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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2022)
sNok signflz FEBRUARY 15, 2022 3 Oregon Racing Commission met in February to discuss legal advice and pending litigation MACHINES continued from front page makwsL-mun (February) • Monday, Feb. 21 – Tribal offices will be closed in observance of Tribal Chiefs’ Day. • Wednesday, Feb. 23 – Facebook Live event, 11 a.m., via Facebook. • Wednesday, Feb. 23 – Tribal Council meeting, 4 p.m., via the Zoom teleconference application. 503-879-2304. Lun-mun (March) • Sunday, March 6 – General Council meeting, 11 a.m., via the Zoom teleconference application. 503-879-2304. • Wednesday, March 9 – Tribal Council meeting, 4 p.m., via the Zoom teleconference application. 503-879-2304. • Wednesday, March 23 – Tribal Council meeting, 4 p.m., via the Zoom teleconference application. 503-879-2304. IxLiL-mun (April) • Sunday, April 3 – General Council meeting, 11 a.m., via the Zoom teleconference application. 503-879-2304. • Wednesday, April 6 – Tribal Council meeting, 4 p.m., via the Zoom teleconference application. 503-879-2304. • Wednesday, April 20 – Tribal Council meeting, 4 p.m., via the Zoom teleconference application. 503-879-2304. • Monday, April 25 – Community Shred Event, noon, location TBD. (Editor’s note: All events are tentative depending on the status of the Tribe’s COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic response.) OFFICIAL TRIBAL FACEBOOK PAGES Smoke Signals: facebook.com/SmokeSignalsCTGR The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde: facebook.com/CTGRgov Grand Ronde Health & Wellness: facebook.com/GRHWC Grand Ronde Children & Family Services: facebook.com/CTGRCFS Grand Ronde Royalty: facebook.com/CTGRRoyalty Grand Ronde Education Programs: facebook.com/CTGREducation Grand Ronde Youth Council: facebook.com/CTGRYouthCouncil Grand Ronde Station: facebook.com/GrandRondeStation Grand Ronde Social Services Department: facebook.com/CTGRSocialservices Grand Ronde Food Bank: facebook.com/GrandRondeFoodBank Spirit Mountain Community Fund: facebook.com/SpiritMountainCommunityFund Grand Ronde Cultural Education: facebook.com/Grand-Ronde-Cultural-Education Grand Ronde Community Garden: facebook.com/GrandRondeCommunityGarden Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department: facebook.com/Grand-Ronde-Tribal-Police-Department Grand Ronde Employment Services Facebook.com/EmploymentServices Ad by Samuel Briggs III egon Tribal representatives, Gov. Kate Brown told Oregon Racing Commission members that they had a “statutory obligation” to consult with the Tribes. She also suggested that the commission seek a formal legal opinion from the Oregon Department of Justice on the legality of Boersma’s plans. That opinion categorically states that TMB Racing’s plan violates the constitutional prohibition against casinos. “We determine that the machines are games of chance that do not afford players any meaningful op- portunity to exercise skill,” states the opinion written by Chief Coun- sel Renee Stinemen and addressed to Racing Commission Executive Director Jack McGrail. “We are not the first to conclude that HHRs are impermissible games of chance. The Nebraska Attorney General reached the same conclusion.” The Oregon Racing Commission met briefly in executive session on Tuesday, Feb. 8, ostensibly to discuss the written legal advice and pending litigation related to the TMB Racing application. Per Oregon’s Public Meetings Law, the press was admonished not to re- port specific information discussed during the executive session. Previous to the Department of Justice releasing its opinion, Tribal lobbyist and Tribal member Justin Martin attended a Jan. 27 Tribal consultation with the Oregon Rac- ing Commission that he said was “OK.” “This really isn’t about winning and losing,” Martin said. “It’s about where we want to go as a state in the future with gambling. What is best for Oregon, Oregon’s Tribes and Oregon’s citizens? This is why we have requested that the Legislature create a joint special committee to look at all gambling in Oregon. Let’s do this the Oregon way and bring everyone to the ta- ble. … Mr. Boersma’s fight really isn’t with the Tribes. It’s with the Oregon Constitution.” Boersma originally hoped to open the Flying Lark by October 2021 and then rescheduled to February. With the Department of Justice ruling part of his business plan unconsti- tutional, he will have to adjust or, as he has threatened, not open the Flying Lark entertainment center. A bill submitted in the Oregon House of Representatives at the re- quest of Tribes would call a halt to any expansion of gaming for a year, giving all stakeholders, including Tribes, the Oregon Lottery and private interests, time to determine the future course. Meanwhile, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan also an- nounced on Thursday, Feb. 10, that an audit of racing oversight and regulation by the Oregon Racing Commission is included in her of- fice’s 2022-23 audit plan. Meeting with governor postponed On Tuesday, Feb. 1, Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier was scheduled to attend a virtual meeting with Gov. Kate Brown regarding gaming issues in the state. However, the meeting was canceled. Brown, or the next governor, would have to approve the Siletz Tribe’s proposed casino project in north Salem if the Department of the Interior gives its blessing. Brown, or her successor, would have to jettison the state’s long-standing policy regarding Native American casinos – one casino per Tribe on Reservation land. The Bureau of Indian Affairs held a virtual public hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 26, about the Siletz Tribe’s proposal to open a casino at the intersection of Inter- state 5 and 99E on 20 acres of trust land and eight acres of fee land. The Siletz Tribe already operates a casino in Lincoln City. Grand Ronde Tribal members and employees comprised 21 of the 28 people who testified during the hearing. Should Interior Secretary Deb Haaland eventually approve the Siletz request, the Tribe would still have one more hurdle to jump over – getting approval from Brown or the state’s next governor. Brown’s term lasts through 2022 and she will not be able to run again be- cause of term limits.