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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2009)
2 JULY 15, 2009 Smoke Signals NOTICE Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings DATE TIME Wednesday, July 22 5:30 p.m. (Later time to accommodate those members of Council return ing from off-site meetings) 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, Sept. 13 11 a.m. Tribal Community Center 0333330 Dear Tribal leaders and membership: Let me preface this letter by saying that having served on Tribal Council, I know your job is not easy. If there was ever a position where you're damned if you do, damned if you don't, being a Tribal Council member is it. So please don't take what I have to say personally. I was really bothered by the letter to the membership you guys probably ordered our Director of Development to sign and send out. When you guys make a decision that has the potential to alarm and scare people, is it too much to ask that you sign your own names to it? I've worked with some of you, and I have no doubt your motivation in waiting a year to inform us of what happened is that reviving this issue for the election might tie in with either your own campaign, or the campaign of somebody you plan to support. What reason could there be, especially if the investigation was concluded in January, a half-year ago! I understand at the July 1 Council meeting some of you tried to blame others for all the delays. Might I remind some of you that in September 2007, within 48 hours of your political party's candidates being sworn in, you were successfully able to stop and change the course of a BIA-sanctioned Constitutional Election, quite possibly the biggest decision made over the last two years. In other words, when you guys want something done, it gets done, quickly. Your decision to mail out this letter is personal for me, because you did so without consulting some of our Tribal members who work in Member Services, like my sister Debby Larsen, but also Reina Nelson and Margo Mercier. These three ladies have been working with a cloud of suspicion over their heads the past year. And my hunch is that has gotten worse as questions regarding this issue have gone unanswered and given that their jobs provide them access to every Tribal member's personal information. The way you worded your letter leaves readers little choice but to conclude it was one of them behind last year's "Leno Letter" fiasco. Neither Debby Larsen, Margo Mercier nor Reina Nelson had a thing to do with it; I know that for a fact. They are the three least politically-minded members I know. Not to mention the fact that they have a combined track record of over a half-century working for the Tribe without incident. Of course I shouldn't have to say that for them. You should have given them the chance to address the issue publicly and defend their honor. Frankly, you owe them and their families an apology. I was really starting to see progress in our Tribal government, but your obsession with this practically forgotten issue demonstrates the lengths some people will go during election time. This season is a time for all our elected officials (not just the ones up for re-election) to demonstrate integrity and good will, not casting speculation and diverting attention from the real issues. Angie Blackwell Roll 1089 See page 14 for more letters. 2009 Tribal Marketplace dates Aug. 7-9, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 14-16, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Powwow Sept. 4-6, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 2-4, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 6-8, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 4-6, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dales subject to change due to conflicting Tribal or SMC events. Located across from Cedar Plank Buffet. For more information, call Dakota Whitecloud at 503-879-4240. Corrections: A story in the July 1 issue of Smoke Signals incor rectly stated how long current Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy has served continuously in office. She took office in September 2000. In addition, Kennedy was nominated by her sister, Cecile Kncclnnd, who is not yet an Elder at 49 years of age. Another story in the July 1 issue incorrectly identified Custodial Maintenance Supervisor Curtis Rcntsch's job title. Smoke Signals regrets the errors. 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 stotohM.uy1orfrjndrondc.org SCARLETT HOLTZ PUBLICATIONS SECRETARY 503-879-1453 KJrtca.holurKlrondc.O( GEORGE VALDEZ GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST 503-879-1416 feorfe.vaklezgrandrande.org CARLA ROBERTS CENTRAL PHONES 503-879-1447 cvto.rabcrafrindrande.Ofi KRISTEN RAVIA PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECRETARY 503-879-1418 fcrt$tenj-jvUgr jndronde.org JUSTIN PHILLIPS PAGE DESIGNER 503-879-2190 usdn.pMrllps(randronde.ort MICHELLE ALAIMO PHOTOJOURNALIST 503-879-1961 mtchtnt , ililmotrndronlc.ort DEAN RHODES PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR 503-879-1463 deAn.rhodesKrandronde.org RON KARTEN STAFF WRITER 503-879-4663 ron.lurtigrandrond.orf SHELLY KENT CENTRAL PHONES 503-879-5211 shHr.kemtrandronde.orf DEADLINE PATE ISSUE DATE Monday, July 20 .AUG. 1 Wednesday, Aug. 5 AUG. 1 5 Thursday, Aug. 20 SEPT. 1 Thursday, Sept. 3 SEPT. 1 5 Monday, Sept. 21 OCT. 1 Monday, Oct. 5 OCT. 1 5 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 D Cheryle A. Kennedy D Chris Mercier Tribal Chairwoman ext. 2305 ext. 2352 chris.rr.erclergrandronde.org cheryle.kennedygrandronde.org p Sodererg O Reyn Leno ext. 1 444 Tribal Vice Chair wlnk.soderberggrandronde.org - ext. 2399 p Kaiee,, Tom reyn.Kriograndronde.org ext D Jack Giffen Jr. kathleen.tomgrandronde.org Tribal Secretary June Sell-Sherer c2306 -ext. 2300 lack.glfTengrandronde.org june.sherergrandronde.org Steve Bobb Sr. n VaIore Sheker -ext. 2353 -ext. 2355 Jteve.bobberandronde.org val.$hekergrandronde.org
