DECEMBER 15, 2000
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Tribe can Regulate its Own Gaming Now says Commission
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The National Indian Gaming Commission (IGC) recently announced that the Grand a distinction. 'This is something we have strived for for many years," said Grand
Ronde Tribe is now recognized for operating a self-regulating Indian casino. The Ronde Gaming Commissioner Lynn Hillman. "We far exceeded the highest levels
Menominees in Wisconsin are the only other Tribe in the United States to have such required by the IGC for self-regulation."
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Certificate at General Council Meeting
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ANNOUNCEMENT Gaming Commis
sioner Lynn Hillman informed the
General membership that the
Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde are now one of only two
Tribes in the country to own and
operate a self-regulated casino.
By Brent Merrill
The final General Council meeting
of the year was held on Sunday, De
cember 3 at the Tribal Community
Center in Grand Ronde. Three pro
gram presentations were made and
discussion followed each report. Here
are the highlights:
D GAMING COMMISSION
The first report was by the Grand
Ronde Gaming Commission. Com
missioners were introduced to the
General Council as well as the new
Executive Director of the Gaming
Commission Eric Reiss and his wife
Bridget.
The Gaming Commission consists of
Chairman Lynn Hillman, Vice-Chair
Leonette Galligher, Gene Davidson,
Mary Mode and Pat Mercier.
Hillman gave the presentation and
detailed the responsibilities of the
commission. He said the commission
worked on the gaming compact ne
gotiations between the State of Or
egon and the Spirit Mountain Casino.
Hillman informed the membership
of the fact that the Grand Ronde
Gaming Commission is the only one
of its kind in the state to be com
pletely autonomous from the Tribe.
What that means is the Gaming
Commission is a completely indepen
dent body from the.Tribe.or. thexa-.
sino. All commissioners are part-time
and the commission employs 7 full
time personnel. The Gaming Com
mission reports to Tribal Council.
"We regulate," said Hillman. "We
protect Tribal assets."
The Gaming Commission was cre
ated in 1995.
"Tribal Gaming is the most regu
lated industry in the country," said
Hillman. "We had to work with the
state to build the casino business. We
had to work on the government-to-government
relationship."
Hillman said that the Gaming
Commission has processed over 5,000
applications since 1995. He said the
commission conducts background in
vestigations on all potential employ
ees at the casino including drug
screens.
The Gaming Commission also li
censes vendors and conducts audits
of the casino on a regular basis.
Hillman said that Tribal members
should be proud that casinos from all
over the country use the casino's set
of standards, regulations and inter
nal policies as models for their own
operations.
Hillman announced that Grand
Ronde's Spirit Mountain Casino is
now one of only two Tribal casinos
in the nation to receive a Certificate
of Self-Regulation from the Indian
Gaming Commission (IGC).
"This is something we have strived
for for many years," said Hillman of
the rare designation. "What this
means is that the Tribe can regulate
itself. We have the highest of stan
dards and we passed the criteria with
exceptional marks."
Hillman explained that IGC per
sonnel spent three days at the casino
auditing every aspect of the entire
operation.
"The staff is what makes this pos
sible," said Hillman. "We far ex
ceeded the highest levels required by
the IGC.""
The IGC will present the Certifi
cate of Self-Regulation to the Tribal
Council on Tuesday, January 2.
Tribal Chair Kathryn Harrison said
the Menominees of Wisconsin are the
. only other Tribe in the United States
to receive the Certificate of Self-Regulation
from the IGC.
"We should be proud of them too,"
said Harrison of the Menominees
who were also a terminated Tribe.
"They also started with nothing."
D NANITCH SAHALLIE
Dr. Tom Austin, the Executive Di
rector of the Tribal Health and
Wellness program, introduced Nan
itch Sahallie Director Candi Henry
to the General membership.
Nanitch Sahallie is the Tribe's
youth residential treatment center in
Keizer, Oregon.
Henry started her presentation by
using the proper pronunciation of the
name "Nanitch Sahallie." She said
language preservation is very impor
tant at Nanitch.
Many young people from 22 Tribes
were provided services at Nanitch
during the last year. Henry ex
plained that the program serves
Tribes all over the Northwest.
This year six young people from
Grand Ronde used the services at
Nanitch.
Henry said 84 percent of the young
men in the program were successful
and that 76 percent of the young
women were also successful in their
individual treatment.
Henry explained the breakdown of
her program's budget dollars. She
said that most of the program dol
lars come from the Indian Health
Service and that additional dollars
come from the State of Oregon and
the Tribe.
Outreach and support programs
are also very important aspects of the
care each client receives at Nanitch.
"Nanitch is a safe, sheltered, struc
tured environment for these young
people," said Henry. "When they go
home, it is not always as safe as it is
here. We follow up and try to pro
vide outreach and support."
Henry informed the membership
that Tribal Elder Dorothy Lawe
teaches a class for youth at Nanitch
on a weekly basis. And she said that
cultural education is a big part of
what goes on at Nanitch.
Nanitch Sahallie recently received
national accreditation for three years
- which is the highest accreditation
possible. '
D BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Next, Dr. Joe Stone the new Be
havioral Health Program Director in
troduced himself to the membership
and explained why he wanted to be
in Grand Ronde. The Behavioral
Health program was formerly known
as the Mental Health program.
"I noticed that the Tribe was grow
ing and doing many things,", said
Stone. "This will be an exciting and
progressive program. I see a great
deal of strength in this community."
Stone said having the concern of
Tribal Council is critical to the suc
cess of his new program. He also said
it is important to hear the concerns
of Tribal members.
Stone explained that the program
is currently going through the state
process to set up the program.
"I don't want any generic Indian
stuff no pre-packaged curricu
lums," said Stone of pre-prepared
treatment programs designed for In
dians. "What is important is that we
integrate culture and spirituality and
the resurgent strength of the Grand
Ronde people into the program."
D DOOR PRIZES
Gene Davidson won the drawing
for a special Wellness gift. Mary
Mode, Robert Nagle and Rob Whisler
each won $50 and Todd Shandy won
$100. Scott Mode won the Veteran's
Memorial 5050 drawing for $52.
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