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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2015)
S moke S ignals JULY 15, 2015 5 Tribe dedicates new employment building By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde dedicated the new Employment Services and Train- ing Center building on the Tribal campus on Tuesday, June 30, with a small gathering and a job fair. After Tribal Council member Jon A. George gave the invocation, he accompanied drummers Jordan Mercier, Travis Stewart and David Harrelson for a welcoming song. “This building of all buildings today is designed to bring hope and prosperity and new beginnings for our Tribal families. Through these doors, our members will have the opportunity to change their lives … to build for their families,” George said. Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno was joined by the entire Trib- al Council and said in his opening remarks that the new building has been on the minds of Tribal leader- ship for years. “I want to thank all of the peo- ple who put this together,” said Leno. “This has really been a vi- sion of council that someday we would have a one-stop shop type of employment place to streamline people to get hired. More impor- tantly for council, we are fulfilling a mission of having a Tribal member walk through that door and maybe be able to go to work and really change their life not only for them, but for their family.” The new building will be the home of the Tribe’s Human Re- sources, the Tribal Employment Rights Office, the 477/Vocational Rehabilitation Program and Spirit Mountain Casino Human Resourc- es. All four programs will work in concert to meet the employment needs of Tribal members and for the first time they will all work under the same roof. Each program was represented by staff, who had tent-covered ta- bles set up outside the new building to share program information and promotional material with interest- “We condensed all the planning and design and construction into that 10-month window. Typi- cally we would be looking at 18 months to complete construction,” said White. “Tribal Council’s direc- tion was to get it done and I’m really happy with it. Like Reyn said the direc- tion from council was to have a one-stop shop. As soon as the Tribal member walks in the door there is someone there to assist them and to evaluate their needs. The building was really set up that way with each department having their own space, but being interconnected. I think Photo by Michelle Alaimo Tribal Council, the exec- From left, Tribal Council members Chris Mercier, Ed Pearsall, Tonya Gleason-Shepek utive office and the Tribal and Denise Harvey, Tribal Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr., Tribal Chairman Reyn Leno, Tribal members will be pleased Council member Cheryle A. Kennedy, Tribal Secretary Toby McClary and Tribal Council with it too.” member Jon A. George participate in the ribbon cutting for the Employment Services Shirley, who founded and Training Center building on the Tribal campus on Tuesday, June 30. Anderson Shirley Archi- tects with Karl Anderson ed job seekers. in 2004, said the enthusiasm and happened.” “This is something we (Tribal excitement of the people he worked Once those gathered began the Council) thought about for a long with on the new Employment Ser- tour of the two-story office build- time,” said Leno. “This is another vices and Training Center building ing, Leno took a moment to share piece of what the council members made the job fun for him. stories with Tribal Engineering and have all worked toward - the bigger “I enjoyed the whole process,” Public Works Manager Jesse White picture and the bigger plan. I know said Shirley. “Everybody was really and the man who designed the we are going to make this success- enthusiastic about the project. All building – John Shirley of Anderson ful. I think we have a lot of good the way through it has been a fun Shirley Architects Inc. in Salem. people to help do that.” process and now to see it come to “This was all just fields,” said Tribal Council member Cheryle fruition is icing on the cake.” Leno. “There have been a lot of A. Kennedy echoed Leno’s com- Tribal Council Vice Chairman changes, but this area was all just ments and thanked everyone who Jack Giffen Jr. said the new em- hay fields.” made the new building possible. ployment center had been an 11- White said the building was con- “Everything takes time, but we year project for him and he thanked structed on a tight time frame and are here today and I’m very pleased everyone who made it possible. that the structure was modeled about that,” said Kennedy. “I think “Anytime you bring four different after the Tribe’s Adult Educa- we, as Indian people, have learned departments together you have tion Building. White said Shirley to be very patient with things and challenges,” said Giffen. “It will worked on the Adult Education sometimes they do take years to get take a foundation of cooperation and complex and it made sense for the to this stage, but I’m very pleased partnership to achieve the ultimate Tribe to work with Anderson Shir- that it has. There is a thrill that goal of helping our Tribal members ley Architects again on this new goes through me about the lives succeed. I’m happy to see this build- building. that will be changed because of the ing open up and I’m happy to see the White said ground was broken services that are being offered here. different departments come togeth- on the project in August 2014 and I raise my hands to all the people er and forming that foundation for that he was very pleased with how that worked to make sure that this the Tribal members.” n quickly the building came together. Ad created by George Valdez Ad created by George Valdez
