Tribal Council approves 'greener' purchasing policy

Tribal Council approved amendments to the Tribe’s Procurement Ordinance on Wednesday, Sept. 6, that will require the Tribe to purchase environmentally friendly products and services when it is practical.

The amendments are part of a Tribal effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut solid waste, conserve energy, improve Tribal member health and provide a model of good stewardship.

According to the Executive Summary regarding the amendments, zero Tribal member comments were received when they were put out for a first reading.

The ordinance now states that “the Tribe, through the Procurement Office, will purchase environmentally friendly products and services wherever practical. A purchase is practical when the product purchase is of sufficient quality and available at a reasonable price. Products and services are considered environmentally friendly when they have fewer negative impacts on human health and the environment than do competing products.”

In other action, Tribal Council also sent proposed amendments to the Public Records Ordinance that clarify which Tribal records are available out for a first reading, which will give Tribal members a chance to comment on them. The amendments would allow the Tribe to provide copies of available records to Tribal members electronically and establish a revised process for reconsideration of denied records requests.

Tribal Council also:

• Approved the Riggs Thin Timber Harvest as presented by the Natural Resources Department. The harvest will include two cutting blocks that will thin 30.4 acres and create a seven-acre regeneration area. The harvest is estimated to generate $57,983 in revenue for the Tribe.

• Approved extending the Tribe’s technical consulting agreement with Industrial Economics regarding the Portland Harbor and related cleanup for a year through Sept. 30, 2018.

• Appointed Tribal Council member Chris Mercier to the Spirit Mountain Gaming Inc. Board of Directors pending his obtaining a license from the Grand Ronde Gaming Commission.

• And approved the enrollment of two infants into the Tribe because they meet the requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance.

Also included in the Sept. 6 Tribal Council packet were authorizations to proceed that directed staff to submit the Tribe’s application for $6,000 allocated by the Polk County Board of Commissioners to be used to help pay staff time in serving victims of crimes related to domestic and sexual violence, approved the contract and work plan proposed by ONABEN for financial literacy and staff training, and set the per capita payment for Sept. 15 at $1,000.

Cultural Resources Department Manager David Harrelson opened the meeting with a short presentation on the meaning and genesis of Tribal songs.

The entire meeting can be viewed by visiting the Tribal website www.grandronde.org and clicking on the News tab and then Video.