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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2023)
sNok signflz SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 5 Tribal Council swearing-in Photos by Michelle Alaimo Newly re-elected Tribal Council member Chris Mercier is sworn in by Tribal Court Chief Judge Patrick S. Melendy during the Tribal Council swearing-in ceremony in Tribal Council Chambers on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Newly re-elected Tribal Council member Lisa Leno is sworn in by Tribal Court Chief Judge Patrick S. Melendy during the Tribal Council swearing-in ceremony. TRIBAL EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ORDINANCE OPEN FOR COMMENT Tribal Council is considering adopting amendments to the Tribal Em- ployment Rights Ordinance. The proposed amendments were given a First Reading at the Aug. 9, 2023, Tribal Council meeting. The proposed revisions reflect the need for additional scrutiny and standards to be applied in screening candidates for Executive Level Positions. Specifically, the proposed amendments will: (1) Amend the definition of Executive Level Position to include direct reports to the Grand Ronde Gaming Commission; (2) Exempt Executive Level Positions from the existing Tribal preference requirements in Part III, Section (b) (1) and provide that as between equally qualified Tribal and non-Tribal candidates for Executive Level Positions, the Tribal candidate shall be offered the position; and (3) Amend Part III (f)(4) (A) to exempt Executive Level Positions from minimum qualification assessment reviews by the TERO Director. Tribal Council invites comment on the proposed amendments. For a copy of the proposed amendments, 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 email to legal@grandronde.org. Comments must be received by Sept. 15, 2023. FISH AND WILDLIFE ORDINANCE OPEN FOR COMMENT The Tribal Council adopted, on an emergency basis, amendments to the Fish and Wildlife Ordinance at the Sept. 6, 2023, Tribal Council meeting. The primary purpose of the amendments is to reflect the terms of the memorandum of agreement for off-reservation and non-trust land hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering between the Tribe and the state of Oregon. The adoption of the amendments on an emergency basis will allow the Natural Resources Department to implement the changes for the 2023 hunting season. Tribal Council invites comment on the amendments to the Fish and Wildlife Ordinance. For a copy of the amendments, please contact the Tribal Attorney’s Office at 503-879-4664. Send your comments to the Tribal Attorney’s Office, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347 or by email to legal@grandronde.org. Comments must be received by Oct. 15, 2023. BURIAL FUND ORDINANCE OPEN FOR COMMENT The Tribal Council is considering amendments to the Burial Fund Or- dinance. The proposed amendments were given a first reading at the Sept. 6, 2023, Tribal Council meeting. The proposed amendments increase the burial benefit from $7,000 to $8,000, and may also include minor technical (i.e., formatting, typo- graphical, housekeeping) modifications. Tribal Council invites comment on the proposed amendments to the Burial Fund Ordinance. For a copy of the proposed amendments, con- tact the Tribal Attorney’s Office at 503-879-4664. Send your comments to the Tribal Attorney’s Office, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR, 97347 or by email to legal@grandronde.org. Comments must be received by Oct. 15, 2023. Newly elected Tribal Council member Matthew Haller is sworn in by Tribal Court Chief Judge Patrick S. Melendy during the Tribal Council swearing-in ceremony. Tribal Council approves emergency Fish & Wildlife Ordinance amendment By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals editor Tribal Council approved an emer- gency amendment to the Fish & Wildlife Ordinance to implement a memorandum of agreement with the state Fish & Wildlife Com- mission for off-Reservation and non-trust land hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering during its Wednesday, Sept. 6, meeting. On Friday, Aug. 4, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Commission approved a memoran- dum of agreement with the Tribe that will significantly expand its ceremonial and cultural hunting and fishing areas on off-Reserva- tion lands, and allow the Tribe to manage this for its members in coordination with the state. The agreement will allow Tribal members to harvest fish, lamprey, shellfish and crustaceans, mam- mals and birds in the Wilson, Trask, Willamette, Stott Mountain and Santiam wildlife management units, taking pressure off the much- used Trask Management Area. The emergency amendment will take effect immediately, allowing the implementation of a “scaled back” version of the MOA for the fall hunting season. Tribal mem- bers will still have 30 days to com- ment on the ordinance amendment. “Our team is working hard to im- plement this for the 2023 hunting and fishing season,” Tribal Fish & Wildlife Program Manager Kelly Dirksen said during a Tuesday, Sept. 5, Legislative Action Com- mittee meeting. “The emergency amendment will open a 30-day comment period and we hope to use these comments along with re- visions that we know we will need for a larger program. We’ll bring that larger ordinance update to (council) in 2024.” In other action, Tribal Council: • Approved the reappointment of Spirit Mountain Casino Chief Ex- ecutive Officer Camille Mercier and the reappointment of Tribal Council members Michael Cher- ry, Denise Harvey and Brenda Tuomi to the Spirit Mountain Community Fund Board of Trust- ees with terms expiring on Sept. 30, 2025; • Approved an early work amend- ment for the installation of elec- trical switch gear and a generator at the Tribe’s child care center project at a cost not to exceed $261,375; • Approved a first reading of the Tribe’s Burial Fund Ordinance amendment to increase the ben- efit from $7,000 to $8,000; • Approved final adoption of the Tribe’s Gaming Ordinance amendments to change defini- tions of high security and prima- ry management official gaming licenses, and revise license ap- plication and background inves- tigation requirements to better reflect information currently necessary to safely operate the gaming facility; • Approved a resolution to begin the fee-to-trust transfer process of the 113.87-acre South Yamhill 2 property located near Spirit Mountain Casino; • Approved the annual agricultural permits program for 2023-24 with an estimated amount of $43,000 to be generated from the program; • And approved the enrollment of two infants into the Tribe because they meet the requirements out- lined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance. In other business, Tribal Council approved the issuance of a Tribal liquor license to the Happy Drag- on Chinese Restaurant at Spirit Mountain Casino. Additionally, Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier read a statement directing the Tribe’s Housing Department to pause any actions regarding its pet policy in Tribal Housing until coun- cil has an opportunity to evaluate it. To watch the entire meeting, visit the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and click on the Government tab and then Videos.