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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2016)
12 S moke S ignals MARCH 15, 2016 Bill exempts Tribal representatives on Indian commission from ‘quorum trigger’ By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor A bill passed by the Oregon Legislature and now sitting on Gov. Kate Brown’s desk acknowledges that Legislative Commission on Indian Ser- vices members who are Tribal representatives serve as public officials for the state only when they are at commission meetings. “Their status is different from others who serve on public boards and commissions because they are 24/7 elected officials of their respective sovereign nations,” said Karen Quigley, executive director of the com- mission. “Tribal leaders on LCIS are not to be held to Oregon’s laws governing public officials and the quorum trigger if several of them happen to be at other get-togethers, such as NCAI, ATNI, funerals, ceremonies and powwows.” All members of the commission – four legislative members and nine Tribal members – are appointed by the Speaker of the House and the Senate President. The new bill was signed by the Speaker of the House Tina Kotek and Senate President Peter Courtney on March 2. “The passage of the Legislative Commission on Indian Services bill demonstrates the support of Oregon for the nine Tribes,” said Tribal Council Secretary Cheryle A. Kennedy, the Tribe’s longtime represen- tative on the commission. “This bill also distinguishes Tribes of Oregon as sovereigns and recognizes that the public meeting quorum rule does not apply to Tribes. “The public meeting requirement does not work for LCIS members who are Tribal elected officials because Tribes meet in many forums. Therefore, the state recognizes the impracticality of applying this rule to LCIS commissioners because they are elected Tribal leaders and the bill made provision to omit Tribes from the public meeting quorum re- quirement. I am pleased with the passage of the LCIS bill and what it means for Oregon Tribes.” The bill also clarifies that each of Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes have their own procedures for making their selection of a rep- resentative to the commission and that Tribal governments may have different names for their elected body, such as Tribal Council or Board of Trustees. “The bill’s term to address this is ‘each Tribe’s governing body,’ ” Quigley said. The bill was introduced in the Oregon Senate by senators Ted Ferrioli and Arnie Roblan and in the House by Rep. Caddy McKeown. The Legislative Commission on Indian Services was established in 1975 to improve services to Native Americans in the state. “Importantly, the bill also explicitly makes promoting communication and positive state-Tribal relations a purpose of the commission,” Quigley said. n Grand Ronde Housing Department Housing Board seeks community input The Grand Ronde Housing Board is inviting Tribal members and Tribal housing residents to provide input to assist its mem- bers in carrying out its advisory role to the Housing Department and Tribal Council regarding policy guidance. The Housing Board meets at 3 p.m. the third Thursday of each month in the Housing Department conference room, 28450 Tyee Road. Its chair is Matt Thomas. For more information, contact the Housing Department at 503-879-2401. n St. Michael’s offers brunch St. Michael’s Catholic Church offers an open house brunch every Sunday following Mass. The brunch is free to the community. Brunch begins at about 11:30 a.m. following the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Mass attendance is not required for brunch attendance. For more in- formation, contact Janelle Justen at 503-550-0923. n Learn about Sesame Noodles with Broccoli and Chicken and Quinoa Salad! Free Hands-on Cooking Class Sesame Noodles w/ Broccoli & Chicken Quinoa Salad Tuesday, March 29 5:30 p.m. Iskam MǝkʰMǝk-Haws 9675 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347 Sign up TODAY! ! Call Francene Ambrose, coordinator at 503-879-3663 or fambrose@marionpolkfoodshare.org Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials without discrimination based on age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran's status. Oregon State University Extension Service and Marion-Polk Food Share are Equal Opportunity Employers.
