Smoke Signals 3
MAY 15,2012
General Council briefed on economic development
Tit u Asghar details plans
in executive session
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Tribal Economic Development Di
rector Titu Asghar briefed General
Council on Tribal economic devel
opment plans during a 20-minute
executive session on Sunday, May
6, at the Tribal Community Cen
ter. Because the briefing was held in
executive session, Smoke Signals
cannot report the details of the
briefing.
Asghar joined the Tribe on Jan.
17, 2011, and is now in charge of
Tribal commercial real estate as
well as helping plan the Tribe's
future economic development.
Tribal members interested in
finding out more about Tribal eco
nomic development plans should
contact Economic Development
Administrative Assistant Jilene
Mercier at 503-879-1315 or jilene.
merciergrandronde.org to sched
ule an appointment or phone call.
In other actions, it was announced
that the next General Council
meeting for Tribal Council nomina
tions will be held 1 1 a.m. Sunday,
June 24, in the Tribal Community
Center.
The next regular General Coun
cil meeting will be held after the
summer break at 11 a.m. Sunday,
Sept. 9, at the Tribal Community
Center.
Tribal Elders Gene LaBonte and
Ed Larsen and Tribal spouse Liz
Leno won the $50 door prizes and
Tribal Elder Dorothy Shortt won
the $100 door prize.
Community Input meeting
At 1 p.m. Sunday following the
General Council meeting, the Tribe
held its annual Community Mem
bership Input Meeting in the gym
in Grand Ronde.
Forty-two people attended, in
cluding 12 assigned staff and Tribal
Council members Steve Bobb Sr.,
Chris Mercier and Toby McClary.
Bobb welcomed attendees and
then there was a brief PowerPoint
presentation with an overview
of Tribal planning and develop
ment projects. Planning & Grants
Manager Kim Rogers requested
comments and suggestions on
the Tribe's Housing and Urban
Development Indian Community
Development Block Grant program
and projects and on the Tribe's Ad
ministration for Native Americans
grants, including the language im
mersion program.
The PowerPoint led into an open
house session at eight topic tables.
Each table had a color poster with
photos, plan drawings and text.
Tribal Police Officer Jake McK
night staffed the Police Department
table and fielded questions on the
development of the department.
Most questions had to do with the
schedule.
Rogers collected comments, mostly
supportive, on transit services, espe
cially on the Tribe's application to
help fund a route to Lincoln City.
Behavioral Health Director Kelly
Nelson and Tribal Engineer Jesse
White answered questions on the
women's transitional living center
development project. Most com
ments were suggestions to include
spiritual counseling.
Cultural Resources Program
Manager Kathy Cole took com
ments on the project of converting
the majority of the Grand Ronde
school into a Tribal museum. Com
ments focused on cultural activi
ties, representative artifacts from
various family groups and space for
Native artisansvendors.
Education Department Manager
April Campbell took comments on
recreation plans. Most dealt with
youth, but some with Elders. These
included support for swimming,
biking, hiking, crafts, culinary arts,
Committee & Special Event
Board meeting days and times
Below is the most current information on the meeting days and
times for Tribal Committees and Special Event Boards:
Ceremonial Hunt Board meets as needed. Chair: Shonn Leno.
Cultural Trust Board meets at 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month
in Modular No. 2. Chair: Perri McDaniel.
Culture Committee meets at 1 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month
in Modular No. 3. Chair: TBD.
Education Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. on the first Monday of the
month in the Adult Education Building. Chair: Jon George.
Elders' Committee meets at 10 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month
in the Elders' Activity Center. Chair: Gladys Hobbs.
Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Governance
Building. Acting Chair: Robert Schmid.
Fish & Wildlife Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of
the month at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the
month in the Tribal Wellness Center. Acting Chair: Patti Tom-Martin.
Powwow Special Event Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Thursday of
the month at the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dana Ainam.
Rodeo Special Event Board meets at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month at the Tribal Rodeo Office. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Social Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. the second Monday of the
month in the Social Services Conference Room. Chair: Jenny Sanchez.
Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month
at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Bob Mercier.
Veterans Special Event Board meets at 4 p.m. the first and third
Tuesday of the month in the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dakota
Whitecloud.
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A'io :
Photo by Dean Rhodes
Tribal Economic Development Director Titu Asghar briefs the General
Membership on Tribal economic development plans and projects during an
executive session held Sunday, May 6, in the Tribal Community Center.
fitness, sports and events.
Natural Resources Manager
Michael Wilson collected many
positive comments on updating the
Natural Resources 10-Year Man
agement Plan and collected survey
information.
Assistant Health Director Ally
son Lecatsas provided information
and took comments on the Second
ary Payor Conversion project that
is encouraging members to first
use Medicaid and spousal health
insurance before using the Skoo
kum Health Plan. Skookum was
intended to be the secondary op
tion, but its increased use as the
primary source by many members
has been a large part of the Tribe's
rising health care costs.
There was also an "other" com
ments table where a wide variety
of opinions were shared, including
on drug prevention activities to oc
cupy youth, including community
gardening and efforts to involve
Elders to be active. Public Works
Director John Mercier and Execu
tive Health Services Director Mark
Johnston fielded those comments
and suggestions, which also includ
ed comments on casino operations,
per capita and other topics.
The meeting ended about 2:45
p.m. with a series of drawings for
three Pendleton mugs, four $25
Shell gift certificates and a Tribal
logo blanket.
Includes information from Tribal
Planning & Grants Manager Kim
Rogers.
Chinuk Wawa classes offered
The Tribe's Cultural Education Department offers adult Chinuk
Wawa language classes from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday
in Room 207 of the Tribal Education Building. Language classes
can be taken for college credit or for fun. For more information,
call 503-879-2249 or 503-437-4599. D
fit
Grand Ronde
Dental Clinic
Eric Webster DMD Myron Peng DDS Erin Lange DDS
Mon, Tues, Wed and Fri
8 A.M. -5 P.M.
Thursday 9:30 A.M. - 5 P.M.
Closed for lunch 12:30 A.M. -1:30 P.M.
Emergency Hour: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 8 A.M. Thurs 9:30 A.M.
7 t a ) b
r a I
en
Please call for more information about Emergency times
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503-879-2020
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