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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2021)
6 JULY 1, 2021 Smoke Signals Tribal Council OKs supplemental budget to purchase two properties By Dean Rhodes and Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals staff members Tribal Council approved a third supplemental budget for 2021 during its Wednesday, June 16, meeting that will allow the Tribe to purchase two new properties – one in Grand Ronde and one in the east Multnomah County suburb of Wood Village. The $1.455 million budget in- crease will fund the purchase of the 25.62-acre Risseeuw 3 property that is immediately south of the Tribe’s Risseeuw 2 property at the end of McPherson Road in Grand Ronde. Tribal Council approved the pur- chase and sale agreement during its May 19 meeting. The second property is 0.85 acres located in Wood Village adjacent to the former Multnomah Greyhound Park site that the Tribe purchased in December 2015 for $10 million. In October 2020, Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy announced that the Grand Ronde Tribe was reassessing the Wood Village property for the possible location of a new casino in light of the Siletz Tribe’s proposal to build a new casino in north Salem. Tribal Council also OK’d the pur- chase and sale agreement for the Wood Village property during the June 16 meeting. The first supplemental budget of 2021 funded a cost-of-living increase for the Elders’ pension program and the second allowed the Natural Resources Department to purchase a new 500-gallon wild- land fire engine. In other action, Tribal Council: • Approved an amendment to the Burial Fund Ordinance that will increase the benefit from $6,000 to $7,000; • Approved a revised Leasing Ordi- nance that will allow the Tribe to assume authority to process and approve leases on Tribal trust lands; • Approved new transit agree- ments with the Tillamook County Transportation District for the 60X Coastal Connector route between Lincoln City and Salem and the 70X route between Grand Ronde and Salem; • Approved a grant agreement with the Oregon Health Authority for eight current grant programs of which only four are currently funded; • Approved applying to the Admin- istration for Native Americans for a five-year Esther Martinez grant that would fund a teacher and assistant teacher for the planned fifth- and sixth-grade Chinuk Wawa immersion class- room. The grant would bring the Tribe approximately $1.4 million in funding over the five years; • Approved accepting a maximum of $51,000 from the Oregon Youth Corps to help fund Natural Re- sources’ summer youth crew; • And approved the enrollment of one infant into the Tribe because he or she meets the requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitu- tion and Enrollment Ordinance. At the close of the meeting, Tribal Council member Kathleen George said that the Tribe had chosen to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is recognized on June 19. "That is something we all sup- ported and thought it was the right thing to do," she said. "It is a day of reflection and an opportunity to reflect on the complex history of this nation. Tribal people, especial- ly our ancestors, knew what it was like to be oppressed, minimized and expendable. We have great compas- sion for the long, cruel road that our African-American brothers and sisters have had to travel." On June 17, President Joseph Biden signed legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday after the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve the measure. To watch the entire meeting, visit the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and click on the Government tab and then Videos. Health & Wellness offering vaccinations to youths The Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center is now offer- ing COVID-19 vaccinations to youths 12 to 17 years of age, Health Services Executive Director Kelly Rowe announced on June 15. The Tribe is using the Pfizer vaccine on youths. To schedule an appointment, contact the clinic at 503-879-2032. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control recently expanded the emergency use au- thorization for the Pfizer vaccine to adolescents, meaning the two governmental organizations determined that clinical trials show the vaccine is safe and effective for children in this age range. According to www.grandronde.org, the Tribe has vaccinated more than 20,500 people since it started receiving the two- dose Moderna vaccine in late December with more than 9,950 of those people being Elders 55 and older. Firefighter training Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez Grand Ronde Wildland Firefighter Eugene Ryan, front, works with first- year firefighter Ian Overcash digging a hard line on the site of a future prescribed burn on Thursday, June 17, which was the last of training for this year’s crew. Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tax Preparation Request for Proposal The Request for Proposals (RFP) is being conducted by the Member Services Department for the purpose of obtaining a licensed contrac- tor who has 5+ years of experience preparing tax returns. Qualified applicants shall possess the ability to: • Provide tax preparation services to Tribal Elders and foster youth living on and off Tribal lands. • Assist Tribal members in completing tax-related paperwork. • Serve as a resource to Tribal members who have questions regard- ing payment and filing of state and federal tax returns. Preference will be given to members of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and/or Indian-owned businesses registered with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde TERO office. Please contact Veronica Montano for information. All proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. Veronica Montano, Member Services Department 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347 Veronica.montano@grandronde.org 503-879-2253 Tribal Council members are paid approximately $86,000 a year COUNCIL continued from front page inated by his son, Ty George. Bobb, 72, served two terms on Tribal Council between 2007 and ’13 and was re-elected to a third term in 2018, garnering 606 votes. He will be seeking his fourth three- year term on Tribal Council. He was nominated by Kennedy. Cherry, 50, is attempting to follow in the footsteps of her mother, Candy Robertson, and sister, Angie Black- well, in serving on Tribal Council. Cherry worked for 13 years at Spirit Mountain Casino, ending her employment there as the market- ing manager. In that position, she oversaw VIP Services, the Coyote Club and the call center, among other duties. Cherry took over at Spirit Moun- tain Community Fund in February 2017, also following in Blackwell’s footsteps. She was nominated by Robertson. McDaniel, 60, was nominated by Tribal Elder Tracie Meyer. She has worked for the Tribe as the Eugene Office coordinator and as an eco- nomic development analyst, served on the Tribe’s Culture Committee and Cultural Trust Board, and has previously run for Tribal Council four times, most recently in 2011. Tribal Council nominations oc- curred Sunday, June 27, in the Tribal Governance Center. Like last year, COVID-19 protocols were in place with only nomi- nators, nominees and a limited number of Tribal staff members in attendance. Tribal Council members are paid approximately $86,000 a year with Tribal Council officers earning slightly more, Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez said. Tribal Council members also have access to an annual $9,000 travel allowance.