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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2011)
Smoke Signals 3 FEBRUARY 15, 2011 Tribe receives ffoamidliiOTig ffoir iraew posDoomi Thorsgard adopts new role as Tribal sovereignty increases By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signal editor .Tribal member and Tribal Cul tural Protection Coordinator Eirik Thorsgard is now wearing a new hat as Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. Thanks to a more than $27,000 grant from the National Park Service, the Grand Ronde Tribe now has increased sovereignty in controlling its architectural and historic sites on Reservation and trust lands. Previously, Thorsgard told the General Council meeting held at the Grand Ronde Tribal Commu nity Center on Feb. 6, if the Tribe discovered a potentially historic site on its lands, it had to obtain a ruling from the State Historic Preservation Office before work could continue. "We would have to wait for the state and that could take anywhere from 30 to 60 days," Thorsgard said. Now, Thorsgard has the author ity to assess potential archeologi cal materials and devise plans to avoid affecting the site or move the materials out of the way of planned development. Thorsgard said he has been work ing on obtaining this federal desig nation since June 2009. As part of being the Tribe's new Historic Preservation Officer, Thorsgard is seeking Tribal mem bers who would like to serve on an advisory board. Those interested 'fill T'sV v ' ' (- Photo by Dean Rhodes Tribal mtmbtr and Tribal Cultural Prottctlon Coordinator Eirik Thorsgard briefs tha mambarship on bacoming tha Triba's naw Historic Prasarvation Officer at tha Fab. 6 Ganaral Council maating hald in Grand Ronda.Tha Grand Ronda Triba will racaiva mora than $27,000 this yaar from tha National Park Sarvica to halp fund tha effort, ha said. can contact him at 503-879-1630 or eirik.thorsgardgrandronde.org. Thorsgard said the Grand Ronde Tribe is now one of 103 federally recognized Tribes in the country with a Tribal Historic Preserva tion Office. There are 565 federally recognized Tribes. Thorsgard added that the fund ing is never guaranteed, since it does come from the federal govern ment, and the amount the Tribe receives may either be less than or more than the $27,000 expected this year. In other action during the meet ing, Tribal Council member Jack Giffen Jr. encouraged Tribal mem bers to support an Oregon Depart ment of Environmental Quality URGENT: Skookum Alternate Resource survey deadline The Skookum Health Program is funded with Tribal dollars. The annual cost for medical claims has increased dramatically' over the past 10 years, and in 2010 the Tribe spent more than $20 million to operate the Skookum program. To help control costs, effective March 1, 201 1, all members who have not completed the Skookum Alternate Resource Survey will not have their claims paid until the survey is completed. Shasta will be notifying members whose claims have been pended via mail, with instructions for completing the survey online or by telephone. Tribal staff will be contacting members who have not completed the survey by telephone as well. This information is essential if we are going to get the plan back to its original intent of being the primary payer ONLY in cases when other payers (Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance) are not available. PLEASE NOTE: TRIBAL COUNCIL WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS SURVEY IS CRITICAL AND THAT YOUR BENEFITS OR OUT-OF-POCKETS EXPENSES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CHANGE. Here is an example of how this will work and why it is so impor tant: A Tribal member who has Skookum as a primary payer must have a back surgery and, due to complications, remains in the hos pital for 45 days. Average cost to the Tribe: $250,000. This same Tribal member has the same surgery and complica tions and remains in the hospital for 45 days. However, the member has access to his spouse's employer's insurance, with a maximum out of pocket of $5,000. Total cost to the Tribe: no more than $5,000. YOU MAY COMPLETE THE SURVEY ONLINE (BY FOLLOW ING THE LINK ON THE CTGR WEB SITE) OR OVER THE TELE PHONE BY CONTACTING BARBARA STEERE, JIM HOLMES OR MELODY BAKER AT (800) 775-0095. B proposal to revise state water qual ity standards based on a fish con sumption rate of 175 grams a day. "We've been working on this for years," Giffen said, acknowledg ing Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy's work on the effort as well. "This is a substantial in crease." The higher fish consumption rate will result in decreasing the levels of toxic pollution that are consid eredallowable" in Oregon's rivers, ' lakes and streams. The proposed 175 grams per day rate is based, in part, on a study of ceremonial and subsis tence consumption habits of Native Americans who reside in, catch and consume fish within the Columbia River Basin. The study found that consumption of 23 eight-ounce serv ings of fish meals per month is a realistic value that represents con sumption habits of Native peoples. Letters of support will be for warded to Andrea Matzke at the state Department of Environmen tal Quality's Water Quality Divi sion, 811 S.W. Sixth Ave., Portland OR 97204. Tribal Council member Chris Mercier also donated one of his paychecks - about $2,150 - to the Tribal Library. "This is going to an area that I am confident that it will make a differ ence in the community," Mercier said about his donation given to Tribal member and Education Divi sion Manager April Campbell. "The Tribal Library is going through an expansion and they should be able to buy a lot of books with this money." Tribal Elders Nancy Coleman and Dorothy Shortt and Tribal spouse Duane Coulson won the $50 door prizes and Tribal Elder Qahira Lorraine Barton won the $100 door prize. The next General Council meet ing will be held 11 a.m. Sunday, March 6, in either. Portland or Eugene. D First Foods Celebration set for March 19 The annual First Foods Celebration will be held at noon Saturday, March 19, at the Tribal Community Center in Grand Ronde. Meal service will begin at noon. Tribal members are invited to at tend and enjoy traditional foods. All are welcome and the event will be free. For more information, contact Culture Committee member Kathy Provost at 503-857-8440. D Arp you a CTGil Elddr or do you qua undor CTGR housing guldllnos for low Incomo? CTGR-Portland Office will be having Doris Rose at the PAO office on Feb. 28, 2011 8 A.M. - 5 P.M. To schedule your appointment, call or call Lisa Archuleta for details J J T Jmr s S m V Ati. I Ad created by George Valdez
