was 1/8th Cowlitz Indian. However, five years previously documents stated that she was only 1/32nd.Cowlitz Indian" (Tilkin, KATU, 2013, p.1). The documents on Carolee Morris and Randy Russell also illustrated changing fractions of Cowlitz blood, since the three are all full brother and sisters; they obviously share the same blood lines. This could potentially become critical for the tribe as they all hold influential positions as leaders' of the Tribe, and could be just looking out for the best interest of themselves.

Generation and Analysis of Alternatives

From the perspective of Steve Myers and Thomas Hill, two Cowlitz tribe members; there are questions concerning the blood quantum level of certain executive council members. The council members whose blood quantum level is in question are Carolee Morris, Nancy Osborne and Randy Russell, and said before are all full brothers and sisters. Steve Myers and Thomas Hill are hoping to have these current council members struck from the membership role because they are in possession of documents that illustrate they were once non-members. They are challenging their leaders' rights to oversee the project based on the apparent fluctuations of their blood quantum levels.

Myers and Hill are in possession of documents because they once belonged to Hill's late