City of Seneca guises theft as abatement
Well ladies and gentlemen, as you may already remember, we as have been having an on-going harassment from declared officials of the city of Seneca, Oregon since 2015 when we officially beat the cultivation case in the Grant County courthouse where our sanctuary land was officially recognized as being our church grounds.
For those of you unfamiliar with Seneca, it is a small little city located in central eastern Oregon that houses a total of Maybe 500 people year round, many residents being declared "Seneca Snowbirds" because they only stay seasonally usually due to sub-zero temperatures and deep snowy blizzards an average of 5 months out of the year. Seneca sits 27 miles south of the city of John Day and 56 miles north of Burns, Oregon right on highway 395.
For the convenience of those of you who might have been missing it, here is a couple of links to the articles from our archives talking a bit about it for your convenience in case you'd like to review a little bit:
http://kautantowitmecautea.wixsite.com/news-and-current-aff/single-post/2017/07/12/Seneca-City-Counsel-seeks-attorney-input-on-church-abatement
The long story short of this, is that City manager Joshua Walker, for whatever his personal reasoning and "Issue" regarding a Native American Church establishing a sanctuary in the city in which he dwells, elected to begin targeting the ONAC KM Sanctuary land and all who come to it very intensely over the last few years
which has ranged from his stalking and menacing of not only the land itself, but too, our members who were care-taking it as they would move about the small desolate little city, literally driving behind them while mocking and verbally badgering them as they would walk down the city streets, to even stopping and approaching members on the private property of other city residents with the sole purpose of antagonizing our members about our church,it's unprofessional and immature to say the least, but it Cannot be tolerated without repercussion and so church leaders say after exhausting all other options from reporting it to local officials to even visiting the governor's office at the state capitol begging for intervention and assistance, all to no avail.
Sachem Joy Graves, whom owns the land and declared it church sanctuary under the Religious Land Use and Incarcerated Persons Act said that though the church had remained a bit "More passive about getting it promptly handled" states that herself along with ONAC's legal team coordinator have attempted to get the situation addressed and ramified including contacting the attorney counseling the city as they moved toward the abatement currently supposed to have been continuing on but now is likely stopped due to the injunction the church and Graves have filed federally which specifically named both the city of Seneca as well as Grant County in which the city resides in as being among the churches "Defendants" which Graves says in part in fact has to do with the issue and now abatement action on the sanctuary land.
According to members who have been present in the city and have witnessed first hand the harassment and antaganization by Walker, one of the final straws to prompt the church to including Seneca specifically onto their injunction was initiated by the city via the little "Newsletter" they include on the back of their monthly water & Sewer bills that are Only sent out directly to property owners, where in one, the city Directly initiated what church members as well as residents all agree was an intentional and yet completely uncalled for public slandering of the caretaker and his Daughters characters. "It was really rather childish as well as chicken-shit if you think about how they did it, calling them names and mocking their struggles while there out there honorably trying to prepare our land for services and ceremonies because they Knew that neither our members would directly Receive copy of what they were saying to everyone else in that town who gets a monthly bill."
According to church leaders, the city referred to the church members as being "Vagrants" and even went so far as to refer to the young pregnant daughter who was also voluntarily out there to help clean and prepare the land for church purpose as being an unwanted stray Dog as far as city officials were concerned! "As if that wasn't bad enough, Josh Walker was also found on more than one occasion harassing the young woman as she would walk back and forth between the property and the only little store in operation getting what supplies they could that were needed to sustain them. The intimidation of Walker actually resulted in the young girl fearing for her personal safety and ultimately sent her fleeing back home to her grandmother in Missouri who had just been out in Seneca for about a week and also notes that Walker showed a clear hate and animosity toward her son and granddaughters efforts in pushing ahead getting the land operational for church activities. "One day he (Josh Walker) came storming up to the property boundary with clear rage on his face as he angrily barked "So what you're saying is that because your a Native American Church you can just throw up a bunch of tipi's and move all kinds of people on the land and there's nothing I or the city can do about it?" When the member replied that in essence he was correct though that was Not the plan of intended use for the land, Walker appeared to change colors according to the members observing this encounter and growled under his breath "Well we'll just See about that! " and say he stormed away with his fits clenched in tight fists at his side.
This is what church members, leaders and even neighbors alike say they believe led to Walkers latest tactic toward the land Because it's in fact a county, state, federal and even United Nations recognized and bona-fide Church, which was he as the city manager, pushing for the initiation of what they call "an illegal abatement upon our land." According to multiple sources including city residents, church members and of coarse multiple church leaders the city suddenly claimed to have urgent concerns of safety on one of the three adjoining properties deemed ONAC KM sanctuary land since the early spring of 2014. Long time residents confirm that Graves and her family had bought the three parcels of land in January 1999 which had what they describe as "2 cabins" between them. Graves describes the first property bought as having 2 lots, one she says was completely "open land on the corner, and having a Questionably legally livable something on it passing as a dwelling on the adjoining lot that we bought at the same purchase." Multiple neighbors confirm that Graves and her family were seen sinking literally tens of thousands of dollars into the structure, turning it into what they admit was one of the "better looking houses in the city back during that time, before she closed it up and began only being there seasonally."
Graves says she and her family in short "rebuilt the entire structure from the floors up to the brand new metal roof you now see on 3-4 different peoples houses just here in Seneca alone." She says she says it that way because some of her roofing is actually on another few houses in the city of Burns which is about 56 miles south of where it was installed before she left for the winter season in 2002. "When we came back out the following spring, we confronted the man who had installed it for us for $8,000.00 on top of our buying and hauling all that metal, enough to do 3 full size houses completely as it was all now appearing to be on he and various of his family members roof's instead of where it was paid and literally originally installed just 4 months beforehand as paid to be done. He admitted that he had removed and taken the metal from our house saying that it was ok because he and his family obviously needed it more as they had to remain there year round and obviously we had other options elsewhere they didn't have." Graves says she and her family repeatedly made complaints regarding the theft of the roof, and says the under sheriff actually had even driven to Seneca and saw as well as personally Confirmed the roof had in fact been stolen, but ultimately Graves and her family were told "It's a civil issue, there's nothing we can do but I will make a report for ya."
Graves as well as multiple neighbors agree that the theft didn't stop at the roof alone but that literally the entire structure was stolen by locals to the point that one church member who had just graduated high school and who happened to be on the football team And lived parrallyl from the land and is also a witness to the victimization literally football tackled the house to the ground in one shot" in the spring of 2016! Angry, the city Refused to allow the scrap wood, hand painted inside and out by Graves personally with Water-Based paint, was DENIED the right to take the wood to the dump because Walker Insisted the paint was lead based though it was Not! Church members whom were present at that point inquired about any other possible options they could utilize in effort of clearing the debris, but were ultimately told they had none, so, they began burning the wood which apparently played them straight into Walkers vengeful hands. Walker illegally trespassed onto the land multiple times taking photographs of the burning wood and turned them into the Department of Enviornmental Quality (DEQ) claiming that they were contaminating the city by burning lead-based paint into the air and Without any permit. While pulling that, Walker also called upon the county sheriff who came out and confirmed as well as instructed the city to issue a burn permit so that the wood could continue to finished being disposed of, which reluctantly and very sarcastically they did issue the permit and the wood was burned until the city again declared all burning had to stop for the season.
The church members, yet still unknowing about the DEQ complaint realized they had better start hunkering themselves down so to resume the clean up efforts the following spring, which is no easy task with no basic resources directly to the land and Josh Walker threatening to shut off other peoples water if they're caught running garden hoses to the land to attempt to help and support the struggling members. Same was found when extension cords were offered to lend power to the land which Walker assured he would see stopped as well. Local residents whom did Not agree with Walker's over-policing and targeting of the members Donated a 5th wheel trailer to the members so they would have a refuge on the land from the coming sub-zero temperatures well known in Seneca which is long known as "The refrigerator of the state" dropping as low as -60* and lucky to see zero degrees by mid-day throughout the winter months!
The trailer was put on the land now claimed to be under active abatement, which is the third property Graves and her family had bought adjoined to the other lands. "That house was more of a house as far as it's structure when we bought it, it was made of old train boxcars out together and made into a decent little home." Graves and neighbors confirm that the family had do do less work on that house but did have to put about $25,00.00 into it on top of the purchase price which was about $35,000 as the close of the sale she said. "That house was gutted by the townspeople too" says one neighbor who says he joined the church After growing disgusted in his fellow townspeople's attacks and theft of the homes. "Despite it all, Joy and the church members kept at it, determined to clean it all up and make it a church, and as a combat veteran I respect that passion to finish a task and accomplish the mission and objective despite all odds, it shows true grit."
As Walker pushed the city forward into initiating an official abatement claiming the now last house standing (gutted inside but structurally sound on the outside from the looks of it) had to go. According to church officials, the city claimed their objective to being the removal of the house located at 106 B Ave.in Seneca. This process began officially according to the posted notices Walker placed on the house itself as beginning of the summer. September 27th 2017 was the only date the city has yet to do anything to the property under the claim of abating it. A total of 2 hours was spent doing and taking all they wanted but not the intended target... the house.
Church members and neighbors are now left scratching their heads as the house itself still yet remains untouched to this date by the hands of the city. "Granted they never specified how long the abatement process would take, getting the house removed, but they've had months now and haven't done a thing including touch the house itself which they said was there urgent concern for safety reasons." Though the garage that was named as also being a concern to Walker and the city has been removed by the city, along with all it's contents which Walker Refused any to be removed from the property Prior to initiating the abatement, all agree that no effort has since been made toward the land other than that 2 hours the garage was removed and hauled away wherever it all went or may now be. "They knew we had personal items in there but when we asked humbly as we could for permission to get them before they abated the garage Josh Walker laughed and said if we tried he would call the sheriff and have us arrested and even kicked out of the city and tresspassed."
According to the member caretaker of the land he specifically asked Walker about the 5th wheel trailer that was also on the sanctuary land as it had his most personal heirloom type of possessions in it, including the sleeping bag his father had carried and used during the war who had recently deceased PRIOR to any action being taken upon the land. Walker assured that the focus of he and the city was on the house and the garage alone and that nothing else would be touched during the abatement. However, the 2 hour day spent by the city abating the land shows the complete opposite to be true in that all things But the house was touched and taken if not out-right Destroyed by the hands of the city, leaving the caretaker to feel Walker's sole purpose of attacking the land is nothing more than relentless vengeance Walker has toward he specifically Because of his presence as a member and caretaker for the church, and says proof of this is in their of stealing the personal property of he and other of our beloved and honorable church members as well as from the church itself overall.
(Pic showing front of house Before the "Abatement" began" showing the density of the Aspen trees)
Here best describes the issue regarding the trees explained by the property caretaker Raymond Martin. "They knew we were getting praise from the Forestry as well as even the sheriff's department and the sheriff himself for having them trees growing so healthy as they were on our sanctuary grounds, they all say it's almost impossible for even forestry to get them to grow successfully out in this area of Oregon and they knew that we believed it was because Creator was blessing us and our sanctuary with them... they knew we didn't want them cut down cause Josh Walker asked us several times to do it and we said we wouldn't - so now under the guise of an abatement, chip chip chip he's butchered everyone of them down, and then just up and walked away like he had won some kind of a battle or something, it was sad and disgusting."
(Pic showing the property After the only action claiming abatement was taken, minus fence &trees but still house)
*Note the house seen next to ours is Not ours nor under attack for hazard and remains unoccupied since ours has!*
"They had no right or reason to destroy the fences around that property, not the wooden one in the front nor the metal fencing around the sides and back enclosing the property, and they Definitely had No right or justifiable authority to butcher down all the aspen trees they did either, but they chopped every single one of them down we had growing inside the fence line of the property, just to be malicious and hateful toward our belief systems and specifically our respect for Creator's creation... how sad."
In addition to the destruction of the Aspen trees, Martin says they stole many things from the property aside from all that was inside the garage such as the churches chainsaw and other such fairly pricey equipment as well as more personal items of he and other members as well "That was in good condition and known it was wanted by we owners of it." Martin says they took literally thousands of dollars alone in just corrigated plastic the church had there for the establishment of their sanctuary garden. Martin says he remains confused as to how they could have prevented he and the others from getting it out of harms way beforehand as they tried to do, but says he feels it was motivated purely by Walker in retaliation for continuing forward as a church. "Every chance the man gets he spews hateful words at us and Always makes it clear it's the church he's most upset about out of it all, in fact one of the last things he said just recently to me while I was over at another friends house was that he was going to make sure our church was run out and he said specifically he didn't want or was gonna allow "Your kind of people in my city" - can't get no more blunt than that can he."
It was but a few short months ago, Walker's intimidation tactics resulted in one of our minor child members fearing for her literal safety and freedom to the point where she had to leave the city she says she would still prefer to be, but she says worrying about deflecting their hatred while being pregnant was more than she was mentally able to take, especially after literally being chased through the town after testifying in defense of the church at the local counsel meeting just days before she felt the need to immediately evacuate for the sake of she and her unborn baby, which the little boy is about to be born very soon and we look Forward to bringing you that announcement. "The fact that a grown man and a Father no less, could stoop so low as to intentionally place Fear in a pregnant young girl is beyond a red light and siren affect in our minds and is why we ultimately believe that the Only way to stop such conduct and behaviors once and for all, especially by these so-presented officials was to specifically include both the city of Seneca as well as Grant county in our federal injunction."
Heartbreaking of all to Martin was to find his 5th wheel removed from the property despite Walker's assurance to he and the church it would be untouched, though it was not the Only trailer they stole from the land illegally that day, it was the most needed for shelter to the since homeless because of them taking it. According to Martin the 5th wheel trailer was initially taken to a city lot and put behind there fence where it was gone through and "likely scalped by the thieves." Martin said that while it sat behind their fence he asked all including the Mayor if he could please at least get the sentimental items from it, but ultimately was refused, always with a grin he says as they'd deny him. "Then one day, after I finally given up hope, they moved the trailer outside their fence as if it's now dumped on the side of their highway as if they're hoping the county will haul it away - it's nothing fancy by a long shot, but it was livable enough for me and I was thankful to have had it, now I have nothing but the compassion from neighbors willing to let me crash out in a warm place for the night."
With no sign or even talk of when the city's abatement process is expected to officially end, Martin says the city maintains the position that no one other than the owner Graves herself is personally allowed onto the land, "And yet they completely ignore the property as if it doesn't even exist." Martin says he believes they are going to attempt to drag the abatement out so that he nor any other church member can enter onto the land, which is something they find unacceptable and believe to have now officially and legally over-rode by specifically including the city onto the injunction. "Now if they do anything toward our land or members they will be violating a restraining order we have against them, and we will ensure they are fully prosecuted if they do violate it because we are Tired of being their helpless victim, it's our land and we want it up and safely operational as our church for our members as we see fit."
According to Graves, the bigger plan for the sanctuary is to conduct monthly ceremonies not only for members but also for local tribes and to host other specialty ceremonial events as the church deems feesible for the land and church to honorably do... "Not that any of them has yet to even Ask."
Wildlife is another issue that Walker has expressed having issues with regarding the sanctuary land. "You see, he is as you will see from our initial article, is a hunter, and because we are a Native American Church we honor and appreciate all Creator's creation and enjoy watching it Live opposed to die." According to Martin and neighbors "For at Least the last 5 years both deer and elk have declared our sanctuary land a safe haven and were even giving birth inside both structures!" Neighbors say that wildlife have been making the land there home if not just hangout and report seeing dozens lounging around the land day and night, even coming and going from inside the structure with their newborn children critters.
"Our sanctuary is their home and obviously they feel safe here, even without the Aspen trees as you can see by the little buck pictured above who is believed to have literally been born inside the house the city says they plan to tear down and haul away". Martin expressed concern as he says the young buck hasn't been back since the trees were all chopped down. "The buck would practically run up as if it were gonna give our members a hug when they'd come, and he;d stay around day and night even when people would stay overnights and weekends here. Deer is good medicine, and just as with all they've physically done to our land, they've obviously spiritually desecrated and dishonored it too, else our buck and his family would still be here!"
"It's funny to us how they are doing this under the guise of a safety issue but the animals all roam around and lounge freely without any harm aside from Josh Walker and the other trespassers who illegally enter onto our sanctuary land - the animals are Welcomed, but the townspeople who are not members of the church and especially the city and county officials we consider trespassers up to no good."
As always, we Thank you ever so much for your continued interest, contributions and support in all that were trying to do and accomplish for the greater good of us all, meaning the entire web of Creator's Creation - Blessings to you all in abundance, may we all make good medicine for our globe as we tread as lightly as is possible.
