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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2002)
MAY 15, 2002 Smoke Signals Tribal Council Candidates Nominated At The May General Council Meeting in Grand Ronde All three current council members with seats open will seek re-election in September. 18 Tribal members will vie for three council openings. By Brent Merrill The May General Council meeting was held on Sunday, May 5 at the Tribal Community Center in Grand Ronde. Here are the highlights: Tribal Chair Cheryle Kennedy called the meeting to order and Tribal member Carmen Brown gave the invocation. The floor was then opened up to membership to make their nominations for this year's three open positions on Tribal Council. In all, 18 members were nominated this year. Tribal member John Clark got things started when he nominated Loren TT . 1 . -I " mm ri " 1 . .i." " l noimes. council S Lo'n Holme. Val Sheker-Robertson Tmothy Holmes Margaret Provost fa" Hoyd LaBonte Joseph Brlsbols Tdd Shandy Patsy Pullln Christopher Mercler Tnomas Leno Reynold Leno M'vlnShu!te -JackGlffen Jr Westley West Mark Mercler Jne Sellherer D'ana George Mary Mode i I ... VT' t t ii 4 - S. Ed member Pearsall nomi nated Val Sheker Robertson, Marvin Kimsey nominated Tim Holmes, Dan Pro vost nominated Margaret Provost and Albert Peters nominated curren Butch La Bonte. Colleen Official Members of the Tribe's Election Board were present at the community meeting to handle the Tribal Council nominations Chittenden nominated Joe Brisbois, Richard Fenwick nominated Todd Shandy, Kathryn Harrison nomi nated Patsy Pullin, Marion Mercier nominated Chris Mercier and Ida Patterson nomi nated Tom Leno. Leno then nominated Reyn Leno, Connie Schultz nominated Mel Schultz, Gene Hudson nominated Jack Giffen, Wilber West nominated Wesley West and Gordon Linton nominated Mark Mercier. Debby Larsen nominated June Sell-Sherer, Candy Robertson nominated Diana George and Nadine McNutt nominated Mary Mode. Nominations were then closed. Door Prizes Bernice Jensen, Brooks Wakeland and Carmen Brown each won $50 and Louise Medeiros won the $100 drawing. In the Royalty drawing, Kristie Kennicot won a beaded pin, Deneen Aubertin won a night at the lodge and Louise Medeiros won a DVD player. The Tribal Council would like to remind Tribal members to participate in Tribal government and vote in this year's Tribal Council election on Saturday, September 7. There will be no General Council meetings during the summer months. General meetings will resume on Sunday, September 8 at 11 a.m. at the Community Center in Grand Ronde. B Tribal Community Membership Meetings Held Throughout April Information gathered for planning purposes in Tualatin, Eugene and Grand Ronde. By Kim Rogers Three Tribal community meetings were held during the month of April to collect information on the needs of the membership. The first meeting was in Eugene on Tuesday, April 16, the second was in Tualatin on Thurs day, April 18 and the third was in Grand Ronde on Tuesday, April 30. Each meeting started at 6 p.m. with an invocation followed by dinner, a few presentations and then small group discussions. Each group discussed improvements to programs, facilities, economic development and other concerns. Tribal Council members and assigned staff facilitated the meetings and collected information. As Policy & Planning Manager, I gave an overview of progress since last year and John Mercier, Capital Projects Manager, presented changes on the list of capital projects the Tribe is either currently involved in or planning in the future. The Housing Authority and the Health Authority also made short pre sentations. Housing Commissioner Monty Parazoo and Housing Authority Executive Assistant Terri White, Health and Wellness Executive Direc tor Tom Austin and Administrative Officer Michael Watkins each gave presentations. According to the sign-in lists for the meetings, 44 attended the Eugene meeting at the Doubletree Hotel, 32 attended the Tualatin meeting at the Sweetbrier Inn and 58 attended the meeting at the Grand Ronde Community Center. In spite of having more Tribal members in the area, the Tualatin meeting has had less attendance than the Eugene meeting. A questionnaire was provided to those attending each meeting and sug gestions were taken on how these meetings could be improved and atten dance increased. Suggestions varied but included greater advanced no tice in addition to the notices placed in the Smoke Signals. "Keep on coming to Portland area, those of us who do come appreciate it. I would even like meetings two times per year," said one member at the Tualatin meeting. At the end of each meeting, the sheets from the flip charts in each of the small groups were placed on the walls and the members attending were given seven dots to place on the suggestions made by any of the groups that night. Up to four of their dots could be placed on any one suggestion. The priorities of the three communities varied but in Tualatin and Grand Ronde a review of the enrollment amendment received more than twice as many dots as any other priority. In Eugene the top three priorities were for a satellite facility, shuttle bus service to take members to Grand Ronde for services and an Elder Assisted Living Facility. Purchase of land for investment and for timber also ranked high. The top three priorities of those attending in Tualatin were for re-evaluating the enrollment amendment, providing long-term health care for Elders and spouses and increasing endowments so any member who wants to go to school has funds to do so or to otherwise provide this same access to education. Other high priorities included a satellite facility and taking income caps off home repairs. The top priority of those attending in Grand Ronde was a review of the enrollment policies. The next highest priorities were for a Tribal bank, relocating the pow-wow grounds and creating a fleet maintenance shop (all with 7 dots each). A Pendleton blanket was awarded at the end of each of the meetings. The winners of the blankets (in order) were Donna Morris, Michael Portwood and Danny Provost. In addition to the information provided by those attending these meet ings members were asked to mail in suggestions or concerns regarding Tribal priorities. A form letter was mailed to the Tribal Council by twenty four Tribal members, which supported a review of the enrollment amend ment. It also referred to a need for a members' only Tribal newsletter to improve communications with members on Tribal business and that other issues of concern (if any) would be attached on a separate sheet. Very few attached any other concerns. A detailed summary of the suggestions received at each of the three community meetings was provided at the May 5, 2002 General Council meeting as well as a copy of this form letter. The priorities of those at tending this last General Council meeting included in order water and sewer capacity, re-evaluation of the enrollment amendment, a cultural center, an assisted living facility, more alcohol and drug counseling, rental and owner housing, juvenile delinquency prevention, expanded cultural programs, a museum, a Tribal bank, a destination resort at Spirit Moun tain Casino, satellite facilities and shuttle bus service to Grand Ronde for members. If you would like a copy of the summary list of suggestions and concerns from the 2002 Community Membership Meetings please call Kim Rogers, Policy & Planning Manager, at 503-879-2250. If you would like to mail in comments or suggestions you can write to Tribal Council or Kim Rogers at The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347.
