Tribal Council OKs transportation funding agreement with BIA

Tribal Council voted Jan. 22 to approve a transportation funding agreement with the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs for fiscal year 2014.

Public Works Coordinator John Mercier said at the Jan. 21 Legislative Action Committee meeting that the $223,570.15 was a portion of the funding that the Tribe will receive for its Transportation Program.

In other action on Jan. 22, Tribal Council:

• Approved an agreement between the Tribe and the Regional Automated Information Network, as well as an agreement between the Tribe and the city of Salem, for police records management software services.
• Approved a three-year agreement with Automated Elections Services of Rio Rancho, N.M., to provide technical support for Tribal elections.
• Approved the enrollment of two infants and the disenrollment of one Tribal member for violating the Tribal Constitution's prohibition regarding dual enrollment in another federally recognized Tribe.
• Approved the agenda for the Feb. 2 General Council meeting. There will be a presentation by the Social Services Committee regarding the Tribal Employment Rights Office, the 477 programs, career development and the temp pool.

Also included in the Jan. 22 Tribal Council packet were authorizations to proceed that:

• Set the base monthly stipend rate for Tribal members on the Tribal Employment Rights Office Commission.
• Approved the Tribe paying for the garbage and electricity at the Grand Ronde Community Resource Center until the building is vacated.
• Authorized Tribal Council, the Grand Ronde Police Department and the Tribal Attorney's Office to work on proposed amendments to the Public Safety Ordinance regarding concealed weapons possession.
• Approved placing the archive of Smoke Signals newspapers on the History Oregon Newspaper Web site operated by the University of Oregon.
• Authorized the Land and Culture Department to stage an exhibit this year at the Willamette Heritage Center called "Kuri-tseqw Tilixam - River People of the Willamette."
• Approved allowing two medical professionals to reside in Tribal market rate housing with the approval of the General Manager's Office. Housing availability is a significant factor in recruiting medical professionals to work at the Tribal Health and Wellness Clinic.

Jan Looking Wolf Reibach, Eirik Thorsgard, David Harrelson, Brian Krehbiel, Travis Stewart and Jordan Mercier and Tribal Council member Jon A. George provided the cultural drumming to open the meeting.