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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1999)
3 October General Council meeting minutes Agenda includes casino follow-up, news of a cultural site, and program reports from Health & Wellness and Nanitch Sahallie. OCTOBER 15, 1999 By Tracy Dugan R efore the start of official meeting business, Tribal Chair Kathryn Harrison ex pressed her sorrow and condolences to the family of tribal member Ivanetta Cook, who passed away on October 8. Ivanetta lived in Grand Ronde and was very active in tribal events and committees. GAMING UPDATE The October General Council meet ing began with a gaming update from Bruce Thomas and Adam Henny. The report was a short follow-up to September's report, which was com prehensive. Thomas displayed rev enue charts, and said that casino dividend (the amount that is paid to the Tribe) for the month has exceeded what it was last year during this same time period. This month the casino offered a special "cash back" promotion for Coy ote Club members, which was very successful. Thomas said that the casino has re turning customers, and most people know about Spirit Mountain, but the casino will be trying new and differ ent promotions in the future to at tract people. Adam Henny spoke to the members about Spirit Mountain Casino's 4th Anniversary Celebration, which is happening in October. "We will be giving away a total $100,000 on our 4 year anniversary weekend," said Henny. There will be special poker, keno, and bingo tour naments. For the Grand Ronde Res toration Celebration on November 22, the Native singing group Ulali has already agreed to perform on that day at the casino. Henny said that there will be basket-weaving and beading demonstrations as well. CULTURAL SITE Next, Jan Michael Reibach spoke about the new cultural site, which is currently being constructed near the pow-wow grounds. "Last month I brought this idea to Tribal Council, and they approved it," said Reibach. The cultural site will have many uses. Reibach said the site will be a "post-reservation" cul tural area, which means it will pro mote the diverse Native traditions and beliefs of Grand Ronde tribal members. Reibach said that the ul timate goal for this idea was to cre ate and maintain a permanent cul tural area for the Tribe, members, and visitors; provide an atmosphere that supports Grand Ronde culture and the respect of all Native beliefs; and promote participation in Native American culture. The site will be completed in November, with the exception of the landscaping and sweat lodges. When finished, the site will have a cedar arbor, cedar lodge, picnic tables, barbecue pit, and tipis (for changing clothes). Possible uses of the site could include: naming cer emonies, drummingdancing, lan guage teaching, sweat lodge, circle talks, children's field trips, story telling, and other gatherings. Rei bach said that many tribal members have volunteered to help out on this project, and he thanked them and Tribal Council for their support. Be fore work began on the site last month, a ceremony was held to bless the area. There will be an announce ment in Smoke Signals when the cul tural site dedication will take place. CLINIC REPORT & NANITCH SAHALLIE REPORT The department program report for October was given by clinic di rector Dr. Tom Austin, and Candi Henry, director of Nanitch Sahallie youth treatment facility. Some highlights from Dr. Austin's presentation include: O Introduction of the newly-formed Grand Ronde Tribal Health Author ity, which will oversee the operations of the clinic. Several tribal members serve on the Health Authority. D The clinic will soon be providing urgent care services, and an emer gency services nurse and triage nurse have been hired. D The clinic will be remodeled next year for more exam room space. B Dr. Toliver is now a full-time regu lar employee at the clinic. D Plans are underway to expand clinic services to include a podiatrist (a doctor specializing in foot care), and chiropractic services. Candi Henry's update on Nanitch included the following information: D Last year Nanitch Sahallie served 54 clients from 12 different tribes. B The majority of the clients com pleted the program. B Seven clients were primarily al cohol users. B 47 clients used other drugs. In follow-up after discharge, Henry said that the majority of young people completing the program are doing bet ter in school, have happier homes and families, are participating in cultural and spiritual activities, and most im portantly, continue to abstain from drugs and alcohol. Nanitch Sahallie is a tribally-owned residential treat ment center for Native American youth located in Keizer, Oregon. DOOR PRIZES Door prize winners were: Pearl Lyon, $50; Richard Schmid, $50; Tim Holmes, $50; and Elaine Moore, $100. (Elaine donated her prize to the fam ily of Ivanetta Cook.) Harriet Peter won the Wellness door prize. The next General Council meeting will be held on November 7 at 11:30 a.m. Trifal &cunUl Actions L 1 mi a& s& mm 1 5:03 p.m. Meeting called to or der by Kathryn Harrison, Tribal Council Chair. Except for Reyn Leno (who was excused), all Council was present. Val Grout moved, Bob Haller sec onded to approve the September 1, 1999 Tribal Council meeting minutes as submitted. Motion carried. Ed Pearsall moved, Val Grout sec onded to approve the September 14, 1999 Tribal Council meeting minutes as submitted. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS B Election of Office Tribal Council Vice Chair. Chair Harri son opened Council nominations for the Vice Chair. After comments shared by Bob Mercier and Bob Haller, Ed Pearsall nominated Ed Larsen, seconded by Butch LaBonte. Chair Harrison asked for a close of nominations. Ed Pearsall motioned to close nominations. Nominations closed. A roll call vote was taken. Ed Larsen received five votes, Bob Mer cier and Bob Haller abstained. Ed Larsen, by majority vote, was elected as Vice Chair. A motion to rescind the vote was made and a new vote was then taken. (See: New Business resumed.) B Credit CardSignature Autho rization for new Tribal Council members. Ed Pearsall moved, Bob Mercier seconded to adopt Resolu tion No. 118-99 authorizing June Sell-Sherer and Earl F. LaBonte to sign checks drawn on accounts main tained by The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, subject to the laws and or dinances of the Tribe and to autho rize the use of tribal credit cards in the performance of their duties as Council members, subject to the Tribe's credit card policy. Motion carried 7-0-0. B Credit CardSignature Autho rization for Executive Officer. Bob Mercier moved, Bob Haller sec onded to adopt Resolution No. 119- 99 authorizing Robert Martin to sign checks drawn on accounts main tained by The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, subject to the laws and or dinances of the Tribe and to autho rize the use of tribal credit cards in the performance of his duties as Ex ecutive Officer, subject to the Tribe's credit card policy. Motion carried 7-0-0. TRIBAL GOVERNMENT, MANAGEMENT, & BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE B Over-representation of Native American Youth Grant. Val Grout moved, Ed Larsen seconded to adopt Resolution No. 120-99 which ac cepts the grant from the Oregon Com mission on Children and Families in the amount of $17,000. The grant period runs from July 1, 1999 to Sept. 30, 2000. Motion carried 7-0-0. B Clothing Vouchers for school aged children. Following discus sion, Val Grout moved, Ed Larsen seconded to match the Community Resources Division's payment of $8,500 for additional clothing vouch ers to school aged children. Motion carried 7-0-0. B Non-Member Spouse Health Security Program. Following dis cussion, Ed Pearsall moved, Val Grout seconded to authorize the Risk Management Department to submit revised rules and regulations gov erning a Non-Member Spouse Health program to the Insurance Commis sioner for final approval. Motion car ried 7-0-0. ANNOUNCEMENTS B By full consensus of Council present, Marie Schmidt of Education Committee is approved to travel to ATNI's Annual Conference to be held in Idaho on September 27-30, 1999. NEW BUSINESS resumed As noted by Rob Greene, Tribal Attorney, the initial roll call vote for the Office of Vice Chair inadvertently excluded the vote of Ed Larsen. Val Grout moved, Ed Pearsall seconded to rescind the earlier vote electing the Vice Chair. A second roll call vote was called. Six Council members voted in favor of Ed Larsen. Bob Mercier and Bob Haller abstained. By majority vote, Ed Larsen was elected to the position of Vice Chair. The tribal community is invited to attend Memorial Services for our tribal ancestors. These are the ancestors who have been returned by museums after many years of being confined to museum vaults. The Memorial will be held Saturday, October 23 at the Grand Ronde Cemetery. Graveside services will begin at noon. Meal will follow at 2:30 p.m. at St. Michael's Catholic Church. No photographs or video recording will be allowed.
