General Council briefed on Spirit Mountain Casino

By Dean Rhodes

Smoke Signals editor

Spirit Mountain Casino Chief Executive Officer Bruce Thomas, Assistant Executive Officer Camille Mercier and Spirit Mountain Gaming Inc. Board Chairman Andy Jenness gave the first presentation of the 2022-23 General Council meeting cycle on Sunday, Sept. 11, via the Zoom teleconferencing program.

Mercier gave a 17-minute presentation in executive session and the trio then fielded nine questions and comments from Tribal members in attendance.

Since the presentation was held in executive session, Smoke Signals cannot publish specific details.

In other action, Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez delivered the Tribal Council election results from Saturday, Sept. 10, that saw two incumbents – Denise Harvey and Kathleen George – re-elected to three-year terms. Former Tribal Council member Brenda Tuomi secured the third seat, replacing six-term Tribal Council member Jack Giffen Jr. who did not run for re-election.

The election of three women in one Tribal Council election has never occurred before since 1983’s Restoration.

The next General Council meeting will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, and will feature an executive session presentation about the Tribe’s endowments.

Dakota Ross, Ashlee Webb and Jamieson Smallwood won the $100 door prizes and Tiny Gibbons, Robert Wiggs, Lee Ann Huffman, Simone Auger and Sydney Clark won the $50 prizes.

Tribal member Veronica Gaston opened the meeting with an invocation and Tribal Council member Jon A. George performed a drum song.

The non-executive session portion of the meeting can be viewed by visiting the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and clicking on the Government tab and then Videos.

Tribal members wanting to see the executive session portion should contact Hernandez at stacia.martin@grandronde.org or call 503-879-2304.