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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2013)
Smoke Signals 3 JUNE 1,2013 Tribal Council approves liquor sales on casino main floor By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tribal Council approved an ex pansion of Spirit Mountain Gaming Inc.'s liquor sales license for Spirit Mountain Casino at its May 22 meeting. The expansion allows the sale of alcohol on the main gaming floor as designated in a floor plan submit ted to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Spirit Mountain Casino General Manager Randy Dugger said alco hol sales on the main gaming floor started Saturday, May 25, over the Memorial Day weekend. Tribal Council also approved a direct care services reimbursement agreement between the U.S. De partment of Veterans Affairs and the Grand Ronde Health & Well ness Center. Tribal General Manager Mark Johnston said that the agreement is part of the Affordable Care Act and allows Tribes to request Veterans Affairs reimbursement for direct care provided to eligible Native American veterans. Previously, the Tribal clinic usu ally wrote off expenses for eligible Native veterans who only had Vet erans Affairs coverage. "We were not allowed to bill the VA," Johnston said. "In most cases, those costs were written off because there was no mechanism to bill the VA." Now, the Tribe will bill the De partment of Veterans Affairs at the Indian Health Service all-inclusive rate $269 when eligible Na tive veterans receive out-patient care from their primary care phy sician. Johnston said the clinic sees a "substantial" number of Native American veterans, so the Tribe stands to see an increase in rev enue. The Tribe signed the one-year agreement on May 23 and is await ing on Veterans Affairs for a sig nature. The agreement includes a four-year extension option. "We are one of the first Tribes in the Northwest to complete this agreement," Johnston said. "It will create added revenue so that we can create more innovative types of care." Johnston said future agreements with Veterans Affairs may include Tribal reimbursement for other, more expensive medical proce dures, such as MRIs and surgery. "We believe that was the inten tion of the legislation," he said. In other action, Tribal Council: Approved the disenrollment of a Tribal member because of a blood quantum error that occurred during the enrollment process and OK'd the enrollment of two infants; Declared Friday, June 14, as the per capita payment date; Approved an amendment to the security services agreement with Advanced Security Inc., which provides security for Tribal offices and property in Grand Ronde; Approved the Smith property ground lease subject to approval by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The lease will allow the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority to use 16.64 acres of the 31.32 acre parcel on which to build multi-unit residential buildings and a common building for activi ties; Approved the 2013 Eula Petite Scholarship award to Lenae Rose (Mercier) as recommended by the Tribal Education Committee; And approved negotiating a new technical services agreement with Industrial Economics Inc. for work at the Portland Harbor Superfund sites. The new agreement even tually will be brought to Tribal Council for approval. D Tribe creates Enrollment Audit hotline The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde has created an Enroll ment Audit hotline with which to collect frequently asked questions from the Tribal membership. The goal of the hotline is to develop a list of commonly asked questions regarding the audit information that was distributed in the April Tilixam Wawa. The answers to those questions will be published in an upcoming Tilixam Wawa, as well as be distributed to the membership in an information packet. Please ask general questions only; please do not leave personal inquiries regarding yourself or family. The toll-free phone number is 877-645-2641. fl 2013Tiribafl RlarkeftpOace dates D June 7-8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; June 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. B July 12-13, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; July 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. B July 19-20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Elder Honor Day) Dates subject to change due to conflicting Tribal or SMC events. Located across from Cedar Plank Buffet. 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: Marline Groshong. 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 the Land & Culture Department conference room. Acting Chair: Betty Bly. Education Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. on the first Monday of the month in the Adult Education Building. Chair: Tammy Cook. 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. Chair: Sharon Hanson. 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. 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 3 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month in the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Gene LaBonte. Event to discuss assaults against Native women "Renewing Spirits," a Native American Women Against AssaultSex ual Assault luncheon, will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3. p.m. Monday, June 17, at the Elders' Activity Center. The luncheon will bring assaultsexual assault awareness to the Tribal community and its neighbors. One in three Native American women are assaulted in their lifetime and 60 percent of those assaults are unreported. Guest speaker will be Rose M. Quilt and there will be several door prizes. Lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Jamie Adams at 541-704-5030 or Erica Mercier at 503-474-7043. ATTENTION TRIBAL MEMBERS COMMITTEE AND SPECIAL EVENT BOARD VACANCIES The following Committees and Special Event Boards have vacant positions. Health Committee 2 Vacancies Enrollment Committee 1 Vacancy Rodeo SEB 2 Vacancies Powwow SEB 1 Vacancy Please send completed applications to Stacia Martin, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347. Transportation for Tribal members The Portland Office has transportation day to Grand Ronde once a month for medical, dental appointments or enrollment cards. We need a minimum o f 3 people to sign up. P 1 e a s e c a 1 1 L i s a k. yt-i ;-1l ' , it o ' 4 t i i ' k' f " M ,i 1 ' , . Please call in advance for the scheduled monthly date i I Utef I 1 x? Lr u ; Ad created by George Valdez
