6 NOVEMBER 15, 2008
Smoke Signals
Temporary Grand Ronde Council meets in June 1975
Early Treasurer's Report cites Tribal bank balance of $2.27
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
The year is 1975.
Gerald Ford sits in the
White House.
"All in the Family" is the
most popular show on TV.
"Love Will Keep Us Together" by
the Captain & Tennille tops the
pop charts.
Gas sells for about 50 cents a
gallon.
And on June 8, 10 people chris
tened "The Temporary Council of
the Grand Ronde Indians" convene.
Those in attendance are Chairwom
an Margaret Provost, Co-Chairman
Merle Holmes, Secretary Patti
Martin, Treasurer Vicki Lawrence
and Council members Darrell Mer
cier, Marvin Kimsey, Les Houck,
Russell Leno, Verna Larsen and
Ken Hudson.
According to minutes kept by
Martin, the discussion items are
mostly procedural.
Among the decisions made:
Meetings will be held on
Sundays;
General Council meetings
will be held once a month;
Bylaws of the Siletz Tribal
Council will be adopted and revised
to meet Grand Ronde needs.
And the next meeting will be held
at the Kopper Kitchen in Salem.
The meeting adjourns at 4:01
p.m.
Forty-three people attended the
meeting in Grand Ronde, driving
from as far away as Tillamook and
Portland.
From such humble beginnings,
the Restoration of the Grand Ronde
Tribe began.
According to Martin's minutes,
taken between June 8, 1975, and
Feb. 1, 1976, money to fund the
effort was indeed scarce.
For instance, the June 17 meet
ing held at the Kopper Kitchen is
fronted by Margaret Provost. She
pays $14.75 for dinner and the
meeting room, and will be reim
bursed when "the funds come in,"
the minutes state.
During the Sept. 21, 1975, meet
ing. Holmes announces he has
applied for a $7,800 grant from
the National Indian Lutheran
Hoard. In addition, Tribal mem
bers have approached the Small
Tribes of Western Washington for
admission, which would make the
Grand Ronde Tribe eligible for the
organization's grants.
Also in September, Kimsey moves
to keep the same Tribal Council
members on until September 1976
because of all the work they have
done and the contacts made. The
motion passes.
In October nt a meeting held in the
conference room at Chemawa Indi
an School, attendance swells to 57.
Provost explains the ultimate goal of
the council to newly attendingTribal
COWCIL, MOTTISQ 0? THB CHAMP RONDE tSPI&KS
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MEMBERS lit ATTgNDAHCg
HSMBSflg HOT XH ATTENDANCE ;
WIW DTK 3 1
DECEMBER 1973
Vlefel Lawrence
Rase La no
May I Holme a
Marvin Kimaey
Darrell Mercier
Patti Mar tiu
Lea Huuek
Margaret Provoat
lea Hudaon
Hat la called the easting to order ae it 20. Roll waa calledMargaret Piovoat, Kan Hudaon,
and La a Houck vara abeant.
Treaaurer'a report wea given by VleWt tavronc. The amount of 921.27 waa collectnd at tho
laat meeting. tlS.00 waa paid to the peetor far the rental of the ehutch . $5.00 waa ueed
for atampa, a balance waa left af 2.27. Herle motioned the treaaurer'a report ba
accepted; Marvin aacondad.
Maria asked Marvin to give hie report on the vleltatioa of the lawyer, Jnaa King. Ha aald
that probably no government land could ba given back. Ha told the people if they are on
thla Hat, thay muat eontaet the 8 tat a Land Board. There la a charge of 7.50 to gat it.
The quae t Ion waa aeked. "la there any hope af doing esse thing to Mr. Fullerf The etatuta
of limitations haa run out.
Herlerahd Marvin attended a meeting of tho teak force at lilets. There were eoiae Indians
t ha re j but Merle aald that if thay did auythlag at all, thay ware very aynpathatlc. "But
who knowe?"
We want to have a meeting with Mr. Louaftght and the Public Health in order to uaa the dental
health facllltiea at Chemawa. Maria aald the people who ara on the old rolle, and their
dependenta, will ba recognised far thla dental program.
Maria haa soma fee lore eat about low-income houelng in the Grand Ronde area. The rant would
ba vary lew, bee a uaa af the Income a out thla way. Bathing emaller than 2 hedroome.
Marvin said a workshop la being held in Portland concerning the CXTA Program. Ha hopes
w will ba sub-granteed by 0.1. P., and have CXTA moalea to naa la the Crand Honda area.
There ara a lot of educational grants the main one being B.I. 0.0. The eehool muat ba
Federally accredited before thay will accept the grants. Marvin Kimsey tftld the people
that If thay could gat up enough men tor a trae-plaat log craw, the CCTA Prograta will
arrange a contract between the craw and the Forest Service.
The quaetlea was asked, "Boas anyone know what the coat of hooking up to the wetar ay a tea
1st" Xt is an Initial east of 1300.00, sad than a monthly eharga of 7.00 - 18.00.
members - Restoration. The meet
ing also includes a potluck meal.
In addition, a show of hands
indicates interest in a health sur
vey, which Diana Denhem and
Patti Martin agree to conduct in the
Grand Ronde Library on Oct. 31.
On Dec. 7, Treasurer Vicki Law
rence delivers her first report de
tailed in the minutes. The amount
of $21.27 was collected at the pre
vious meeting, of which $15 was
dispersed for rental of the church
and $5 used to purchase stamps,
leaving a balance of $2.27.
Holmes reports receiving a letter
from Oregon Sen. Hob Packwood.
"Since the Menominees were re
stored, it looks good for Siletz. We
are sure that we could be restored
also, because we have as many
rights and needs as the others.
There is also a chance for state
recognition," the minutes say.
The Dec. 15 Tribal Council meet
ing held at a Honanza restaurant
discusses putting together a Christ
mas party and spaghetti feed for
Indian children in Grand Ronde.
Several names are offered regard
ing who would be the best Santa,
but the minutes do not reveal who
the eventual Grand Ronde Claus
turned out to be. However, the
party is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday,
Dec. 21.
In January 1976, the Tribe is
notified that its admittance into the
Small Tribes of Western Washing
ton is denied. An early setback in
obtaining funding for the Restora
tion effort.
The fact that Chinook Indians
are a member, and receiving funds,
is very puzzling since Grand Ronde
has more than 300 Chinook Indi
ans," the minutes state.
On the positive side. Holmes says
he feels confident about receiving a
$7,800 National Indian Lutheran
Hoard grant since ineligible groups
were supposed to be notified of such
by Jan. 1.
It also is announced that Ray
Cross, a Mandan Indian who helped
the Menominees obtain Restora
tion, would be taking over the
Grand Hondo's case with the Native
American Rights Fund.
The Tribal Council also decides
that all meetings should be held
in Grand Ronde from now on. The
public school is open to use by the
public," the minutes state. There
is no cost unless we use the kitchen.
The Tribal Business Committee is
filling out the necessary forms to
see that the first Sunday of every
month is scheduled for our meet
ings." Monetarily, things are improving.
The Tribal checking account stands
at $93 thanks to donations at the
Christmas party. (There's no men
tion of Provost being reimbursed for
the Kopper Kitchen expense.)
In February, Holmes appoints
Dean Mercier to the remainder of
Ken Hudson's term on council until
September elections are held. And
a Hylaw Committee of Rubs Leno,
Dean Mercier, Darrell Mercier,
Vicki Lawrence and Patti Martin
forms to update the Siletz bylaws.
Twenty-eight people attend the
Feb. 1 Tribal Council meeting. Most
of them list Grand Ronde addresses
on the attendance sheet.
Slowly, the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde is re-awakening
in its traditional homelands as
the nation's 200th birthday ap