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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2009)
Smoke Signals NOTICE Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings DATE TIME Wednesday, March 25 5 p.m. Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed. Call Dakota Whitecloud, Tribal Council Relations Coordinator, at 503-879-1309 to confirm. General Council meeting Sunday, April 5 11 a.m. Tribal Community Center 0(303330 2 MARCH 15, 2009 Dear Smoke Signals: I would like to thank the Tribal Council and Timber Committee for rewarding me with a logo blanket for the years I was on the Timber Com mittee. It was a great honor to have served on the Timber Committee. I am very proud to have been on a committee that did so much to restore the Tribe to where we are today. I would like to specially thank Cliff Adams for making forestry what it is today. In 1995, he was named Forester of the Year at the ITC meeting in New Mexico. Eugene R. LaBonte Roll 1167 Dear Tribal members: I like to consider myself amongst those next generations that our Tribe is helping build a better future for. Overall, even working at Smoke Signals, only recently have I taken a greater interest in the affairs of our Tribal government. It has always seemed that you really have to be at most Coun cil meetings to follow what is going on, which isn't always convenient for me and many fellow members. Basically, I am writing this letter because there are a number of observations I've made over the past year, and I feel the need to share them. Over the last six months, I've attended almost every General Council meeting and most Wednesday night Council meetings. I have noticed that with Tribal publications coming out less frequently, the useful and pertinent information has been restricted from us, the membership. I do believe there are more effective ways to communicate important issues to the entire membership. There seems to be a' lot of tension and unrest within the Tribe right now. I attribute that to multiple reasons, including the economy, because it has negatively affected some of our Tribal services, but also because members do not feel they are being given a clear explanation of what is going on. I wish every member could have been present at the Portland General Council meeting during the closed session when the Council explained the hit that the Tribe's portfolio had taken. I was shocked. It seems as if that should be information given to the shareholders of this Tribe. It may not make people happy, but it's better than leaving them in the dark about our Tribe's financials. I suppose anybody with Tribal kids, myself included, probably have already realized how dire the situation is since their trust funds have been "under-performing," to put it politely. Sadly, our economic situation has also resulted in either eliminating or minimizing merit increases for both the Tribe's employees as well as those of the casino. As somebody who has worked at the Governance Center and Spirit Mountain Casino, I'm trying to figure out what good denying or minimizing people's merit increases would serve other than hurting employee morale. I understand our economic crunch, but I also understand the increase of employee productivity when acknowledged and rewarded for their specific behaviors in a "job well done." An increase in productivity saves the Tribe money in the long run. My last observation is taken from the Eugene General Council meeting. There was a petition presented regarding enrollment, and it was clear that to the members down there this is far from a dead issue. Now I must profess some ignorance on this issue, and to my knowledge it doesn't affect me one way or the other. But it seems that this has caused a lot of pain to some of our fellow members and their families. I don't support opening up the floodgates to this Tribe, but I do support the Tribe assuring its members that they have explored all possible solutions before making a decision. Those are my observations and I thank you all for your time. Toby McClary Roll 1471 ATTENTION TRIBAL MEMBERS COMMITTEE AND SPECIAL EVENT BOARD VACANCIES The following Committees and Special Event Boards have vacant positions. If you are interested, please complete an application and submit it to Dakota Whitecloud, Tribal Council Relations Coordinator, CTGR, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347. Ceremonial Hunt Board 3 Vacancies Culture Committee 1 Vacancy Cultural Trust Board 2 Vacancies Education Committee 1 Vacancy Enrollment Committee 1 Vacancy Rodeo Special Event Board 2 Vacancies Social Services Committee 1 Vacancy Timber Committee 1 Vacancy PUBLICATIONS OFFICE 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347 1-800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173 Web site: www.grandronde.orgnews E-mail: newsgrandronde.org SIOBHAN TAYLOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR 503-879-1920 slobtun.tjylorgrandronde.ort SCARLETT HOLTZ PUBLICATIONS SECRETARY 503-879-1453 Scarlett, hoh2grandronde.0rg GEORGE VALDEZ GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST 503-879-1416 georfe.valdeigrandrond.org CARLA ROBERTS CENTRAL PHONES 503-879-1447 urU.robcrecrjiidrondc.ori KRISTEN RAVIA PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECRETARY 503-879-1418 krfeten.rjvU(9gr jndronde.org JUSTIN PHILLIPS PAGE DESIGNER 503-879-2190 Kisdn.phllllpsgrjndronde.org MICHELLE ALAIMO PHOTOJOURNALIST 503-879-1961 mkMk.aiaimograndrond.org DEAN RHODES PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR 503-879-1463 dean.rhodesgrandronde.org RON KARTEN STAFF WRITER 503-879-4663 ron.kartengrandronde.org SHELLY KENT CENTRAL PHONES 503-879-5211 shdry.kenrgrandronde.org DEADLINE PATE ISSUE PATE Friday, March 20 APRIL 1 Friday, April 3 APRIL 15 Monday, April 20 MAY 1 Tuesday, May 5 MAY 1 5 ' Wednesday, May 20 JUNE 1 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 2009 Tribal Council 1-800-422-0232 councilgrandronde.org Cheryle A. Kennedy Tribal Chairwoman - ext. 2352 cheryle.kennedygrandronde.org Reyn Leno Tribal Vice Chair ext. 2399 reyn.lenograndronde.org Jack Giffen Jr. Tribal Secretary - ext. 2306 iack.g1fTengrandronde.org Steve Bobb Sr. ext. 2353 steve.bobbgrandronde.org Chris Mercler ext. 2305 chris.merciergrandronde.org Wink Soderberg ext. 1 444 wlnk.soderberggrandronde.org D Kathleen Tom ext. i 777 kathleen.tomgrandronde.org June Sell-Sherer ext. 2300 June.sherergrandronde.org Valorle Sheker -ext. 2355 val.shekergrandronde.org
