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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2021)
sNok signflz MARCH 1, 2021 Tribal Council adds 25 names to Restoration Roll By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tribal Council continued adding Tribal member names to the Res- toration Roll by approving 25 new names during its Wednesday, Feb. 24, meeting. The 25 names brings the number of Tribal members who have been added to the historically important roll since 2019 to 377. Tribal Coun- cil added 204 names in 2019, 127 names in 2020 and had previously added 21 names this year. The Restoration Roll was the first roll compiled of Grand Ronde Tribal members after Nov. 22, 1983. How- ever, because the membership had become so dispersed during the 29 years after 1954’s Termination, all those who should have been included could not be identified at the time or were unaware that they should have had their names on the roll. The current process, which re- quires Tribal members apply to Member Services for addition to the Restoration Roll, allows a Tribal member who was living on Aug. 13, 1954 – date of congressional approval of the Western Oregon Indian Termination Act – and born to a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to be added. In November 2018, Tribal Coun- cil approved a resolution that es- tablished criteria for consistently applying the phrase “entitled to be on the membership roll of the Tribe on Aug. 13, 1954” as meaning that the person was entitled to be on the roll if that person was alive on that date and born to a Tribal member. The 25 new names now move forward to the Department of the Interior for approval. In other action, Tribal Council: • Approved a Friday, March 12, per capita distribution date. The pay- ment amount will not be known until early March after Spirit Mountain Casino reports its pro- ceeds for the quarter, Finance Officer Chris Leno said. Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr. said during the Tuesday, Feb. 23, Legislative Action Committee meeting that Spirit Mountain Casino had a record-breaking January and continues to do well despite the COVID-19 pandemic; • Approved the first supplemental budget for 2021. The $350,000 appropriation will fund a 2 per- cent cost-of-living increase for the Elders’ pension program and will be funded by the Elders’ pension endowment. The increase will be retroactive to January, Leno said; • Approved three grant applica- tions to the Oregon Department of Transportation that will fund transit service between Grand Ronde and Salem and Grand Ronde and McMinnville. The three grants total approximately $333,000 for the upcoming bien- nium; • Approved installing an access gate at the Tribal conservation property Chahalpam in Marion County to limit and discourage trespassers and combat illegal dumping at the site. The Tribe will have to pay $2,500 to apply to the county to vacate Dieckman Lane Southeast and it will cost about the same amount to in- stall the gate, said Tribal Fish & Wildlife Program Manager Kelly Dirksen. He added that two near- by property owners have signed off on the vacation effort; • And approved one blood quantum correction. Tribal Council also approved the agenda for the 11 a.m. Sunday, March 7, General Council meeting that will include a presentation from the Tribal Lands Department. The meeting will be held via the Zoom conferencing program. Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier also announced that the Tribe’s new Small Loan Program will start accepting applications on Monday, March 8. Tribal members will be able to borrow up to $1,000 from the Tribe and have two years to pay the loan back. To watch the entire meeting, visit the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and click on the Government tab and then Videos. Community Health Program Medical Transport Services 5 Dating game Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez Information Systems Applications Specialist Dina Sayer, center, is excited about receiving a book from Library Aide Crystal Bigelow, from left, Librarian Kathy Cole and Activities Wellness Promotion Coordinator Kandee Little during the Blind Date with a Book event held outside of the Tribal Library on Friday, Feb. 19. Participants in the drive-through event took home books that were wrapped to conceal the titles. Cole said about 100 people participated in the event. Wrapped books for children wait to be distributed. INTERESTED IN A CAREER AS A SECURITY OFFICER? DPSST TRAINING COMING SOON! DPSST training is 14 hours (2 days) Cost is $160 (Plus cost for certification $65 for unarmed and $41.26 for background fee) Free to CTGR Tribal members and members of other federally recognized Tribes What are the minimum standards for Private Security certification? Private security providers must be: Medical transportation services are available to Tribal members within the six-county service area when an alternate means of transportation is not available. Advance notice required. Please call 503-879-2078 to schedule a reservation. • At least 18 years of age • Must have valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain one if required by employer • Must have a high school diploma or GED or a four-year post-secondary degree issued by an accredited college or university. • Be of good moral fitness as determined by a background check, department investigation or other reliable sources. A lack of good moral fitness includes, but is not limited to, mandatory and discretionary disqualifying misconduct as described in OAR 259-060-0310 Please contact the Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) at 503-879-2188 or 503-879-2127 for additional information or to register. Ad by Samuel Briggs III