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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2020)
sNok signflz DECEMBER 1, 2020 TRIBAL EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ORDINANCE OPEN FOR COMMENT The Tribal Council is considering amendments to the Tribal Em- ployment Rights Ordinance. The proposed amendments were given a First Reading at the Oct. 28, 2020, Tribal Council meeting. The proposed amendments include: (1) a provision restricting a commissioner’s access to records if the commissioner also bids on a project; (2) a provision granting limited administrative supervision of the TERO Director to the Chief of Staff or in her/his absence the General Manager; (3) a requirement that TERO workers on construc- tion projects be afforded the opportunity to work the same hours as nonTERO workers; (4) and other minor technical changes. Tribal Council invites comment on the proposed amendments to the Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance. For a copy of the amend- ments, please contact the Tribal Attorney’s Office at 503-879-4664. Please send your comments to the Tribal Attorney’s Office, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347 or by e-mail to legal@ grandronde.org. Comments must be received by Dec. 15, 2020. Washington County recognizes Native American Month For the first time in history, Washington County recognized Native American Month on Nov. 3. The proclamation was read by coach and staff member Jenny Sanchez (Grand Ronde) and student Ella Smith (Klamath) at the Washington County Commissioner’s meeting held before a mostly Zoom audience of 100 people. Before the proclamation reading, Auditor’s Office staff member Sherry Kurk (Metis) made an introduction and an in-person blessing was offered by Celeste Whitewolf (Umatilla) and a drum song was performed by Harmony Paul. A land acknowledgement presentation was given by Grand Ronde Tribal member David Lewis. He also gave a 30-minute presentation about the Native Tualatin history of the area previous to white settlement and the changes that occurred on the Tualatin Plains during the colonization of Oregon. Lewis reviewed the proclamation and added numerous statements, in- cluding those about the Forest Grove Indian Boarding School, destruction of Wapato Lake and removal of Tribes to Grand Ronde in 1856. The proclamation is part of a larger ongoing project to recognize and honor the Tualatin-Atfalati peoples in Washington County. This year, the Washington County Historical Museum changed its name to Five Oaks Museum in partial recognition of Tualatin stories and the Hillsboro School District name a new elementary school after the Atfalati people. Washington County is Oregon’s second largest county in terms of pop- ulation. 5 Tribal Council OKs December per capita, timber payments By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tribal members will receive their first per capita distribution pay- ment in nine months, as well as a $550 timber revenue payment, on Monday, Dec. 14. Tribal Council OK’d the pay- ments during its Wednesday, Nov. 18, meeting. The per capita amount will not be determined until Wednesday, Dec. 2, Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Her- nandez said during the Tuesday, Nov. 17, Legislative Action Com- mittee hearing. Acting Finance Officer Amy Gal- lant said the payments will be made in two separate checks. Quarterly per capita payments were suspended for June and Sep- tember after the Tribe closed Spirit Mountain Casino for an unprece- dented 74 days between mid-March and May 31 in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Tribal members did not receive per capita payments, the approximately 4,500 adult Tribal members did receive eight COVID-19 relief payments from the Tribe using federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Although the Tribe has not dis- closed how much it has received in CARES Act funding, a Harvard study estimated the amount was approximately $33 million based on the U.S. Treasury’s public for- mula for determining allocations to Tribes. Using CARES Act funding, the Tribe dispersed $4,400 in relief funding to adult Tribal members from April through November, which is $250 less than the total per capita payments distributed in 2019. The relief payments were de- signed to help Tribal members affected by the pandemic and the absence of two per capita distri- butions because Spirit Mountain Casino was closed. 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. The third $8.1 million supple- mental budget was approved on June 18 and allocated $600 to each adult Tribal member in June, July and August. The fourth $7.5 million supple- mental budget that funded three virus relief payments was approved in September and sent $600 pay- ments to adult Tribal members through November. In other action, Tribal Council: • Approved a maximum $1.82 mil- lion design and build contract with Scholten Construction of Willamina for the uyxat Powwow Grounds arbor expansion. Also included in the Nov. 18 Tribal Council packet was an approved authorization to proceed allowing the Tribe’s Natural Resources Department to provide raw logs to the arbor expansion project. The estimated value of the logs and associated costs will be ap- proximately $94,000; • Approved a contract with Light- Werks of Carson, Calif., to im- prove the audio-visual equipment in Tribal Council Chambers that will include new video displays, remote-control cameras, new speakers and the ability to inter- act with Tribal members remote- ly. The funding is coming from the CARES Act monies received by the Tribe; • Approved the agenda for the Sunday, Dec. 6, General Council meeting. It will be held at 11 a.m. via the Zoom teleconferencing program and feature a presenta- tion from Spirit Mountain Com- munity Fund; • And approved the enrollment of four infants into the Tribe be- cause they meet the requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitu- tion and Enrollment Ordinance. To view the entire meeting, visit the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and click on the Government tab and then Videos. Happy 2nd birthday William the Warrior! You are such an amazing, loveable, smart little man! Thank you for choosing us to be your parents. You will do amazing things in your life! You make your sister proud every day! Love always, Papa, Momma and sister Happy Birthday Joel Rock, We hope your birthday is amazing!! with love from Angella & all your family