General Council briefed on Tribe's investment portfolio in executive session

By Dean Rhodes

Smoke Signals editor

Two representatives from Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. briefed the general membership on the Grand Ronde Tribe’s investment portfolio during the General Council meeting held Sunday, March 3, in the Tribal Community Center.

The 43-minute session with Director Joe Hoon and Senior Institutional Consultant Patrick Cronin was held in executive session, which limits how much Smoke Signals can report on the specific details.

Hoon and Cronin fielded four questions from Tribal members and Tribal Council members during their executive session presentation.

Tribal members who were not able to attend the General Council meeting can request a compact disc of the meeting from Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez at 503-879-2304 or via e-mail at stacia.martin@grandronde.org.

Before the portfolio presentation, Enrollment Committee Chairwoman Ann Lewis said the committee reviewed 52 applications for enrollment in 2018 and that 31 were approved and 21 were denied.

Lewis also praised the recent addition of 20 Tribal members to the Restoration Roll, which occurred on Thursday, Feb. 28.

“I would like to congratulate Tribal Council and past Tribal Councils for their persistence and commitment in making corrections of the Restoration Roll a reality,” Lewis said. “It’s been years in the making.”

Lewis said correcting the Restoration Roll will help many Tribal families who could not get their children enrolled because they did not have an ancestor on the Restoration Roll.

“It has been an honor to be part of this action,” she said.

In November, Tribal Council defined the word “entitled” in the Enrollment Ordinance as being alive on Aug. 13, 1954, and born to a Tribal member.

Tribal members seeking to be added to the Restoration Roll can request an application from the Member Services Department, Lewis said.

In other action, it was announced the next General Council meeting will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 7, at the Lane Community College Longhouse, 4000 E. 30^th Ave., in Eugene. The final Community Input meeting seeking suggestions on advisory votes for the September Tribal Council ballot also will be held.

Barbara Steere, Veronica Gaston, Dan Stroebel, Joanna Brisbois and Debi Anderson won the $50 door prizes and Ann Lewis, Lewis Younger and Patricia Watson won the $100 door prizes. Gaston and Younger donated their door prizes to fund upkeep of the Saige Selwyn bicycle memorial on Grand Ronde Road, Lewis donated her door prize to the Elders and Stroebel donated his door prize to the Veterans Special Event Board.

Following the General Council meeting, approximately 30 Tribal members participated in the second Community Input meeting seeking suggestions on possible September advisory vote topics.

The non-executive session portion of the General Council meeting will be posted on the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org. It can be accessed by clicking on the News tab and then Videos.