Smoke Signals
4
The Tribal Council has passed a resolution allocating the distribution of 25 of the Casino rev
enue to Tribal members through the Member Services Division. Members who will be 18 years of
age as of December 13, 2000 will be automatically generated a check. Those under the age require
ment of 18 years will have their monies directly distributed into their Trusts accounts.
The date of distribution will be December 13, 2000.
D The Member Services Division will need all members who have had information changes within
the last year to provide conformation of name, address and Social Security number. Please note we
will only accept information changes for members 18 years and over by the member only.
B Only members enrolled on or before July 31, 2000 will be eligible for this distribution, as stated
in the Tribe's Gaming Revenue Allocation Plan.
D Tribal members will be able to pick their checks up in person on December 13 from 8 a.m. through
4:30 p.m.
O All checks not picked up on this date will be mailed out at 4:30 p.m. on December 13.
D If you would like to have someone pick up your check for you on December 13, you will need to
send the "notarized payment instruction" by November 30 at 5 p.m. to Member Services, attention:
Amy Justen. You should have already received payment instructions.
0 Per capita payments from casino revenues are subject to federal, and where applicable, state
income taxes. Each Tribal member is responsible for any tax due as a result of this payment.
Housing Grant Policies Revised
In an effort to reflect the changing needs of the
Tribal membership, the Housing Authority and
Tribal Council have revised the policies for the
Home Repair Grant and the Down Payment Grant
programs, effective November 1.
BTHE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM has in
creased the annual income limits for eligibility from
80 of median income to 120. This translates
to a maximum of $51,550 for a 2-person family to
$64,450 for a 4-person family. The former require
ment for living in the home for a 5-year period
after receipt of the grant has been removed. In
addition, grants for work on mobile homes have
been increased from $3,000 to $5,000.
B THE DOWN PAYMENT GRANT PRO
GRAM has also removed the requirement for liv
ing in the new home for a 5-year period. The maxi
mum income allowable for eligibility for the Down
Payment program has been raised from $65,000
to $70,000. And while this program was formerly
limited to "first time" home buyers, part of the 2000
year budget will be available to provide grants to
Tribal members who already own a home, on a
"one time" basis. The Down Payment program is
available in all 50 states.
The Housing Authority is currently preparing
Lien Satisfactions which are being mailed to all
past recipients of repair grants and down payment
grants who are currently within the 5-year resi
dency period.
Additional information may be obtained by call
ing the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority at
503-879-2401 or toll-free at 1-800-422-0232, ex
tension 2401.
Tribe's New Communications Tower
Continued from front page
The remaining construction work
can be done even in the rain.
Phase two is the bidding of the
on site structures and all the me
chanical work associated with the
tower. Scott said phase two is cur
rently underway and should be
completed soon.
The final phase is the erection of
the tower.
"The main purpose of the com
munications tower project is to im
prove the emergency services for
the area because the Polk County
Sheriffs department had been ex
pressing concern to the Tribal
Council over their inconsistent radio communica
tions and the lack of an actual site to attach more
equipment to in the area," explained Tribal Tele
communications Specialist Jodie Kraemer. "That
is why the Tribal Council thought this was a good
plan and so Polk County will be coming up here,
the State Police will be coming up and Yamhill
County once their communications levy is
passed and they get their new equipment that they
are anticipating then they will be coming up here
along with the Yamhill Communications system
(YCOM). It was really a community service to
enhance the communications here for safety."
v.
4 &mt44iK. SvAto-
.
This is the site of the new communications tower
on the ridge directly east of the casino. The site
has been cleared and prepped for the erection of
the nearly 200-fOOt tall tower. Photo by Brent Merrill
Kraemer said Lifeflight is interested in placing
their radio equipment at the tower site as well.
"We designed it so that it would hold multiple
customers as well as emergency services," said
Kraemer.
The base of the 195-foot tower is at 632 feet above
sea level.
"I - "
In Loving Memory
Myrtle Mae Kowing
Tribal Elder Myrtle Mae
Kowing, 75, passed away
October 20 in McMinnville,
She was born in Sheri
dan on May 26, 1925 to
Stephen and Cecil Russell
Porter Sr. She attended
schools in Sheridan, Wil
lamina and Grand Ronde.
Myrtle married Frank
Kowing June 15, 1943.
They moved to Ballston in
1951 and to McMinnville in 1958. She was a foster
mother, a homemaker and a part-time matron for the
sheriff's office.
She was also a member of the Society of Native
Oregon Born, Rebekah Lodge No. 12 and McMinnville
Senior Citizens.
Preceding her in death were husband Frank Kowing,
who died in 1984, three sisters and two brothers.
Survivors include her sons, Brad Kowing of Dallas,
Frank Kowing Jr. of Silver Springs, MD., and Terry
Kowing of Renton, WA.; daughters Judith Nesbit of
Kelso, WA., and Nancy Kowing of Pico Riveria, CA.;
sisters Etta Hansen of Willamina and Margie Knowlton
of Dora; brother, Birl Porter of Portland; nine grand
children and one great-grandchild.
Memorial services were October 23 at the chapel of
Macy & Son Funeral Directors in McMinnville. Inter
ment was at Greencrest Memorial Cemetery, Sheri
dan. Contributions can be made to hospice in care of
Macy & Son.
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BRENT MERRILL
PUBLIC INFORMATION
COORDINATOR
Editor, Smoke Signals
WriterPhotographer
(503)879-2321
brent.merrillgrandronde.org
KIM MUELLER
GRAPHICS SPECIALIST
Production Coordinator
Design
Photographer
(503)879-2264
kim.muellergrandronde.org
JUSTIN PHILLIPS
PROGRAM SUPPORT
WriterPhotographer
Subscriptions
Delivery
(503)879-2190
iustin.phillipsgrandronde.org
SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes
of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, is published twice a
month. We have an Editorial Policy to encourage input from
readers about stories printed in SMOKE SIGNALS and other
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SMOKE SIGNALS reserves the right to edit any letter for
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Published letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SMOKE
SIGNALS, Tribal employees, or Tribal Council.
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Tues., Dec. 5 DECEMBER 15
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9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, OR 97347
1-800-422-0232 Fax: (503)879-2173
www.grandronde.org