AUGUST 15,2008" SmOKE SlGNALS 11
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Dear Smoke Signals:
What a delightful surprise to see my photo in the last Smoke Signals.
Some of you are probably wondering who this Anna Hyde is. Well, I was
born and raised in Grand Ronde in 1925 (I just gave my age away); daughter
of Edwin and Alvina LaChance; many of you may know I was called "Tudy,"
a nickname given to me by my older sister.
I was so proud to win the honor of being queen. At the time, I was too
speechless to let everyone know what it meant to me. I will treasure all
the gifts that were bestowed on me. Thank you to all who made the day so
special. The dinner was so very good.
I also enjoyed the jam session. They were great and the person whose name
I missed, I loved the bags you made to fill the treats in. Thank you much
from a very proud member of the Grand Ronde Confederated Tribe.
Anna Hyde
Roll 286
Dear Smoke Signals:
We would like to thank so many for helping us make this year's Elders'
Honor Day a wonderful success.
We would like to extend special thanks to all those who generously donated
gifts for the drawings, Wellness staff for preparing and serving the meals
and beverages, our emcee for the day, Pearl Mekemson, Noreen Bolton, and
Facilities and Housekeeping for their time and labor.
We would also like to thank Royalty, our hard-working teens that kept
the beverages going, and so many others for taking the time to serve our
Elders on that special day.
With so much appreciation,
Elders' Honor Day Committee
Dear Tribal members:
I noticed in the last issue of Smoke Signals that people are still concerned
about the infamous "Leno letter." Having been the target of more attacks
than I can count, both verbal and written, I feel qualified to weigh in with
my own take on things.
First off, I can't say I liked the letter. I happen to be good friends with
some of the people named in that letter, and was upset for their sake. Had
it been my own family, I'd be rightfully angry, but eventually I would calm
down, realizing that smear campaigns are nothing but endemic to politics,
especially Tribal politics.
The shock to me has been the (over)reaction by the Tribal Council. I at
tended the July 2 council meeting and was appalled at the outrage directed
at this letter and its author. You'd have thought there had been a murder.
I found that puzzling considering that some of the people who spoke were
themselves the authors of negative letters attacking people. For example,
the anonymous letter mailed out to our membership in September 2005
falsely saying that Chris Mercier, Buddy West, Wink Soderberg, Kathleen
Tom and I would be cutting per capita and numerous other payments. One
speaker at the council meeting in 2005 had even admitted to possessing
confidential documents on Kathleen Tom and her sister. Come to think of
it, 2005 set a precedent for ugliest election ever. Remember the letter by a
sitting council member mailed out in January of that year? Then there was
the letter by a Tribal Elder blasting Wink Soderberg and Kathleen Tom dur
ing the election. To top it off, there was the letter by half the sitting council
calling Kathleen Tom a liar. Last but not least, there were the fliers placed
on people's windshields during the October 2005 General Council meeting
that targeted none other than Kathleen and myself.
My point is that this kind of thing has happened before and will happen
again. In the past, there were no demands for investigations to determine
how someone obtained the mailing list or to identify an anonymous author.
Quite frankly, many of the people expressing disgust at this letter have no
problem with these kinds of tactics when they are aimed at the council mem
bers on the other side of the political arena. Once the mudslinging begins on
one side, it is only a matter of time before the other side starts, too.
My main concern prompting me to write is that I've been told that the
council circulated a committee sheet with "highest priority" ordering execu
tive staff to get to the bottom of this letter. The council isn't supposed to be
in the business of revenge, much less using Tribal resources to exact that
revenge. I know some council members have endorsed our vice chair for this
election, but I sincerely hope that isn't your top priority right now. I can
think of a lot more important things the council could be doing.
For instance, you could devote your time to stopping the bleeding of our
Tribe's portfolio, including Elders' pension and kid's trust funds. You could
also make sure our health plan is sustainable and get Grand Ronde Road
completed. Above all, please make sure our endowments are what they were
when I left office: fully funded.
If anything, the lesson I've learned from watching this spectacle unfold is
that we need two policies right now. First, a policy that deals specifically with
these kinds of situations so council members are not picking and choosing
when they want to conduct "investigations" on incidents that have riled them.
Second, I hope our Tribe will look into some sort of whistleblower protection
policy so Tribal members don't feel the need to send anonymous letters.
Some of the points made in the letter were questioned at the July 2 meet
ing, and while I mean no disrespect to our vice chair, the answer given
was basically, "I won't talk about that here in public, but you're more than
welcome to come back to my office and chat."
Why not just set the record straight for all of us?
Angle Hlarkwelt
Roll 1089
Dear Tribal members:
Most of you have already received these letters from people I believe that
has been trying to take over and run our Tribe for years.
These ones are not running for Tribal Council this year, so how are they getting
our confidential and private information (our personal names and addresses)?
If this confidential information is being passed around like the telephone
book, then should not all members have the same right to our private in
formation as they have so that we can send out letters to everyone and tell
them who we want them to vote for and as well spread rumors just to get
the votes for the ones we want in.
I believe and feel that these certain ones who are sending out these letters
(that has no right to have our names and addresses, unless they are running
for Tribal Council) are only doing it because they want ones that they can
control and be able to tell them how to run our Tribe.
So the members need to be careful of who they are voting for and who they
are listening to, so seek within yourselves and vote for the ones who will do
their best for our Tribe.
Tribal Elder Delores Knight
Roll 340
Dear Smoke Signals:
Another letter regarding the Leno family.
First, to the individual(s) that sent me the attempted slanderous letter on
the Leno family: Take me off your mailing list and throw away the address.
I don't want your mail. You're misinformed andor obviously have personal
grievance with this family. Whatever your vendetta, it now appears you
have offended many people. I hope they find out who you are and how you
came to have the names and addresses of the voting membership. Maybe if
you're made an example of something good will come of this and we won't
have to repeat in the future.
For now, enough with the smear campaigns!
It saddens me to read letters like the one printed in the Aug. 1 edition
of Smoke Signals where a respected Tribal Elder stated, "If none of the
information is true, then the Leno family has nothing to worry about." No
disrespect, but if it was your family, how do you think you would feel? It's
unfortunate that some people don't want this travesty to end. I ask myself
why they keep it going. . - .'sri.
To the rest of the Tribal membership: Every year it gets worse. When
do we ourselves say enough is enough! This year most of the nominees are
standing on the "Ethics & Integrity" bandwagon. Well, it's not enough to say
the words, folks. Believe it or not, you have to actually stand behind them.
So far, I'm not impressed.
Totally disgusted.
Tammy Garrison
Roll 1669
Dear Smoke Signals:
Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. I would like to thank Smoke
Signals and staff for getting me in touch with a friend that I have not seen
for 50-plus years. Ruth Rickard and her first husband were our good friends
for several years, traveling, boat racing and just plain fun times.
When her first husband was killed, she went one way and us another.
Thanks to an article in Smoke Signals about Ruth, the paper and staff were
able to give me a phone number, plus other help later. Ruth and I have talked
on the phone a few times now and then.
When I was finally able to drive that far, her phone had been disconnected.
I went to McMinnville for a family gathering and then on to Tillamook to
visit. When I got to Grand Ronde, I wanted to know what happened to Ruth.
After talking to maintenance people, road crews and then into some of the
offices, I found the right place where she had lived.
I was helped by many wonderful, helpful people and you have a great
community. I found that Ruth has moved to Portland to live with one of her
daughters. I am now still talking to Ruth on the phone, but I found her.
I am 80 so may never get to see her, but we can talk on the phone and I
thank your community for helping me through all of this.
I enjoy your Smoke Signals paper very much. Thanks to everyone.
Lois Shafer
Ashland, Ore
Recycle center hews
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