DECEMBER 15, 2002
Smoke Signals 5
Sunday, November 6
11:05 a.m. Meeting was called to order by Cheryle Kennedy, Tribal Council
Chairwoman. A quorum was met.
Present was Cheryle A. Kennedy, Val Grout, Bob Haller, Ed Larsen, Ed
Pearsall, Jan D. Reibach, Valorie Sheker-Robertson, and June Sell-Sherer. Ex
cused was Reyn Leno.
Total present 148. Val Grout, Tribal Council member gave the invocation.
Valorie Sheker-Robertson moved, Bob Haller seconded to approve the minutes
of October 06, 2002 as presented. Motion carried 7-0-0.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Questions heard at the General Council Meeting October 06, 2002.
Elders Housing: Can their rental amounts be reduced? Chairwoman Kennedy
advised that the council referred the matter to the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing
Authority Board of Commissioners for review.
Elders Pension: Can older Elders get paid more than younger Elders? Chair
woman Kennedy advised that the council is developing a survey for Tribal El
ders to provide comments on a tiered benefit program. The council is also inter
ested in whether Tribal funds distributed to Tribal Elders could jeopardize other
benefits received by the Elders.
Social ServicesIndian Child Welfare (ICW): Difficulties regarding appoint
ments and regaining custody of children. Chairwoman Kennedy stated that the
Tribe has an agreement with the State of Oregon pertaining to Child Welfare
and that the Tribe looks to the best interest of the child when determining the
family action plan, etc. Council has asked the program to set appointments
where it best meets the needs of the family, ie. work hours.
NEW BUSINESS:
Chairwoman Kennedy asked the General Membership to limit their comments
on the Tribal budget presentation to five minutes in length. In addition, the
Chair reminded the General Membership that members need to state their
name and roll number for the record.
Due to the confidentiality of the material being presented, the council asked
for an authorization from the membership as to whether non-Tribal spouses and
guests could hear the presented CY2003 budget information. By a show of hands,
the membership authorized attendance by non-Tribal spouses and guests to
listen in on the budget presentation.
CALENDAR YEAR 2003 BUDGET PRESENTATION
Larry Kovach, Finance Officer for the Tribe, presented a breakdown of the
CY2003 Budget, a document in process. Any budgetary questions are to be
directed to Larry Kovach, Budget Supervisor, by either contacting him in writ
ing or by phone at the Tribal offices. Comments can be submitted to Charles
Haller, Tribal Council Relations Coordinator from Tribal members until De
cember 2, 2002. The final budget will be approved by council before December
31, 2002.
Questions were fielded during the presentation from the audience.
OTHER BUSINESS
A Tribal member asked for a suspension of the rules to hear his request out of
order on the agenda. By consensus of the Membership present, the Tribal mem- .
ber advised of his research on Tribal housing rental amounts, comparing other
Tribes to Grand Ronde's rate. Acting Chairwoman June Sell-Sherer (as Chair
woman Kennedy had to leave for a family emergency), advised that the council
has appointed a task force to review with the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing
Authority Board of Commissioners to review the Tribe's current rental policies.
Members of the task force include the General Manager, Legal department,
Finance Officer, Housing Authority and council.
NEW BUSINESS cont'd.:
CALENDAR YEAR 2003 BUDGET PRESENTATION CONT'D.
Presentation resumed and questions were fielded during the presentation from
the audience. Acting Chairman Ed Larsen (as June Sell-Sherer was excused
from the meeting due to illness) offered the General Membership another meet
ing to continue discussion on the CY2003 Budget within seven to ten days.
Time and location to be determined, watch for posting of the meeting.
Door Prizes $250 (1 at $100. and 3 at $50)
Kathy Rae, Linda LaChance, and Betty Reed each won a $50 door prize. Ms.
Reed donated her door prize winnings to the Veterans Memorial.
Butch LaBonte won the $100 door prize.
OTHER BUSINESS
A Tribal member stated his comments regarding the change in the Spirit
Mountain Gaming, Inc. Board of Director appointments. Questions fielded from
the audience.
A Tribal member raised concerns over services received from the Social Ser
vices department regarding an Indian Child Welfare case.
Acting Chair Ed Larsen entertained a motion to adjourn from Tribal
Elder, Albert Peters. Motion failed.
A Tribal member offered his thanks to the members of the Indian Child Wel
fare program for assisting his family.
A Tribal member sought clarification on distribution of Spirit Mountain Ca
sino concert tickets. Discussion followed.
ADJOURN
3:15 p.m. Ed Pearsall moved, Valorie Sheker-Robertson seconded, to adjourn
the meeting. Motion carried.
Gaming Commission Reports During
December General Council Meeting
Money for Elders and General Membership top concerns.
By Ron Karten
The December General Council meeting was held on Sunday, Decem
ber 8, at the Tribal Community Center in Grand Ronde. Here are the
highlights:
Tribal Vice Chair Reyn Leno called the meeting to order; Tribal Council
member Jan Reibach, Jr. gave the invocation.
Lynn Hillman, Chairman of the Grand Ronde Gaming Commission,
described the Commission's accomplishments since last year. 1) success
fully completed compact negotiations with the state and assumed more
control of our gaming operation; 2) notified by the National Indian Gam
ing Commission of continuing compliance with all federal requirements;
3) In January, implemented a revised gaming ordinance and a complete
revision of regulations, consolidating 26 chapters into six; 4) Issued first
fine to a vendor in the amount of $4,000 for failure to comply with regu
lations; 5) successfully negotiated with the Oregon State Police a clearly
defined plan for their monitoring and oversight activities which in the
long term will save the Tribe money; and 6) to ensure no significant negative
issues have occurred at Spirit Mountain Casino.
Hillman, with 30 years of law enforcement experience, appointed to the
Gaming Commission in 1995, when it started, and now serving as Com
mission chair, introduced the other commission members.
Tribal member and Vice-chair Leonette Galligher, appointed in 1995,
brings a background in small business administration and involvement
in Tribal Committees and activities; Tribal member and Secretary Mary
Mode has served the commission for three years. She brings a back
ground in legal services and extensive knowledge in human resources;
Tribal member Gene Davidson was appointed to the commission in 1995.
He brings to the commission a very valuable service 'common sense' and
a dedication to ensuring fairness to all that apply for a gaming license;
Tom McGowan, appointed to the commission this year, brings an exten
sive background in accounting and auditing.
Since 1995, the Grand Ronde Gaming Commission has reviewed 5,800
applications for licenses to work at Spirit Mountain Casino, and approved
5,000.
Since 1988, Hillman reported, more than 300 Tribes have entered into
Tribal-State compacts to bring gaming to the public, and 240 Tribes cur
rently offer some sort of gaming. In 2001, these Tribes generated $12.7
billion, up from $7.5 billion in 1997.
Despite a poor economy in the last year, and the addition of 100 new
Tribal members, this year's payout to Tribal members from Casino funds
on December 12 was announced.
Questions from the membership focused on payouts to Tribal Elders.
Although the Council was still to hear more about the issue, the question
came up about whether increased payments from the Tribe would result
in decreased payments from the state.
Tribal member Simone Auger and others noted the Tribal Council's de
cision to end its relationship with Oregon Legal Services, and requested
that the Tribe find another service for the membership. Tribal Council
Chair Reyn Leno said that the council terminated OLS because a lot of
members complained that it was not serving their needs, but noted that
the search for a successor service was in process.
Tribal member Perri McDaniel asked for clarification on why the Children's
Trust Funds were involved with the sale of the property in Keizer (the
former Nanitch Sahallie property). Reyn Leno and Financial Officer Larry
Kovach said that with interest rates very low today, the deal was struc
tured so that the relatively high 8 percent interest payments would go to
the Children's Trust Fund rather than the general fund.
Tribal member Nancy Coleman asked how payoffs are regulated at the
casino, and others wanted to know what percentage was returned to cus
tomers. While state regulations and compact agreements require casinos
in Oregon to return 75 percent at a minimum to customers, Casino in
terim CEO Bill Pierce said that different games have different require
ments and that actual returns to customers are kept as a secret from the
competition.
Door prize winners included $50 winners: Tribal members Ruth Rickard,
Gene Hudson and Gene LaBonte; and $100 winner Kim Rogers, who
donated the full amount back to the Veterans' Memorial Fund.
The Royalty Raffle provided poinsettias to Tribal members Pearl Lyon,
Tom LaChance and Jessie Brann, a Christmas tree to Tribal Member
Janet Phillips; and the 5050 cash drawing split between the Royalty and
the winner also went to Jessie Brann. Royalty began the raffle for a
Pendleton blanket and a DVD player to fund future activities. It was to
continue and be completed on December 12.