Smoke Signals
October 1990 page 3
ATTENTION TRIBAL
MEMBERS:
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
COMMUNITY
EDUCATION DAY
Sponsored by: Archaeological Committee
Salmon Bake 12:00 Noon
(All food will be provided)
' November 4th, 1990
At General Council Meeting
1:00 p.m.
Guest Speakers & Displays
for more information call CeCe 623-8513
The Archaeological Committee has a vacancy. If
anyone is interested contact Jackie Collon for an
application form. 879-5211.
CIS Commission Meeting
October 10, 1990
Commission on Indian Services Office,
454 State Capitol, Salem, Oregon.
1st Annual Timber
Committee Workshop
The first annual Timber Committee Workshop was
held in Bend, Oregon, August 10th & 11th. Six out of
the seven Timber Committee members plus the Forestry
staff were in attendance. The opening address was given
by Mark Mercicr and Jim Willis. The guest speakers
and topics were as follows:
Christmas Tree Farms: Profit or Fun? - Doug Sagcr of
Yamhill Tree Farms
Forest Inventory-Toby Atterbury of Attcrbury Consult
ants Logging & Transportation- Dallas Hemphill - Logging
Engineering International
Recreation - BcrnieSmilh - U.S. Forest Service
Communication Workshop - Cisco Garcia - Nuevo Sol
Consultant
Intertribal Timber Council Update & Economy - Jim
Spitz -
Forestry Consultant for Warm Springs & I.T.C.
Following the workshop, the Timber Committee met to
discuss the information at the workshop and to elect
new officers. The election was postponed until our next
meeting scheduled for August 21st. At that meeting the
following officers were elected:
Larry Brandon-Chairman; Bob Mercicr-Vice-Chairman;
Connie Monson-SecretaryTreasurer. The rest of
the Timber Committee Members are Eugene LaBonte,
Reyn Leno, Russ Leno, Ray McKnight and Darrcl
Mercier.
C
- '4tV
A'' j.
Chairman 's Report By Mark Mercier
In this issue of Smoke Signals, the 1991 proposed
budget for the Grand Ronde Tribes is presented to the
tribal membership. The public comment period is from
October 1, 1990 to November 16, 1990. A public
hearing on the proposed budget will be held on Novem
ber 4, 1990 as part of the General Council meeting
which will begin at . 1 p.m.
In establishing a sound future for our 2600 members,
budgeting is essential. Without it, Tribal progress will
grind to a halt. If you are to speak with any successful
business, (individual or corporation), they will tell
budgeting is an absolute must.
In other business, the Tribal Council will be very busy
for the next few months. First, we are in the process of
acquiring 4 modular units for the Tribe to move into, so
we will be out of the old Manor building. We hope to ' "
be moved into the modular units sometime in Novem
ber. About 2 years ago, the Tribe considered the option
of purchasing the manor building. We had an architec
tural study conducted, and the finding was that it would
cost $250,000 to renovate it into usable office space.
The Community Center construction is up-coming.
First, the Council will have to seriously consider the
buildings' design. What will be the style of our new
building? What type of materials will be the building be
made from? To answer these questions will take a great
deal of time. We will need to review an enormous
number of drawings completed by architects, and
engineers. No doubt, when 9 Council members begin
looking at these blueprints, many changes will be made
during the planning process.
Besides planning the Community Center, housing is
another item which will require a great deal of the
Councils' time. Already, we have looked at preliminary
drawings for both the Community Center and housing.
We will want to give serious consideration to the part
of the area the Tribe wishes to develop for our Pow
Wow, We now know that the school may be inadequate
even in 1991. Since the Tribe began hosting our annual
Pow-Wow, the crowds have increased dramatically - just
look at the size of the crowd we had attending this years'
event. As we plan our permanent site, the Council will
be faced with a major decision to make. Will we plan
for future growth of crowds as we move into the future?
Planning the Pow-Wow site alone will take time.
Another critical component of the Councils' duties will
be monitoring activities by the federal government
agencies and Congress. At this very moment, the BIA is
in the process of a major reconstruction of it's internal
organization. Currently, the Bureau is planning to ,
separate the branch of education from the rest of the
main organization. Also, we will need to monitor the
activities by the IHS. There is a possibility of the
Council needing to work with other federal agencies as
well at the BIA and IHS.
Currently, Indian Tribes are beginning to actively take
a role in working with both the Administration and
Congress, in formulation of the Agenda for the 1990s',
for Native Americans. Our Tribe may wish to partake in
this particular activity. Currently, we have a tremendous
supporter as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Select
Committee, Indian Affairs. Also, we are very fortunate
to have a supportive Senator and a 1st District Repre
sentative from Oregon. Other Tribes throughout the
U.S. aren't as fortunate as we are. In Wisconsin and
Michigan, Indian Tribes now have a hostile Congres
sional delegation, which consistently introduces legisla
tion to cither limit Indian treaty hunting and fishing
rights, or to abrogate them all together.
Since we have a supportive Congressional delegation,
the time may be now to work to do future planning for
our Tribe and Indians throughout the nation. We are
aware that the U.S. Supreme Court has handed out
decisions which were not a bit favorable for Indian
Tribes. So, we can assume that future conflicts with
States or other entities won't get a favorable resolution
from the Supreme Court.
There are other levels of government the Tribe will
need to work with. The State of Oregon, for example.
We know we will have a new Governor early next year.
Also, we will want to formulate a good working relation
ship with our new 3rd District State Representative.
- Establishing a working relationship with the local
County Commissioners should be considered as well.
Good Public Relations with our neighbors will be
essential for the future of the Tribe.
Lets' look at what is currently pending as duties facing
the Tribal Council. Right now, we have the Draft Indian
Child Welfare (ICW) ordinance, which needs review -and
final approval from the Tribal Council. Also, the
Council may want to begin working on the changes
proposed by NAPOLS, regarding our Tribal Court
Rules and Evidence Code. Both these documents are
rather thick.
Economic development is another complex arena the
Council is in. In Public Law 100-425, the bill establish
ing the Grand Ronde reservation, there is a requirement
for the Tribe to allocate 30 of annual revenues earned
from the reservation, exclusively for Economic Develop
ment. Just how will we accomplish Economic Develop
ment? How about tourism? We all know there is an
enormous amount of traffic going by Grand Ronde
during the weekends and, during the summer the traffic
is heavy 7 days a week. Maybe small businesses will play
a role. Tribal enterprise is a possibility, but Tribal
government stability is a must.
I believe the Tribe can have a most positive impact on
the Community, and West Valley area through Eco
nomic development. But, careful planning and analysis
are necessary. It won't happen overnight. In the timber
industry, environmental concerns could have a negative
impact on the economy of this area. Therefore, it may
behoove us to diversify the economy away from timber.
. These are but a few duties facing the Tribal Council.
We have a lot of work to do charting the direction our
Tribe wishes to pursue.
PARENT COMMITTEE
MEETINGPOTLUCK
All parents of Native American Children should attend.
October 24, 1990 at 6:00 p.m.
Willamina Middle School Library