10
S moke S ignals
MARCH 1, 2018
TERO workers feted at Friday feast
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
Will James was working for the
Postal Service and struggling to
make ends meet when he first
learned of the Tribal Employment
Rights Office program offered
through the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde.
“I needed a change from my
current work situation because I
wasn’t getting the hours I needed to
be financially stable,” James said.
“I really appreciate the opportunity
TERO gave me to get into a pre-
vailing wage job. Now, I have been
hired on full-time.”
It is stories like these that make
TERO Compliance Officer Duke
Kimsey smile. At a Friday, Feb. 23,
dinner held at the Elders Activity
Center honoring TERO employees,
he noted that many of those work-
ers he had referred out for jobs
have built strong relationships with
various contractors and the Oregon
Department of Transportation.
“We have become a resource for
the contractors when they need
employees and they even call us
when it’s not a TERO job or they
are not required to, and that makes
our staff very proud because we
know that they are all working very
hard and proving themselves out
on these jobs, which require a lot
of stamina and hard work.”
TERO was enacted in November
2013 to promote the interests of
self-governance and ensure that
Indian people can participate in
economic opportunities on and near
the Reservation. The opportunities
include job preparation and train-
ing, and Tribal contracting and
subcontracting.
The ordinance requires all em-
ployers, including Tribal gov-
ernment, Tribal businesses and
contractors who perform work on
the Reservation, to provide Grand
Ronde Tribal and Indian prefer-
ence in employment, and Indian
preference in contracting and sub-
contracting.
Tribal Council Chairwoman
Cheryle A. Kennedy gave the in-
vocation. She thanked Tribal staff
who manage the program and
TERO employees who work on the
various projects and are able to
earn living wages.
Vice Chair Chris Mercier, Tribal
Council member Denise Harvey
and past Tribal Council member
Wink Soderberg, who serves on the
TERO Commission, also attended
the dinner.
Interim TERO Director John
Daniel Alexander, Jeremy
Bailey, Randall Bennett,
Sean Beauchamp, Nick
Bishop, Erin Case, Sydney
Clark, Derrick Cooper,
Craig Fermore Jr., Alan
Crain, Elisa Crawford,
Richard Cummings, Alan
Cureton, Sage David-Mill-
er, Steven Devault, An-
drew Edwards, Justin
Erickson, Murray Farlow,
Christopher Freeman,
David Garcia, Keith Gon-
zalez, Timothy Grefsrud,
Joe Ham, Shane Har-
mon, Collins Hinch, David
Holmes, Austin James,
Chris Johnson, Fred Jo-
seph, Joshua Kneeland,
Kenny Lafferty, Joseph
Lane, Reynold Lane, Tim
Lane, Tyson Lee, Scott
Lenaburg, Chad Leno,
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Brett Leno, Leon Luey,
Tribal Employment Rights Office Compliance Officer Duke Kimsey, right, hands Robert
Martinez Veda, Wayne
Miller, Sean Mitchell,
Rife a prize he won during the TERO Worker Appreciation Dinner held at the Elders
Michael Moore, Richard
Activity Center on Friday, Feb. 23.
Nevarez, Mike Norwest,
Jason Norwood, Paris Nunes, Wil-
Mercier described the group as a
“TERO helps me to help others. I
liam Patching, Jesse Peone, Sergio
team.
enjoy helping people get connected
Ramirez, Robert Rife, Dakota Rock,
“We all work together to be em-
and showing them the ropes.”
John Runningbird, Jeremy Russell,
ployed in good-paying jobs, but
Connections are what make
Sam Sampson, Jesse Sampson,
also in transportation and trans-
TERO work well, Kimsey said.
Isreal Scot, Michael Shaw, Luke
portation construction,” he said.
“I want to thank ODOT for these
Soderberg, George Spino, Ste-
“We forged this partnership with
opportunities that have been giv-
ven Taggart, Jordan Tinoco, Don
the Oregon Department of Trans-
en to our Tribal people,” he said.
Wabaunsee, Tim Watson, Corey
portation for the betterment of our
“Without them not all of this would
Weston, Travis Weston, Calib Wil-
TERO workers.”
be possible. Our TERO is kind of
son, Jimmy Wilson, Lee Wilson and
ODOT has entered into agree-
the middle man between these
Matt Zimbrick.
ments with various Tribes to give
projects and our people. We get
While attendees dined on meat-
Indian preference for qualified
thanks all the time when we refer
loaf and mashed potatoes, draw-
workers on various projects, par-
someone out to these jobs, but all
ings were conducted for two $25
ticularly those that are near Tribal
the thanks really are to be given to
Lowe’s gift cards, Shell gas cards
lands.
ODOT and the workers themselves,
and Spirit Mountain Casino gift
In 2016, there were 69 TERO
because without them none of this
cards, along with safety T-shirts
employees who worked on 16 trans-
would be possible.”
and TERO bags.
portation projects for a total of
TERO workers honored were
19,322 hours.
“It was a busy year,” Mercier said.
“In 2017, things slowed down a bit,
but that happens.”
ODOT Regional Field Coordina-
tor Paul Joiner attended the dinner
and said when he first became in-
volved with the TERO program, he
“didn’t have a clue.”
Seeking your donations for 4 organizations!
“I have been in workforce de-
G RAND R ONDE H ELPING H ANDS
velopment most of my career, and
I
SKAM M ƎK ʰM ƎK -H AWS , T HE C LOTHES C LOSET , E MPOWERMENT O UTREACH MINISTRIES , AND
I have to say this is one of the
A C AUSE FOR P AWS ARE WORKING TOGETHER
best or very best programs I have
seen,” he said. “People are being
You’ve got it. We want it!
trained and going to work. This is
SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2018
wonderful.”
10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.
Randall Bennett, a certified flag-
ger, has been with the program for
GIVE TO 4 ORGANIZATIONS IN ONE LOCATION!
three years.
“I really enjoy helping and men-
Iskam MǝkʰMǝk-Haws is seeking small kitchen
appliances and personal care items.
toring the new people,” he said.
The Clothes Closet is seeking school supplies and
warm clothing.
Empowerment Outreach is seeking camping
equipment, bedding, sleeping bags (broken zipper ok)
for homeless families.
A Cause for Paws is seeking pet food, toys, and beds.
We will take books for our lending library.
Clean out your food pantry, we’ll figure out the
expiration dates!
If you are not sure, bring it or give us a call.
Iskam MǝkʰMǝk-Haws
9675 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, OR 97347
503-879-FOOD (3663)
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