PRESORTED
STANDARD MAIL
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PORTLAND, OR
PERMIT NO. 700
DECEMBER 15, 2016
U.S. House passes
bill to amend
Reservation Act
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
W
ASHINGTON, D.C. – After more than
six years of work, the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde is one step away
from streamlining the process of how it takes
land into trust.
On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the U.S. House of Repre-
sentatives approved amendments to the Grand
Ronde Reservation Act that mirror those already
approved by the Senate.
All that is missing for the amendments to be-
come law is the signature of President Barack
Obama.
“The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
would like to thank the Oregon delegation for
their support in advancing this important piece
of legislation,” Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno said.
The Senate bill, introduced by Oregon Sen.
Ron Wyden and co-sponsored by Oregon Sen.
Jeff Merkley, was approved on July 14, 2016,
and sent to the House of Representatives.
The House bill was sponsored by Oregon Rep.
Kurt Schrader.
“This legislation is supported by the commis-
sioners in Polk, Tillamook and Yamhill counties,
who, like us, are focused on making their govern-
ments more efficient and using their revenues
more wisely,” Leno said. “This legislation will
enable the Tribe to more efficiently move the land
it owns into reservation status, which is histori-
cally a very complex and time-consuming process.
“The Tribe and its neighboring counties contin-
ue to work cooperatively as partners in this and
other matters that improve the quality of life for
our members and the people of the West Valley.”
The amendments, once signed by President
Obama, will end the current two-step process
that requires the Grand Ronde Tribe take each
piece of former reservation land into trust with
approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and
See RESERVATION ACT
continued on page 14
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Kalea Liebelt, left, gets help from her brother Nacoma making a snowman after the book
“Snowmen at Christmas” was read to children by Tribal Library Aide Rachelle Kellogg during the
Tribal Council Christmas Party. See more photos on page 15.
O
n Sunday, Dec. 4, the annu-
al Tribal Council Christmas
Party was held in the Tribal
gym. Santa, aka Tribal Elder Steve
Bobb Sr., stopped by to visit with
children, who had their pictures
taken with him and they told him
what they want for Christmas.
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno was master of ceremonies,
the Tribal Library staff provided a
snowman-making activity, lunch
was served, drawings for door
prizes took place and, as always,
children sang Christmas carols to
end the party. Almost 400 people
attended the event.
Children sing “Jingle Bells” during the Tribal Council
Christmas Party.
Tribe to end pre-employment testing for marijuana
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
T
he Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde will no longer
screen for marijuana use
during its pre-employment process-
es at Spirit Mountain Casino and
the Tribal government, according
to a staff directive included in the
Nov. 30 Tribal Council meeting
packet.
The directive, approved by six
Tribal Council members, instructed
General Manager David Fullerton
to remove THC – tetrahydrocan-
nabinol, the principal psychoactive
“The only change is you can test positive for THC
at hiring and it won’t impede you from getting
a job here, but once you’re hired you fall under
the same provisions of a drug-free work environ-
ment. … Everyone who is hired is expected not
to have THC in their system.”
~ General Manager David Fullerton
ingredient in cannabis – from the
drug screen panel that all potential
new employees are screened for
before being hired.
The decision is a slight softening
of the Tribe’s position on recreation-
al marijuana use that was spurred
by Spirit Mountain Casino’s recent
difficulties in recruiting new em-
ployees.
“Where it started is with SMGI
(Spirit Mountain Gaming Inc.),”
Fullerton said. “They implemented
the policy change first to address
recruitment in some positions.
Obviously, the legalization in the
state has probably broadened the
use of marijuana and they were
struggling in getting applicants for
certain positions. So our response
was for consistency. If we’re not
See TESTING
continued on page 15