THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE
GRAND RONDE COMMUNITY OF OREGON MAY 1987
PROPOSED RESERVATION
TO BENEFIT LOCAL AREA
The proposed Grand Ronde reservation
will result in economic and employment
benefits for the local West Valley
economy, according the Tribe's General
Manager, Jim Willis.
Willis projects the proposed reserva
tion could generate $1.2 million annu
ally in timber revenues, and create
many new jobs for the local West Valley
area of Sheridan, Willamina and Grand
Ronde.
The local economy will be affected in
several ways. Changes in ownership and
administration of the current BLM for
est lands to tribal reservation lands
will result in changes in where and how
the timber revenues from the land are
spent. Fees now paid to the federal
treasury will be retained in the local
area as payments to the Tribe.
These funds represent an injection of
"new" money into the local economy, .
which will affect direct spending and,
increase employment associated with the
higher levels of spending at the local
level. Depending on the amount of
money re-distributed locally, the ef
fect of the added funds is expected to
be about double the initial direct
spending.
In other words, the estimated 1.2 mil
lion expected in timber revenues will
have an impact on the local economy of
approximately $2.4 million. For each
new job created as a result of the
added spending, another job can be ex
pected to result from indirect impact.
Second, the operation of the new reser
vation will result in increased spend
ing for the administration of Tribal
affairs. Based on Tribal estimates,
approximately $1.1 million annually
will be spent, a large portion of which
will be spent in the West Valley area
economy.
While the impacts on spending will not
be as great as those associated with
forest management, it is expected that
salaries of $1.1 million will have an
overall impact on area incomes of $2.2
- 2.4 million. In terms of employment,
it is expected that for every new job
created in conjuction with Tribal ad
ministration, another six-tenths of a
full-time position would be generated
in other sections of the economy.
Also, to provide comprehensive services
and programs for Tribal members, in
cluding an economic development and
(see Reservation, page 2)
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Far left to right: Dean Azule, Mark Mercier and Neil Goldschmidt
TRIBES MEET WITH GOLDSCHMIDT
Tribal and urban Indian representatives
held a luncheon meeting with Governor
Neil Goldschmidt on April 15, 1987 at
the State Capital Bulding.
The meeting, set-up by the Commission
on Indian Services, provided Indian
leaders the opportunity to meet the new
Governor and discuss Indian and state
related issues.
Grand Ronde Tribal Council Chairman
Mark Mercier attended on behalf of the
tribe. Mercier reviewed the progress
being made on the -tribe's Reservation
Plan and updated the Governor on timber
company concerns relating to exporting
timber from the proposed reservation.
Mercier explained that the tribe is
willing to put a ten year ban on ex
porting timber, but that timber compa
nies want a permanent ban on exporting.
"We'll see what we can do to help,'
Goldschmidt said.
Dean Azule, Grand Ronde education spe
cialist, also attended the meeting as
the Willamette Valley representative to
the Commission on Indian Services.
Azule reported that Indian Education
leaders were concerned about Board of
Higher Education proposed changes. The
Board seeks to raise entrance require
ments (from a current 2.5 Grade Point
Average to 2.75 GPA) and require a 5th
and 6th year teaching certification
process.
The extended certification process, and
proposed federal cuts in higher educa
tion grant and loan programs would eli
mate prospective Native American teach
ers, Azule said.
Goldschmidt recommended that Indian
representatives meet with the Oregon
Scholarship Commission on ways to get
additional funding sources.
Several tribal representatives re
quested information on how tribes could
access state lottery dollars.
Goldschmidt explained that he was rec
ommending some changes in how lottery
funds are distributed. He would like
to see the dollars funneled through
fewer channels with larger grants
given.
Under his proposed changes, $25 million
dollars would go to regional economic
strategies developed by counties and
cities. The cities and counties would
be expected to involve tribes,
Goldschmidt said.
Another $14 million in lottery funds,
set aside for site-specific projects,
could also be accessed by tribes, ac
cording to Goldschmidt.
Many tribal representatives also re
quested that a liaison person be estab
lished in the Governor's office that
could work with tribal representatives.
Floyd McKay, chief assistant to the
Governor, would probably be the liai
son, said Goldschmidt.
In concluding, Goldschmidt asked the
tribal representatives to formulate
some very specific issues that would
impact tribes.
"If you say it makes a big difference,
we'll commit the time and talent to get
it done," Goldschmidt said.