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December
16, 1996
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General Council meeting features Public Works report and Life Flight
The General Council meeting was held December 8
at the Community Center. John Mercier, Public
Works Division Manager, delivered his program re
port detailing current projects within that Division.
John reviewed 1 996 projects and what has happened this
year. They include: Phase One of the Manufactured Hous
ing Park (across from the Tribal Cemetery); design and be
ginning construction of the Health and Wellness Center;
construction of a new Natural Resources office complex;
and preliminary designs of a new administration building.
John anticipates that the majority of these construction
projects will be completed in 1997.
The Tribe has also begun work to improve the Tribal Cem
etery, which includes improvements to the road and park
ing lot, and in 1997, a covered area will be built.
This year the Tribe became involved with many outside
community agencies in order to discuss "Regional Problem
Solving," and how the Grand Ronde community is expected
to change based on the Tribe's growth. John works closely
with agencies like the water and sewer districts, ODOT, and
other governmental entities in Polk and Yamhill counties
in order to keep them apprised of the Tribe's development
interests.
Oregon's Life Flight Network also made a presenta
tion at this meeting. Some representatives were
there to explain to the membership the advantages
of having a helipad at the new Health Center. They spoke
about the new Global Positioning System (GPS) and how it
will help speed up the navigation process when flying to
the scene of an emergency.
Janice Plckan, Life Flight Membership Program Manager,
said that a Life Flight membership costs $50 per year per
household, but will be offered to Grand Ronde tribal mem
bers at a discounted rate of $35 per year. She said an aver
age Life Flight response call costs about $5,000, but the
cost from Portland to Grand Ronde runs between $6 to
$7,000. A membership will cover you and your family any
where in the United States, and will allow a response team
to be sent out to the scene, regardless of whether the mem
ber has health insurance. The Life Flight Network is fully
equipped as a mobile critical care and coronary care unit,
with the ability to perform blood transfusions and cardiop
ulmonary bypass. Depending on the circumstance, they can
send out specialized teams, such as surgeons or burn ex
perts. Janice added the Life Flight pilots are trained to land
in places where no helipad is available like roads and streets,
schools, and even in the yard of a private residence if nec
essary. Before the closing of the meeting, the Elders presented
Council member Mark Mercier will a beaded belt
buckle as a gift of appreciation for all his hard work
as Chairman over the years.
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University of Oregon Library
Received on: 12-18-9b
, Smoke signals
When completed the
cemetery will boast a
new parking area and cov
ered shelter.
Crews are working to
get construction done,
despite the ground waters of
the season.
TThe site plan for the
manufactured home
park, located across from the
cemetery.
A Life Flight helicopter
sJr made a special landing
during the December general
council meeting. This gave
the attending membership a
chance to take a close look.