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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2016)
S moke S ignals MARCH 15, 2016 Council approves transportation fund grant application By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tribal Council approved a Special Transportation Fund Discretionary Grant application to the Oregon Department of Transportation during its Wednesday, March 2, meeting. The competitive grant, if received, will help the Tribe update its 2007 Transit Plan, said Planning and Grants Manager Kim Rogers at the previous day’s Legislative Action Committee meeting. The only other item on the agen- da was approval of the March 6 General Council agenda, which featured a program report on the Tribe’s support for appropriate use of Native American mascots by Oregon public schools. Also included in the March 2 Tribal Council packet were autho- rizations to proceed to: • Create a full business plan for creation of a Tribal Competitive Local Exchange Carrier; • Allow Natural Resources Depart- ment Manager Michael Wilson to purchase a forestry-specific excavator; • Nominate Tribal Council member Brenda Tuomi to the National Indian Health Board’s Public Health in Indian Country Capac- ity Survey Advisory Committee; • And terminate the Employee Health Plan Trustees contract with ELAP because it was learned that the program “may negatively impact employees to a greater ex- tent than originally understood.” Tribal Council member Jon A. George joined Cultural Protection Coordinator Jordan Mercier to per- form the cultural drumming and singing to open the meeting. The meeting, in its entirety, can be viewed by visiting the Tribal website, www.grandronde.org, and clicking on the News tab and then Video. n Celebration of a life Photos by Michelle Alaimo Tribal Elder Steve Bobb Sr., left, hugs fellow Elder Richard “Mushy” Ray during a Celebration of Life held for Ray at the Elders Activity Center on Saturday, March 5. Ray, 68, has terminal cancer and his wife Kathi arranged the event. About 300 friends and family members came to see him. Council sends Marriage Ordinance amendments out for first reading By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tweaks to the recently reinstat- ed Tribal Marriage Ordinance were sent out for a first reading during Tribal Council’s Wednes- day, March 9, meeting. The amendments would require that a marriage ceremony occur on the Tribe’s Reservation and al- low Tribal Court to file marriage licenses and certificates with an appropriate county recorder or the Oregon Vital Statistics Office. By sending it out for a first reading, Tribal Council will be providing the Tribal membership with an opportunity to comment on the proposed amendments before they are formally adopt- ed. An announcement about the amendments and outlining how to submit comments appears in this edition of Smoke Signals. Tribal Council reinstated the Marriage Ordinance last year af- ter 10 years of it not being on the Tribal books and included a briefly controversial non-discrimination clause that would allow same-sex marriages in Tribal Court. In other action, Tribal Council approved a non-binding Sunshine Week proclamation that commits to enhancing the membership’s access to Tribal records and infor- mation, to increasing information provided electronically and on- line, and ensures that meetings of Tribal Council, Tribal committees and boards are properly noticed to the membership. Tribal Council also voted to approve the enrollment of two in- fants into the Tribe because they meet the requirements outlined in the Enrollment Ordinance and Tribal Constitution. Tribal Council member Jon A. George joined Culture Depart- ment staff members Bobby Mer- cier, Travis Stewart and Brian Krehbiel to perform the cultural drumming and singing to open the meeting. The meeting, in its entirety, can be viewed by visiting the Tribal website, www.grandronde.org, clicking on the News tab and then Video. n ATTENTION CTGR TELEPHONE SERVICE If you have an emergency and need to dial “911” you must first dial a “9” (9911). The only calls that do not require that you dial a 9+ are those made from the CTGR extensions within the CTGR campus and/or those who use CTGR Tel for their home phone service. n CPA returns Doris Rose, a certified public accountant, will be returning to the Grand Ronde community. She will be in the Grand Ronde Housing Department office on Tuesday and Thursday through April 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call 503-293-4128. n Tribal Council Chair Reyn Leno talks about a necklace he’s gifting on behalf of Tribal Council to Tribal Elder Richard “Mushy” Ray as Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr., back left, and Tribal Elder Bob Mercier, back right, wrap Ray in a Pendleton blanket, which council also gifted to him during a Celebration of Life held for Ray at the Elders Activity Center on Saturday, March 5. Ray served on the Timber Committee with Mercier and was also on the Elders Committee. Free Playgroup in Grand Ronde! * When: Second and Fourth Tuesday of each month 10:00 am- 11:30 am Where: CTGR – Community Service Center 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347 Who: Parents and caregivers of children under 5 years. Why: Come to play, have a snack and have fun! 7
