4 AUGUST 1,2006
Smoke Signals
Candidates' Forum Finally Happens
Rescheduled, delayed event features 7 of the 9 candidates.
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By Ron Karten
j Seven candidates for three Tribal
Council positions presented their
platforms to some 60 Tribal mem
bers at the Tribal gymnasium on
Sunday, July 23.
It signaled the start of the annual
election season at the Tribe.
Of nine Tribal Council positions,
three open up each year for elec-
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Interested Tribal Elders Butch, left, and Monty
Parazoo during the Tribal Council Candidates' Forum.
tions, and each elected member
serves for a three-year term. One
third of the Council is up for grabs
each summer.
While it is the Smoke Signals
policy to maintain a news blackout
on the election to avoid issues of
favoritism, we do report the event
each year, and describe changes in
the process.
As always, candi
dates this year were
offered a short time
to present their plat
forms to the mem
bership. Each had
four minutes for that
presentation.
Public Affairs Di
rector Siobhan Taylor
emceed the event.
Also, as in the past,
Tribal members were
encouraged to present
questions to the can
didates, but unlike in
past years when each
candidate answered
Audience Participation Some 60 Tribal members were on hand
for candidate presentations. Questions for the candidates were chosen by
computer for the first time this year.
the same questions, this year, a new
process included a computer-generated
way of choosing a different
candidate for each question.
No candidate saw the questions
in advance. The questions included
one asking nominees to describe
volunteer efforts they have made
for the Tribe to one about the Tribal
Council voting for their own raises.
Following the Q&A session, Trib
al members were offered individual
time with the candidates. That part
of the process has not changed.
The start of the event was delayed
by half an hour because a car fire
on Route 18 tied up traffic. While
nobody was hurt in that incident,
the Tribal Council nominations
originally scheduled July 2 were
delayed for a week by a deadly ac
cident in which two were killed and
a third remains hospitalized (see
Smoke Signals, July 15 issue), fl
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Tribal member Bryan Langley worked on the forum.
Public Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor coordinated the Tribal Council Candidates' Forum.
Tribal Youth Visit OMSI
I Summer Fun Tribal member Eric Saben, above at left, is seen with his hair
flying at one of OMSI's many exhibits. Tribal member Toni Mercier, group leader, is at
right. Below, the whole group got together for a photo.
Knight Oversees Open Gym Time
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Side Out Housekeeping Supervisor Curtis Rentsch serves up the ball
while Recreation Coordinator Intern and Tribal member Rebecca Knight
watches during a recent game of volleyball at lunch.