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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 1998)
Election Smoke Signals ED LARSEM Hi, my name is Ed Larsen. I have been on Tribal Council since 1992.. I currently serve as your Vice chairman. I thank you for your votes in the past and I ask you for your support in the upcoming election. I believe I have demonstrated the ability to show I can get the job done. Here are a few examples: 1. I was on the committee that picked our consulting team for gaming. As you know, our Casino is the big gest and best in the Northwest. It is also the number one tourist attraction in Oregon. I still serve on the Spirit Mountain Development Board of Directors. 2. I helped pick the Gaming Commission Director and Commissioners. We have one of the best commis sions around. People ask us for advice. 3. I was on the Housing Advisory Board. Tribal Council picked the Commissioners for the Housing Au thority from our recommendations. We have just about completed Grand Meadows, our mobile home park. We are also well on our way to our second project: Elder rental housing, which should be done next year. 4. I was on the team that re-negotiated the sate gam ing compact. We got extra games that helped our rev enue immensely. The following is a list of current projects I am work ing on: 1. Helping negotiate a partnership with the Polk and Yamhill County Sheriffs departments for more cover age in the West Valley. Also we need to think about starting our own tribal police. 2. Once again we need water. We need to find a new source. Also the sewer system needs to be improved. 3. I am working on committee to do a stewardship program with the Tribe, BLM, and the U.S. Forest Ser vice.! This will be of great benefit to the Tribe. Other committees and boards I serve on: 1. Tribal Governments and Budget 2. Economic Development 3. Legislative 4. Land Acquisition Team 5. I represent the Tribe on three county boards also. The Yamhill Community Action Planning Team, Yam hill County Head Start, and The Polk County Service Integration Team. Last but not least, I am on the Rodeo Committee. We resurrected the Rodeo in 1996. I had a lot of great help ers and we earned the honor of Best New Rodeo of the Year. It is now an annual event. I am proud of the things we have accomplished since I have been on Tribal Council. The health plan, retire ment, and dividend payments stand out. Also the ex pansion of the education programs. We still have a ways to go, but we are getting there. We need to keep diver sifying our economic base. We are doing this with de velopers with much experience. We need also to work more with our Small Business owners of the Tribe. They need to be working. By this I mean that Spirit Moun tain Corporation helping our members who have small businesses. I have gained a lot of experience and built many rela tionships. Some of these relationships are with county commissioners of Polk and Yamhill counties, some leg islators of the state, as well as some Congress people. I also know the Bureau of Indian Affairs director in the Portland office. As you can see, I have a very busy schedule, but still have an open door policy. If you can't stop by, give me a call if you have a question or concern. If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to find out. Many of you already know this, but I would like to extend this invita tion for those who don't. In closing I would like to leave you with a saying I try to live by. It is: "I shall pass this day but once. There fore, any good I can do or any kindness I can show my fellow man, let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this day again. " Everyone should vote. Last year's election was de cided by two votes. Your vote is important, and I am asking for it. If you have any questions of me, please write: Ed Larsen, Box 153, Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347. Call (503) 879-5360. ! K T J. UEN GREGG For those of you who don't recognize the face, you might the name. It's J. Ken Gregg, a proud, traditional Grand Ronde tribal member and Vietnam veteran, run ning for one of the three Tribal Council positions. For those who don't know the name, ask a family member as I have been heavily involved in tribal member issues in the past. Regardless of who the member is or where they live. I could list my family heritage, but this would be self-serving on my part, as I consider you all family. My interests and issues are not mine alone, but have been brought to me by many of our own people and I have taken each and every one of these challenges to find some common ground or resolve. Issues like the plight of our homeless men, women, and children, in cluding some of our treasured Elders. Poverty is some thing as Native Americans we have had to live with for years, and even with our new found tribal wealth, it still unexplainably exists within our people. (Why?) Diversity in our tribal projects and developments is great, but when even a small percentage doesn't take place on our own land and employ our own people, who for one reason or another are not employable at our ma jor development, the Casino, then who really benefits? Our people need jobs, and they are not asking for hand outs. We are a proud people. Rather than addressing each and every issue, I will list a few. I have been asked to address insurance for tribal spouses, affordable housing for Elders, and low-income increased education for not only our youth but all tribal members so we can depend more on our own people for self-reliance. Publication of all Tribal Council voting records, communicating more effectively with tribal members outside the Six County Service Area, and re viewing per-capita. These are a few I am addressing. Please feel free in contacting me with the ones you feel passionately about or opinions on the ones I have just listed, for the only thing I would ask of all candidates, regardless of the outcome of this election is that you make a commitment to work with the Tribe, the com mittees, and Council to resolve these issues over the next year as I intend to do. Having served as Vice-President of a national multi billion dollar industry for seven years, and working closely with the last two administrations, I feel I am politically well-positioned to deal with our federal and state legislators. Please do not mistake my message or intent. I am personally very proud of each and every past and present Council member for the fine job they have done in the past, and would strive myself to uphold this fine tradi tion if given the opportunity. I am but a singular voice, but a voice of many. My dedication and direction is by your will. I am approach able, responsible, and will get the job done. In closing, I would like to thank you in advance for your support. i-
