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DECEMBER 15, 2014
Season’s meetings
Mercier attends
White House
Tribal Nations
Conference
By Dean Rhodes
W
Smoke Signals editor
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Two-year-old Aubrey Campbell visits with Santa, aka Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack Giff en Jr.,
during the Tribal Council Christmas Party held in the Tribal gym on Sunday, Dec. 7. More than
400 people attended the annual party. To see more photos, turn to page 8.
ASHINGTON, D.C. —
Tribal Council member
Chris Mercier represent-
ed the Grand Ronde Tribe at the
sixth annual White House Tribal
Nations Conference held Wednes-
day, Dec. 3.
The annual conference invited
leaders from the 566 federally
recognized Native nations – more
than 300 attended – to meet with
President Barack Obama, Cabi-
net offi cials and the White House
Council on Native American Affairs
regarding key issues facing Tribes,
including respect for Tribal sover-
eignty and the federal government
upholding treaty and trust respon-
sibilities.
“I found the conference to be very
inspiring and a good reminder of
why it is so good to be working in
Indian Country these days,” Mer-
cier said. “The administration has
proven that it takes the challenges
confronting Tribal nations very
seriously.”
See CONFERENCE
continued on page 10
General Council briefed on Housing Authority
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
G
eneral Council received a
briefi ng on the Grand Ronde
Tribal Housing Authority at
the Sunday, Dec. 7, meeting held in
the Community Center.
The Housing Authority’s mission,
said a PowerPoint presentation, is
to “ensure that each Tribal member
has the opportunity to reside in
housing that is affordable, provides
a safe and healthy living environ-
ment, and promotes self-suffi cien-
cy, Tribal pride and spirit.”
Housing Authority Executive
Director Brian DeMarco introduced
GRTHA Board members Linda
Hale, Dakota Whitecloud, Kristy
DeLoe and Steve Bobb Sr., and
thanked Tribal Council member
Toby McClary and Assistant Gener-
al Manager Stacia Martin for their
work with the board.
Current Tribal housing includes
61 apartments in Elder housing;
108 family apartments, which
includes 36 market rate and 72
low-income residences; and a 20-
unit low-income apartment com-
plex set to open in March.
Administrative Program Man-
ager Joani Dugger reviewed the
assistance programs administered
by the Housing Authority, which
include Down Payment Assistance
grants, Medical Adaptation grants,
Home Repair grants, Indian Health
Service Water and Sanitation
funding, Tenant Based Rental
Assistance and Student Rental
Assistance.
Dugger said the Student Rental
Assistance program is the larg-
est that the Housing Authority
administers, helping more than
450 Tribal students since 2006 in
paying for living quarters while
attending school.
Rental Housing Coordinator
Leon Ramos reviewed the Hous-
ing Authority’s “wait list.” He said
that delays occur because tenants
are tardy in turning in their keys
and staff cannot enter a unit until
it is cleared. Staff must then con-
duct a meth test
shepherds,
and determine
wolf mixes, Do-
the work that
bermans and
needs to be done
Rottweilers. He
to make a unit
said the Hous-
ha b ita b le fo r
ing Authority
the next tenant.
is changing
According to
how it charges
the PowerPoint,
for pets, mov-
if an apartment
ing from a pet
tests positive
deposit to a
for meth, “all
monthly fee for
bets are off”
anything from
since a contrac-
a goldfi sh to a
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
tor must be con-
dog.
Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority
tacted to clean
“It is so hard
Executive
Director
Brian
DeMarco
up the unit,
to identify
which can take makes a presentation during the
what caused
up to a month Sunday, Dec. 7, General Council
the damage,”
meeting held in the Community Center. L e n o s a i d ,
to accomplish.
Rental Hous-
“that we elim-
ing Coordinator Shonn Leno dis-
inated that and said basically if you
cussed the Housing Authority’s
have a pet, if you can afford to have
work order process, which prioritiz-
a pet, you will pay rent for that pet.”
es requests based on safety issues.
Housing Services Coordinator
Leno also discussed the Hous-
ing Authority’s pet policy, which
See GENERAL COUNCIL
does not allow pit bulls, German
continued on page 9