Questionnaire Design

The Division of Land Management Residential Census was designed to assess the residential needs of the Oneida tribal members living in Brown and Outagamie Counties. The results of this census will indicate how the Reservation should look like in the future. The questionnaire was developed by the Division of Land Management with assistance from the Statistics Program.

The questionnaire was sent to all tribal members aged 18 and over living in Brown and Outagamie Counties who wish to receive tribal mailings. Given a 95% confidence interval, the margin of error is 3.6%. Of the 645 respondents, 60% of the respondents live on the Reservation and 40% live off the Reservation. 60% reside in Brown County and 40% reside in Outagamie County.

The “experts” included people from the GM’s office, Land Management, Compliance, Housing Authority, and Development. Each person reviewed the survey before it was sent out and each person estimated what the respondents would be to each question.

It was interesting to see how close they were to the actual results. When we met to go over the results, everyone stated that they learned a lot from the answers.

A. Current Living Arrangements

Actual ------- Expected

1. Which county do you live in?

Brown -------60%----56%

Outagamie----40%----44%

2. Do you live on the Reservation?

   Yes----------60%----57%

   No-----------40%----43%

3. How important is it for you to reside directly on the Reservation?

4. Very important-----48%-----61%

   Somewhat important--26%-----26%

   Not too important---16%-----8%

   Not important at all--9%------5%

   The difference between the actual number of respondents who felt that residing directly on the Reservation was very important compared to the expected number could be due to a couple different factors. First of all, the majority of respondents who chose very important currently reside on the reservation. The respondents who do not live on the reservation may not be aware of the tax benefits for members who reside on the reservation. Also, respondents who do not live on the reservation may not realize how beneficial the tax benefits are. A second factor could be that members who do not live on the reservation are not aware of the services that are provided to tribal members living on the reservation. Both of these factors point to a possible lack of communication or knowledge of the benefits to tribal members living on the reservation.

   4. Who do you live with? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

   Alone-----------18%----8%

   My spouse/significant other--30%----18%

   My children who I take care of---6%-30%

   It was expected that a lot less people lived alone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2006 American Community Survey, 28% of residents live alone in Brown and Outagamie Counties. Many more people live with only their spouse or significant other than was expected. It was also expected that many more people lived in single parent homes, 30% was expected whereas only 6% chose that option. 13.6% of the households in Brown and Outagamie Counties are single parent residences. These differences could be attributed a lack of respondents from these populations or a difference in the Oneida population compared to Brown and Outagamie residents.

   Actual Expected

   5. What type of home do you live in? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

   Single family home----68%------37%

   68% of the respondents live in a single family home, which was almost double the amount expected. There is also a significant amount of people less than expected that live in multifamily units and apartments, approximately half of what was expected. These percentages are comparable to the county percentages.

   B. Satisfaction with Living Arrangements

   How happy are you with your present living arrangements?

   Very happy------65%----36%

   Somewhat happy---21%----38%

   Respondents were much happier than expected. The difference in expected and actual may be attributed to the difference in expected and actual in the types of homes people live in.

   Actual Expected

   If you could, where would you move to better suit your housing needs?

   Single family home-----16%----33%

   Apartment---------3%----6%

   It was unexpected that no one would prefer to move to a multifamily unit to better suit their housing needs, and only 3% would move to an apartment. However, these differences could be due to the fact that the majority of respondents currently live in a single family home. From the results of the survey, it is unclear whether the definition of multi-family building was understood by all respondents.

   Do you feel your payment is reasonable for what you get? How satisfied are you with your rent/ mortgage payment?

   I am very happy with my payment.---41%----11%

   Many more people were very happy with their current payment than expected. The amount of people that have no payment was much higher than expected.

   C. Future Housing Plans

   V Do you plan to move?

   I don’t expect to move in the next 5 years.-------57%----------25%

   Many more people don’t plan to move in the next 5 years than was expected.

   What type of home do you plan to move to? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) (Of those planning to move, n=237)

   Single family home ---- 74%----- 44%

   Of the people that are planning to move, many more people plan to move to a single family home than expected.

   As our earlier reports suggested, many members are very happy with their living arrangements. Families exhibit strong family bonds and ties to our community. The “experts” expected to see those trends, but even they were surprised by the final results.

   Next Issues

   This article is just an excerpt of the expert speculations. In upcoming issues of the Kalihwisaks we will present further results. In the 5th and final installment, we will present the Direction Forward.

   
   

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Questionnaire Design

The Division of Land Management Residential Census was designed to assess the residential needs of the Oneida tribal members living in Brown and Outagamie Counties. The results of this census will indicate how the Reservation should look like in the future. The questionnaire was developed by the Division of Land Management with assistance from the Statistics Program.

The questionnaire was sent to all tribal members aged 18 and over living in Brown and Outagamie Counties who wish to receive tribal mailings. Given a 95% confidence interval, the margin of error is 3.6%. Of the 645 respondents, 60% of the respondents live on the Reservation and 40% live off the Reservation. 60% reside in Brown County and 40% reside in Outagamie County.

Personal Perceptions Personal perceptions were collected to see how people think about an issue. We recognize that not everyone has all the information to make a good decision, but most of us make our decisions based on our perceptions.

The first subject that we questioned was if members preferred the reservation remain rural or be developed. Most members, (41 %,) would prefer to live in a single residence in a rural area. The second most popular environment preferred is a suburban area, and then a small community in the rural area. Perhaps these people know that these options are available on the reservation now. Rural Oneida has housing centers yet overall, the reservation maintains a rural character. Areas of Hobart offer suburban neighborhoods on the reservation. And, the area along Mason Street in Green Bay offers urban residences within the reservation boundaries.

The second subject was about how much development do we want? This was a strong indicator of how people visualize development. As the Division Director of Land Management, I believe most people do not think about what it takes to maintain a rural character. Only after I worked with our Division of Land Management, the Division of Environment, Health and Safety, and the Division of Planning; did I see the full impact of the developing areas on our homelands. From the survey results, I believe that very few people want the reservation developed to the point of being like the City of Milwaukee, with a park system running through it. I don’t believe that members want the reservation to be developed to the point of looking like the City of Green Bay.

In the year 2000, the U. S. Census said there were 21,000 people living within the boundaries. Of these approximately 17,000 were not tribal members. As the chart above shows, the vast majority of people want the area to contain fewer than 30,000 residents

The third subject in which we tried to weigh the accuracy of people’s perceptions and compare the “perception” to actual “knowns” was the acknowledgement of the wave of development within and encroaching the borders of our reservation.

The majority of members notice development coming from Green Bay and Ashwaubenon. In reality, we are faced with development from all directions. Farms in northern Hobart are being developed into expensive housing areas. Southeastern Hobart has a lot of development coming from Ashwaubenon. In Outagamie County, farms are being slowly whittled into 5 to 10 acre lots all along Duck Creek and especially near Seymour and Freedom.

The majority of Tribal members (both on and off the Reservation) would prefer to see the Oneida Tribe buy existing housing rather than build new housing. And, the majority of Tribal members would prefer to see the Oneida Tribe buy existing housing and maintain farmland for farming. It seems that it is most logical to use existing resources as they are: use farm lands for farms, use developed areas for houses. This maintains the rural character of the Nation, while addressing individual needs. I find that these uses are often supported by the people who work in the areas of land management, environmental protection, hunting and fishing, utilities, and planning.

Questionnaire Design

The Division of Land Management Residential Census was designed to assess the residential needs of the Oneida tribal members living in Brown and Outagamie Counties. The results of this census will indicate how the Reservation should look like in the future. The questionnaire was developed by the Division of Land Management with assistance from the Statistics Program.

The questionnaire was sent to all tribal members aged 18 and over living in Brown and Outagamie Counties who wish to receive tribal mailings. Given a 95% confidence interval, the margin of error is 3.6%. Of the 645 respondents, 60% of the respondents live on the Reservation and 40% live off the Reservation. 60% reside in Brown County and 40% reside in Outagamie County.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO LIVE ON THE RESERVATION? Of those respondents living on the Reservation, 93% think that it is very important or somewhat important to live directly on the Reservation. Of those living off the Reservation, only 44% think that it is very important or somewhat important to live directly on the Reservation. Overall, 74% of the respondents think that it is very important or somewhat important to live directly on the Reservation.

WHO DO YOU LIVE WITH? The largest group of respondents, 30%, live only with their spouse or significant other. 29% live with their spouse or significant other and children they take care of. A smaller amount of respondents, 18%, live alone. Due to the variety of households in the community, not all options were included in the questionnaire. This resulted in the 10% of respondents choosing ‘Other.’ Based on the answers to ‘Other,’ a common theme of traditional values and strong families is evident. 78% of those choosing ‘Other,’ cite extended family as who they live with.

WHAT TYPE OF HOME DO YOU LIVE IN? The majority of residents living on and off the Reservation reside in single family homes, 74% and 60% respectively and 68% overall. Duplexes are the next most common residences (13%) followed by apartments (8%) then multifamily units (6%). This is very comparable to all of the residents living in Brown and Outagamie Counties. According to the U.S. Census 2006 American Community Survey, 67% of Brown and Outagamie County residents live in single family homes, 8% live in duplexes, 10% live in apartments, and 8% live in multifamily units. It also found that 5% of residents live in assisted living facilities and 2% live in mobile homes. Of the respondents of this questionnaire, less than 1% stated that they live in an assisted living facility and 1% live in trailer courts.

HOW HAPPY ARE YOU WITH YOUR LIVING ARRANGEMENTS? Members were asked how happy they are with their current living arrangements. For those members living on the Reservation, 89% were very happy or somewhat happy, and for those living off the Reservation, 82% were very happy or somewhat happy. Overall, 86% of the respondents were very happy or somewhat happy with their current living arrangements. Over 70% of the respondents were VERY HAPPY. That is phenomenal.

HOW DO YOU PAY FOR YOUR LIVING ARRANGEMENT? The largest group of members, 40%, pay a mortgage. 11% own their houses free and clear, but pay at least a portion of taxes. 34% pay rent. 10% live in their current living arrangement for free, this includes people who own their homes free and clear and don’t pay taxes.

DO YOU PLAN ON MOVING? 57% of the members don’t expect to move in the next 5 years. Of the 37% that do plan on moving, only 11% plan on moving away from Brown and Outagamie Counties. The majority of people (64%) that expect to move, plan to move to a single family home.

Next Issues This article is just a rough summary of the key findings. In upcoming issues of the Kalihwisaks we will present further results. We will present: Personal Perceptions, Expert Speculations, and the Direction Forward.

2007 Division of Land Management Residential Census Summary

Questionnaire Design

The Division of Land Management Residential Census was designed to assess the residential needs of the Oneida tribal members living in Brown and Outagamie Counties. The results of this census will indicate how the Reservation should look in the future. The questionnaire was developed by the Division of Land Management with assistance from the Statistics Program.

The questionnaire was sent to all tribal members aged 18 and over living in Brown and Outagamie Counties who wish to receive tribal mailings. A total of 3,121 questionnaires were sent out. The questionnaires were sent out in October 2007, and the respondents were asked to return them by November 9, 2007. A total of 645 questionnaires were returned completed giving a response rate of 21%. Given a 95% confidence interval, the margin of error is 3.6%. This means there is a 95% probability that the sample responses represent the population +/- 3.6%.

Of the 645 respondents, 60% of the respondents live on the Reservation and 40% live off the Reservation. 60% reside in Brown County and 40% reside in Outagamie County. These figures are comparable to the Oneida Enrollment population data. The female respondents make up 59% of the sample and the males make up 41%. According to the Oneida Enrollment data, 52% of members living in Brown and Outagamie Counties are female and 48% are male.

Respondents were asked to disclose what they pay for their living arrangements. 10% of the respondents live there for free, this includes people who own their homes free and clear and don’t pay taxes. 34% of the respondents pay rent. 39% pay a mortgage. 11% own their homes free and clear, but pay at least a portion of taxes. 3% have other arrangements.

• 1. Members who live on or near the Reservation are very happy with their living arrangements.
• 2. Strong family values are emphasized by who the respondents live with.
• 3. Members want to keep the rural atmosphere of the Reservation.

This article is just a rough summary of the responses received. In upcoming issues of the Kalihwisaks we will present the results. We will present: Key Findings, Personal Perceptions, Expert Speculations, and the Direction Forward.

By: Michelle Montoya

Registration is now open for Real Property Law Classes on Thursday afternoons starting on March 6, 2008. You may call Michelle Montoya, Division of Land Management Office, 869 1690 X1800 or stop in at the office between 8:00am 4:30pm, 470 Airport Drive for a registration form. The cost is $100 for a 45 hour class schedule, and your program may pay for this if you work for the Oneida Tribe.

The instructors are Attorney Rebecca Webster and Real Estate Services Area Manager Mary Jo Nash. The classes started in 1996 to train all of the Land Management staff on the basics of tribal law. After the first course, staff from other tribal programs and boards found the discussion and information helpful in their positions. Participants have attended from the community, Casino, Appeals Commission, Compliance Division, Business Development Unit, Tribal School, Land Commission, GIS, Environmental Department and Personnel Department. So far, 102 attendees have received a Land Commission Certificate for completing this annual course.

The class is small in order to facilitate discussions. A limit of 12 15 participants is usually accepted. The discussions focus on various federal eras of Indian policy and law, and how the Oneida Tribe was specifically impacted. Besides lectures, lively sharing of information is generally received from the participants as the class moves through the traditional early years of the government, the Allotment Era, Indian Reorganization Era, and the present Self Determination Era.

The class focuses on tribal laws and authority of different branches of the Oneida government, with an emphasis on Oneida tribal land transactions. Invited speakers from tribal programs such as the Appeals Commission, Environmental Department, and Tribal History, enhance the discussion of how the Tribe as a whole carries on its business.

Twenty hours consists of a tour of selected reservation properties, and then continues with an in depth discussion of how and why properties are purchased within the Oneida Reservation boundaries. The overlap between tribal law and state law is evident in the area of acquiring land. This area is also where there are frequent jurisdictional and political disputes between the Oneida Tribe and surrounding state governments.

We invite you to think about joining us on March 6, 2008, 1:15 – 4:15 pm at the Division of Land Management Conference Room, for our first class. Hard to believe that this is right around the corner!!

Class will be in session from 1:15 – 4:15 starting March 6, 2008 thru May 29, 2008. There is a 9 hour tour on May 1, 2008. Participants are required to make up their hours by contacting the instructor. Final exam will be June 4, 2008 at the Community Education Center.

The Division of Land Management (DOLM) thanks you for the generous donations we’ve received. As you know from our earlier articles, the DOLM was asked, back in August, if it would be willing to receive monetary donations. Some tribal members were concerned by the amount of money that would be taken out of the per capita to pay taxes. The question arose, “Is there a way to get the money back to the Tribe to buy land, and get a tax break?” The Tribe investigated.

So, to give Tribal members the option of donating back a portion of their per capitas, letters went out. Then we received letters back; some said that this was a good idea — others were not so pleasant. Then, we began to receive checks. So far we have received over $20,000 in donations and, since people now are aware of this option, we believe that we will continue to receive donations all year long. We are also looking at offering a “payroll deduction option” and posting this information on our website.

We say, “Yawa.ko” to everyone who has donated something, and we will keep you informed on where your money will be spent. Thank you all for belief in protecting our lands.

Congratulations to Steve Webster for being our Division of Land Management “Employee of the Year.” Steve was selected for this annual award by his fellow employees at Land Management.

Steve has been with Land Management since October 2004 and is our Property Records Supervisor in our file room. Listed below are some of the comments and reasons that Steve is our Employee of the Year:

• Steve is a great worker and always willing to help others.
• He has influenced me to be a better person through his good attitude and work ethics.
• Steve has stepped forward and took charge in getting OnBase up and running.
• He is very helpful and always has a positive attitude.
• Steve has been a great addition to Land Management and was able to get all of us to change how we work with files and storage of records.
• He is always cheerful and has a wonderful attitude.
• Steve does a great job in the file room and all the projects he takes on. He is always willing to help out where needed.
• Steve has a dedication to Land Management and surpasses your high achiever. He does not get discouraged when there is a road block.
• He has the ability to motivate people to accomplish very tedious and routine assignments.
• Steve is a good role model for his fellow workers by leading by example, going the extra mile, and thinking of others and their feelings.
• Steve has the willingness to learn, he is not afraid of learning new things and taking on new tasks.
• He goes above and beyond his normal work duties. He takes his file room responsibilities seriously and strives for the advancement of technology and change. He is a great problem solver and always willing to assist with file information that is needed daily.
• He is dedicated and loyal, and a very worthy individual of this award.

Steve has done an excellent job of following through with the On/Base software project and making sure it was implemented. Through his motivation and enthusiasm Land Management went live with the software in October 2007.

On behalf of the Division of Land Management, we want to say “Thank You Steve” for your hard work and outstanding service.

Also thank you Steve for working to organize and save our land records for future generations!

4/14/08 11:00 a.m. - Director has a mtg. at BC.

4/14/08: 11:30 a.m. - Real Estate Services Area Mgr. has a mtg.

4/14/08: 1:00 p.m. - Director has a mtg. @ LBDC.

4/14/08: 5:00 p.m. - Regular Land Commission Mtg. @ DOLM.

4/15/08 9:00 a.m. - Director & Property Mgr. have a mtg. to attend.

4/15/08: 10:00 a.m. - Real Estate Services Area Mgr. has a mtg. to attend.

4/15/08: 11:30 a.m. - Real Estate Services Area Mgr. has a mtg.

4/16/08: 7-9:00 a.m. - Real Estate Services Area Mgr. to attend Brown County Planning Mtg.

4/16/08: 9:00 a.m. - Director, Real Estate Services Area Mgr. @ NHC for a mtg.

4/16/08: 3:00 p.m. - Director to attend Mtg. @ LBDC.

4/17/08: 8:00 a.m.-Noon - Several Mrgs. to attend Demo Mtg. @ DOLM.

4/17/08: Director to attend Senior Mgmt. @ LBDC.

4/21/08: 8:15 a.m. DOLM Managers weekly Mtg.

4/22/08: 8:30 a.m. - Managers to Meet with Staff Attorney.

The Regular Land Commission Meetings are held the second Monday of every month. They begin at 5:00 P.M. and are held in the Land Management Conference Room at 470 Airport Dr., Oneida, WI 54155

Note: The next Land Commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 12, 2008 @ 5:00 p.m. in the the DOLM Conference Room.

Notice will be posted if there is no quorum or inclement weather and the meeting has to be canceled.

The Land Acquistion Meetings are held the fourth Monday of every month. They begin at 5:00 P.M. and are held in the Land Management Conference Room at 470 Airport Dr., Oneida, WI 54155

Note: The next Land Commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 28, 200 @ 5:00 p.m. @ Little Bear Development Center. Please note that this is a change of location. Meetings are usually at DOLM.

Notice will be posted if there is no quorum or inclement weather and the meeting has to be canceled.

THRIL Program Terms:

• Loan funds used toward home repairs
• Certified contractors must be used for all work completed
• Maximum loan amount of $25,000.00
• Fixed Interest Rate of 6%
• 100% Loan-to-Value

TLC Down Payment Terms:

• To be used in coordination with the Section 184 Loan Program offered through Bay Bank
• Loan amount of 20% of purchase price up to $40,000.00
• Fixed Interest Rate of 6%

The Loan Department is currently and will continue to accept applications for loans in the DREAM Home Program in the following four situations:

• Loans for purchasing a new DREAM Home.
• Loans for purchasing an existing DREAM home.
• Emergency loans to address the death of the DREAM home owner.
• Emergency loans to address the divorce of a DREAM home owner.

All applicants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements. All loans are approved by the Oneida Land Commission. Properties must be located within the original 1838 boundaries of the Oneida Indian Reservation of Wisconsin. Please contact the Land Management Loan Department at (920) 869-1690 for more information.

The Division of Land Management would like to say congratulations to Dr. Fred Muscavitch for being chosen our 2007 Caretaker of the Year. Dr. Fred was presented this award on January 24, 2008 at the Annual Community Achievement Awards Banquet that is sponsored by the Oneida AmVets.

On behalf of the Land Management Staff, the Caretaker Award was presented by Mary Jo Nash, DOLM Real Estate Services Area Manager, to Dr. Fred in recognition for his commitment and passion for all land matters of the Oneida Nation. He has worked diligently to acquire trust status of our lands and for assisting the Land Commission on planning acquisitions.

Congratulation Dr. Fred! Thank you for your commitment to reclaim our lands.