8 JULY 1,2003
Smoke Signals
Betty Ely
Loren Holmes
r 'f
I made the decision to run for Tribal
Council out of the respect for those who
came before me (Our past and present El
ders) and out of concern I have for our
Tribe's future (Our children), There are
many issues that I feel need to be addressed:
enrollment, per capita, insurance for all
spouses and children of Tribal members,
open and honest communications between
Tribal and general council, Tribal member
employment, housing, and involvement of
Tribal members outside the immediate Grand Ronde community in
our government.
The first duty of a Tribal Council member is to be a role model for
the rest of the Tribe. A true leader. The duties go far beyond that
which is outlined in the CTGR constitution. Duty to all Tribal mem
bers especially to our Elders and Little Ones and our people with
disabilities. This is a Tribal leader's true obligation. I believe that
heshe should be dedicated to the Tribe first. Heshe should be ma
ture and well educated in life experiences have high moral stan
dards, possess a true devotion to our culture, with continuing self
education as a priority, and have demonstrated successful leader
ship in a similar position. It should be a priority of good Tribal Coun
cil leadership to promote communications with General Council. When
I attend council meetings I ask questions and expect answers. I don't
attend to win the door prize and eat a free lunch. I also believe that
at each of these meetings, a monthly financial report should be made
for the purpose of true accountability to the Tribe, including each
council member's activities justifying their expense account for the
past month.
I have been a successful businesswoman for 30 years. As co-owner
of Tyee Communications Contractors I played a part in negotiating
with top officials of the federal government (securing military con
tracts at ICBM launch sites in Wyoming) and many state and local
officials. As sole proprietor of BJ's Bookkeeping and Tax service I
worked with IRS auditors and also then Wyoming State Representa
tive Dick Cheney (now VP of the United States). For the last 12
years I was employed as Executive Director at an exclusive retire
ment home for elderly women. I worked with state and federal health
officials, DEQ, EPA, and others. I also served in a leadership posi
tion with many volunteer organizations and commissions. My fa
vorites being chairman of March of Dimes, and Person's with Dis
abilities Commission.
I am very proud of my Indian heritage. I was raised in a large and
extended family east of Sutherlin, Oregon. I grew up learning the
old values; love and sense of family, respect, truth, honesty, moral
ity, forgiveness, humility, dignity, humor and hard work. My grand
mother instilled in me a deep respect for our culture, and told me to
always be proud of who I am. My great-grandmother, Emma Pichette
along with her parents and siblings, are on the Grand Ronde Tribal
roll of 1887. My husband Roger and I have a loving marriage of 41
years. We have five happy and successful children and eight grand
children. I am well liked by most everyone I meet and an extrovert with an
outgoing personality. I love people and listen when others speak. I
am very independent, will not hesitate to speak my mind and feel
intimated by no one. I am an energetic self starter and well edu
cated. For more detailed information about who I am and what I believe
in, visit my web site, (BETTYBLY.com) or email me at
(BettyJBlyaol.com) Regardless of who you vote for, exercise
your power and... VOTE!
Thank You,
Betty J. Bly
Roll 3544
2
VOTE
My name is Loren Holmes roll 254 I
am a full blooded Grand Ronde Indian.
I am running for a position on our coun
cil. I think that there can be some improve
ments made here and there.
I can't say I will make a big change, but
I will give all my best.
I know I can do just as good as some
body else.
It seem's to me that everyone that say
what there going to do does'nt do any of it.
I see our benefits our getting smaller and it is harder to get help
from the Tribe but on the other hand we can donate to everybody
else. If I was to be eleceted I would like to get the Eleders more
money. I don't know about anyone else but what I get is'nt enough
to pay one bill let alone enjoy any of it. So this is one thing I would
like to change.
I think that if we can spend thousand of dollar here and there we
the Tribal member's should be able to get more.
I also believe in education, public relation and investment but one
thing I think if we do invest in something I think the Tribe should
vote on. If they want to or not. So if elected I would try my best to
help our Tribe out. I will be honest, Fair and equal to everyone.
Thank you
Loren
Chris Merger
1 U
a liltiyiillt I
(Setting: Many years in the future.
Grand Ronde, Tribal Governance Center.
A young man, a college student, enters
the lobby, now abandoned)
For some reason, he thought back to
freshman year, and Biology 101. A rare
species of turtle lays eggs on the beaches
of Costa Rica. The eggs hatch, and the
young turtles scamper for the sea.
Seagulls, eagles, and other predators
wait, picking off unlucky hatchlings. A
few make it to the water, and living long, long lives.
Some survive, some don't.
The memory was fitting as he stood in the lobby, surveying the
dusty surroundings. Archaeology class had taught him that centu
ries ago this decrepit building was once the hub of a prominent In
dian Tribe, one with enormous wealth, influence, and in its humble
beginnings, potential.
Like the Mayans of Ancient Mexico and Guatemala, the Tribe and
people disappeared. Record keeping was poor then. What happened
is largely a mystery. Theories abound, most improbable, yet two are
scientifically sound. He knew both.
Theory 1 proposed that ultimately the Tribe disintegrated amidst
a plague of apathy, corruption, and neglect. They were unprepared
for success, democracy, and the absurd wealth resulting from their
legendary casino. The foremost reason was that eventually all the
Tribe's power and authority became monopolized by Tribal Council.
Such was obvious by the Tribe's twentieth year. Five of the nine
member council became power hungry, and realized little stood in
their way. They started managing the casino, though unqualified.
They thwarted future lawsuits by rescinding the Tribal Ethics Ordi
nance. Four renegade council members who opposed the others were
eliminated the following elections, victims of maliciously timed pub
lications and mail-outs that cast them in poor light, obliterating their
honest re-election bids. The replacements were allies of the five.
Everything that occurred hinged upon the whims of council. Mem
bership, never having a source of truth or reliable information, could
only vote. But during elections members were bombarded with half
truths and misleading information. Making an educated vote was
impossible.
Thus began the downward spiral from which the Tribe never re
covered. The council sought only to stay in power, scarcely noticing
the rival casinos going up near Portland, sapping revenues. The
shrinking Tribal population was no priority, as the Enrollment Or
dinance remained unchanged, and potential members were continu
ally denied their birthright.
Council had little reason to care. Their families always retained
the better-paying jobs at the Tribe. If times got really tough, they
Chris continued on page 9