SILETZ — Marita “Selene” Rilatos, Alfred “Buddy” Lane IV and Loraine Butler, all of Siletz, were elected to the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in elections held Saturday and were sworn in Sunday at the tribal administration office.
Rilatos was re-elected with 345 votes, Lane was elected with 281 votes and Butler was re-elected with 259 votes. Fourteen candidates ran for the three open positions and the three who received the most votes were elected.
The three will serve with Sharon Edenfield, Angela Ramirez and Frank Aspria, all from Siletz, whose terms expire in 2024; and Alfred “Bud” Lane III and Bonnie Petersen, both of Siletz, and Delores Pigsley of Keizer, whose terms expire in 2025. Term of office is three years for each position on the nine-member council.
Seven hundred ninety-five ballots were returned and accepted. 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.
Council officers are elected on an annual basis and those selected for 2023 include are Pigsley, chair; Bud Lane, vice chair; Sharon Edenfield, treasurer, and Bonnie Petersen, secretary.
Pigsley has served more than 37 years as tribal chair out of 44 years on the council, while Bud Lane has served 25, Butler 18, Edenfield nearly 13 years, Ramirez five years, Rilatos three years, Aspria two years; and, Petersen one year.
