4 SEPTEMBER 1,2012
IMOKE SIGNALS
Tribal convenience store
begins reinventing itself
rSV ffvosii .wJt'-v-v Eg
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
The Tribal convenience store
adjacent to Spirit Mountain Ca
sino on state Highway 18 has been
reinventing itself over the last few
months.
Tribal Council, which had been
overseeing store operations, turned
operational control over in April to
Tribal Finance Officer Julio Mar
tinez, charging him with making
the store profitable and ensuring
that going forward the operation
hires as many Tribal members as
possible.
Martinez immediately closed
the money losing restaurant and
divided the workload among other
Finance Department staff mem
bers, principally Larry Leith and
Ken Trevino. At the end of June,
he hired new store manager Opal
Hale, and already the Tribe is see
ing a profit from the business.
The convenience store had not been
profitable in years. For 2012, Tribal
Council budgeted a capital contribu
tion of $121,000 to keep the operation
solvent, but with the new changes,
said Martinez, no capital contribu
tions will be budgeted for 2013.
Currently, seven of 14 employees
are Tribal members.
"One of the things we do," said
Hale, "is when we do need em
'ployees, we advertise in Smoke
Signals. That's been the best form
of advertising for us. A lot of Tribal
members come in when jobs open
up."
Plans for the food service part
of the business, said Martinez,
continue to be evaluated in coordi
nation with the Tribe's Economic
Development Department.
Since arriving, Hale has sharp
ened up the merchandising at the
store, from the gas pumps to park
ing stripes to signage.
Gone with the restaurant is the
restaurant signage on the east out
side wall of the building. It has been
xu
Opal Hal
replaced
with an
other sign
advertising
the current
price of die
sel fuel.
"You can
see that
sign a mile-and-a-half
down the
road," said
Hale. "That's what we're trying to
do. Clean up the appearance, and
provide the best service you can
buy. We're keeping the pumps' ap
pearance really clean. We just had
the parking spaces repainted. Our
signage has been cleaned up and
updated. There's a new propane
sigrn. And the price of propane is
more visible now."
The pumps all offer self-service,
saving 10 cents over the full-serve
price. Even Elders will save five
cents over what they used to pay,
said Hale, "and we still offer full ser
vice to anyone who wants or needs
it. It's a better deal both ways. You
save money and you have the option
of self- or full-serve."
The car wash, a touchless system,
is running, she said.
"We're saving money, too," Hale
said. "It used to be, for the last 10
years, all the lighting for the station
was on 24-7. We have that now on a
timer, so the lights actually go off at
7 a.m. and come back on at 8 p.m.
That should save us a lot of money
and be energy efficient as well."
Before coming to the convenience
store, Hale worked four-and-a-half
years as Spirit Mountain Casino
Banquet and Events coordinator.
She has experience in grocery re
tail, fast food and catering.
All Tribal Council members
serve on the Grand Ronde Food
and Fuel Company Board. Council
member Toby McClary chairs the
board. B
2007 - Mark Johnston took over responsibilities of the Grand
Ronde Health Clinic and brings more than 12 years of experience
in health administration working for Oregon Tribes. Previously, he
worked with the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians and the
Coquille Tribe. He is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University in
Fort Worth with a degree in business and administration.
2002 - Tribal member Kevin Simmons received the 2002-03 Mark
O. Hatfield Fellowship from Spirit Mountain Community Fund. He
was scheduled to work in the office of U.S. Rep. David Wu.
1997 -The 1997-98 Grand Ronde Royalty Court included Miranda
Provost, Miss Tiny Tot; Jenny Bailey, Senior Miss Grand Ronde;
Ashley Tuomi, Junior Miss Grand Ronde; and Emma Leno, Miss
Grand Ronde. Honorary princesses were Ali Holsclaw, Brandi Little,
Sheena Johnson, Betty Sue Rose and Maria Godines.
1992 - Beth Oliver was hired as the new general manager of Spirit
Mountain Development Corp. She had just returned to the United
States from Africa, where she worked with countries, Tribes and
groups to enhance their economic development opportunities.
1987 - More than 200 people listened to testimony by support
ers and opponents of a Grand Ronde Reservation at a field hearing
chaired by U.S. Rep. Les AuCoin at Grand Ronde Elementary School.
"My purpose is to make life better for the Tribe in a way that makes
life better for all of us," AuCoin told the audience.
Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year in
crements through the pages of Smoke Signals.
Adult Members' Trust and Minors'
Custodial & Rabbi Trust Funds
Effective Aug. 20, 2012, investments in the Adult Members"
Trust Fund and the Minors' Custodial and Rabbi Trust Funds are
updated each business day. If you are a trust participant andor
if you are the parentguardian of a minor member, you can access
and review your balance and your minor child's balance by visiting
www.401Save.com.
To log-in, the initial User ID is your (or your child's) Social Secu
rity number, and the initial Password is "00" followed by your (or
your child's) membership number. Once logged in, you can custom
ize your User ID and password for security purposes.
If you have any trouble logging in to or using the system, contact
the 401Save Call Center at 1-888-700-0808 between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. B
Changes to your
Skookunrn Health Plan
For Tribal members residing in the counties of Washington, Multnomah,
Tillamook, Yamhill, Polk and Marion, you will soon be receiving a new
Skookum card with changes to your health plan ID number. This does
NOT affect Tribal employees with the Shasta employee plan.
We are making a few changes to your health plan group identifier, which
means that you will need a new ID card.
The first three letters of your current ID number will be changing from
GRT to GRC.
o Your current ID number looks like: GRT123456.
o Your new ID number will look like: GRC 123456.
Your ID number affects how your claims are paid, so to ensure your
claims are paid correctly, please THROW OUT your old card and KEEP
the new card starting with the GRC ID number.
o When you go to a doctor, dentist, pharmacy or eye doctor, make sure
you give the provider your new ID card so the bill will be processed
for payment correctly.
The final change relates to your Explanation of Benefits (EOB). Going
forward you will only receive an EOB if you owe the provider a portion
of the claim costs or if the claim has been denied.
If you have any questions on the above changes, please call Shasta Ad
ministrative Services' Customer Service at 1-800-880-5877 or Contract
Health Services at 1-800-775-0095.
Again, these changes only affect Tribal members residing in Washington,
Multnomah, Tillamook, Yamhill, Polk and Marion counties! This does not
affect Tribal employees. B
r; ik '3 - ij.yilMli" ! in hiiii
U siaa b Q
at Hemy Haag Lake near Forest Grover" '
The trip will occur rain or shine. Transportation, fishing
gear and a meal will be provided. Vans will leave the :
Elders' Activity Center in Grand Ronde at 7 and 10 aan.
sharp and return by 5 pan.
Lunch will include burgers, hot dogs and a picnic-style ;
luncheon.
: The trip is open to Elders and their spouses only.
Although a state fishing license is not required, participants
must have a Tribal fishing license, which can be obtained at
the Natural Resources Department at 503-8792424o
Those interested in attending should sign up at the Elders ,
Activity Center or call 503-879-2233.
Ad created by George Valdez