Tribal Council approves additional signer to assist with homeownership sale documents

By Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals editor

Due to the popularity of its new homeownership development, Tribal Council approved adding an additional signer to assist with closing documents at its Wednesday, May 1, meeting.

The Tipsu-ili’i home ownership project at McPherson Drive in Grand Ronde is underway with buyers in process for most of the 20 lots, according to Tribal Lands Manager Jan M. Reibach.

Earlier in the process, an inter-departmental team was developed to help with the sales and leases in coordination with the Tribal Housing Department, Attorney’s Office, Lands Department and Engineering, Public Works & Community Development Department.

“We’re here with good news today, Tribal Council,” Reibach said during a Tuesday, April 30, Legislative Action Committee meeting. “The project has really taken off with the team the general manager put together and most of the lots are spoken for…We have our first closing coming up this month and because it’s so active, the team got together and we recommend that Tribal Council authorize an additional signer for the documents, especially the closing documents. That signer would be me so I could help and assist with that process.”

Reibach added that he has acted in this capacity in the past as part of his job in the Lands Department and is familiar with the process.

It’s been 26 years since Grand Meadows, located on Tribal property at McPherson and Grand Ronde roads, opened a 36-lot manufactured home subdivision to Tribal families. Housing Department officials have repeatedly said a second development is long overdue.

In 2020, Reece and Associates of Albany was selected to conduct a property development plan for the new site. The first phase includes 20 single-family homes on 10,000-square-foot lots.

The Tribe’s current housing options typically have occupation rates of 94 percent or higher, and lack of available market-rate homes has been a sticking point in Tribal members moving to Grand Ronde and working in the community.

In other action, Tribal Council:

• Approved a per capita date of Friday, June 14, for the period of March 1 through May 31;
• Approved a $16 million grant application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant for solar efficiency and weatherization improvements across multiple sites on the Tribal campus;
• Approved a $1 million grant application to the Oregon Department of Energy Community Renewable Energy Grant Program for solar efficiency and weatherization improvements at multiple sites on the Tribal campus;
• Approved a second $1 million grant application to the Oregon Department of Energy’s Community Renewable Energy Grant Program for construction costs to add solar and microgrid components to the Resident Resilience Center project;
• Approved a $200,000 application to the First Nations Development Institute Advancing Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Grant program for funding to develop a climate action plan;
• Approved a $1.2 million grant application to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Indian Health Service, Native Public Health Resilience Program for staffing, supplies and other needs;
• And approved enrolling two minors into the Tribe because they meet the requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance.

Additionally, Tribal Council approved a plethora of appointments and reappointments to various boards and committees.

These included reappointing Marline Groshong and appointing Wesley Shaw to the Ceremonial Hunting Board with terms ending March 31, 2026; appointing Pam Warren and Amanda Freeman with terms ending March 31^, 2025, and appointing Elaine LaBonte-Robertson, Stephanie Craig and Marcus Gibbons with terms ending March 31 2026, to the Culture Committee; appointing Terri Warren with a term ending March 31, 2026, and appointing Tammy Shaw with a term ending March 31, 2025, to the Election Board; reappointing Shelby Maerz and appointing Isabell Bobb to the Education Committee with terms ending March 31, 2026; reappointing Tracie Meyer, Flicka Lucero and Joanna Brisbois to the Enrollment Committee with terms ending March 31, 2026; reappointing Angey Rideout and Jade Unger, and appointing Shayla Myrick-Meyer to the Fish & Wildlife Committee with terms ending March 31 2026, reappointing Darlene Aaron, Bernadine Shriver, Faye Smith, Joanna Brisbois and Lise Alexander to the Health Committee with terms ending March 31, 2026; reappointing Harris Reibach, Denaee Towner, Patti LeClair and Simone Auger with terms ending March 31, 2027, and appointing Toby McClary with a term ending March 31, 2026, to the Housing Grievance Board; reappointing Stephanie Craig to the Powwow Special Event Board with a term ending March 31, 2026; reappointing Brian Krehbiel to the TERO Commission with a term ending March 31, 2027; reappointing Jonathan George, Khani Schultz, Mel Holmes and Jerry George with terms ending March 31, 2026 and appointing Shayla Myrick-Meyer with a term ending March 31, 2025, to the Timber Committee; and reappointing Albert Miller to the Veterans Special Event Board with a term ending March 31, 2026.

Even with the appointments and reappointments, there are several positions that remain vacant.

Lastly, Tribal Council set the meeting agenda for the General Council meeting. It will be held Sunday, May 5, in Tribal Council Chambers and include a report from the Education Department.

To watch the entire meeting, visit the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and click on the Videos tab.