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
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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