Tribal Council re-appoints four to Community Fund board

By Dean Rhodes

Smoke Signals editor

In its final meeting of 2019 held at the unusual time of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, because Christmas and New Year’s Day fell on Wednesdays, Tribal Council re-appointed four members to the Spirit Mountain Community Fund Board of Trustees.

The board oversees the Tribe’s philanthropic entity, which has awarded almost $83 million in charitable grants since it was started in 1997.

Tribal Council re-appointed Tribal Council members Kathleen George, Denise Harvey and Jack Giffen Jr. to the board, as well as Spirit Mountain Casino Facilities Manager Ron Reibach.

The terms run through September 2021. George is a former director of the Community Fund, which is now managed by Tribal member Michael Cherry.

In other action, Tribal Council:

• Approved the agenda for the Sunday, Jan. 5, General Council meeting to be held in the Community Center. The Lands Department will make the program report and Elders Committee election results will be announced;
• Approved applying for an Oregon Youth Corps grant not to exceed $13,000. The Tribe has received the grant for more than 20 years to help fund the summer youth crew program at Natural Resources;
• Approved a first reading of the new Government Administration Ordinance, which would update and replace the Government Purpose, Government Organization and Procedures and Program Authorization and Evaluation ordinances. The three ordinances have not been updated since 1994;
• Approved a confidentiality agreement between the Tribes that are represented on the Portland Harbor Trustee Council;
• And approved the enrollment of two infants into the Tribe because they meet the enrollment requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance.

Also included in the Dec. 31 Tribal Council packet was an approved staff directive allowing Tribal Council staff to help with administrative work for the Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agreement and board. The in-kind contribution will reduce the Tribe’s $3,000 annual funding commitment and not exceed 85 hours a year.

The entire meeting can be viewed by visiting the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and clicking on the Government tab and then Videos.