S moke S ignals
DECEMBER 15, 2014
Opening Day
Tribal Council handles
several financial issues
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Ray Duran selects a package of spaghetti off the shelf as Grand
Ronde Food Bank Coordinator Francene Ambrose accompanies him
to tell him how much he can obtain of each item during the first
food distribution held at the new Grand Ronde Food Bank on Friday,
Dec. 5. The food bank’s name is iskam mfkHmfk-haws, which means
“house where you get food.” The food bank, at 9675 Grand Ronde
Road, is operated by Marion-Polk Food Share. Fifty-five food boxes
were distributed and 169 individuals were served. The next food
distribution will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.
Request for Proposals
Architectural/Engineering Services
The Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde Police Station
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde wishes to retain an
Architectural/Engineering team to perform planning and design
services for the new construction of an approximately 3,900-square-
foot police station and associated site work. The structure is to be
constructed on or near the Tribal Governance Center campus locat-
ed at 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, Ore. This project is
primarily funded through a HUD Indian Community Development
Block Grant.
Electronic copies of the RFP documents are available by e-mailing
Jesse White at jesse.white@grandronde.org or calling 503-879-2404.
Respondents shall provide a written proposal by 4 p.m. Jan. 8,
2015, to Jesse White, Engineering and Public Works Manager, at
9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, Ore. 97347. Specific infor-
mation regarding document submittal procedures and due dates
will be found in the RFP. n
TЭnas
Intervention
Services to be provided to babies &
moms-to-be:
Checkups
Cleanings, if applicable
Injection-free fillings, if needed and
appropriate
Cavity prevention treatment
Age-appropriate goodie bags
Raffle ticket for one of two blankets
to be raffled every six months
Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde
Dental Clinic
Pregnant women
and babies under 2
Tribal members: pregnant women or
0-2 year olds (teeth or no teeth!)
who come in for a scheduled dental
checkup or other appointment will
be entered in a
raffle for a baby
Pendleton
Blanket!
To schedule call:
503-879-2020
5
With the end of the year ap-
proaching, Tribal Council dealt
with a series of financial issues
during its Wednesday, Dec. 3,
meeting.
In reaction to new appointments
in the General Manager’s Office
and Finance Department, Tribal
Council amended Chris Leno’s ti-
tle to finance officer for the Tribe’s
investment and line of credit ac-
counts, authorized Interim General
Manager Rick George as a signer on
the Tribe’s bank, sweep and invest-
ment accounts, and amended Linda
Hanna’s title to controller.
Also in the financial realm, Tribal
Council authorized a Tribal credit
card for Information Systems Man-
ager Bill Kephart for use in the
performance of his duties.
Tribal Council also declared a
member benefit payment date of
Friday, Dec. 12. Tribal Council
Chairman Reyn Leno also read a
statement explaining the payment,
which includes per capita, timber
distribution and a settlement due
the Tribe from the Indian Health
Service regarding unpaid contract
support cost claims from fiscal year
1996 through fiscal year 2011.
In other action, Tribal Council:
• Approved a contract between
the Oregon Judicial Case Infor-
mation Network and the Tribal
Attorney’s Office and Children
and Family Services Department;
• Appointed Kristy DeLoe to the
Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Au-
thority Board of Commissioners
for a term expiring in March 2017;
• Appointed Penny DeLoe, Sha-
ron Hanson, Deanna Johnson,
Joanne Mercier and Michael
Mercier to serve on the Election
Board for the Bureau of Indian
Affairs special constitutional
amendment election to be held in
early 2015;
• And approved the enrollment of
three infants into the Tribe.
Also included in the Dec. 3 Tribal
Council packet were authorizations
to proceed that permitted the re-
sumption of live streaming of Tribal
Council meetings, authorized work
on the Powwow Arbor Project, set
the amount of the member benefit
and per capita payments disbursed
on Dec. 12, and OK’d the expendi-
ture of $3,439 for Christmas light-
ing on the Tribal campus.
Tribal Council member Jon A.
George, Jan Looking Wolf Reibach,
Bobby Mercier and Travis Stewart
opened the meeting with cultural
drumming and singing.
The meeting can be viewed in
its entirety on the Tribal website,
www.grandronde.org, under the
Video shortcut. n
Certified Application Assister
sets Portland date
Certified Application Assister Loretta Meneley will be at the
Tribe’s Portland office, 4445 S.W. Barbur Blvd., from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, to provide information and answer
questions about applying for an exemption from the shared re-
sponsibility payment, as well as to sign up members for health
insurance.
For more information, contact Meneley at 503-879-1359 or by
e-mail at loretta.meneley@grandronde.org. n
Tribal Police address
parking problems
Tribal Police Chief Al LaChance said that the Grand Ronde Police
Department has received multiple complaints of vehicles parking
for too long in loading zones and others areas on the Tribal campus
not designated for parking.
“The two areas receiving the most complaints are in front of the
clinic and the Community Center entrance,” LaChance said. “This
makes it very difficult for Tribal Elders who get dropped off or picked
up in those areas. It also blocks emergency vehicle access and can
delay responses into those buildings.”
LaChance said that people need to park in designated parking
spots when visiting the Community Center, Adult Education,
Chachalu and the Health & Wellness Clinic. He also said that the
designated handicapped parking spots near the gym are often being
used by non-handicapped people.
“The new Public Safety Ordinance includes the ability of the Police
Department to issue parking citations. Our officers will be issuing
warnings to start with, but repeat offenders could receive a parking
citation in the future. We need to keep these areas clear for those
persons being dropped off or picked up,” he said. n