6
S moke S ignals
MARCH 1, 2018
Tribal Council schedules
per capita payment date
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Tribal Council set the first per
capita payment date of 2018 as Fri-
day, March 16, during its Wednes-
day, Feb. 21, meeting.
Finance Officer Chris Leno said
that the amount of the distribution
will not be known until after the
Tribe receives revenue numbers
from Spirit Mountain Casino in
early March.
In other action, Tribal Council:
• Set the agenda for the Sunday,
March 4, General Council meet-
ing to be held in the Tribal Com-
munity Center in Grand Ronde.
Presentations from the Housing
and Social Services departments
will occur and after the meeting a
Community Input session will be
held seeking Tribal member opin-
ions on possible advisory votes
to be placed on the September
Tribal Council election ballot.
• Adopted a schedule of prevailing
wages for 2018-19 as prepared
by the Human Resources Depart-
ment. The schedule took effect on
Feb. 21.
• Approved the enrollment of two
minors into the Tribe because
they meet the requirements out-
lined in the Tribal Constitution
and Enrollment Ordinance.
• Approved Marion-Polk Food
Share to continue operating the
Grand Ronde Food Bank for two
more years, as well as provide
other community food-related
services.
• Approved applying for a grant not
to exceed $13,000 from the Ore-
gon Youth Conservation Corps
that funds Natural Resources De-
partment summer youth crews.
The Tribe has applied for and
received the grant for more than
20 years.
• And approved a Long Range
Transportation Plan services
agreement with AKANA for pro-
fessional transportation planning
services. The project budget is
$124,970.
Also included in the Feb. 21 Trib-
al Council packet were two autho-
rizations to proceed that directed
staff to proceed with building the
Behavioral Health addition to the
Health & Wellness Center and gave
Grand Ronde Police Chief Jake
McKnight permission to travel to
Canada for a FBI National Train-
ing Conference in July.
Cultural Resources Department
Manager David Harrelson gave a
cultural presentation on wapato,
or Indian potato, and its cultural
importance to open the meeting.
The entire meeting can be viewed
by visiting the Tribal website at
www.grandronde.org and clicking
on the News tab and then Video.
Elders Sweetheart Lunch
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Elder Sequoia Raya gets popcorn during
the Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Luncheon held
at the Elders Activity Center on Wednesday,
Feb. 14. About 100 Elders from Grand
Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz
Indians attended the event, which included a
doughnut bar, candy bar, popcorn bar, chocolate-covered strawberries,
lunch, a photo booth, balloons, roses, pie auction and bingo.
MARRIAGES IN TRIBAL COURT
Tribal Court is now issuing marriage licenses and is able to perform
marriage ceremonies for a filing fee of $40. For questions regarding sched-
uling, please contact the Tribal Court at 503-879-2303.
Tribal Elder Jennie VanAtta, left, and her husband Rich, right, and Doug
Stake, second from left, and his wife Tribal Elder Marcia Stake, second
from right, pose to have their photo taken in the kissing booth photo
booth during the Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Luncheon at the Elders
Activity Center on Wednesday, Feb. 14.
WE ARE MOVING!
On March 5 th – 9 th the Veteran Services Office
will be relocating to the downtown area.
340 NE KIRBY ST, McMinnville, OR 97128
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