Smoke Signals 9
APRIL 1,2011
Trote irsirc7
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signal editor
At a time when budget cutting
is the loudest mantra coming out
of Washington, D.C., the Grand
Ronde Tribe received a $500,000
Indian Community Development
Block Grant from the U.S. De
partment of Housing and Urban
Development.
The award to the Tribe was
among competitive grants to Tribes
and Alaska Native villages totaling
$33.6 million.
The block grant will be used to
design and build a transitional
housing facility for women who
have graduated from alcohol and
drug treatment programs.
"We have a significant need for
transitional housing for women in
our community," Tribal Chairwom
an Cheryle A. Kennedy said. 'They
are women who are completing
drug and alcohol rehabilitation and
need a home that is safe and helps
them continue their commitment to
live drug- and alcohol-free.
"It will also help women who are
returning to the community after
serving time in correctional institu
tions. They, too, need a place to live
that is safe and will give them the
shelter and time they need as they
put their lives back on track."
The proposed 3,000-square-foot
transitional housing project will
house women and women with chil
dren and assist with their transition
back into the community, and seek
to break the cycle of addiction using
behavioral health, alcohol and drug
counseling, post-treatment services
and cultural support.
Tribal Planning and Grants Man
ager Kim Rogers said the decision on
the final location for the transitional
housing facility has yet to be made.
The estimated total cost is
$667,000 with the Tribe paying
the other $167,000. Annual opera
tion and maintenance costs are es
timated at $30,000. Tribal Council
approved the application for the
'He stayed true to his
values and his friends'
PROPES continued
from front page
to-government relationship with
the Tribe.
But many Tribal members re
member Propes before he became
an elected official.
"Having gone to school with his
older sister, Sheri," recalls Tribal
Council member Steve Bobb Sr.,
"Mike's leadership abilities became
apparent from an early age, from on
the football field of the Willamina
Bulldogs to being a favorite teacher
of my son's in the forestry classes
at Willamina High to just being an
all-around friend to everyone."
Bobb said that Propes would not
succumb to prejudice against the
Tribe or its members.
"Mike would not have any of it,"
Bobb says. "When he eventually
evolved to becoming a commissioner
for Polk County, he stayed true to his
values and his friends. He remained
a close part of the Grand Ronde peo
ple, standing shoulder to shoulder
with us on many occasions."
Tribal Council Vice Chair Reyn
Leno said that Propes' support in
2010 for the Tribe's Reservation
Land Act amendment helped gar
ner unanimous support from both
Polk and Yamhill counties.
"Mike went to bat for the Tribe,"
Leno said. "It didn't take Mike
long to understand the Reserva
tion Land Act amendment. He
provided information to his county
commission in the Tribe's behalf
that listed all that the Tribe has
given back to Polk County in terms
of improvements to land, road proj
ects, Community Fund support and
charitable giving.
"He impressed on his fellow com
missioners that the Tribe actually
added value to the community when
we acquired land. And that our giv
ing far outweighed any perceived
loss in tax revenue to the tune of
millions of dollars."
Former Tribal Engineer Eric
Scott said the Propes was involved
in many Tribal projects and efforts
to improve the Grand Ronde com
munity. He worked closely for Polk Coun
ty with the Tribe and Oregon De
partment of Transportation on the
Van Duzer corridor refinement and
worked to bring the state Highway
22 realignment project to fruition.
Propes' support of the Grand
Ronde Road improvement project
helped allocate $50,000 in bond
funds towards the project.
He also helped the Tribe on water
rights transfers, on incorporating a
small triangle of county-owned land
into Fort Yamhill State Park and
encouraging joint Tribal-county
planning for emergency manage
ment. Besides sitting on the Board of
Commissioners, Propes served on
the Chemeketa Community College
board of directors and many other
boards and commissions.
"In working on the Council of
Governments board, I always found
Mike to be very professional, will
ing to listen and understanding
of the value of intergovernmental
relationships," said Tribal Council
member Chris Mercier. "I think he
was a good partner for the Tribe."
"With Mike, it wasn't about the
business end of it," Leno said. "It
was what the land meant to the
Tribe. He had that communication
with all of the Tribal Councils that
have been here, not just this cur
rent council. He came and sat at
the table across from you and told
you about what he could do."
"He leaves a giant hole in the
hearts of many of us and shoes that
can't be filled," Bobb said.
grant in October.
The Tribe already has a transi
tional house for men.
Kennedy said the Tribe is
"thrilled" to receive the grant for
the transitional housing.
"We've received the award from
HUD not only because we have a
significant need for improved hous
ing and economic development, but
because the federal government
respects the Tribe's abuity to assess
community need and to implement
solutions for those needs," she said.
"The grant is significant not only
because of its size, but because we
received it at a time when the fed
eral government is making so many
cuts to the budget. All of us have
been told not to expect any help
from the federal government, but
here we are receiving this grant."
Kennedy said the Grand Ronde
Tribe received the grant not only
because of the need, but because
the Tribe has a national reputation
for making "wise and efficient" use
of federal grant money.
"Our work on the improved Grand
Ronde Road is another example of
this reputation," she said. "We are
able to work with our community
partners and state and federal part
ners." The Tribe also received approval
for a $500,000 youth activity ad-
dition that was an amendment of
a previous project for recreational
facilities since the Tribe was able
to build a baseball field and Hous
ing was able to build an outdoor
basketball court.
The 2,432-squa re-foot youth ac
tivity addition will be added to the
western end of the Tribe's Youth
Education Building.
The Tribe will match the grant
with $167,000 and estimated oper
ating costs are $16,920 a year. Trib
al Council approved applying for the
grant amendment in March.
The youth activity addition will
give Tribal youth a place to hang
out when the Willamina School Dis
trict goes to four-day school weeks
in September.
The Indian Community Develop
ment Block Grant program was
established in 1977 and supports a
wide variety of community develop
ment and affordable housing activi
ties for federally recognized Tribes.
'This funding helps our country's
Native American and Alaska Na
tive communities improve the
living conditions for hard-working
families who need the most help,"
said HUD Secretary Shaun Dono
van. 'This is an investment to pro
mote neighborhood development,
produce affordable housing and
create much-needed jobs." B
Chinuk Family Night sot for April 26
The next Chinuk Family Night will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tues-
day, April 26, in the Tribal Community Center.
All past and current participants, as well as anyone who is inter-
ested, are welcome to attend.
For more information, contact Kathy Cole at 503-879-2249 or kathy.
colegrandronde.org. B
Tribe seeking 201 1 -1 2
Hatfield Fellow applicants
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is accepting applications
for the Mark O. Hatfield Congressional Fellowship.
Each year, a Hatfield Fellow serves as an intern for a member of
Oregon's congressional delegation. The fellow is selected from adult
Native American applicants who are enrolled members of a federally
recognized Tribe in Oregon.
If there are no qualified applicants from Oregon, enrolled members
of federally recognized Tribes in Washington, Idaho and Montana
will be considered.
The selected candidate will intern in Washington, D.C., for nine
months beginning in November and will receive a monthly stipend,
relocation and travel expenses, and tuition for the American Political
Science Association orientation.
Again in 201 1, applications will be accepted and submitted through
an electronic Web-based process only at www.thecommunityfund.
comhatfield-fellowship .
Videos providing an overview of the Hatfield Fellowship program
and interviews with previous fellows can be viewed at Spirit Moun
tain Community Fund's Web site.
Deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Friday, April 29. Applicants will
be notified in May if they qualify for interviews. Late applications
will not be accepted.
For more information, contact Programs Officer Louis King at
Spirit Mountain Community Fund at 503-879-1462, e-mail at louis.
kingthecommunityfund.com or by mail at 9615 Grand Ronde Road,
Grand Ronde, OR 97347.
The fellowship honors Mark Hatfield for his accomplishments as
a U.S. senator, former Oregon governor and for his mentorship of
many community leaders. B