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July 18, 1997
SMOKE SIGNALS
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor:
I recently attended a workshop on How
to Communicate Tribal Visions, Goals and
Objectives at the Grassroots Level. It was
interesting to hear from speakers of the
Colville Reservation, Navajo Nation, and
the Confederated Salish and Kootenai
Tribes of the Flathead Nation in Montana.
The main difficulty for these tribes is that
management of their tribal resources is de
bated by the members of the tribes with no
consensus being reached. By allowing this
to happen, management of the resources is
severely held back. Work that needs to be
done to manage tribal resources cannot be
accomplished. My personal belief is that ,
the policies of tribal management is defeat
ing them. By careful management of their
tribal resources, great benefits could come
to tribal members. Without effective tribal
management, there is no gain for jobs, hous
ing, education, cultural activities, and other
tribal enterprises.
My personal opinion is that we at Grand
Ronde are very fortunate to have strong and
enlightened Tribal Council who will make
decisions and standby those decisions. This
is true fof management of our tribal re
sources and all business the Tribal Council
conducts fore the benefit of all members.
Tribal managers have the responsibility
from theTribal Council to conduct effec
tive programs and their staff is selected ac
cording to set standards. Our Tribal Coun
cil needs the support of all members for the
decisions that are made on our behalf. The
membership has input through the General
Council. Decisions are made by the Tribal
Council, whom we elect to office. It is my
belief that this is a good way to accomplish
business.
Sincerely,
Claudette Parazoo
Grand Ronde Tillicum 2923
Common Ground
a huge success
The Kwelth Tahlkie Culture and Heritage
Board would like to thank everyone who
helped make the A.T.N.I. Common Ground
gathering held in Grand Ronde such a suc
cess. Common Ground provided a forum
for such vital common tribal experiences
as termination and restoration and for our
effort in cultural protection.
Performances and assistance by the
Tribe's youth impressed visitors, and our
young men provided drumming during the
opening and closing ceremonies for each
day as well as the mini pow-wow. Royalty
served in several capacities during the gath
ering, including serving meals to Elders.
Special thanks to Ali Holsclaw, Jenny
Bailey, and Emma Leno. The pre-school
children sang some songs, too.
Thanks to the 160 participants from Or-'
egon, Washington, and Alaska. Special
thanks to the Grand Ronde panel partici
pants, Ila Dowd, Peachie Hamm, Eugene
LaBonte, and Chip Tom. Thanks to all tribal
members who attended the pow-wow and
volunteered their time.
Those who helped in organizing the Com
mon Ground Conference are the Casino's
marketing, player services, housekeeping,
and food and beverage departments; The
Tribe's early childhood education program,
the pre-school kids, and the ECE staff
worked at the registration desk. The Well
ness youth served food and helped with
clean up, and staff from tribal programs
provided information booths. Thank you
to the Board staff and Committee members.
Finally, thanks to those artists who donated
raffle and door prizes, the Elders for the gifts
they made, and Spirit Mountain Casino for
the use of their comfortable facilities.
This event required help from so many.
Thanks to all of you!
Recent Tribal Council Actions
June 25, 1997
The meeting was called to order at 5 p.m.
A full Council was present. Margaret Pro
vost, Chair of the Health and Human Ser
vicesCommunity Services Council Com
mittee, recommended that the Tribal Coun
cil adopt a $ 1 26,940 budget request for fos
ter care, emergency assistance, and addi
tional staffing requirements. Margaret
moved, Ed Larsen seconded, to adopt Reso
lution No. 046-97 approving the budget as
recommended. The motion carried by a
vote of 8-0-0.
The Education Committee chair, Chip
Tom recommended drafting a letter of sup
port for Jack L. Bailey to act as liaison be
tween the Tribe and Willamina School Dis
trict. Ed Pearsall moved, Gene LaBonte
seconded a motion to draft a letter of sup
port. The motion carried by a vote of 8-0-0.
Reyn Leno, chair of the Resource Com
mittee, recommended to approve a contract
with Drake Construction with an attached
limited waiver of Sovereign Immunity by
the Tribe. Gene LaBonte moved, Chip Tom
seconded to adopt Resolution No. 048-97
approving a contract with Drake Construc
tion with the attached limited waiver of
Sovereign Immunity as recommended. The
motion carried by a vote of 8-0-0.
Ed Pearsall, chair of the Government Com
mittee, recommended the first reading of the
Tribal Council Ordinance, Tribal Code 220
and that the Executive Officer be directed to
post a thirty-day notice of its amendments (at
right) in Smoke Signals. Ed Pearsall moved,
Chip Tom seconded a motion to approve the
posting. The motion carried by a vote of 7
yes and 1 no vote. Mark Mercier voted no.
The amendment covers the finalization of the
new Council Committee structure.
Please Note: Election Information
The Election Board will be holding office hours every Tuesday and Thursday from 1-4
p.m. at the old mealsite house on Ackerson Road. The Board's phone number is 879-5600.
We can answer questions and take requests for Registration Forms and Absentee Ballots.
You may also direct election questions to Tracy Dugan at the tribal offices. Call 1-800-422-0232,
extension 2254. The Board has received many questions about the Registration
Forms included in the voting packets that were mailed out last month. If you have already
registered to vote in a prior election, you are not required to do so again. Also, please
remember that when you return your Absentee Ballot, the back of the return envelope
MUST include your printed name, signature, and Enrollment number. If you do not know
your Enrollment number, please call Margo Mercier in the Enrollment Office.
Draft Amendment to Tribal Council Ordinance
COUNCIL COMMITTEES
CREATION AND PURPOSE: The Tribal Council may, by resolution, designate one
or more Council Committees to study and make recommendations to the Council on
issues, requests, and other matters which the Council may consider.
MEMBERSHIP: Each Council Committee shall consist exclusively of Tribal Council
members. There shall be at least three (3) Council members on each committee, includ
ing its Chairperson. On the date the Committee provisions of this ordinance become
effective, and not later than thirty (30) days after every Tribal Council election thereaf
ter, each Council member shall identify to the Tribal Council Chairperson three (3) Council
Committees on which he or she will serve. If a Council member does not identify the
Committees on which he or she will serve, the Council Chairperson shall appoint that
Council member to Committees. If a Committee does not have at least three (3) mem
bers, the Council Chairperson shall make the necessary number of appointments to the
Committee. Committee terms shall expire on the date of the next Council election.
COMMITTEE OFFICERS: Each Council Committee shall elect a Chairperson and
Vice-Chairperson. . ,
COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Meetings and actions of Council Committees shall be
governed by and held in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (f) of this Ordi
nance and the Tribal Ethical Standards Ordinance (Tribal Code 273), with such changes
in the context of those provisions as are necessary to substitute the Committee and its
members for the Tribal Council and its members; provided, however, that the time of
regular meetings of Committees shall be determined by the Committee, and that special
meetings of Committees may also be called by resolution of the Tribal Council. All
meetings shall be open to the public, except the Committee may discuss matters in Ex
ecutive Session in the same manner as may the Tribal Council. The Tribal Council may
adopt further rules for the government of any Committee not inconsistent with the provi
sions of the Tribal Constitution and Tribal Code.
ATTENDANCE: Attendance at Committee meetings is required of Committee mem
bers, unless excused if the absence is approved by the Tribal Council Chairperson and
Committee Chairperson in advance of the Committee meeting. Absences shall be ex
cused if there is a conflict with other tribal business or for personal reasons other than a
general refusal to participate in Tribal Council meetings, Tribal Council Committees, or
other Council matters. If a Council member has six (6) unexcused absences for any
Committee or combination of Committees on which he or she serves during a single
term, a penalty of $600 shall be assessed against him or her after the sixth (6th) unex
cused absence and the Tribal Council Chairperson shall instruct the Tribe's Financial
Officer to assess such fine against the Council member's Tribal Council salary. For each
unexcused absence thereafter, a further $100 penalty shall be assessed against the Coun
cil member and the Council Chairperson shall instruct the Financial Officer to assess said
fine against the Council member's salary.
ACTION OF COMMITTEES: The Tribal Council Chairperson, or his or her desig
nate on the Tribal Council, shall assign likely Tribal Council agenda items to the appro
priate Committee for study and consideration. The Committee shall, through its Chair
person, make a recommendation to the Council as to the appropriate action with respect
to said items. Each Committee shall have further functions as can be lawfully delegated
and to the extent provided in the resolution creating such Committee.
REMOVAL OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS; DISSOLVING OF COMMITTEES:
Council may by resolution remove a Council member from a Council Committee andor
dissolve the Committee.
REPORTS: The acts of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which there is
a quorum shall be the act of such Committee. The Committee Chairperson shall regu
larly report all acts and recommendations of the Committee to the Tribal Council, be in
writing and distributed to Council members prior to each regular meeting of the Tribal Council.