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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2013)
Smoke Signals re LCI. 10 NOVEMBER 15,2013 SmJ mmmmmmsSm mm Temporary Grand Ronde Council meets in June 1975 Early Treasurer's Report cites Tribal bank balance of $2.27 By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signal editor The year is 1975. Gerald Ford sits in the White House. "All in the Family" is the most popular show on TV. "Love Will Keep Us Together" by the Captain & Tennille tops the pop music charts. Gas sells for about 50 cents a gallon. And on June 8, 10 people chris tened "The Temporary Council of the Grand Ronde Indians" convene. Those in attendance are Chairwom an Margaret Provost, Co-Chairman Merle Holmes, Secretary Patti Martin, Treasurer Vicki Lawrence and Council members Darrell Mer cier, Marvin Kimsey, Les Houck, Russell Leno, Verna Larsen and Ken Hudson. According to minutes kept by Martin, the discussion items are mostly procedural. Among the decisions made: Meetings will be held on Sundays; General Council meetings will be held once a month; Bylaws of the Siletz Tribal Council will be adopted and revised to meet Grand Ronde needs. And the next meeting will be held at the Kopper Kitchen in Salem. The meeting adjourns at 4:01 p.m. Forty-three people attended the meeting in Grand Ronde, driving from as far away as Tillamook and Portland. From such humble beginnings, the Restoration of the Grand Ronde Tribe began. According to Martin's minutes, taken between June 8, 1975, and Feb. 1, 1976, money to fund the effort was indeed scarce. For instance, the June 17 meet ing held at the Kopper Kitchen is fronted by Margaret Provost. She pays $14.75 for dinner and the meeting room, and will be reim bursed when "the funds come in," the minutes state. During the Sept. 21, 1975, meet ing, Holmes announces he has applied for a $7,800 grant from the National Indian Lutheran Board. In addition, Tribal mem bers have approached the Small Tribes of Western Washington for admission, which would make the Grand Ronde Tribe eligible for the organization's grants. Also in September, Kimsey moves to keep the same Tribal Council members on until September 1976 because of all the work they have done and the contacts made. The motion passes. In October at a meeting held in the conference room at Chemawa Indian School, attendance swells to 57. Provost explains the ultimate goal of the council to newly attend- cowcil wniro of ra ctamd iqmpe iwmw.1 PAT1 DKCEiBfiR 1575 HEMggRS IS ATTENDANCE 1 KPtBtag HOT in ATTENDANCE f Vicki Lawrence Rues La no Marl HoIumc Marvin Kiaaey Darrell Harder Patti Mar tlu Lea Houck Margaret Provost Kan Hud ton Maria called the Mating to ordet at 1 1 2 J. Rail was calledMargaret p.ovoat, Kan Hudaon, and Lea Houck were absent. Treasurer report wee hy Vie.ftt Tawrtrwre. Th amount of $21.27 we collected et the leat Meting. $15.00 waa paid to the paetor for the rental of the church $3.00 waa uaed for etampa. a balance waa left of $2.27. Merle motioned the treasurer' a report be accepted, Marvin seconded. Merle osUed Marvin to give hla report on the visitation of the lawyer, Jma King. He eald that probably no government land could be givea back. He told the people If they are on ihle Hat, they must contact the SCata Land Bjurd. There la e charge of $7.5) to get It. The quostljn waa asked. "Ia there any hope of doing something to Mr. Fuller?'' The statute of llmltatione hue run out. Merle, and Marvin attended a meeting of the teak force at Si lets. There were aotoe. Indiana there; bat Karle aaid that If they dtd aaythu;! at ell, they were very sympathetic. "But who kaov?" Wa want to have a moating with Mr. Loueflght and the Public Health In ordar tt use the dental health faclllciea at Chemawa. Merle aatd tne people who are on the old rolla, and their dependenta, will be recognised for thla dental prog mm. Moris haa soma feelera out about low -income housing in the Grand Ronde area. The rent would be very low, becauae of the incomes out thla way. Nothing smaller thaa 2 bedroom. Marvin sold a work-abop la being held in Portland concerning the C2TA Program. Ha hepss we will be aub-grantoed by D.I. P., end have CEXA mooiea to use In the Grand Rondd area. There are e lot of educational grants--the auxin one being B. 2.0.0. Tlia school must be Federally accredited before they will accept the grants. Marvin Xfmsey tild the people thee if they could get up enough me a for a tree-plant tag crew, the CETA ptograui will arrange a contract between the crew and the Forest Service. The question waa aeked, "Doe a anyone know what the coat of hooking up to the water system laT" It la an initial cost of $300.00, and than a monthly charge of $7.00 - $8.00. ing Tribal members - Restoration. The meeting also includes a potluck meal. In addition, a show of hands indicates interest in a health sur vey, which Diana Denhem and Patti Martin agree to conduct in the Grand Ronde Library on Oct. 31. On Dec. 7, Treasurer Vicki Law rence delivers her first report de tailed in the minutes. The amount of $21.27 was collected at the pre vious meeting, of which $15 was dispersed for rental of the church and $5 used to purchase stamps, leaving a balance of $2.27. Holmes reports receiving a letter from Oregon Sen. Bob Packwood. "Since the Menominees were re stored, it looks good for Siletz. We are sure that we could be restored also, because we have as many rights and needs as the others. There is also a chance for state recognition," the minutes say. The Dec. 15 Tribal Council meet ing held at a Bonanza restaurant discusses putting together a Christ mas party and spaghetti feed for Indian children in Grand Ronde. Several names are offered regard ing who would be the best Santa, but the minutes do not reveal who the eventual Grand Ronde Claus turned out to be. However, the party is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21. In January 1976, the Tribe is notified that its admittance into the Small Tribes of Western Washing ton is denied. An early setback in obtaining funding for the Restora tion effort. "The fact that Chinook Indians are a member, and receiving funds, is very puzzling since Grand Ronde has more than 300 Chinook Indi ans," the minutes state. On the positive side, Holmes says he feels confident about receiving a $7,800 National Indian Lutheran Board grant since ineligible groups were supposed to be notified of such by Jan. 1. It also is announced that Ray Cross, a Mandan Indian who helped the Menominees obtain Restoration, would be taking over the Grand Ronde's case with the Native American Rights Fund. The Tribal Council also decides that all meetings should be held in Grand Ronde from now on. "The public school is open to use by the public," the minutes state. "There is no cost unless we use the kitchen. The Tribal Business Committee is filling out the necessary forms to see that the first Sunday of every month is scheduled for our meet ings." Monetarily, things are improving. The Tribal checking account stands at $93 thanks to donations at the Christmas party. (There's no men tion of Provost being reimbursed for the Kopper Kitchen expense.) In February, Holmes appoints Dean Mercier to the remainder of Ken Hudson's term on council until September elections are held. And a Bylaw Committee of Russ Leno, Dean Mercier, Darrell Mercier, Vicki Lawrence and Patti Martin forms to update the Siletz bylaws. Twenty-eight people attend the Feb. 1 Tribal Council meeting. Most of them list Grand Ronde addresses on the attendance sheet. Slowly, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is re-awakening in its traditional homelands as the na tion's 200th birthday approaches.
