2
S MOKE S IGNALS
FEBRUARY 15, 2015
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, Feb. 25.............................................................................4 p.m.
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed.
Letters
Dear Smoke Signals:
My family and I want to extend a huge thank you to the Grand Ronde
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with plans of updating it. The Home Repair Grant allowed us to literally
make our house a warm and inviting space. We were able to improve the
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and cold is now warm and comfortable.
Loyal Hamilton was great to work with and helped to make the process
as easy as possible. He was able to guide us through identifying the areas
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that the blessing of receiving this grant will continue to bless my family
and our guests for many years to come.
Thank you to all of those who work to make these and other opportunities
available to Tribal members. We are truly blessed by your hard work and
generosity. Know that we are truly grateful for the many opportunities
and services that are provided to us as Grand Ronde Tribal members.
Jeremy Haller
5ROO
General Council meeting
Sunday, March 1 — 11 a.m.
Tribal Community Center
Smoke Signals
PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347
1-800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173
Website: www.grandronde.org/news
E-mail: news@grandronde.org
Twitter: CTGRgov
Facebook: Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
CHELSEA CLARK
DEAN RHODES
PUBLIC AFFAIRS/
PUBLICATIONS
SECRETARY
PUBLICATIONS
COORDINATOR
503-879-1463
Dear Smoke Signals:
It has been several years since we as members have been given the op-
portunity to vote on something other than Tribal Council elections. For
that we should all be thankful and more importantly give credit where
credit is due: to our Tribal leaders for providing us this chance.
This is also the opportunity for us to voice our opinions through means
other than voting. I hope to see more of you explaining how you are vot-
ing and why in this section of our Tribal newsletter. If you are fortunate
enough to live near Grand Ronde, hopefully you will take advantage of
the General Council meetings and Wednesday night meetings to equally
express your thoughts on this matter. That is what democracy is all about:
debate and vote.
As for me, I would like to take this opportunity to express my own
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amendment before us, the removal of the Bureau of Indian Affairs oversight
from these kinds of elections. Initially, I am skeptical because there didn’t
seem to be anything prompting Tribal Council’s decision to propose this
amendment. I would think some sort of overly negative event made our
Tribal leaders realize this was something we needed. But I haven’t heard
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good idea and that seems to be enough. Hopefully more explanation will
be coming forth because my initial thoughts are it removes a safeguard
to changing our Constitution and makes it easier for council to propose
changes, but not for us the general membership. Unless better arguments
are put before me, at this point I will have to be a “no” vote.
The second amendment is a little confusing. I see people calling it “term
limits,” but when you really read the language, all this proposal really does
is require a sabbatical for council members in between three-term stints.
Nine years on, one year off. That is hardly term limits. I understand a
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came out strongly in favor of term limits, but what we are voting on is
a far cry from that. I read into that survey as meaning the membership
doesn’t want Tribal leaders making lifelong careers out of being on council.
Under this supposed version of “term limits,” that is still possible. You just
have to take one year off every decade. By supporting this amendment, I
would be accepting some weakened and watered-down version of what the
members clearly wanted. Very little would really change, which is why at
this point I am also a “no.”
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Brenda Tuomi
5ROO
Lyon's 103rd birthday to be feted
The Tribe’s eldest Elder, Pearl Lyon, will celebrate her 103rd
birthday during an event at the Elders Activity Center on Friday,
Feb. 20.
After the Elders’ lunch service, there will be cake and ice cream
to honor Lyon, who was born Feb. 20, 1912, in Bay City Hospital in
Tillamook. For more information, contact the Elders Activity Center
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Tribal Office Closures
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Tribal Chiefs Day.
RON KARTEN
STAFF WRITER
503-879-4663
ron.karten@grandronde.org
dean.rhodes@grandronde.org
503-879-1418
GEORGE VALDEZ
JUSTIN PHILLIPS
MICHELLE ALAIMO
503-879-2190
503-879-1961
chelsea.clark@grandronde.org
GRAPHIC DESIGN
SPECIALIST
PAGE DESIGNER
justin.phillips@grandronde.org
503-879-1416
PHOTOJOURNALIST
michelle.alaimo@grandronde.org
george.valdez@grandronde.org
VALERIE COX
SCARLETT HOLTZ
503-879-1446
503-879-1447
CENTRAL PHONES
CENTRAL PHONES
valerie.cox@grandronde.org
scarlett.holtz@grandronde.org
DEADLINE DATE
ISSUE DATE
Friday, Feb. 20 .......................... March 1
Friday, March 6 ....................... March 15
Friday, March 20 ......................... April 1
Editorial Policy
SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Com-
munity of Oregon, is published twice a month. No portion of this publication may be reprinted
without permission.
Our editorial policy is intended to encourage input from Tribal members and readers
about stories printed in the Tribal newspaper. However, all letters received must be
signed by the author, an address must be given and a phone number or e-mail address
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be published unless requested.
SMOKE SIGNALS reserves the right to edit letters and to refuse letters that are determined
to contain libelous statements or personal attacks on individuals, staff, Tribal administration
or Tribal Council. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Letters to the
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opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council.
Members of: Q Native American Journalists Association
Q The Associated Press
Q Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
2015 Tribal Council
1-800-422-0232 — tribalcouncil@grandronde.org
QReyn Leno
Tribal Chairman
— ext. 2399
reyn.leno@grandronde.org
QJack Giffen Jr.
Tribal Vice Chair
— ext. 2300
jack.giffen@grandronde.org
QToby McClary
Tribal Secretary
— ext. 4555
QDenise Harvey
— ext. 2353
denise.harvey@grandronde.org
QChris Mercier
— ext. 1444
chris.mercier@grandronde.org
QCheryle A. Kennedy
— ext. 2352
cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org
QTonya Gleason-Shepek
— ext. 1777
toby.mcclary@grandronde.org
tonya.gleason-shepek@grandronde.org
QEd Pearsall
— ext. 2305
QJon A. George
— ext. 2355
ed.pearsall@grandronde.org
jon.george@grandronde.org