AUGUST 1, 2004
Smoke Signals
Candidates' Foranm 2004
Thirteen candidates seek better communication and more support for Tribal members.
By Ron Karten
Candidates for Tribal Council this
year include three incumbents
Tribal Elders Val Grout, Bob Haller
and Ed Larsen and ten others in
cluding Tribal member
Mark Mercier, who previ
ously served as a member
of the Tribal Council.
Tribal Elders Betty Bly,
Diana George, Linda Olson,
Wesley (Buddy) West, and
Tribal members Angie
Blackwell, Charlene
Hoover, Elaine LaBonte,
Chris Mercier and Daniel
Provost also are running
for three open council posi
tions. All were on hand for the
2004 Candidate Forum, held
at the Tribal gymnasium on
Sunday, July 18. Each had
three minutes to describe
their background and ex
plain why they were running
for Tribal Council.
"Communication" was
top among all issues raised.
Concerns surfaced from
candidates in a number of
areas. Some, for example, suggested
that Smoke Signals would provide a
better service if it were free to report
on all issues. One suggested using the
Tribe's satellite television capabilities
to broadcast important Tribal Council
events to the Tribe's widespread mem
bership. Another said that Tribal
Council meeting minutes are "not ac
curate or incomplete."
Related to this, candidates pointed
to another kind of disconnect between
the Tribal Council and the members.
. Tribal services serve a very small
portion of the membership," said an
other. While acknowledging many per
ceived problems, candidates also
complimented both the process and
many of the council's efforts. "We may
have differences," said one candidate,
"but that's where the good ideas come
from."
"There's so many things I'm grate
ful for," said another candidate, and
Planning General Manager Cliff Adams and
Staff Attorney Lisa Estensen discuss how the 2004
Candidates' Forum went and ways to improve it.
pointed to health insurance and Elder
benefits.
Very few commented about enroll
ment, an issue that has been simmer
ing in recent years, but one speaker
indicated that whatever the decision,
the Tribal Council was not going to
please everybody, so maybe it was time
to make a decision and get on with the
Tribe's other business.
One candidate said that the Tribe
"should be a little more aggressive in
pursuing other economics," and also
asked that the Tribe "do a thorough
master plan."
Following candidate statements,
emcee Cliff Adams, Tribal General Man
ager, opened the floor for the audience
to make suggestions for next year's
event.
Although candidates would provide
O
time at the end of the
event for individuals
to ask questions one
on one, Tribal mem
ber Deanna Johnston
suggested that ques
tions be posed to can
didates in front of the
audience so that all
could hear the an
swers. "I would like to hear
more than concern (on
the part of candi
dates)," said Tribal
member Monty
Parazoo, "but what
they intend to do about
it."
"We need to take a
whole day to discuss
these issues," said
Tribal member Perri
McDaniel.
"They don't have
enough time to really
explain what they're
about," agreed Tribal
Elder and former
council member Mar
garet Provost after
the meeting.
"We should have
more forums," she
added. "One in each
service unit."
"We need to do
something for the
kids," said Tribal El
der Marce Norwest. He recounted how
he sees them on the road with their
skateboards, apparently without a
place to put their prodigious stores of
energy.
One candidate said, "It kind of hurts
my feeling that this room isn't over
flowing." Tribal Council Vice Chair Reyn Leno
said afterwards that he was pleased to
see that the 50-70 attending appeared
to represent an increase over last year,
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF ORAND RONDE
OFFICIAL BALLOT
COUNCIL
GENERAL ELECTION
Grand Ronda
SaptanM 41, 2004
CANDIDATES FOR COUNCIL
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WESLEY (BUDDY)
WEST
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MERCIER
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LABONTE I
ROBERT
HALLER
CONFEDERATED TRWW OF GRAND RONDE
OFFICIAL BALLOT
OOUNOA
OINERAL BLffCTION
Oram Rondt
Saptambv M, 2004
and also that a lot of new faces were
running for the council.
BALLOTS
DUE
September 11, 2004
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