Tribal Council approves agreement to reestablish daily transit service from Salem to Grand Ronde

By Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals editor

Tribal Council approved a transit services agreement with Pacific Crest Bus Lines of Bend, which will bring back daily bus service from Salem to Grand Ronde and Lincoln City, during its Wednesday, Sept. 4, meeting.

The agreement will provide funding and operating assistance to re-establish a public transit route formerly provided by the Tillamook County Transportation District, which was discontinued in December due to a driver shortage.

That left just one public transit bus route to and from Grand Ronde: Yamhill County’s bus from Grand Ronde to McMinnville runs four times a day, seven days a week.

The new service will provide three roundtrips per day, Public Works Director John Mercier said during a Tuesday, Sept. 3, Legislative Action Committee meeting.

“We had a heck of a time finding a replacement and as soon as this agreement is approved, we want to start as soon as we can,” Mercier said. “I’ve gotten calls from people desperately wanting this route reestablished. …Cherriots (Salem’s mass transit program) was going to do it, but they backed out. Reestablishing this route is desperately needed in the community.”

In other action, Tribal Council:

• Approved an application to the Seeding Justice Columbia River Restoration Fund grant for $200,000. If approved, the funds would be used to raise awareness about salmon health in local watersheds by hiring an Indigenous artist to create content that reflects the culturally significant plants and animals in the watershed to use as artwork on the stormwater manholes/catch basins;
• Approved an application to the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program for up to $12 million to support efforts to achieve digital equity and promote digital inclusion activities such as educational and employment opportunities, training programs, workforce development programs, access to equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, or digital network technology for broadband services at low or no cost to Tribal members;
• Approved the first reading of amendments to the Tribe’s Gaming Ordinance which would amend numerous definitions, revise license applications and background investigation requirements to better reflect information currently needed for safe operation of Spirit Mountain Casino, and other changes as per the National Indian Gaming Commission
• And approved enrolling one infant into the Tribe because they meet the enrollment requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance.

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