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JULY 1, 2020
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Tribal Council OKs three more
rounds of virus relief payments
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
July
• Friday, July 3 – Tribal offices will be closed in observance of the
Independence Day holiday. 503-879-2304.
• Wednesday, July 8 – Tribal Council meeting, 10 a.m., Governance
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
• Wednesday, July 22 – Tribal Council meeting, 4 p.m., Governance
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
• Wednesday, July 22 – Tribal Council Candidates Forum, 5 p.m.,
Virtual via the Zoom teleconferencing platform. 503-879-2304.
August
• Wednesday, Aug. 5 – Tribal Council meeting, 10 a.m., Governance
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
• Wednesday, Aug. 19 – Tribal Council meeting, 10 a.m., Governance
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
(Editor’s note: All events are tentative depending on the
status of the Tribe’s COVID-19 coronavirus
response throughout the summer.)
Adult Tribal members will see a
series of three virus relief payments
totaling $1,800 over the summer.
Tribal Council approved a third
supplemental budget on Thursday,
June 18, that will allocate $8.1
million that the Tribe received in
federal funding to pay for the virus
relief payments.
The approximately 4,500 adult
Tribal members will each receive
$600 on June 24, July 17 and Aug.
14, Finance Officer Chris Leno said.
The funding comes from the Tribe’s
share of Coronavirus Aid, Relief
and Economic Security Act monies.
Although the Tribe has not disclosed
exactly how much it has received
in CARES Act funding, a Harvard
study estimates the amount is ap-
proximately $33 million based on
the U.S. Treasury’s formula for de-
termining allocations to Tribes.
The summer disbursements will
bring the total number of coronavi-
rus relief payments to five and help
Tribal members affected by the
pandemic and the absence of a June
per capita distribution because
Spirit Mountain Casino was closed
from mid-March through May 31.
By the end of summer, adult
Tribal members will have received
$2,600 in virus relief financial aid,
which is approximately 56 percent
of per capita distributed in 2019.
The payments are classified as
general welfare disbursements and
are not taxable.
Tribal Council approved the first
supplemental $1.8 million budget
on April 23 and $400 payments
were mailed out and deposited
directly into Tribal members’ bank
accounts on April 29.
Tribal Council approved a second
$1.9 million supplemental budget
on May 21 that sent another $400
virus relief payment to adult Tribal
members to help them deal with
the financial effects caused by the
COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
WIC visits Community Center monthly
Pregnant? Breastfeeding? Does your family include a child under
the age of 5? If so, you may qualify for the Women, Infants and Chil-
dren program.
With WIC, people can receive answers to nutritional questions and
access fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, milk, cheese, juice,
cereal and more.
A WIC representative visits the Tribal Community Center on the
third Tuesday of the month, which will be July 21.
Walk-ins are welcome between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. For more infor-
mation or to schedule an appointment, call 503-879-2034.
COMMITTEE AND SPECIAL EVENT BOARD VACANCIES
The following Committees and Special Event Boards have vacant positions.
Housing Grievance Board – 1 vacancy
Ceremonial Hunting Board – 2 vacancies
Culture Committee – 2 vacancies
Editorial Board – 2 vacancies
Enrollment Committee – 2 vacancies
Fish & Wildlife Committee – 3 vacancies
Powwow Special Event Board – 1 vacancy
Please send completed applications to
Stacia Hernandez, 9615 Grand Ronde Road,
Grand Ronde, OR 97347
Ad by Samuel Briggs III
Ad by Samuel Briggs III
