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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2012)
Sh PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM, OR PERMIT NO. 178 ll'lf'''"-M'l,l'IIf"Hl'f'l'lfl"''l'flfl"fl'"j-f(IIII,'f P3 KNIGHT LIBRARY IS99 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON EUGENE OR 97403-1S05 FEBRUARY 1,2012 ml 1SJO..0.J, A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe www.grandronde.org TJMFQXXA. MOLALLA ROGUE RIVEB CHASTA TornbaD CoymciD sends primary idea tto votteirs Constitutional amendment would change the way Tribe conducts annual elections By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tribal Council voted 6-1 on Wednesday, Jan. 25, to send a proposed constitutional amendment to voters that would create a primary during the Tribal election process if more than 10 candidates are nominated in any given year. Only first-term Tribal Council member Toby McClary voted against the resolution and Tribal Council member Valorie Sheker was absent. During the September 2010 election, a non- binding survey asked Tribal members about a possible Tribal Council primary and about establishing Tribal Council term limits. Tribal members who responded to the survey supported a primary 582-366, or 61.4 percent in favor of the idea. To change the Tribal Constitu tion, two-thirds of Tribal voters casting ballots must approve a proposed amendment. In the 2010 survey, almost 47 percent of those responding said they favored paring the Tribal Council candidate slate to six for the early Sep tember general election. The proposed constitutional amendment would create a primary if the number of candidates nominated to run for Tribal Council in late June exceeds 10. The top six candidates in the primary election would continue on to the September general election. Tribal Council elections of late have regularly seen a candidate field exceeding 10 with those being elected regularly receiving less than 20 See PRIMARY continued on page 6 Senior Miss Grand Ronde Nakoosa Moreland participates in the junior and teen girls jingle dress exhibition dance during the fourth annual Gathering of Oregon's First Nations Powwow at the Oregon State Fair & Expo Center Pavilion in Salem on Saturday, Jan. 28. Story and more photos on pages 8-9. YT f n .1 A r H 1.W Photo by Michelle Alalmo Reservation Act amendment to receive hearing Grand Ronde Tribe seeks streamlined process for taking former land back into trust By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor An amendment to the 1988 Grand Ronde Reservation Act that would streamline how the Tribe takes former reser vation land back into Tribal owner ship will receive a hearing before the Senate Indian Affairs Commit tee on Thursday, Feb. 2. A Grand Ronde contingent, led by Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. See AMENDMENT continued on page 13 Want to watch? The Webcast of the hearing on the proposed amendment to the Grand Ronde Reservation Act can be watched at 11:15 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday, Feb. 2, by going to http:indian. senate, govnewsmultimedia.cfm. Meircoeir receives Leadeorsltoiip) Awairdl By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor DAYTON Tribal Council member Chris Mercier re ceived the Gwen VanDen Bosch Regional Leadership Award on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the an nual meeting of the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments held at the Dayton Community Center. See MERCIER continued on page 9 .. Egg .rvl z 1 Tribal Council member Chris Mercier and Tribal Public Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor look at the plaque that Mercier received after being named the recipient of the Gwen VanDenBosch Regional Leadership Award at the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments annual dinner and awards presentation at the Dayton Community Center in Dayton on Wednesday, Jan. 25. On the left, Mercier's mother, Pat, and brother, Tribal member Bryan Mercier, also attended the event. Photo by Michelle Alaimo
