All 13 candidates attend Tribal Council forum

Thirty Tribal and community members turned out for the 2012 Tribal Council Candidates Forum held Wednesday, July 25, in the Tribal gymnasium to hear all 13 candidates introduce themselves, answer two rounds of questions and give a closing statement.

The event lasted two hours. Individual responses were limited to one and two minutes.

Questions from the audience covered such longstanding Tribal issues as per capita, enrollment, casino operations, economic development and ethics. A new topic of inquiry was whether candidates would support a urinalysis test for Tribal Council members and background checks for candidates.

Tribal Executive Officer Chris Leno introduced the candidates and read questions while Tribal Elder Alton Butler was the timekeeper.

AV Sound Technician Wendell Olson and Web Specialist-trainee T.J. McKnight taped the event for broadcast over the Tribal Web site, where it is available for viewing at www.grandronde.org.

The 13 Tribal members running for Tribal Council are incumbents Cheryle A. Kennedy and Toby McClary and challengers Billy Joe Bobb, Jon George, Solomon George, Charles Haller II, Denise Harvey, Andy Jenness, Jesse Knight, Allen Lane-Butler, Lonnie Leno, Mark Mercier and Brenda Tuomi.

Ballots were mailed to Tribal voters on July 25 and are due back by Saturday, Sept. 8.