Tribal Council Ordinance amendments approved

Tribal Council approved amendments to the ordinance that governs how its nine members conduct themselves as a group and individually during the Wednesday, Oct. 26, Tribal Council meeting.

The amendments incorporate portions of the Tribal Council Operating Procedures that are used currently. It also better defines council member roles as liaisons to Tribal committees and special event boards, expands the public hearing provision and clarifies how Legislative Action Committee sheets may be signed by Tribal Council members not attending the meeting.

For instance, the ordinance states that “Tribal Council members may serve as liaisons to Tribal committees and boards. The role of a liaison is to listen and observe … and report to the Tribal Council on the activities of committees and boards. Council liaisons shall not direct the work of committees and boards.”

Work on Tribal Council Ordinance amendments dates back to Jan. 26 with additional revisions to the amendments made as recently as Oct. 18.

In other action, Tribal Council approved the agenda for the General Council meeting being held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, in the Tribal gym. The meeting will be a review of the 2017 draft budget.

Tribal Council also approved a new ground lease agreement for Spirit Mountain Gaming Inc. for leasing property on which Spirit Mountain Casino sits with a term extending to Jan. 31, 2027. All other terms remain the same, including lease area and rate.

Finally, Tribal Council sent an Independent Tribal Press Ordinance out for a first reading, which will give the Tribal membership an opportunity to comment on a proposal that would make Smoke Signals “a free and independent press and to ensure the Tribal publication has the independence to report objectively. … Smoke Signals shall be an independent Tribal press, free from any undue influence, and free from any particular political interest. It is the duty of the press to report without bias the activities of the government and the news of interest so as to have informed citizens.”

In the current Tribal governmental structure, Smoke Signals is supervised by a publications coordinator who reports to the Tribal Council chief of staff.

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

Following the Tribal Council meeting, an information session for Tribal members only briefed the membership on plans to use the former 31-acre Multnomah Greyhound Park in Wood Village for economic development purposes. The Tribe purchased the property in October 2015.

The meeting was held in executive session and Tribal members who were not able to attend can contact Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Martin at 503-879-2304 or stacia.martin@grandronde.org to request a copy of the recording.