June 15, 1998
Election
7
....... .
BARBARA LAKE
Dear tribal members:
My name is Barbara Lake. I am a Tribal member
who cares deeply about the future of our Tribe. This
letter is being addressed to you because I am running for
Tribal Council and I am asking for your vote.
Being a life long resident I continue to live, work,
and raise my children in the Grand Ronde area. My
life, my home, my family, and my history are here in
our tribal home. Most of my working life has been
focused on serving my community. Since 1991 1 have
worked and served as an employee of our Tribe, before
that time, I served our larger community as an employee
of the State of Oregon. I know where we have come
from and have great hopes for where we are going.
I ask for your support because as a tribal member I
feel a responsibility and a desire to make a positive con
tribution to the wonderful things our Tribe is accom
plishing for our people.
My Strengths:
My roots are deeply imbedded in our tribal commu
nity. I believe that our members are our greatest re
source. Hearing your voices; honoring the' past; and
building the future are my greatest concerns. I'm a good
listener and I will respect your voice.
Through my community involvement and my work
with the tribal government I'm highly aware of your
needs and desires for member services. I'm also very
familiar with our staffs strengths and their ability to
deliver these services.
I have extensive knowledge of our tribal govern
ment and the federal rules it must follow.
I'm a trained mediator. This is a skill of great value
to a Tribal Council member.
I'm an excellent communicator. I don't do double
talk.
Tribal issues dear to my heart:
Indian Child Welfare and protecting our children's
future.
Diversifying our economic base and providing an
opportunity for employment for tribal members who do
not fit in the casino employment profile. Our future
holds more than the casino.
To seek and encourage input from the general mem
bership on major issues affecting the Tribe. (Tribal mem
bers should be asked about decisions, like when the Tribe
initiated negotiations that led to the 6 gross gaming
profits going to the state. In return the Casino was al
lowed additional table games and slots.)
Expand some tribal services, housing as an example,
to benefit all tribal members. Right now many tribal
members are excluded from services because of their
income.
Target a hometown lending institution owned by and ,
run for tribal members.
I will always work for the Tribe and its members to
the best of my abilities. Please vote for me as your
Tribal Council member, Saturday September 5, 1998.
v'
Mm
ROBERT HALLER
Hello tribal members:
I am Bob Haller and I am running for Tribal Council
again this year. I was elected to Council in 1994. I
completed my term last year, and ran last year, but was
defeated by two votes, so please be sure you vote. Ev
ery vote does make a difference. One or two votes can
change an election.
My mother was Adeline (Menard) Haller. She was
born and grew up in the Grand Ronde area. I am from
a large family. I have four sons who all have returned
to the Grand Ronde area. They all work at Spirit Moun
tain Casino.
I am living in the Grand Ronde area now with my
wife, LaVeta (Sell) Haller and two grandchildren. We
purchased a home and have been here about three years
now.
My wife is a tribal member who was born in
McMinnvile, and who also grew up with her family in
Grand Ronde. We have all lived in the area, but as
many of you know, many have had to leave in search of
work.
I now have a much better understanding of both the
problems and the accomplishments that have been made,
since I have experienced living in and out of the Six
County Area. I have experienced being out of work,
without insurance, and out of unemployment, trying to
keep the bills paid, as many of you have.
The following are some of the things I supported when
I was on Council:
I worked hard for the dividend policy which is funded
by timber revenue. I supported the Elders' Retirement
Plan, health, dental, and vision care and insurance for
all tribal members no matter where they live. These
were some of my main concerns.
I also was a strong advocate in changing the hiring
policy at the Casino from "Best Qualified" to tribal pref
erence. Our tribal members were having a tough time
competing with outside competition, and we needed to
give our tribal members a better opportunity to be em
ployed. I also would support training tribal members
for some of the higher paying jobs as they are vacated.
We have the biggest and best casino in the Northwest,
which netted approximately $40 million last year. I
would also support per capita payments from Casino
revenue, as the Housing Survey showed that 25 of our
tribal members live in poverty, and 45 are low-income.
I think we also need to address the homeless tribal
member issue. We will always have some who are down
on their luck or who are coming back in search of work,
etc. Perhaps a homeless shelter here in Grand Ronde
would be the answer.
I closing, I would ask for your support in this coming
election. If elected I will continue to support these poli
cies. And any new ones that would better help our people.
If you have any questions or concerns about these or any
other issue, please call me at (503) 879-3792.
'':v i v '
J
MARGARET PROVOST
Dear tribal members:
Today I come to you thanking you for the opportunity
to serve you, for the past three years and all the prior
years, as your Tribal Council member. From the part I
played in the early beginnings of bringing our Tribe to
restoration to my latest term on Tribal Council, I strive
to ensure that tribal traditions and values are included in
our decision-making.
The values I advocate and apply in my role as a Tribal
Council member are sharing, taking care of family (as
we are all related), respecting our Elders and not just
considering their needs but attending to them, holding
our youth up and leading them to the right paths, bal
ancing meeting today's needs with tomorrow's needs,
being proud of who we are as Indian people, nurturing
our children, assisting our handicapped and respecting
their contributions, promoting healthy living that is bal
anced with spirituality, good thoughts, and taking care
of our bodies, protecting our tribal rights and resources,
and extending our dreams so that they become realities.
Together with your support I have applied these val
ues and traditions to my work on Tribal Council.
Through my work I serve on various committees and
work groups that achieved, or are on the road to achiev
ing success for our people. Examples of some of these
committees I served on are the Tribal Elders' Commit
tee, Health Committee, Service Integration Team at
Grand Ronde, Rodeo Committee, National Congress of
American Indians, State of Oregon Commission on In
dian Services, and various other internal Tribal Council
subcommittees. These efforts helped produce the Mem
ber Benefit Fund, the Elders' Retirement Fund, the Dis
ability Fund, a food bank at Grand Ronde, the new Health
and Wellness Center and expanded health services as
well as emergency services funds for members who live
outside the Grand Ronde area, and the establishment and
expansion of our Casino.
All of these accomplishments are important and you
can count on me to continue to support them and expand
upon them but not to deplete the resources of the Tribe.
Balance is the key to meeting today's needs with the
planning and saving for tomorrow.
Future issues are finishing the housing for the Elders,
establishing youth nurturing services, expanding our eco
nomic base so that employment opportunities for mem
bers are established and money is made to create a stable
financial base that will support the future needs of the
Tribe.
Through the wisdom, guidance, and help that the Cre
ator gives me, I will continue to advocate for our people
and reflect it in my decision-making on the Tribal Coun
cil. I have stated what is in my heart and the direction I
see beneficial for the Tribe. I ask that you vote for me
in the upcoming election and I shall continue to advo
cate for what is right.