ly 1091 Council Candidates,
1
THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE
ALL IS ROSY
Chairman Mark
Mercier joined other
tribal officials and
leaders from all across
Oregon in participating
in this year's Grand
Floral Parade on June
11 in Portland. The
parade was televised I V iv h'- ' I
throughout most of the JLV,i 0wfcEfc . ,
western states. I --4K. fv r- 5, 4
Timber is Grand Ronde Tribefs
economic mainstay
Selling timber at the right time,
and getting a good price, is like
shooting at a moving target.
Cliff Adams, the Natural Re
sources Division manager for the
Confederated Tribes of the Grand
Ronde, said that after a volatile first
quarter, the 1 994 market is starting
to stabilize.
For many years the Tribes eco
nomic base had depended onincome
from its forested trust lands. Adams
said that is expected to continue in
the years to come.
' 'This year's early market was up
and down. Our first offering was
too high and we didn't get a sale, ' '
he said. "Things are calming down
and we shouldn't have any trouble
with the next sale."
Timber harvesting
Jeff Kuust, is in charge of the
harvesting operations, timber sales,
road construction and maintenance
and contract administration.
The tribes offer a minimum price
for the standing timber, and com
peting wood products companies
offer their bids at a public auction.
The Confederated Tribes of the
Grand Ronde only sell their timber
to domestic companies, none of the
wood is sold to overseas.
page 6
f s -K T ? will
Over the years the timber has been
sold to only two companies, Hamp
ton Tree Farms and Boise Cascade
Corporation.
"We have two sales programs,
commercial and salvage," Adams
said.
The salvage timber goes to tribal
members.
"We have a list of tribal members,
a small rotating list of people, who
receive the salvage timber,' ' he said.
The division also issues fire wood
permits to tribal members for $5.
Elderly and disabled members get
the permits free.
(Please see Timber, page 10.)
Cliff Adams observes a
controlled burn on the
reservation.
0 jmmmm0
' ;
Health news, page 4
GRAND RONDE COMMUNITY OF OREGON
mm
Strategic plan
wrapped up
Several steps in completing the
Tribes' strategicplan -ablueprint
that will guide the Tribes' progress
- have been completed.
Most recent are the four
community meetings that were
held in Eugene, Salem, Portland
and Grand Ronde.
At the first meeting in Eugene
June 13, Executive Officer Jim
Willis said thatsignificant growth
has been realized since 1987.
"In ten short years, enrollment
has quadrupled. Initially we were
dependent entirely on federal
dollars," he said.
With the acquisition 9,900 acres
of trust timber lands, the Tribes
have become increasingly
independent.
' 'There is the potential for added
economic development with
gaming," Willis said.
He said that the strategic plan
will be a process by which we can
plan for the future, to help guide
the Tribes' on its economic,
cultural and social course in the
years to come.
In addition to the community
Ilunting
Gaming OKfd
The Tribe can now begin
construction on its proposed multi
million dollar gaming facility.
Recently an act of Congress has
clarified the proposed site as
reservation land.
After the compact agreement was
signed by the governor last year,
final approval was delayed by the
Interior Department on the grounds
that the land along highway 1 8 was
not part of the Grand Ronde
reservation.
The legislation, the Indian Law
Technical Corrections Act (Senate
Bill 1954) was signed by President
community meetings
V
'Jit
u
Ed Larsen, left, and John Mercier facilitate discussion
concerning future development of the Tribe.
meetings, a survey has been mailed
out to all tribal members. So far, 24
percent of the members have
responded to the survey.
Information from the survey and
the meetings will be compiled and
analyzed, and presented to the
attendees of the 1993 Strategic
Futures Conference this month.
The draft strategic plan will be
presented to the Tribal Council
tag applications,
page 9
July, 1904
Clinton May 3 1 and approved by
the Interior Department last month.
Spirit Mountain Development
Corporation now expects the facility
to open mid-1995.
The gaming facility is the first
phase in what will be a full-scale
resort, and should employ 5-600
people in the area.
Future plans could include a hotel,
conference facilities, a recreational
vehicle park, and retail shopping.
The 85,000 square foot facility
will offer bingo, Keno, and video
gaming machines as well asabuffct
style restaurant.
for their review in August.
The final plan is scheduled for
adoption in September or October.
Willis said that he was happy with
the response at the meetings, but
disappointed with the attendance.
"Generally, people were pleased
with the information w e presented
and glad to have the opportunity to
get into the strategic planning
process," he said.
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