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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2021)
6 NOVEMBER 15, 2021 Smoke Signals Tribe distributes premium pay to government employees By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde distributed $6.2 mil- lion in premium pay wages to its approximately 600 governmental employees on Friday, Nov. 5. “We’re happy to announce that the Tribe is issuing premium pay wages to all those in the Tribal government whose hard work, ded- ication and flexibility has allowed the Tribe to continue services and expand programming to Tribal members and the Grand Ronde community over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Tribe announced on its webpage www. grandronde.org. The American Rescue Plan Act, which was passed into law in March of this year, stipulates that premi- um pay wages can be awarded to employees who worked and contrib- uted throughout the course of the pandemic that began in mid-March 2020 because the employees faced a greater risk of exposure. The Grand Ronde Tribe received $27.544 million in American Rescue Plan funds in May and another $23.547 million in August, bring- ing the Tribe’s total payment to more than $51 million. In 2020, the Tribe also received $45.56 million in CARES Act funding. The Treasury Department issued guidance in May that stated Amer- ican Rescue Plan funds should be used for public health response, water, sewer and broadband in- frastructure and premium pay for essential workers “who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical infrastructure sectors.” The Tribal announcement said that the Tribe’s executive staff worked closely with department managers to determine the appro- priate premium pay level for every governmental employee and calcu- lated the premium pay accordingly. Based on the amounts received by Smoke Signals staff members, employees received anywhere from $15,000 for those who averaged 32 hours or more a week in the office to $1,750 for those who pri- marily worked from home during an 18-month period that began in mid-March 2020. “Whether they’re one of our ded- icated clinic staff working on the frontlines, someone interacting with Tribal members to provide services, processing emergency or COVID-19 relief payments for Tribal members or a temperature check station employee, this service has been invaluable and the Tribe wanted to recognize that effort,” the statement said. The premium pay sparked debate on social media by Tribal members who primarily criticized Tribal Coun- cil members for reportedly receiving $20,000 each in premium pay. Tribal Council members defended providing and receiving premium pay during the Tuesday, Nov. 9, Legislative Action Committee meeting. Tribal Council member Lisa Leno said the premium pay amounted to about 6 percent of the federal funds received by the Tribe during the pandemic. “This was always about our employees,” she said, adding that Tribal Council members did not participate in determining the premium pay tiers, the amount of premium pay and where they indi- vidually fell in the tier structure. “It was about our wanting to show our appreciation for our employees and thank them for the tremendous sac- rifices that they have made for our people for the last year and a half.” Tribal Council member Denise Harvey defended, at times emotion- ally, her colleagues for diligently working to ensure the Grand Ronde Tribe received its fair share of fed- eral funds that were distributed through 2020’s CARES Act and this year’s American Rescue Plan Act. “Historically, we have this time and it’s one of the first times ever that we have been equally included in those funds,” Harvey said. “It was a lot of work. Tribal leaders had a certain responsibility that they had to do. … This council did everything they could to ensure that not only us, but Indian Coun- try was going to get the benefits that we were allowed.” Tribal Council member Kathleen George said that Tribal Council has been focused on helping the mem- bership and employees during the pandemic. “It seemed like a narrative that was trying to be developed was this was something about Tribal Coun- cil trying to get something,” George said. “I just want to assure the membership that throughout this entire pandemic, over 18 months now, Tribal Council has been 100 percent focused on supporting our people … and our people also in- cludes our employees. … Did the people on Tribal Council receive some benefits? We did, so I guess we’re guilty of that, but we’re also guilty of putting the people first and that’s what this effort had really been all about.” Tribal Council Secretary Michael Langley said that Spirit Mountain Casino employees were not eligible to receive the premium pay funded through the American Rescue Plan Act. However, casino employees re- ceived $1,300 bonuses on Oct. 29, as well as continued to receive wages during the casino’s 74-day closure that occurred between March and May 2020. “It is about the employees, and not about us,” Langley said. The statement said that the Tribe also has distributed more than $37 million in direct payments to Tribal members, including eight monthly payments that were sent between April and November 2020 to help offset financial hardships caused by the pandemic, and started more than $5.7 million in new programs to help Tribal members during the pandemic. A frequently asked questions posted at www.grandronde.org stated that Tribal members have received almost 38 percent, or $8,400 per adult Tribal member, of all federal pandemic funds received by the Tribe while employees re- ceived slightly more than 6 percent. One ramification of receiving premium pay, however, means that Tribal employees will not receive the usual Christmas bonus this year. “We used that budget to en- sure all employees were included in some level of premium pay,” Gener- al Manager David Fullerton said. Tribal Council OKs grant application to provide veterans with new building By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Tribe’s Veterans Ser- vice Office and the veterans it serves will have a new home in 2022 and the Tribe is seeking a grant from the Oregon Office of Veterans’ Affairs to help convert the building. Tribal Council approved applying for a $51,888 grant that would help renovate the Procurement building across Grand Ronde Road from the Tribal Housing Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez Department office for Ra- The Tribe’s current building housing the Procurement Department off Grand Ronde mona Quenelle, who start- Road is slated to be converted into the new home of the Tribal Veterans Service Office ed working as the Tribe’s Veterans Service Officer in in 2022. Tribal Council approved applying for a $51,888 state grant to help with that conversion during its Wednesday, Nov. 10, meeting. July 2020. The budget includes pro- viding for a handicapped ramp and Police Station on the west side of project would include mechanical purchasing computers, tables and Grand Ronde Road. and chemical control of invasive chairs, new blinds and carpeting. In other action, Tribal Council: species and replanting of grasses The current garage would be con- • Approved the enrollment of five and shrubs; verted into a gathering area and infants into the Tribe because • Approved Friday, Dec. 10, as the the conference room would be used they meet the requirements out- next per capita payment date. for program conferencing, training lined in the Enrollment Ordi- Finance Officer Chris Leno said and confidential meetings. nance and Tribal Constitution; that the per capita amount will Veterans would be able to use the • Approved the Tribe’s Natural not be determined until early computers to check on their federal Resources Department applying December; Veterans Affairs benefits and ac- for a maximum $17,000 in fund- • Authorized a Tribal credit card cess forms electronically. ing from the Natural Resources for new Human Resources Man- Procurement soon will be vacat- Conservation Service to improve ager Sarah Harvey to pay for ing its current location for a new habitat for existing elk and deer recruiting posting fees on web- building south of the Grand Ronde meadows on the Reservation. The sites, special job boards and professional associations, as well as myriad other recruiting and departmental expenses; • Sent a new Fuel Tax Ordinance out to the membership for a first reading. The new ordinance would allow the Tribe to impose a motor vehicle fuel tax at the same rate as the state, which is currently 36 cents per gallon. The Legislature amended the state statute to allow for the tax effec- tive Jan. 1, 2022. Tribal members will have 30 days to comment on the proposed ordinance; • And appointed Kalene Contreras to the Housing Grievance Board with a term expiring in March 2024. Also included in the Nov. 10 Trib- al Council packet was an approved authorization to proceed to distrib- ute $730 timber revenue payments to Tribal members. The payment is being sent out early to accommo- date Tribal members who might have to shop earlier for Christmas because of national supply chain difficulties, Tribal Council Secre- tary Michael Langley said during the Tuesday, Nov. 9, Legislative Action Committee meeting. To watch the entire meeting, visit the Grand Ronde Tribal govern- ment website at www.grandronde. org and click on the Government tab and then Videos.