Smoke Signals
AprB 1992
Page!
Chairman's
Report
By Mark Mercier
The tribe is near making a major
step in our history by seeing the
completion of our community center
on our own headquarters. The
community center is the first of a
series of buildings planned.
On April 15th, the Grand Ronde
Tribe will conduct a dedication
ceremony for the community center
at 9:00 ajn. Our Senior U.S. Senator
Mark Hatfield may be present to
participate in this monumental event.
Also invited is U.S. Representative
Lcs AuCoin, who will leave his
position to run for the junior U.S.
Senate seat up for election in Novem
ber of this year (1992).
Without Senator Hatfield's and
Congressman AuCoin's support in
the Grand Ronde Tribe's restoration
and the establishment of our reserva
tion, it is unlikely that we would have
a new building to dedicate. We are
deeply indebted to both Senator
Hatfield and Congressman AuCoin.
Another individual invited to
participate in the dedication is
Elizabeth Furse, who is a candidate
for Congress, specifically the U.S.
House of Representatives, First ,
District; Oregon.
In early 1981, Elizabeth began
working with the Grand Ronde Tribe
in pursuit of our recognition. Besides
helping Grand Ronde, Elizabeth
worked to reverse the termination of
the Klamath Tribe and Coquille
Tribe. Elizabeth is indeed a true
champion for human rights of
minorities, and all people.
We need Elizabeth in Congress.
She is aware of issues and problems
facing Indian Country. Not all
members of Congress are committed
to seeing the U.S. Government
keeping agreements negotiated
through the treaties made with our
ancestors many generations ago.
Without people like Elizabeth, rights
of Native Americans may be jeopar
dized. ,
The Tribal Council urges everyone
to vote in the upcoming elections. If
you're not registered, you can pick up
a voter registration card in any post
office, Remember, it takes voters to
get people like Senator Hatfield,
Congressman AuCoin, and Elizabeth
Furse in office. Voting is our only
true safeguard to keeping a sound
and working democracy in our
government; Federal, State, County,
and Tribal.
, In closing, we urge you to please
register to vote, and then vote!
Feasibility study offers potential jobs and
opportunities for tribal members
By DavidS. White
The Spirit Mountain Development
Corp. (SMDC) will shortly conduct a
: feasibility study of a possible business to
manufacture and market equipment
used in the environmental industry. We
are in need of temporary help to assist
us in our evaluation of this project. This
operation may include a joint venture
with a Seattle based company already
engaged in these activities.
According to Tribal Chairman Mark
Mercier "It is an earnest effort to see if
we can bring some jobs into this local
area."
While only in a formative stage, our
long term objective is to bring opera
tions and additional employment
opportunities to our community. We
require the following described types of
temporary positions for a period of one
to three months. If the feasibility study
produces acceptable results regarding
the project, these positions may con
tinue and other similar positions
created. The temporary positions are as
follows:
1. Feasibility Project Coordinator. A
person is needed to work with and
under direction of both SMDC and
Seattle company in management of the
feasibility study. Includes evaluation of
data and responsibility to write final
report to SMDC.
2. Two part-time research positions
for the identification and review of
various trade publications, professional
journals, periodic publications, research
publications and similar informational
resources in the enironmental field.
Research shall be conducted at tribal
Tribe's Economic Development Program assists entrepreneurs
In early 1991, representatives of four
Oregon Indian Tribes met to discuss
methods to resolve common problems
and barriers that impede development
of successful private, Indian-owned and
managed & tall businesses in Oregon.
Common arriers include the lack of a
network of successful role models to
provide counseling and support, insuffi
cient access to equity and debt capital as
well as a lack of on-site technical
business assistance services and business
skills training.
These tribal representatives agreed
further that such special needs are not
adequately met through existing public
or private resources and that alternative
measures must be taken to meet the
needs of the prospective Indian entre
preneur. Thus, in July, 1991, they
formed the Oregon Native American
Business and Entrepreneurial Network
(ONABEN) for the purpose of develop
ing successful private business owner
ship among Oregon's Native American
population.
ONABEN is a non-profit, public
benefit corporation under the laws of
Oregon chartered for the purpose of
providing technical business assistance
and business skills training to Native
Americans living on or near Oregon
reservations. The network will assist
Indian business owners and entrepre
neurs to improve access to business
capital. ONABEN plans to establish a
network of Business Development
Centers located within Oregon Indian
Communities, and geared to meet the
unique needs of Native Americans!
The corporation is managed by a
Board of Directors, with initial Board
members appointed from the following
charter member Tribes: Grand Ronde,
Klamath, Siletz and Warm Springs.
Each of the four member Tribes has
contributed $10,000 in start-up funding
in addition to the annual dues of $1,000
for a total of $44,000.
In October, 1991, ONABEN initiated
the "Small Business Greenhouse"
program at three locations, Grand
Ronde, Chiloquin, and Warm Springs.
The "Greenhouse" program is a series of
20 weekly classroom training workshops
of 3 hours each covering small business
fundamentals. In addition, each partici
pant receives at least one hour of one-on-one
counseling every two weeks from
an experienced business counselor. The
participating tribes are providing in-kind
support including office space, class
room space and administrative support
to the business counselor.
At least six new businesses have been
formed to date, the Small Business
Association has made one direct loan,
and we have negotiated two bank loans
for business start-ups. A "small business
incubator" is being established at Warm
Springs to assist several of these emerg
ing businesses.
This first class will graduate in April,
1992. If you are interested in knowing
more about how to start your own small
business call Mitch Conley at 879-5211.
$$$$EARN CASH DAILY$$$$
Spirit Mountain Development
Corporation is looking for
pickers. Call Ron Jordan at
876-2064.
headquarters and at major public and
university libraries. Based upon a
prepared study outline, a weekly
summary report will be submitted
detailing the investigative data.
3. Secretarial support. Part to full-time
position to help develop and maintain
reporting system during the feasibility
period. Must be capable of transcribing
dictation, working with word processing
software and producing reports to the
SMDC.
4. Steel fabrication estimator. This
person will have experience working in a
steel fabrication shop, will be familiar
with most steel fabrication processes
and be able to read prints for fabrica
tion. Prefer someone who also has some
estimating experience and can function
as a liaison between engineer and
fabricator.
Again, the above positions may exist
only for a period of one to three
months. Salary will be discussed at the
time of the interview. Please submit
resumes to SMDC, P.O. Box 90, Grand
Ronde, OR 97347 no later than April
10. For more information and to
complete a telephone interview ques
tionnaire, please call tribal headquarters
at 879-5211 ext. 204.
Smoke Signals
program Operations
Greg Archuleta
Editor
Cathy Cline
Smoke Signals is pub
lished monthly by the Con
federated Tribes of the
Grand Ronde Community of
Oregon, 9615 Grand Ronde
Rd., Grand Ronde, OR
97347.
Articles appearing in
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responsibility of the authors
and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the
Confederated Tribes of .
Grand Ronde.
Submissions of articles,
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