Smoke Signals
8 NOVEMBER 1, 201 1
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Photo by Michelle Alalmo
Tribal Elder Kenneth Foster It an ongoing success story of the Tribe's
Vocational Rehabilitation Work Experience Program. Because of the
program and help from Jon George, Tribal member and the Vocational
Rehabilitation specialist and Chris Garcia, Employment & Training
specialist, both at the Tribe's Portland Area Office, Foster has now
been working at the Portland Nursery Co. in Portland for four seasons,
including the last two years as a full-time worker. He started at Portland
Nursery as a three-month work experience employee and when the
program came to an end he was offered full-time employment, which
he eagerly accepted in 2009. Two years later, Foster is still employed
there and knows how to do just about everything at the nursery, except
for the office work. He started working In the production area and has
since learned a lot more about other areas by taking it upon himself to
learn by helping his fellow workers. He even helps train new employees.
"Kenny is a valuable member of our team," said Suzy Hancock, the
nursery's general manager.
Ballots were scheduled to
go out Oct. 26 to voters
VOTE continued
from front page
of the election on June 16.
The all-or-nothing proposal would
change the following requirements
for Tribal enrollment:
It would reduce the relinquish
ment time from five years to two
years that a person must wait to
become a member of the Grand
Ronde Tribe after officially leav
ing another Tribe;
It would eliminate the require
ment that new members have a
parent on a Tribal membership
roll at the time of their birth
or at the time of their applica
tion; It would redefine Grand Ronde
blood as "all Indian blood derived
from a direct ancestor whose
name validly appears on any roll
or record of Grand Ronde mem
bers prepared by the Department
of Interior or the Tribe prior to
or since the effective date of this
Constitution."
And it would establish an annual
quota of no more than 5 percent
and no less than 2 percent of
currently enrolled members may
be accepted as new members,
excluding newborns.
On Sept. 14, Tribal Council voted
4-3 to continue with the election
process and rebuffed an effort to
put it on hold and seek an advisory
vote on whether Tribal members
wanted the proposal bundled or as
four separate votes.
Tribal members who will be at
least 18 years of age on Nov. 15
had until Monday, Oct. 17, to reg
ister to vote in the election. Tribal
members who did not specifically
register to vote will not be eligible
to cast a ballot.
For the amendment to change
the Tribal Constitution at least 30
percent of registered Tribal mem
bers 439 must cast ballots
and at least two-thirds of those
voting have to approve it. If this
year's voter turnout mirrors 2008
at 78 percent, then 1,141 Tribal
members will cast votes and 761
would have to vote yes to amend
the Constitution.
Ballots were scheduled to be sent
out Wednesday, Oct. 26, to all reg
istered voters. The ballots must be
returned to the BIA in the postage
paid return envelope before noon
Tuesday, Nov. 15.
This is the third time since 1983's
Restoration that Tribal members
are voting on enrollment require
ments. In 1999, Tribal members
approved tightening up enrollment
requirements and in 2008, one
of three proposals the current
five-year relinquishment period
received the two-thirds support
necessary to be written into the
Tribal Constitution. H
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Contact Shonn Leno for more information. 503-879-2397
A proud tradition of giving!