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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2019)
smok signflz AUGUST 1, 2019 Tribal Council sends two ordinances out for first readings By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tribal Council sent amendments to two ordinances requested by the five-member Editorial Board that are designed to bolster the Tribe’s independent press out for first readings during its Wednesday, July 17, meeting. Proposed amendments to the Public Records Ordinance would give Smoke Signals staff mem- bers, when acting in their official employment capacity of trying to inform the Tribal membership about their government, the right to access Tribal records in the same manner as Tribal members. Currently, the Public Records Ordinance only gives standing to access Tribal records to Tribal members. Amendments to the Independent Tribal Press Ordinance, which was originally approved in December 2016 and went into effect in Jan- uary 2017, would clarify that jour- nalists working for Smoke Signals cannot be fired or suspended solely due to the factual content of their reporting when acting in their offi- cial employment capacity. The amendments also make oth- er clarifications, including that the Tribal Attorney’s Office will defend the newspaper and its staff should a lawsuit ever be filed against it. First readings allow the mem- bership 30 days to comment on the proposed amendments before they return to Tribal Council for possible adoption. Tribal Council also approved a mediation agreement between the Grand Ronde Tribe and the Oregon Department of State Lands, Port- land General Electric, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation, Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Res- ervation, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians regarding property ownership of the site where the Grand Ronde Tribe constructed a removable fishing platform at Willamette Falls. The Grand Ronde Tribe received permission to build the platform on land the state says it owns, but PGE and the other Tribes appealed the permission and ownership claim. The administrative law judge hearing the case directed the parties to participate in mediation on the issue of ownership of the platform site, which the agreement outlines the terms of. In other action, Tribal Council approved a five-year, $2.64 mil- lion grant application to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabili- tation Services that would fund vo- cational rehabilitation services for Native Americans with disabilities. The grant, if received, would fund two vocational rehabilitation spe- cialists, a trainee, half of the pro- gram manager and administrative assistant’s salaries, and more than $80,000 in client services annually. The entire meeting can be viewed by visiting the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and clicking on the News tab and then Video. Election Office open until Aug. 30 The Election Board Office has a new schedule for 2019. It will be open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday through Aug. 30. Office hours are from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m. The Election Office is located in the Tribal Community Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, and the phone number is 503-879-2271. For convenience, blank signature verification forms will be placed in a hanging basket outside the Elections Office door. Completed forms with a notarized signature or legible copy of ID including your signa- ture (driver’s license, member ID card, passport, etc. attached) need to be mailed to the Election Board for processing. The form will not be processed unless it has been notarized or includes a legible copy of ID and your signature attached. Ballots were mailed to voters with verified signatures on July 24. Tribal members may submit a verified signature card at any time up to and including Election Day on Saturday, Sept. 7. The Grand Ronde post office is no longer open to accept ballots on Saturday, Sept. 7. For our members’ convenience, there will be a ballot box in the Gov- ernance Center during the election season and also on Election Day we will have a box in the Community Center where completed ballots can be cast. We will have ballots available, as we have done in the past, for those members who want to come in and vote in person. It is the voters’ responsibility to ensure the ballot is received by the Election Board on Election Day – be sure to allow adequate time for the ballot to reach the Election Board by Sept. 7. THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF GRAND RONDE TRIBAL MEMBER REVIEW BOARD (TMRB) We are looking for volunteers! As a Tribal Member Review Board member, you will review cases assigned by the Tribal Court involving children who are wards of the Tribal Court. You will review the case file; hear from all parties at the review including caseworkers, attorneys and children over 12 years of age, parents, foster parents and providers. The Board makes findings and recommendations to the Court regarding the case. Qualifications: Tribal member At least 21 years of age Living in the six-county area of: Polk, Yamhill, Tillamook, Washington, Multnomah or Marion counties, and Have special knowledge, background and/or experience in one or more of the following: o Parenting or foster care taking; Tribal customs, traditions; Juvenile Law; Health Care; Mental Health Care; Social work; or Education. For more information, contact Tribal Court Programs Coordinator Ramona Quenelle at CourtPrograms@grandronde.org or call 503-879-4623. Honoring Elders Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez Hazel Pleines (Steilacoom/Lummi), 92, is presented with a necklace for being the oldest female attending Elder Honor Day. Tribal Elder Penny DeLoe looks on after presenting a walking stick to Herman Hudson for being the oldest male veteran attending Elder Honor Day held at Spirit Mountain Casino on Monday, July 15. Hudson served in World War II. The event attracted more than 400 Elders to the casino for a fun day of activities and a meal. Laney DeLoe, 14, presents a blanket to Mary Hudson for being the oldest female veteran attending Elder Honor Day held at Spirit Mountain Casino. 5