<strong>Page</strong> 12 <strong>Gila</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Indian</strong> News January 2009TCRP heads west to LA and SF toconduct publich outreachBy Jeri Thomas<strong>GRIN</strong> Office ManagerCalif - In Dec. the Tribal ConstitutionReform Project (TCRP) went to Californiaas part of its public informationcampaign to target GRIC membersliving in the Los Angeles and SanFrancisco areas. These areas werespecifically identified in the actionplan approved by Council.The setting was the UnitedAmerican <strong>Indian</strong> Center in downtownLos Angeles. The Center providesoutpatient substance abuse treatment.The UAIA happens to employ twoGRIC members Cheryl Jackson andAntonia Osife. Executive DirectorDavid Rambeau, Paiute, greeted theGRIC delegation, with approximately75 audience members present.Chairman Anthony Hill D6,explained on behalf of the TCRP thatthe GRIC has come a long way sincethe 1930s. Back then the BIA essentiallyforced tribes to adopt <strong>Indian</strong> ReorganizationAct constitutions whichwere boiler plate constitutions for <strong>Indian</strong>nations. These are inadequate.There is no emphasis on inherent sovereignty;<strong>Indian</strong> Reorganization ActConstitutions are subject to Dept. ofInterior, BIA Secretarial approval; andsocietal changes have brought forwarddisputes such as land, membership,and elections to name a few.“We have a long history oftrying to revise the Constitution, referringto the 1990 attempt. The effortstarts and dies,” Hill stated. “The Resolutionwas approved in 2006 andnow we are just now getting to you.”Hill said all efforts aremoving ahead and that the projectedfirst draft is anticipated by April 2009.Furthermore, the draft will be circulatedthroughout the same forums ‘becauseit is important that participationis by all members living off and onthe Reservation.’ Hill further addedthat the Secretarial vote is projected tooccur in April 2010. “We will developthe information gathered at these forums,put it together, and then themembership will see what it wants tobe changed,” Hill said.Other departments that accompaniedthe TCRP included theTreasurer’s office, Arthur Felder, andthe Law Office. Jason Hauter, SeniorAssistant General Counsel and TreasurerFelder attended in connectionwith the Revenue Allocation Team,which is the resource team formed inconnection with the passage of the2007 Per Capita Initiative.Hauter reported that theGRIC is struggling with the quarterlypayments because revenue paymentshave an unintended effect on fixed incomes.If the Tribal Council decidesannual or bi-annual payments, the internalanswer will follow, and it probablywill not be perfectly laid out.Hauter reported that the tribalgovernment employs over 2000 employeesand that the GRIC operatingbudget is in the hundreds of millionsof dollars. Additionally, the GRIC isnot a small tribe. Per capita is an inundatingtask considering the <strong>Community</strong>has incurred rapid growthsince the onset of gaming. It [gamingrevenue distributions] could be analogousof turning the Titanic around,slow and laborious to do a responsiblerevenue allocation plan.”In addition and related to theRevenue Allocation Plan are eligibilityissues. To this end the delegationbrought staff members from the Enrollmentoffice to provide enrollmentservices. Jane Johnson-Woody, EnrollmentCoordinator, stressed to theaudience the importance of GRICmembers keeping current mailing addresseson file with the Enrollment office.In addition, Johnson-Woodystated “Other vital records such ascertificates of <strong>Indian</strong> blood, marriage/divorcedecrees, and Social Securitycards are additionalrequirements that should be kept upto-dateand on record.” She furtheradded that change of address formsare posted at www.mygilariver.com.Johnson reported that by theend of December, GRIC has 19,800 +Continued on <strong>Page</strong> 12Questions raised at the TCRP California OutreachMeetingsQ: Do you feel this will pass?A: Our job is to see this through to the end. Itis up to the voters.Q: Will we be required to go home to register?A: The federal regulations allow absentee ballots.When the project gets closer to thisphase information will be posted atwww.mygilariver.comQ: Is the current constitution on the website?A: No but we will attempt to have it posted.Q: Do you have to be a voter in GRIC electionsto register for the Secretarial Election?A: No. You have to do two things. You haveto register to vote with the Secretary and youhave to vote in the Secretary Election. Youcannot do one without the other because youpotentially will defeat the vote.Q: If we are allowed to vote in a <strong>Community</strong>Election why not in a Secretarial Election?A: Because it is in the Constitution now. Itsays ‘or request through petition or TribalCouncil.’ Either way it is a Secretarial Election.If you do not want the BIA in theprocess we can take this out. Whether youregister and vote that is totally up to you.Q: I have been off reservation for 12 yearsand no one has ever done anythingA: We have not been able to find where thistype of action has occurred.Q: When we register to vote for the BIAElection can we go through the Tribe?A: It is important that you notify the Enrollmentdepartment of your current address.Q: Can you can own land and not be atribal member?A: This is a difficult question. Allotted landMembers of the TCRP, RAP Team and Enrollment travelled to Los Angelesand San Francisco for outreach meetings in December.(<strong>GRIN</strong> Photos - Jeri Thomas)goes through BIA inheritance process. Youcan inherent land at <strong>Gila</strong> <strong>River</strong> if you are amember of another tribe. A big concern is anindividual may not be eligible to enroll in anytribe. Land can go out of trust and can becomesubject to taxation. There have beencases where non-natives have inherited land.Q: I understand about blood quantum andfamilies becoming split. I came to Californiafive years ago. Since then I have beenmissing my family who is on the reservation.I have taken a real interest in home.My mother introduced me to the website.This is how I keep in touch because I cannotget back home.A: Change blood quantum or lineage it is upto you. If the option is to remain at one-quarter<strong>Indian</strong> blood we have people who haveless and less Pima and Maricopa blood. Asyou go down the line it may come to no oneis eligible and the tribe becomes extinct.These are the things that have to be taken intoconsideration.Q: I am from D1 and I know the MemorialAirfield expansion has been going on. Cananyone answer what is going on at thistime? I haven’t heard anything.A: They had a landowners meeting today. TheAirfield has been there since the 1950s. It wasnever developed as a full fledged airport. Developmentthese past two years led to litigation.An interim board was to bring togetherwhich was replaced by new board members— landowners — in accord with the charter.One of the obstacles that faces investors is“Who really is in charge of the airport?” Is itthe tribe or the landowner?In order for the airport to be eligiblefor funding it will have to be under theform a government entity for funding or taxpurposes. To be totally honest with you it willbe an uphill battle to establish a new airportclose to other airports.The initial plan by Coffman &Associates was done in 1995 and updated in2005. The Tribal Council has not approvedthe master plan. All these issues come intoplay. Is it feasible, do we pay for anotherstudy?An airport may not necessarilythe highest best use of the land. The incomerevenue on an airport will take five to tenyears depending on tenants. The rate of returnon leases also needs to be taken into consideration.Q: Here in California there are caseswhere tribal members are eliminated becauseof their percentage. Are you in contactwith other tribes?A: Membership is a crucial aspect tolongevity of a tribe. If you lower qualificationstoo much it could be taxing on resourcesand integrity. Quantum has a long history.Blood was used as a description by the federalagents who determined who was eligiblefor rations or blankets. This blood quantumaspect is a hold over since then.Q: Are there a lot of participation by GRMembers?A: We have been meeting with different segments.There seems to be a great interest inrevising the Constitution. When we firststarted we have witnessed a change. I doknow that this is a document that was givento us by the federal government to serve thefederal government. Other tribes renamed itsdocument ‘the good life’ and drasticallychanged everything. Another tribe put it intheir own language.In the 1930s the federal governmentasked tribes to formalize with tribalcouncils to represent them because they couldnot go to every village. This document is atemplate given to many tribes across countryseventy years ago. You can have whateveryou want to reflect our lifestyle.There are some tough calls to bemade about membership. It could split families.There are traditionalists who say keep itPima/Maricopa and raise it to one-half. Thenthere is the other end of the spectrum; we area changing society and do we need to make itmore diverse to reflect the change.
January 2009 <strong>Gila</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Indian</strong> News <strong>Page</strong> 13Continued From <strong>Page</strong> 12enrolled members and that the TribalCouncil will certify the count in early2009.Additionally, Hill reported itis equally important to the TCRP tohave up-to-date and current recordsfor the Secretarial Election during thatvital phase of the project.To further clarify, the Secretarialelection denotes the “Secretary”of the Department of Interior, Bureauof <strong>Indian</strong> Affairs. This election is separateand distinct from a tribal election.Secretarial elections followfederal law and procedures, whiletribal elections are conducted entirelyby the tribe and its prevailing documents.For Secretarial elections onemust register for that particular electionand that voter must cast a vote inthat particular election. Otherwise anon-vote is essentially counted as a“no” vote for that particular issue.Therefore the rationale was formed tohave the <strong>Community</strong> Elections Departmentattend the forum in an effortto acquire current data.Nadine Shelde, <strong>Community</strong>Elections Coordinator oversees allelections at <strong>Gila</strong> <strong>River</strong>. Board representativesconsist of each District.Donna Giff D6 and Doreen Allen D2were on hand to assist in updatingvoter registration forms for tribalelections and/or to register new voters.Shelde reported the next electionis May 5, 2009. “All Council representativesserve three-yearstaggered terms. Term expirations areD1 Arzie Hogg; D4 Malcom Eschief;D5 Cecil Lewis; and D6 Anthony Villareal,Sr.”Shelde further reported noticeswere mailed to registered votersin California and that a few were returnedbecause of bad addresses.Shelde’s purpose in coming along wasto assist in updating information frommembers in the area.Hill emphasized that it isnot the Task Force who bring forth therevision issues but that the revision issuescome from the membershipthrough the comment cards, surveys,and public outreach forums. “Thosewhose voices are the loudest will getlooked at. He commented that it is along arduous process but “We have adedicated group who will completethe project.”Thus far, the biggest area ofconcern is membership. Who can/cannotbe a member of this <strong>Community</strong>is a big issue. The current Constitutionstates that if you are away from<strong>Community</strong> for 20 years you automaticallylose membership. However,please note that the TCRP has notfound records of anyone losing or regainingmembership.Next biggest issue is qualificationsof elected officials (<strong>Community</strong>Council); followed by powers ofthe Council and its Bylaws.These are the same top issuesaddressed at the public forums in California,throughout the Reservation,and the GRIC Urban Member Association.For more information contact:Tribal Constitution Reform ProjectGerald Calnimptewa.Project ManagerPhone: (520) 562-9757E-mail:gerald.calnimptewa@gric.nsn.usMonthly Notes from American LegionIra Hayes Post 84Ira Hayes Post 84 meets the firstThursday of every month in Sacaton.We welcome and encourage all veteransand request families to assists usin notify veterans about attending ourmonthly meetings. We often find thatveterans are not aware of benefits thatthey are eligible to receive. Thosefamilies with sons, daughters, grandchildren,brothers and sisters that arein the military are eligible to join thePost, we pay for their dues. We wouldlike to identify and communicate withthem, even if they do not join Post 84.We are planning to send care packagesto them on a regular basis. Theauxiliary also meets at the same timeand place. The spouse and some relativesof veterans are eligible to jointhe auxiliary. Please join us in honoringall veterans, especially <strong>Gila</strong> <strong>River</strong><strong>Indian</strong> <strong>Community</strong> members. Thenext meeting will be February 5, 2009at 6:00 PM.This is the first reminder that the 64 thAnniversary of the Iwo Jima FlagRaising Event will be February 21,2009, Sacaton, AZ. We will send outthe official schedule by the next editionof the <strong>Gila</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Indian</strong> News.The Pow Wow will begin on Fridayevening the 20 th and continue the afternoonand evening of February 21,2009. This is a wonderful event andwe hope that you will attend and participatein it. We have guests fromthroughout the United States andmany Native American Color Guardsthat participate in the parade and FlagRaising events.We look forward to providing youmore news and activities in the comingissues. We appreciate the offer ofthe <strong>GRIN</strong> to print our articles. We arenot at the Post on a daily basis but youmay call and leave a message at 520-562-8484 and we will get back to you.You may also call Jim Cournoyer 520-610-0493 or Tony McDaniel 520-610-0777. We look forward to serving andhearing from you. If you have e-mailour address is ihpost84@gilanet.net.Until the next time!Jim Cournoyer, Finance OfficerAmerican LegionIra Hayes Post 84PO Box 186Sacaton, AZ 85247
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