MAY 1,1999 3
Dear tribal members:
lus uk-san, (good day)
I am writing to my fellow tribal
members, also known as General
- Council members. I have recently
witnessed some disheartening be
havior by Tribal Council members.
In regard to how they conduct their
business with committeesboards,
how they treat their employees, the
choices they make in how OUR
tribal funds are used, how they re
spond to tribal members who ask
questions or voice their opinion.
As a result I began to inquire
about what ordinances do cover the
conduct of Tribal Council members.
There is an ordinance which does in
some limited fashion address Coun
cil. It deals with the expectations of
their office and general conduct. In
my opinion it is too generic.
As a result of my reading, I began
to study the constitution of our Tribe.
As many of us, I hadn't read this
very important document. There are
two main ways for an ordinance or
a law to pass. One way is by Tribal
Council. The other way is where the
General membership follows the
process of petition (see Article II,
Section 1, of the Tribal Constitution).
After some inquiring, I found out
that we need approximately 954 or
13 General Council members, to sign
a petition to call for a Special Elec
tion. To validate the election we need
about 860 or 30 to vote in the elec
tion. If 23 of those who vote, which
is approximately 574, vote yes, then
it becomes law or an ordinance.
I didn't realize that we as tribal
members had such an opportunity.
I was under the impression Council
could do what they wanted and we
were powerless to have them listen
to us. I have heard repeatedly that
if we didn't like how they were do
ing their job, don't vote for them.
Unfortunately, if you do not live lo
cally, if you don't work for the Tribe
or if you are not active in tribal poli
tics, I believe you may not be in
formed as to how business is really
ran in our Tribe.
I have consistently heard at Gen
eral Council meetings that Council
is "doing the best they can" that it is
a hard job. Yes, it is. This is an op
portunity for them to communicate
to the membership the challenges
and solutions to problems they en
counter while they represent US to
the world.
I am proposing a Tribal Council Ac
countability Ordinance and creation
of an Oversight Committee. This
will be a beginning for all of us to be
better informed. It is not uncommon
for organizations to do activity re
ports. Their reports can be oral or
written. The oral report can be a 5
or 10-minute summary at the Gen
eral or public meetings. The meet
ings will probably shorten up be
cause the same OLD business can
be addressed instead of coming back
up time after time. As I recall a few
months ago, upon the opening of the
General Council meeting, it was
brought up that the Elders were get
ting upset that the same issues were
coming up in OTHER business. The
issues are still coming up because
they are not addressed. The Over
sight Commission can be a way of
dealing with these issues.
This will also give our governmen
tal system a balance I feel it does not
have now.
I have written up a petition, be
cause this process needed to start
somewhere. By all means this is not
my personal petition or ordinance.
This will have to be done by the
people, for the people. I am praying
that all tribal members will take this
chance to make a positive change in
OUR government, as well as utilize
our constitutional rights to make this
much-needed change. I have heard
repeatedly we "are setting the stan
dard" for how tribes can do business.
Now let's set the standard for respon
sive government.
If you would like to know more
about this petition or would like a
petition to get signatures, you can
contact me at, P.O. Box 158, Grand
Ronde, OR 97347.
Sincerely,
Shawn Hostler (Tdro-Li-Tdret)
Roll 1699
Dear Editor:
I have never written before, and
never thought I would. But I feel so
strongly about this that my mind
cannot rest until I say how I feel.
My name is Teresa Nicholson and
my grandmother is Marjorie
Scheese, formerly LaChance. She
grew up on the reservation and I
grew up knowing that my grand
mother was part Indian. There were
reminders everywhere in her home
of the Indian people and our heri
tage. I was 29 years old before any
one bothered to tell me that I had
enough Indian blood (116) to be put
on the roll. I was honored to be put
on the roll and went with my grand
mother to prove my connection with
the Tribe. At the time I lived in Texas
and the only thing I knew was that
I could prove my heritage. I knew
very little about the benefits I could
receive. I wasn't eligible for medi
cal, besides, I didn't need it. Now I
live in Vancouver, WA. I stay in
touch by reading Smoke Signals. I
talk to my grandmother and my
aunt about the Tribe. I go to pow
wow when I can. I've taken my
grandmother to visit my grand
father's grave, for he is buried at the
Grand Ronde Cemetery.
I am not saying I don't like the
benefits we now have, but I am still
part Indian whether or not money
is made available to me. I will still
be involved to the degree that I can
regardless of where I live or how
much blood is in me. I love my heri
tage and don't want to see it taken
away from another grandchild who,
not by their own choice, is born "im
pure" or does not live near Grand
Ronde. I also think that if the Tribe
continues to plan ahead for the fu
ture and invest money wisely, there
will be enough resources for every
one. Those who are our Elders, and
the future generations. Thanks for
listening.
Sincerely,
Teresa Nicholson
Roll 4001
Correction
The Community Resource Division
has moved to the Modular buildings
on the west side of the community
center. Their direct phone number
was incorrect in the last issue. Please
make note of the correct number:
Direct Local Number: 879-2034
Toll-free: 1-800-242-8196
Fax: (503) 879-5127
SMOKE SIGNALS
DEADLINE 1SSLILDAIE
May 5 MAY 15
May 20 JUNE 1
June4 JUNE 15
June21 JULY 1
Submissions must reach the SMOKE
SIGNALS office by the dates listed.
Dear Editor:
I want to give tremendous thanks
to those who have helped me to
graduate from college. On May 8, 1
will be graduating from Utah State
University in Logan, Utah, with a
Bachelor of Science degree in His
tory. Also, upon my graduation I will
be receiving my teaching certifica
tion for grades 6-12. This great ac
complishment would not have been
possible without a wonderful caring
family and the considerate individu
als at Grand Ronde. My junior year
I was awarded the Eula Petite teach
ing scholarship and I would not have
been able to finish my studies with
out this great help. I would like to
thank Marion Mercier in Education
who helped me with information
about the scholarship and always
kept me aware of the items I needed
to get done. I am so appreciative to
the Tribe for providing me with the
opportunity to receive an education.
I know that I could probably never
repay the Tribe for what it has done,
but I do plan to try by teaching stu
dents of a diverse background. I
want to give as much back to the stu
dents as the Tribe has given me.
I would like to publicly thank some
individuals in my family who have
strengthened me personally in re
ceiving my education: my husband,
Milton Stephenson, Jr.; my mom,
Marta Lu Clifford; and my dad, Ron
O'Neal. I would also like to thank
the rest of my extended family who
have always encouraged me to do
my best and go for my dreams.
Thanks! .
Jennifer Rose Stephenson
Roll 4050
Dear Editor:
I am writing about the article that
appeared in the last issue of Smoke
Signals, where somebody didn't sign
their name. Saying a lot of Elders
are upset because of a few members
who received a free meal. My ques
tion is, did this stop some of the El
ders from getting their meal? Are
we this short of money, that we can
not afford a few more members a free
meal occasionally? If so, I think we
better have somebody look into
where all of our money is going.
Isn't there a rule that if somebody
puts an article in Smoke Signals,
and not have enough nerve to have
his or her name, it should not be
printed? If there is not such a rule,
there should be.
Delores Knight
Roll 340
Editor's Note: Yes, there is a rule
that all Letters to the Editor must
be signed. We do not print anony
mous letters. The article that ap
peared next to the letters in the last
issue was a notice, submitted by the
Elders Committee. It was not a Let
ter to the Editor. In the future, we
will put headlines that are more
clear, and keep notices and letters
separate from each other. We regret
the confusion that this has caused.
EDITORIAL POLICY:
SMOKE SIGNALS a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand
Ronde Community of Oregon, Is published twice a month. We have estab
lished an Editorial Policy to encourage input from readers about stories printed
in SMOKE SIGNALS, and other tribal issues. However, all letters must be
received at the newspaper office with author's signature, address, and phone
number In order to be considered for publication. SMOKE SIGNALS re
serves the right to edit any letter for clarity and length, and to refuse publica
tion of any letter or any part of a letter that may contain libelous statements or
personal attacks. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission.
Published letters do not necessarily reflect .the opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS,
tribal employees, or Tribal Council.
Public Information Office 1 -800-422-0232
9615 Grand Ronde Road (503)879-2254
Grand Ronde, Or 97347 FAX: (503) 879-2 1 73