S moke S ignals
july 15, 2014
Disenrollment had
become too politicized
COUNCIL continued
from front page
Smoke Signals file photo
Brock Warrener ties a calf’s legs as he competes in the tie-down roping event
during the Spirit Mountain Stampede held at Spirit Mountain Rodeo Grounds
in Grand Ronde in July 2013.
Stampede set for July
19-20 at Rodeo Grounds
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Northwest Professional Rodeo
Association competitors will return
to Grand Ronde on Saturday and
Sunday, July 19-20, to compete in
the annual Spirit Mountain Stam-
pede at the Spirit Mountain Rodeo
Grounds on the Tribal campus.
Competition is scheduled to start
at 1 p.m. both days as cowboys and
cowgirls will compete in bull riding,
steer wrestling, saddle and bare-
back bronc riding, tie-down roping,
breakaway roping, team roping and
barrel racing.
Winners of the rough stock bronc
and bull riding events will win
$1,800 in addition to a portion of
the entry fees while winners of the
timed events will receive $1,300
and a portion of the entry fees.
There also will be open events for
children along with donkey races
for those 12 and older, as well as
featured performances by the Ro-
deo Bandits.
The Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde hosted the NPRA-sanctioned
event from 1996 through 2008.
Because of the nationwide reces-
sion, the Stampede was not held
in 2009 or 2010. Starting in 2011,
the Stampede has been supported
by Spirit Mountain Casino with
additional personnel and finance
backing to help keep the tradition
continuing.
“The Rodeo Special Event Board
put in hundreds of hours to prepare
for this year’s event,” said Rodeo
Special Event Board Secretary Jim
Holmes.
Holmes said this year also marks
the second annual Stampede Series
If you go
Spirit Mountain
Stampede
When: 1 p.m. Saturday and
Sunday, July 19-20.
Where: Spirit Mountain
Rodeo Grounds, 9615 Grand
Ronde Road.
Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for
children and free for children
4 and younger.
More information: www.
spiritmountain.com
All-Around award in conjunction
with the Santiam Canyon Stam-
pede. Competitors must enter both
rodeos to be eligible for a $2,000
prize and custom Gist buckle.
The all-around Cowboy and Cow-
girl prizes will be awarded on
Championship Sunday immediate-
ly following the bull riding event.
The Merle Holmes Memorial Bull
Riding Champion Trophy also will
be awarded on Sunday.
Tickets are $10 for adults and
$5 for children. Children 4 and
younger are admitted free. Tickets
can be purchased in advance at
www.spiritmountain.com, at the
Coyote Club desk or at the gate,
which will be cash only. Half-price
tickets with a Tribal ID are avail-
able at the gate.
Stock will be provided by Howell
Rodeo Co.
Free parking will be available at
the casino with shuttle buses run-
ning between the casino and rodeo
grounds. n
and members Ed Pearsall and June
Sherer supported the amendments
while Denise Harvey, Cheryle A.
Kennedy and Kathleen Tom op-
posed them. Tribal Council member
Jon A. George abstained.
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno said that the amendments
were proposed as an emergency
because current cases involving
Tribal members facing disenroll-
ment had become too politicized.
By adopting the new rules imme-
diately, he said, the current lineal
descent disenrollment cases and
those in the future will be handled
under the same guidelines.
“Over the last year, Tribal Council
meetings have become increasingly
contentious and non-productive
largely due to the ongoing disagree-
ments over loss of membership
issues,” Leno said about the emer-
gency amendment during the July
2 meeting. “The Tribal Council is
therefore proposing amendments
to the Enrollment Ordinance that
would remove the Tribal Council
from the process for involuntary
loss of membership.
“Specifically, the amendments
would give the Enrollment Com-
mittee the authority to issue deci-
sions regarding involuntary loss of
membership. The council believes
removing such decisions from the
influence of political process and
leaving it in the hands of respected
members of the Enrollment Com-
mittee is a more appropriate way
of addressing these sensitive and
difficult matters.
“The council wishes to adopt these
amendments under the emergency
temporary enactment provisions
of the Government Organization
and Procedures Ordinance. This
will ensure that the same process
is applied to all involuntary loss of
membership matters regardless of
whether they are currently pend-
ing before the Tribal Council or the
Enrollment Committee.”
Tribal Council heard input from
more than 20 Tribal members dur-
ing the 2.5-hour meeting.
The new process means that
Tribal members facing a disen-
rollment recommendation from
Enrollment staff will have their
cases heard before the Enrollment
Committee, which will make the
final decision on involuntary loss
of membership.
If the Enrollment Committee
decision is to disenroll, the com-
mittee’s decision can be appealed
directly to Tribal Court, which can
either affirm the decision, remand
it back to the Enrollment Commit-
tee or reverse the decision.
Tribal members also can appeal
a Tribal Court ruling not in their
favor to the Court of Appeals.
If a Tribal member does not ap-
peal an Enrollment Committee
decision, then 31 days after the
decision the Tribal member will no
longer be considered a member of
the Tribe.
The amended ordinance also
institutes timelines on the En-
rollment Committee, the Tribal
member appeal process and Tribal
Court.
If the Enrollment Committee
votes for disenrollment, then the
member will be designated as “pro-
visionally disenrolled.” During the
appeal process, Tribal members
will continue to receive health care
and certain housing benefits. All
other rights and benefits, such as
per capita and voting, will be sus-
pended until the appeal process is
completed.
Suspended monetary benefits
will be separately accounted for
and held by the Tribe through the
appeal process.
If Tribal Court upholds the En-
rollment Committee’s ruling, the
suspended monetary benefits will
be returned to the Tribe and the
Tribal member will be considered
disenrolled as of the date of the
committee’s decision.
If Tribal Court reverses the En-
rollment Committee’s ruling, the
suspended monetary benefits will
be paid to the Tribal member and
other rights and benefits will be
restored.
The new process will apply to 86
current cases of Tribal members
facing involuntary loss of member-
ship over lineal descent issues, as
well as any future cases.
The July 2 meeting can be viewed
on the Tribal website, www.gran-
dronde.org, under the Video tab. n
Grand Ronde Tribal
Housing Authority
Home repair grants for Tribal homes
The Tribe, through the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority,
offers Home Repair Grants to Tribally owned private homes for
needed repairs, upgrades and maintenance.
If you own a home in Oregon and it needs a little help with
things like a worn-out roof or a tired heating system, get in
touch with your Tribal Housing Authority and see if you and
your home qualifies. 503-879-2401.