Smoke Signals 3
OCTOBER 1,2009
Yamhill County files
eminent domain action
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Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Yamhill County has filed an eminent domain action against the lot on the
corner of Highway 1 8 and Grand Ronde Road. The county is seeking an
easement for sidewalks and utility lines.
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Last week's repaying of Grand
Ronde Road didn't quite wrap up
two years worth of work.
Yamhill County has grown tired
of seeking an easement for side
walks and utility lines as the final
piece in the Grand Ronde Road
upgrade at the northeast corner of
Highway 18 and filed an eminent
domain action against David Wil
liam Joerg of Eagle River, Alaska,
on Sept. 22.
The northern third of Grand
Ronde Road is in Yamhill County
while the southern portion is in
Polk County.
Yamhill County Counsel John
Gray told the county at a special
session on Sept. 21 that the county
has been negotiating unsuccess
fully with Joerg for more than a
year. With the project almost com
plete, the county has lost patience,
he said.
Gray sought and obtained per
mission to file a condemnation suit
and did so on Sept. 22.
Gray said that the county took a
450-foot triangle on the curve and
also needs a 4-foot-wide permanent
slope and utility easement and 10-foot-wide
construction easement for
sidewalks.
The appraised value of Joerg's
land that would be taken is $3,760,
Gray said.
"There is still a good possibility
we will reach a settlement and
dismiss the condemnation," Gray
said on Monday, Sept. 28.
Tribal Engineer Eric Scott said
he held off on approving some drain
work and completing the end of the
sideway until Joerg signed off on an
easement, which he apparently did
on the last day without informing
anyone at Yamhill County.
If a financial settlement can not
be reached, a jury will determine
fair compensation.
Smoke Signals phone calls to
Joerg in Alaska seeking comment
were not returned.
Includes material from The Yam
hill County News-Register. D
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OFFICERS continued
from front page
Kathryn Harrison served as Tribal
chair for five years from September
1996 to September 2001.
During the Sept. 16 Tribal Coun
cil meeting, Kennedy, who was
nominated by Tribal Council mem
ber Valorie Shckcr, voted for her
self. She also received the support
of Sheker and Tribal Council mem
bers Kathleen Tom, Chris Mercier,
Wink Soderberg and newly-elected
Toby McClary.
Tribnl Vice Chair Reyn Leno, who
was nominated by Tribal Council
member Steve Bobb Sr. to be Tribal
chair, received support from Bobb
and Tribal Council member June
Sell-Sherer, as well as voting for
Lane CC collaborating with
Tribe for Chinuk Wawa classes
With the collaboration of Lane Community College, the Confederated
Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon will offer again this fall
a course in Chinuk Wawa for college credit.
"The course is being offered via video conferencing technology," said
Drew Viles, member of the college's American Indian Languages initia
tive. "The technology allows teachers in Grand Ronde to offer lessons to
students outside their classroom."
In the case of this fall's Chinuk Wawa classes, students in Eugene,
Portland and Salem are expected to start, or continue, their studies of the
Northwest Indian language.
Both an introductory class and an advanced class in Chinuk Wawa will
begin soon.
"These classes are ideal for college students who need to study a lan
guage," Viles said.
Community college students need to show first-year proficiency in a
language other than English to transfer to a public university in Oregon
while university students seeking a bachelor's degree are required to
complete two years of language study.
"Chinuk Wawa satisfies both transfer and university graduation require
ments," Viles said.
Classrooms are in Grand Ronde, Chemeketa Community College, Lane
Community College and Portland State University. Students will meet
every Monday and Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:20 p.m. starting Wednesday,
Sept. 30.
"Everybody is welcome," Viles said. "Last year, we were blessed to have
both credit students and community members who just like to come and
speak and practice the language. With these classes, more definitely
means merrier."
Classes are taught by Tony Johnson, Grand Ronde Tribal language
expert, and Janne Underrinner, director of the University of Oregon's
Northwest Indian Language Institute, with help from Henry Zenk and
others. D
himself.
With the departure of Tribal
Elder Jack Giffen Jr. from Tribal
Council after serving two consecu
tive terms, a new Tribal secretary
needed to be elected.
Tom, who is starting her fifth
year on Tribal Council and was
nominated by Chris Mercier, was
elected 6-3. She voted for herself
and received support from Ken
nedy, Sheker, Mercier, McClary
and Soderberg.
Bobb, who was nominated by'
Sell-Sherer for Tribal secretary,
voted for himself and received sup
port from Leno and Sell-Sherer.
Leno, who is starting his 14th
year on Tribal Council, retained the
Tribal vice chair post. This will be
Leno's eighth year as vice chair. B
Service appreciated
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
After being given a Pendleton blanket, outgoing Tribal Council
Secretary Jack Giffen Jr. opens a Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
flag that was also given to him by Tribal Council during a farewell party
in the Governance Center Atrium on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Watching Giffen
open the flag are, from left. Tribal Council members Steve Bobb Sr.,
June Sell-Sherer and Wink Soderberg, Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A.
Kennedy and Tribal Secretary Kathleen Tom. Giffen, who served two
consecutive terms on Tribal Council, finished fourth during this year's
Tribal Council election.
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