2
S MOKE S IGNALS
JANUARY 1, 2016
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, Jan 6................................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan 20..............................................................................4 p.m.
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed.
General Council meeting
11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016
Tribal Community Center
Letters
Dear fellow Tribal members:
In general, I live a quiet life, respect others and maintain a sense of humor.
I love a good debate, and won’t back away from a fi ght, especially if I see
something wrong or unjust.
It was disheartening to open up the Dec. 15 Smoke Signals, cute Christmas
cover and all, only to see two letters by Leroy Good and Rosemary Jameson.
They are brother and sister, a fact omitted by their letters.
Here is my take on the dueling letters between the Michigan siblings and
Councilman Chris Mercier: Council just delayed a constitutional election
on enrollment because most didn’t want to leave some families behind. The
Goods wanted the proposal to proceed and hate “bundles.” Mercier says what
they want is a bundle: parent on the roll at time of birth and parent on the
roll at time of application are different requirements. The Goods say Mercier
is not truthful and he is besmirching Rosemary’s reputation by disputing
her claims. They urge us to seek the truth.
Here I go, on my truth-seeking journey. Please join me:
Mr. Good’s letter on Dec. 15 quoted the last paragraph of the “Sample
Ballot Explanation” of the derailed proposal that Mercier only referenced in
his Dec. 1 letter. What Leroy did not quote is kind of important: “There is a
single amendment proposed. The amendment will change the requirements
necessary to qualify as a Grand Ronde Tribal member. Currently an applicant
for membership must have fully and unconditionally relinquished mem-
bership in another Indian Tribe for fi ve full years and must show all of the
following: 1/16th or greater Grand Ronde blood, defi ned as all Indian blood
derived from a direct ancestor whose name validly appears on the offi cial
Tribal membership roll prepared under the Grand Ronde Restoration Act;
born to a parent who was a member of the Tribe at the time of the applicant's
birth; and born to a parent who, unless deceased, is a member of the Grand
Ronde Tribe at the time the applicant fi les an application for enrollment.”
I am not an aspiring lawyer like Mr. Mercier, but based on No. 2 and No.
3 above, it would appear he’s correct. They are different requirements, so
yes, as a single amendment that qualifi es as a bundle.
Round 1 goes to Mercier.
Mercier refers to the enrollment application checklist that staff and Tribal
Council use. Here is what it says, including the boxes to check, verbatim:
“FACTORS:
Direct Ancestor on Restoration Roll
(Y)
(N)
At least 1/16th degree Grand Ronde blood? (Y)
(N)
Parent enrolled at time of birth?
(Y)
(N)
Parent enrolled at time of application, if living?
(Y) (N) (N/A)
Full/unconditional relinquishment from other Tribe for fi ve full years?
(Y)
(N)
(N/A)”
No. 3 and No. 4 on this list appear yet again to be two different require-
ments. At least that’s what enrollment staff, Tribal attorneys and Tribal
Council think. Weird to have that checklist if they don't.
Round 2 goes to Mercier.
Mrs. Jameson claims her words from November 2011 were being twisted,
alleging to have never said “parent on the roll at time of birth” and “parent
on the roll at time of application” are separate requirements. Here’s what
she wrote, relevant parts anyway:
“Dear Tribal members: When we voted on the 1999 enrollment proposal,
many of us did not know what we were voting on. We thought we were
stopping Tribal jumpers yet instead we were in a sense voting to keep out
our own Grand Ronde people.
“Now we are told the enrollment proposal has three or four changes to our
enrollment. However, when you look closely at the proposed amendment
changes, there are actually at least seven changes in total: …
2. Eliminate requirement the applicant needs a parent on the roll the year
of the applicant's birth;
3. Eliminate requirement the applicant needs a parent enrolled, unless
deceased, at the time the applicant fi les their application.”
In other words, Rosemary did actually say in November 2011 what in her
Dec. 15, 2015, letter she claims she didn’t say.
Round 3 goes to Mercier.
Final score: Mercier 3, Goods 0. “Parent on roll at time of birth’” and “par-
ent on roll at time of application” are two different requirements, making
the aborted proposal ... a bundle.
Humor is how I cope with some of these confl icts. But with constitutional
amendments, you don’t get much more serious. That is why if there are
going to be more letters, how about debating the issues being voted on and
not trying to confuse people?
I am hoping someone can tell the membership why they think Tribal
Council should not try to help all the families hurt by the 1999 enrollment
amendment. Cheryle A. Kennedy, Denise Harvey, Jon A. George, Brenda
Tuomi and Chris Mercier are doing the right thing: looking for an equitable
solution. For that stance alone they are all rock stars in my book and are
responding to what the Tribal membership has asked them to do: be fair
and equitable in their decision making.
Tracie Meyer
Roll #2776
See page 14 for more letters.
Smoke Signals
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DEADLINE DATE
ISSUE DATE
Tuesday, Jan. 5 ............................Jan. 15
Wednesday, Jan. 20 ....................... Feb. 1
Friday, Feb. 5 ............................. Feb. 15
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
must be included for verifi cation purposes. Full addresses and phone numbers will not
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
editor are the opinions and views of the writer. Published letters do not necessarily refl ect the
opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council.
Members of: n Native American Journalists Association
n Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
2016 Tribal Council
1-800-422-0232 — tribalcouncil@grandronde.org
n Reyn Leno
Tribal Chairman
— ext. 2399
n Denise Harvey
— ext. 2353
reyn.leno@grandronde.org
n Chris Mercier
— ext. 1444
n Jack Giffen Jr.
Tribal Vice Chair
— ext. 2300
jack.giffen@grandronde.org
n Cheryle A. Kennedy
Tribal Secretary
— ext. 2352
cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org
denise.harvey@grandronde.org
chris.mercier@grandronde.org
n Brenda Tuomi
— ext. 4555
brenda.tuomi@grandronde.org
n Tonya Gleason-Shepek
— ext. 1777
tonya.gleason-shepek@grandronde.org
n Ed Pearsall
— ext. 2305
n Jon A. George
— ext. 2355
ed.pearsall@grandronde.org
jon.george@grandronde.org