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10 NOVEMBER 15,2013
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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.