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Indian Health Services grant enables Housing Authority to install water.
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By Brent Merrill
The Grand Ronde Tribal Housing
Authority, through an Indian Health
Services (IHS) grant, can help Tribal
members get water and sewer hook
ups in the Tribe's Six County Ser
vice Area.
The hookup fees will be covered by
the IHS grant in Polk, Yamhill,
Tillamook, Marion, Multnomah and
Washington Counties.
"This is an entitlement program for
Native Americans," said Housing
Authority Director Linda Layden.
"This program is for Tribal members
who need a new well, a new septic
tank or are putting in a new house
and need to get connected to their
local water system."
Layden said Tribal members get
ting any kind of water or sewer sys
tems, whether it is repairs to their
. current system or a new or replace-
ment system, are entitled to have this
service provided. She said the fund
ing is through the IHS grant dollars,
, but the program is administered
through the Housing Authority.
Layden said there is no income re
quirements for the IHS money.
Housing Improvement Specialist
Lonnie Leno said Tribal members who
are looking at buying property that
already has water and sewer hook
ups are spending more than they
need to if they qualify for this pro
gram. Leno said property buyers
could look at purchasing land with
out current water and sewer hookups
and then pursue the IHS funding.
Leno said the process can be pretty
quick when water and sewer are al
ready on a site. But, he said it takes
longer when a well has to be dug and
sewer lines installed. Leno said the
process can be slow at times while
trying to meet all the program re
quirements, but he said home buy
ers could save as much as $20,000.
Tribal Elder Marce Norwest received
water and sewer hookups at his home
through the IHS grant program and
couldn't be happier about it.
"They (the Tribal Housing Author
ity) helped me out a lot," said
Norwest. "In my time of need they
were there for me. The things they
have done for my wife and I, we ap
preciate it as Elders. I want them to
know that. Linda (Layden), Lonnie
(Leno), Nancy (Holmes adminis
trative assistant), and Bryan (Lan
gley occupancy specialist) have al
ways been real respectful to me.
They told me what they could do and
that was the way it was. I appreci
ated that. I would like to thank
them."
Norwest said he intends to return
the favor when people visit his new
home.
"If someone comes to my house, I
hope I can treat them like they
treated me there," said Norwest.
Layden said, "We want people to
know these services are available,
that funding is available."
Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority
1-800-422-0232
(503) 879-2401
Twenty-four nominated for Council at General meeting
By Brent Merrill
The May General Council meeting was held on Sunday, May 7. Here are
the highlights.
The Tribe's Chief Financial Officer Bob Saunders, asked the general
membership to consider voting on a transfer of funds from a Govern
mental Trust Fund to other sources. Saunders explained that the money
was a "rainy day" fund set aside in case of emergencies. He said the recent
success of the Tribe's capital ventures would enable that money to be trans
ferred to other Tribal sources and "freeing it up."
"Prior to the creation of the Governmental Trust Fund in 1990, the Tribe
was dependent on indirect income from Federal sources to fund essential
governmental services and wanted to ensure that there was another guar
anteed source of funding," explained Saunders. "The initial target for the
fund was $6 million and increased to $20 million. The intent was to provide
annual funding of between $1.6 million and $1.8 million. At the end of 1999
the Governmental Trust Fund had a balance of $10 million.
"Since the creation of the Governmental Trust Fund, the Tribe has experi
enced tremendous growth and has developed other revenue sources to fund
governmental services and the need for the Governmental Trust Fund as an
alternative revenue source is no longer required," said Saunders. He pointed
to the example of the Tribe's investment earnings of $15 million in 1999 as a
reason for the possibility of transferring the Governmental Trust Fund bal
ance to other sources.
Saunders said the Tribe's other trust funds still need to be funded fully.
"The need for the other trust funds has not been eliminated and one of the
highest Tribal priorities is to fully fund Education, Health, Elder Pension,
Housing and Burial Assistance Trust Funds," said Saunders. "Once these
trust funds are fully funded, the annual income from these funds will be
sufficient to fund the current level of services. Based upon the current level
of contributions all trust funds would be fully funded by the year 2004.
"Because gaming revenue is the primary funding source for the trust funds
and because of potential pressures on gaming income, it would be prudent to
reduce the time required to fully fund the trust funds," said Saunders. He
used the example of potential competition from other gaming Tribes and the
potential for future anti-gaming ballot measures as reasons for freeing up
the funds. "If the balance of $10 million in the Governmental Trust Fund
was transferred to the Pension Trust Fund, all trust funds with the excep
tion of health would be funded in 2002. Health would be funded in 2003.
This time frame would be consistent with when competition from casinos in
Washington would be anticipated."
Considerable discussion was held on the transfer of funds and several Tribal
members said they would like more time to educate themselves on what the
transfer means to them individually.
Members said they wanted health to be a priority for future funding. Mem
bers said they wanted more comprehensive health coverage and that they
wanted to see fewer people falling through the cracks in health insurance
coverage.
Saunders explained the reason the vote was being brought before the mem
bership now, was that the General Membership would not be assembled again
until September's General Council meeting. A vote by show of hands indi
cated the membership wanted to wait until September's meeting to vote on
the issue.
Tribal members Dawn Brinson, Bryce Mercier and Frank Hostler all
won $50 in door prize drawings. Tribal Council member Earl "Butch"
LaBonte also won $50 but put his ticket back in the drawing. Margo Mercier
won the $100 door prize drawing.
Tribal Council nominations for the Tribal election were made at the
General Council meeting.
Albert Peters nominated Leon "Chip" Tom. Tom accepted.
Leon "Chip" Tom nominated Bob Mercier. Mercier accepted.
Arlene Beck nominated Les Houck. Houck accepted.
Mike Bolton nominated Steve Rife. Rife accepted.
Steve Rife nominated Tom Leno. Leno accepted.
Eugene Hudson nominated Cheryle Kennedy. Kennedy accepted.
Charlotte Gray nominated Lottie Child. Child accepted.
Cheri Butler nominated Margaret Provost. Provost accepted.
Lila Musso nominated Marcia Bolton. Bolton accepted.
Heather Jeffers nominated Leona Jeffers. Jeffers accepted.
Jake McKnight nominated Rick McKnight. McKnight accepted.
Marion Davidson nominated Wesley West. West accepted.
Wesley West nominated Wilbur West. West accepted.
April Campbell nominated Ed Pearsall. Pearsall accepted.
Ed Haller nominated Jan Reibach, Sr. Reibach accepted.
Beryle Contreras nominated Loren Holmes. Holmes accepted.
Sharon Hanson nominated Shelley Hanson. Hanson accepted.
Lonnie Leno nominated Tim Holmes. Holmes accepted.
William Kellog nominated Eugene LaBonte. LaBonte accepted.
Annabelle Hamm nominated Claudette Parazoo. Parazoo accepted.
Belden Jeffers nominated Albert Jeffers. Jeffers accepted.
Candy Robertson nominated Diana George. George accepted.
Barbara Lake nominated Val Grout. Grout accepted.
Bryce Mercier nominated Mark Mercier. Mercier accepted.
Margo Mercier moved to close the nominations.
ID
Tribal Council passed a resolution allocating
$1,500 to each member through the Member
Benefit program. For those eligible, with
drawal requests received by June 5, 2000
will generate checks to be mailed on June 20,
2000. Withdrawal requests postmarked June
5, 2000 will not meet the deadline, they must
be in our offices by that date. If you choose
not to make a withdrawal at this time, or miss
the June 5 deadline, the next payment date
will be July 10, 2000. In order to be mailed a
check on July 10, you must have your applica
tion to us no later than June 30, 2000. The
total Member Benefit program allocation for 2000
is $1,500 for each member.
If you did not receive your
application
Need to change your address
Have questions on the
application process
Have questions regarding
your beneficiary
Call 1-800-422-0232
Liz Leno, ext. 2082
Amy Justen, ext. 2223
With any other questions,
contact Chris Leno at
1-800-422-0232, ext. 2340.