Tribal Council OKs six Natural Resources grant applications

Tribal Council approved six grant applications from the Tribe’s Natural Resources Department at its Wednesday, Jan. 6, meeting.

The grants being sought include:

•        A $30,000 Environmental Protection Agency grant that would conduct bank stabilization work on Agency Creek near the day-use area;
•        A maximum $150,000 grant through the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Endangered Species Program to purchase accessories for the sonar equipment used to monitor aquatic activity at the fish weir on Agency Creek;
•        A grant not to exceed $18,900 from the BIA’s Invasive Species Program to remove or reduce the threat of non-Native invasive plants on the International Paper property;
•        A grant not to exceed $12,000 from the Oregon Youth Conservation Corps for partial funding of the Summer Youth Crew;
•        A grant not to exceed $26,612 from the Oregon Parks & Recreation Department’s Recreational Trails Program to partially fund the Summer Youth Crew;
•        And a grant not to exceed $26,612 from the BIA’s Tribal Youth Initiative Program to partially fund the Summer Youth Crew.

In other action, Tribal Council approved an interagency agreement with the Willamina School District. The new agreement calls for semi-annual meetings between the Willamina School Board and Tribal Council, as well as requires the school district to communicate with Tribal Council, authorized Tribal staff or an appointed Tribal liaison when seeking input on Tribal issues. The School Board is scheduled to adopt the agreement at its Jan. 11 meeting.

Tribal Council also approved the enrollment of two infants into the Tribe because they qualify under the provisions outlined in the Enrollment Ordinance and Tribal Constitution.

Culture Department employees Travis Stewart and Brian Krehbiel and Public Affairs Administrative Assistant Chelsea Clark performed the cultural drumming and singing to open the meeting.

The meeting, in its entirety, can be viewed at the Tribal website, www.grandronde.org, by clicking on the News tab and then Video.