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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2002)
Committee Feature Housing continued from page 5 their shoulders. And then of course there is the matter that pops up everywhere these days -water. "Water really is our biggest issue," explained Holmes. "It's not a simple matter. The avail ability has really slowed development. The Tribe Rodeo Committee has been working with the Water Association to resolve the shortage problems." As an organized entity, the Housing Author ity falls under the banner of the Northwest In dian Housing Authority. The board members attend the NWIHA conferences that happen three times per year, all of which train members and review legislation that affects Indian hous ing. "I like those meetings," Holmes said. "We get to hear from other Tribes. We get to learn about their accomplishments." BACKGROUND: Though the Rodeo Com mittee works in conjunction with the Tribe and Spirit Mountain Casino, for the most part it func tions as a separate entity. Council did not pass an ordinance establishing the committee. The group was founded five years ago through the efforts of Tribal Elder Marvin Kimsey and his wife Michaelle Kimsey. The idea was, in the words of Kimsey, "to give more entertainment to Grand Ronde." PEOPLE INVOLVED: Marvin Kimsey chairs the nine-member committee, with Michealle Kimsey serving as Treasurer. Members apply for the slots as they would any other job, serv ing indefinitely. Nobody is paid on the commit tee, Kimsey firmly maintaining that wages or stipends would create more problems. The com mittee meets every two weeks. MEMBERS: Duane Hussey, Duke Kimsey, Marvin Kimsey (Chair), Michaelle Kimsey (Treasurer), Billie LaBonte (Secretary), Gene LaBonte, Dale Langley (Vice Chair), Shonn Leno, Harold Lyons, Norris Merrill, Bud and Anna White. FUNCTION: Somebody needed to facilitate and organize the Spirit Mountain Stampede, and therein lies the committee's original function. But as is often the case, the annual rodeo proved to be successful enough that members began to entertain thoughts of other rodeos, as there was clearly a market for them. Naturally, when one is dealing strictly with volunteers, particularly volunteers with other jobs, the wheels turn slowly. But by 2001, the committee had organized the 1st Annual All-Indian Rodeo in September of that year. That ro- Safety Committee I rtlktM Seb TO Y H, f-' 2M M AJ:: f i . A. . t m .r : I PI. a i v. w ' i I IT W 5- 'fl t V? deo was such a success that the committee is gunning for three rodeos in 2002, one of them hopefully the semi-finals for the All-Indian Na tionals. "Our goal is really one day to host the Indian Finals," said Kimsey. Could happen, but not in the immediate fu ture. Rodeos are not easy events to produce and any member of the committee can vouch for that. They are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Tribal Rodeo grounds, advertising, accounting, soliciting sponsors (Boyd's Coffee and Pepsi were major contribu tors this year), attracting stock contractors (those who bring the animals), dealing with vendors, Tribal Council, and even the various rodeo associations. "Right now, we're not very busy obviously," said Michealle Kimsey. "But it gets pretty hur ried, especially during the (rodeo) season. There is a lot to do." And they must always deal with the unex pected, like last year's rainout at the Stampede. Or Elders' com plaints regarding the edgy bull poker, that sport where cowboys sit at a table in the middle of the dirt ring while a raging bull prances about, the last man remaining sit ting being the winner (bull poker has been discontinued). At last year's All-Indian rodeo, Kimsey said, there were rumors that the term "All-Indian" might have scared off non-Natives. But at five years, its safe to say the committee's job has been to experi ment, and their plans won't change any. Already they've looked at the prospects of a "pee-wee rodeo," or even a rodeo for high school students. Kimsey firmly believes that as more people discover the cult of rodeo, they will come to enjoy the rustic entertainment. 1 . BACKGROUND: All major companies in Oregon are required to have a Safety Commit tee following the Oregon Safety & Health Act of 1970, Grand Ronde, however, is an excep tion, yet they chose not be, appointing the Safety Committee through Risk Management some five years ago. f PEOPLE INVOLVED: This is the largest com mittee, with representatives from each and ev ery department within the Tribe. Sheila Elliot MacDonald of Human Resources is the present Chair. The committee meets once per month and all members are paid. The membership is added to their list of job duties, f KXM3ERS: Mary Alice Bowen (Chair), Jessie Bran Legal, Matt Bucknell (Co-Chair) Before & After, Kathy Dorn Gaming, Sheila Elliot-McDonald Human Resources, Melissa Fredrickson (Secretary), Shawn Kennedy Housing, Mary Leith HR, Greg Martin Housing, Dottie McKinsey Social Services, Pearl Mekemson Health & Wellness, April Niel Policy & Planning, Deanna Northey Medical Records, Wendell Olson OSI, Curtis Rentsch Facilities, LynnbStsoalT- Natu ral Resources, Connie Schulfz "Cultural Re- . sources, Cassandra Scott Clinic, and Eric Scott i -Public Works. y f;U fUNCTICN: Safety became an issue-of ex treme importance following the Oregon Safety & Health Act of 1970 and since then all major companies in the state are required to maintain some sort of Safety Committee. These commit tees are responsible for reporting accidents, in juries and incidents every year to the Oregon Safety & Health Association. The operative prin ciple of all these committees, Grand Ronde's in cluded, is simple prevention. . "Managers never think of the cost of accidents," McDonald explained. "When you look at how much money is lost due to lost hours, you'd be shocked. That's why we try to work with man agers about the money lost due to accidents." And since once an accident happens there is no going back, the Safety Committee has no choice but to emphasize prevention. Incidents and threats are reported to the committee, and during their monthly meeting they discuss pos--i sible preventive measures. '."J Because safety is an issue pf extreme impor- 'tance. the Safety Committee is one of the few that UIGK pays people to be involved in. cut they earn their pay. Each committee member goes through safety training twice per year, in addition to being certified in first aid and CPR. They also learn and are expected to disseminate information regarding materials handlings proper lifting technique, and general safety ? around the office. The committee also distrib utes the emergency action plan, a document; that every department manager should read that details evacuation routes, steps to take i during a fire or earthquake, and lists phone numbers of local fire departments, hospitals, and piie. And although we have never had! a fire in the Governance Center, we have had an earthquake February 28, 2001. Important to note is the fact that the Tribe volunteers the safety committee. According to ; McDonald, as a sovereign nation CTGR is in no way obligated to participate in OSHA. i "We chose to be a good employer," said; McDonald. "In my opinion everybody here at the Tribe needs to make safety a priority.'' Although the concept of safety and preven tion are ever changing, McDonald likes what the Tribe has done so far. During the month of March the Tribe played host to "Safety Day" and the committee is in the process of achiev ing some major goals like a First Response Team and getting more defibulators in the offices. Defibrillators are those devices that emergency room doctors place upon a patient's chest and through electrical shocks jolt the heart back into a beat "Every building should have one," she said. "And everybody in that building should know how to use one." But the Safety Committee's ultimate goal, and a far-reaching one at that, is to have every of fice worker trained in safety and prevention. B
