4 DECEMBER 1, 2004
Smoke Signals
Wednesday, November 3, 2004
5:02 p.m. Meeting was called to order by Tribal Council Chairwoman,
Cheryle Kennedy. A quorum was present.
Present was Angie Blackwell, Jack GifTen, Jr., Cheryle A. Kennedy,
Chris Mercier, Jan D. Reibach, June Sell-Sherer and Wesley "Buddy"
West
Excused was Reyn Leno (personal leave) and Valorie Sheker-Robertson
(medical leave).
Invocation was done by Jan D. Reibach.
PREVIOUS MINUTES APPROVEAMEND
Jack GifTen, Jr. moved, Wesley "Buddy" West seconded to approve the
October 20, 2004 Tribal Council regular meeting minutes as presented.
Motion carried 6-0-0.
NEW BUSINESS
1. General Council Meeting Agenda November 7, 2004
a. Budget Hearings
b. Door Prizes $250 (1 at $100 and 3 at $50)
Angie Blackwell moved, Jan D. Reibach seconded to approve the Gen
eral Council meeting agenda for November 7, 2004, as presented. Mo
tion carried 6-0-0.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE
B Legislative Commission on Indian Services Appointment. Jan
D. Reibach moved, June Sell-Sherer seconded to adopt Resolution No.
152-04 requesting that the Senate President and Speaker of the House of
the Oregon State Legislative Assembly appoint Tribal Council Chairwoman
Cheryle Kennedy as the official representative for The Confederated Tribes
of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, with term expiring December
31, 2006. Motion carried 6-0-0.
H Stop Loss Fund within the CTGR Tribal Member Health Plan.
Jack Giffen, Jr. moved, Wesley "Buddy" West seconded to adopt Resolu
tion No. 153-04 authorizing the Finance Officer to set aside $1 million in
earnings of the Health Endowment Fund to establish a Stop Loss Account
within the Health Endowment Fund for the CTGR Tribal Member Health
Plan. Motion carried 6-0-0.
B Health Committee Out of State Travel Authorization. Chris
Mercier moved, Wesley "Buddy" West seconded to approve a motion au
thorizing out of state travel requests for Patti Tom Martin, Camille Mercier,
Bernadine Shpver and Anna Marie Hannan members of the Tribe's
Health Committee to attend the Tribal Self Governance Department of
PROPOSED FISCAL MANAGEMENT
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
The Tribal Council has proposed an amendment to the Fiscal Manage
ment Ordinance. The first reading of the proposed amendment was made
at the November 17, 2004, Tribal Council Meeting.
The purpose of the amendment is to provide that copies of audited finan
cial statements may be provided to adult Tribal members upon written
request and pursuant to policies established by the Finance Officer for docu
mentation of requests for sensitive audited financial statement informa
tion, establishment of reasonable fees for copying and mailing of informa
tion, and other policies deemed appropriate by the Finance Officer. The
proposed amendment revises sub-section (f)(2XB) to read as follows (added
language underlined):
"Audited financial statements, including all informational notes and dis
closures shall be published by the Tribe for each year for all financial activi
ties, within seven months after the end of each calendar year. Such state
ments shall be provided to all members of Tribal Council and made avail
able for inspection, upon request, to any adult member of the Tribe. Copies
of audited financial statements for the primary government mav be pro
vided to anv adult member of the Tribe upon written request pursuant to
policies established by the Finance Officer for documentation of requests for
sensitive audited financial statement inform,tion, establishment of reason
able fees for copying and mailing of information, and other policies deemed
appropriate by the Finance Officer. Audited financial statements are pro
prietary and sensitive documents of the Tribe and release of such informa
tion to non-Tribal members may be damaging to the Tribe. No Tribal
member receiving a copy of audited financial statements shall allow such
statements to be viewed by anv non-Tribal member and such statements
may not be copied in whole or in part except pursuant to the policies estab
lished by the Finance Officer. Anyone violating the provisions of this Sec
tion by shall be liable to the Tribe for any and all damages caused directly
or indirectly through such violation."
For a copy of the proposed Fiscal Management Ordinance amendment,
please contact the Tribal Attorney's Office at 503-879-4664. The Tribal
Council invites comment on the proposed amendments. You may send
written comments to the Tribal Attorney's Office, 9615 Grand Ronde Road,
Grand Ronde, OR 97347.
Comments must be received by January 6, 2005 at 5 p.m.
Health and Human Services and Department of the Interior Fall Confer
ence in Seattle, WA on November 9-10, 2004. Motion carried 6-0-0.
B Enrollment Infant Determinations. Jan D. Reibach moved, June
Sell-Sherer seconded to adopt Resolution No. 154-04 approving four (4)
infants numbered 5433 through 5436 for Tribal membership, because,
based on the investigation and recommendation of the Enrollment staff,
the infants have been found to meet the eligibility requirements for en
rollment as defined in the Enrollment Ordinance and Tribal Constitution.
Motion carried 6-0-0.
OTHER BUSINESS
Wesley "Buddy" West moved, Jan D. Reibach seconded to adopt Reso
lution No. 155-04 approving a Medic Alert line item in the Elder Out
reach budget of $16,000 to cover the cost of one year of service for a maxi
mum of 66 Tribal housing project residences and funds will be drawn
from the CY2004 General Contingency Budget. Discussion followed.
Motion carried 6-0-0.
5:33 p.m. Jan D. Reibach moved, Wesley "Buddy" West seconded to
adjourn the meeting.
PROPOSED MARRIAGE
ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS
The Tribal Council, in consultation with the Tribal Attorneys Of
fice, has proposed amendments to the Marriage Ordinance. The first
reading of the proposed amendments was made at the November 17,
2004, Tribal Council Meeting.
The purpose of the amendments is to remove any ambiguity about
who can enter into a marriage under Tribal law and to eliminate lan
guage in the Ordinance which is no longer applicable. The proposed
amendments include, but are not limited to, the following: itffj
Revising section (c) to clearly define a Marriage as a "con
sensual union between one man and one woman."
Revising section (e) to provide that no marriage license may
be issued or acted upon unless at least one party is a Tribal
member.
Eliminating "Common Law Marriage" from the definition
section and eliminating section (m) which addresses Common
Law Marriages from the Ordinance. Pursuant to the clear lan
guage of section (m), common law marriages were to be certified by
the Tribal Court for a period of one year after the Marriage Ordi
nance was adopted by the Tribe. The Ordinance was originally
adopted by the Tribe in 1992. Accordingly, the common law marriage
provision is no longer effective.
Providing that the amendments apply retroactively to any and all
applications for marriage licenses where a Marriage Certificate has
not yet been issued.
For a copy of the proposed Marriage Ordinance amendments, please
contact the Tribal Attorney's Office at 503-879-4664. The Tribal Coun
cil invites comment on the proposed amendments. You may send writ
ten comments to the Tribal Attorney's Office, 9615 Grand Ronde Road,
Grand Ronde, OR 97347.
Comments must be received by January 6, 2004 at 5 p.m
2004-2005 Tribal Council
1-800-422-0232
Cheryle Kennedy Tribal Chairwoman ext. 2352
cheryle.kennedygrandronde.org
Reyn Leno Tribal Vice Chairman ext. 2399
reyn.lenograndronde.org
June Sell-Sherer Tribal Secretary ext. 2358
june.sherergrandronde.org
Angie Blackwell ext. 2300
angie.blackwellgrandronde.org
Wesley "Buddy" West ext. 2353
wesley.westgrandronde.org
Jan D. Reibach ext. 2355
jand.reibachgrandronde.org
Chris Mercier ext. 2305
chris.merciergrandronde.org
Valorie Sheker-Robertson ext. 1444
val.shekergrandronde.org
Jack Giffen, Jr. ext. 2306
j ack. giffengrandronde .org