DECEMBER 1, 2007 SmOKE SlGNALS
NOTICE TO TRIBAL MEMBERS
In response to requests from Tribal members regarding the proposed
2008 budget, the Tribal Council has arranged the following meeting.
This will be your opportunity to ask specific questions regarding the
proposed budget. Tribal management and Finance staff will be pres
ent. This meeting is for Tribal members, their spouses and guardians
of Tribal children only.
What: Information Meeting 2008 Proposed Budget
When: Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007 9 to 1 1 a.m.
Where: Tribal Council Chambers
Attention Tribal Members
2007 GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE
I Sunday, Dec. 2 Grand Rondc, 1 1 a.m.
NOTICE Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE TIME
Wednesday, Dec. 12 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 26 5 p.m.
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed. Please call Da
kota Whitecloud, Tribal Council Helations Coordinator, at 503-879-1309 to confirm.
Dear Tribal members:
As you read this letter, please do not see it as a plea for sympathy or a tug at
your heartstrings. Please read it as a request for justice and as the opportunity
to put an end to what has been a long and emotional road for many of us.
My name is Marilyn Portwood and I am asking you to register and vote in the
upcoming Constitutional Election on our Tribe's membership requirements.
Many of you know me. I was a teacher at Willamina Middle School for
many years. I also served as the secretary of the Tribe's Enrollment Re
quirements Ad Hoc Committee.
On another, though not unrelated note, I and all my children and grand
children are descended from Chief Tumulth, one of our Tribe's signers of
the Treaty of 1855. Ironically, not all of my grandchildren are able to enroll;
in fact my grandsons Ricky and Nicholas and my granddaughter Lucy will
be denied membership should this Constitutional amendment fail. If that
sounds harsh, then you can imagine how I feel, much less my children,
whose children's Tribal fate hangs in the balance on this election.
In 1999 I wrote a lengthy letter that was published in Smoke Signals
warning Tribal members that there would be consequences should the
Constitutional amendment of that year pass. I think we can all agree that
a number of those consequences have sadly come to fruition since then,
some of which are split families, children slated to be thrown off the rolls,
and the blood of some present Grand Ronde Tribal members being rendered
irrelevant based upon what year they enrolled.
I've always viewed our Tribe as one big family, a cohesive group of caring
people who would not be divided by something as shallow as greed or politics
for politics' sake. Earlier this year I was asked by our Tribe to publicize my
family's history in order to show that Grand Ronde had a historic presence in
the Columbia River Gorge. My sister and I volunteered to do this without hesi
tation. Why? Because I love my Tribe and would never pass up the chance to
help. When you care about your Tribe, such decisions are not hard to make.
The proposed Constitutional amendment will not open up the floodgates.
Roughly 300 people, many of them children, many of them at the end of their
bloodline, will be able to enroll. It will not ruin or have a huge effect on the
services we receive as Tribal members. Don't believe people who tell you that
lots of people will be able to enroll. Just ask yourself: How many people who
would like to join have a parent on the roll? This is still a requirement!
It will heal split families. It will stop Tribal children from being disen
rolled. It will solve most of those ill effects of the 1999 amendment. Most
importantly, it will allow me, a proud grandmother whose family was used
as a symbol of our Tribal history, to celebrate many holidays and new years
with enrolled grandchildren, a bright future ahead of them as Grand Ronde
Tribal members.
Please vote "yes" on Part B and Part C of the Constitutional amend
ment. Marilyn Portwood
Roll 2915
Secretary, Enrollment Requirements Ad Hoc Committee
PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
96 1 5 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347
1.800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173
www.grandronde.org
DEADLINE DATE ISSUE DATE
Wednesday, Dec. 5 DEC. 15
Wednesday, Dec. 19 JAN. I
Friday, Jan. 4 JAN. I S
Friday, Jan. 18 FEB. I
flirt
SIOBHAN TAYLOR
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
DIRECTOR
503-879-1920
Uobhjn.uykx4Pgrjmdrond.ori
JUSTIN PHILLIPS
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
503-879-2190
uiln.phlllle$ritdromlt.ot
SHELLY KENT
CENTRAL PHONES
503-879-5211
tliily.limflt4mltmlt.oii
DEAN RHODES
PUBLICATIONS
COORDINATOR
503-879-1 463
dMn.rtwd0lr4ndrand.oif
RON KARTEN
STAFF WRITER
503-879-4663
ron,klnVi indrondt.ort
CARLA ROBERTS
CENTRAL PHONES
503-879-1447
f jiilj.ruhiuPtJiidfonil..oi
KRISTEN RAVIA
PUBLICATIONS
SECRETARY
503-879-1 453
krtaitn.nvtiQirandrondt.ori
GEORGE VALDEZ
PRODUCTION
ASSISTANT
503-879-1416
wH,vall.l&fr4ndrondt.or
SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Com
munity of Oregon, is published twice a month. No portion of this publication may be reprinted
without permission.
Our editorial policy Is intended to encourage input from Tribal members and readers
about stories printed In the Tribal newspaper. However, all letters received must be
signed by the author, an address must be given and a phone number or e-mail address
must be included for verification purposes. Full addresses and phone numbers will not
be published unless requested.
SMOKE SIGNALS reserves the right to edit letters and to refuse letters that are determined
to contain libelous statements or personal attacks on individuals, staff, Tribal administration
or Tribal Council. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Letters to the
editor are the opinions and views of the writer. Published letters do not necessarily reflect
the opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council.
Members of: Native American Journalists Association
The Associated Press
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
Fellow Tribal members:
lam hoping that you read this letter with an open mind and, more impor
tantly, an open heart. As you know, the 1999 Constitutional amendment
had a number of unintended effects, one of which was to split up some of
our Tribal families. I know firsthand the emotional distress this caused a
lot of fellow Grand Ronde Tribal members. I know because I belong to one
of those families. I am one of those Tribal members.
For the past eight years I have devoted a lot of my personal time trying
to correct some of the unexpected side effects of the 1999 amendment. I was
one of the first Tribal members to put in an application to the Enrollment
Requirements Ad Hoc Committee, and was lucky enough to serve.
We put a lot of time and thought into our recommendations to the Tribal
Council, and although the language may not have been what every one of
us wanted individually, there was a consensus amongst a very diverse and
opinionated group of Tribal members. That is why I believe our recommen
dation, if implemented, would help solve a large portion of the enrollment
problems that have hurt our Tribe since 1999.
That said, I am urging you to register and vote in the upcoming Constitutional
election. We need a high voter turnout to validate the election. I am asking you
to vote "yes" on these amendments. I think they are fair, equitable and come
at little cost to many of the services we, as Tribal members, receive.
Furthermore, it would save a lot of heartache in some of our Tribal families, and
opens up a lifetime of opportunity for many of our Tribal children and youth.
Diana Norton
Roll 2599
2007-08 Tribal Council
1-800-422-0232 councilgrandronde.org
D Cheryle Kennedy
Tribal Chairwoman
ext. 2352
cheryle.kennedygrandronde.org
Reyn Leno
Tribal Vice Chair
ext. 2399
reyn.lenograndronde.org
D )ack Glffen Jr.
Tribal Secretary
ext. 2306
Jack.glffengrandronde.org
D Steve Bobb Sr.
ext. 2353
steve.bobbgrandronde.org
Chris Mercler
ext. 2305
chrls.merclergrandronde.org
D Wink Soderberg
ext. 1444
wlnk.soderberggrandronde.org
D Kathleen Tom
-ext. 1777
kathleen.tomgrandronde.org
O June Sell-Sherer
ext. 2300
June.sherergrandronde.org
D Valorie Sheker
ext. 2355
val.shekergrandronde.org