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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2014)
8 S moke S ignals september 15, 2014 Fish & Wildlife Committee has new e-mail address In an effort to be of better service to the membership, the Tribe’s Fish & Wildlife Committee has created an e-mail address for those who hunt, fish and gather on the Reservation. The e-mail address is designed so that Tribal members can make the committee aware of any concerns or questions and to make posi- tive comments. The committee will do its best to provide answers and feedback to the membership so that everyone who wishes to utilize the Reservation lands may do so legally. Submit your comments, questions and concerns to FW.Committee@ grandronde.org. n Drug Take-Back Day set for Sept. 27 The Tribal Health & Wellness Clinic will host a National Pharmaceuti- cal Drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the clinic’s entrance. People will be able to turn in unused or expired medica- tion for safe disposal. Controlled and non-controlled (prescription) drugs will be accepted, as well as over-the-counter medications. All collections will be anonymous and every effort will be made to protect the anonymity of individuals disposing of medications. No questions or requests for identification will be made. Intravenous solutions, injectables, syringes, chemotherapy medications or medical waste will not be accepted due to the potential hazard posed by blood-borne pathogens. At the conclusion of the event, disposal boxes will be sealed for a set period and then turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. For more information, visit www.dea.gov. n 3,606 votes cast this year ELECTION continued from front page Tom will end her third consecutive term on Tribal Council. “I think this year’s message was that people want this Constitu- tion supported,” Leno said about the election results during the Sept. 7 General Council meeting. “They want strong leadership. They want people to be accountable. … I think there is really a message that membership’s expectation for this council is to be strong. The Tribe can only be as strong as the council.” Other Tribal Council candidates were Brenda Tuomi, 351 votes; Ann Lewis, 328 votes; Kevin Simmons, 227 votes; and Cory Meneley, 115 votes. There were 3,606 votes cast in the election, the most since 2008. Each Tribal voter could vote for up to three candidates on their ballot. In his candidate statement sent to Tribal voters in July, Leno said that he believes health care is a top priority, as well as investment of Tribal funds. “We must continue to look for solid investments,” Leno said. “The law with respect to gaming is al- ways being challenged and we need to continue to work to diversify and plan for a worst case scenario.” Mercier called for a Tribal consti- tutional convention, a shift of power from Tribal Council to the general membership and true freedom of information in his candidate state- ment. “After 30 years the time is right, and ripe, for us to consider real re- form in this Tribe, from the rights of Tribal members to how our di- verse nation should be governed,” Mercier wrote. Gleason-Shepek, who has served on the Tribe’s Social Services Com- mittee, said in her candidate state- ment that the Tribe could do better in the areas of health services, bud- geting and per capita, enrollment and communication. “As your Tribal Council represen- tative, your Tribal interests and business affairs will be my No. 1 priority and will receive my full at- tention,” she said in her candidate statement. Gleason-Shepek becomes the 44th Tribal member to serve on Tribal Council since 1983’s Resto- ration. Leno, Mercier and Gleason-She- pek will serve through September 2017. They were sworn in to office on Wednesday, Sept. 10. During the swearing-in ceremony, Sherer and Tom were honored for their years of service on Tribal Council with Tribal Pendleton blankets. Of the 3,919 Tribal members eli- gible to vote – 18 or older – in 2014, 1,296 cast ballots for a 33.1 percent turnout, which is an increase of 2.4 percent over voter participation in 2013. n Photo by Michelle Alaimo Newly elected Tribal Council member Chris Mercier, left, talks with Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr. during the General Council meeting held at the Tribal Community Center on Sunday, Sept. 7. Mercier previously served three terms on Tribal Council between 200 and 2013 and took a year off to attend law school at Michigan State. Flu clinics scheduled The Tribe’s Health and Wellness Department has scheduled Influenza (Flu) Vaccine Clinics in the coming weeks. An Elder Flu Vaccine Clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Elders’ Activity Center on the Tribal campus in Grand Ronde. A Flu Shot Clinic will be held at the Portland Area Office, 4445 S.W. Barbur Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14. A Tribal Employee Flu Vaccine Clinic will be held during the All- Staff Meeting set for Thursday, Oct. 2, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at the clinic in Grand Ronde. People also can visit the clinic any time during normal business hours, which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. The clinic is closed for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. daily. The vaccine is covered by insurance and there is not a co-pay. All children will receive free immunizations through Oregon’s Vaccines for Children program. n OR 130 bridge work continuing PACIFIC CITY – Work started April 1 on painting three heavily rusted bridges over the Nestucca River on OR 130 (Little Nestucca Highway), between state Highway 22 and U.S. 101. Painting is ex- pected to take approximately two months per bridge. To get an update on road conditions throughout Oregon, visit www. tripcheck.com on the Internet. n Graphic created by George Valdez