Thanks for attending our Community Meeting

Around 30 community members attended our Community Meeting last night, which is great! I know that sometimes it’s hard to make it to these meetings, so it was wonderful to see so many people turn out. Enrollment Officer Rosie Carter and Enrollment Specialist Ada Anderson gave a presentation about our enrollment process. They highlighted some of the requirements for enrollment, including direct descendency and residency. They explained how the process works, the complete application is reviewed by the Enrollment Committee, then the committee makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors. From there the Board either approves or denies the application.

During the discussion groups our community was asked if they thought our enrollment ordinance needed to be revised, whether the process was fair, if Tulalip should use a blood quantum requirement for enrollment, if members are satisfied with the minor’s trust accounts and what type of information the Enrollment Office should provide to better help tribal members.

We had some lively discussions. A lot of our citizens feel that the Enrollment Ordinance needs to be revised, but there wasn’t a consensus on how to change it. There was concern about families who are able to enroll some children, but not others. There was concern about whether we should require residency when there is limited access to housing on the reservation. Some members thought we should delay giving out minor’s trust accounts until our kids are older, maybe age 21 or even 25. And some tribal members asked Enrollment to provide more information on the process for amending our constitution.

Overall it was a very good meeting. It made me happy to see so many tribal members gathered together to talk about how our enrollment process and how to change it to better reflect us as Tulalip people. Chairman Mel Sheldon reminded us that we’re not the only ones who have struggled with these questions. In the past leaders like George Williams also struggled with issues like enrollment.

We want the process to be fair and we want to make sure that our people are taken care of, but how do we define ourselves as a people? Is it based on who your parents are and where they lived? Is it based on the percentage of Indian blood or how in touch you are with your tribe? For that matter, how can you measure culture or participation in culture? These are tough issues, so it was great to see the discussion from our members, and to get your opinions.

During our next Community Meeting, February 25^th, we will be talking with our Legacy of Healing staff. Future meetings this year will include our beda?chelh case managers, information about the Maplewood development, TERO department, Solid Waste and Recycling, Youth Services, Problem Gambling and Treaty Rights/Intellectual Property Rights. We’ve got most of the year planned out, but we have room for a couple more Community Meetings. If you have an idea, and don’t see a meeting set up to address it, please call my office or leave a comment on the blog.

We really welcome your ideas and input, so once again, thank you for attending our community meetings and helping us decide the future direction of the tribe.

cisanla;

Shelly Lacy

First Community Meeting of 2010

We’re holding our first Community Meeting of 2010 this Thursday, January 28^th. Please join us to learn about the Enrollment Department. Enrollment Officer Rosie Carter and Enrollment Specialist Ada Anderson will be walking us through some of the Ordinances that govern enrollment here at Tulalip. They’ll talk about Tulalip’s enrollment requirements, how to document residency and descendency, minors' trust accounts and more.

As always, after the presentation we’ll ask you for your input. We want to know if you’re satisfied with the Enrollment Department or if there are things we can do to make the processes more user friendly. The meeting will be held at the Administration Building, a light dinner will be served at 5:00pm and the meeting starts at 5:30pm. Please join us to learn about Enrollment.

cisanla;

Shelly L. Lacy

FIREWOOD

Tribal members, please see the attached notice from Forestry about a woodcutting area at Mission Highlands.

cisanla;

Shelly L. Lacy

FIREWOOD

There will be an area opening for tribal member woodcutting. It is located at the mission highland housing development on Turk Drive. There is a limited amount of firewood, so this area will only be open 1/29/10-02/15/10. There will be no log length loading, all wood must be 24” or less in length. Wood cutting will only be allowed on designated piles outside of active construction areas. These piles will be marked with wood cutting by permit only signs. Permits are required for all woodcutting. These will be available at the front desk at the main office.

Marysville Schools info fair and Kindergarten Registration Kickoff

Parents, are your children ready for Kindergarten? Are they four years old? Then it’s already time to sign up! Marysville School District is holding an Information Fair and Kindergarten Kickoff event on Saturday, January 23^rd from 9:00 to 11:00 am at Totem Middle School. Come in and meet teachers, learn about the importance of Kindergarten and register your child for the 2010-2011 school year. In order to register you’ll need to bring your child’s original birth certificate and their health and immunization records.

Also on the 23^rd, you’ll have a chance to review fourth and fifth grade curriculum videos, talk to school and district staff and ask any questions you may have about next year. I really encourage anyone with students in the district to attend this event. This is our chance to talk to the teachers and administrators about our concerns and to just get to know the people who are educating our children.

If you have questions or want more information contact Sibyl Martin at 360-653-0818.

cisanla;

Shelly L. Lacy

Treaty Days

Treaty Days is Friday, January 22^nd. On January 22^nd, 1855 our Treaty was signed, and in 1912 we held our first Treaty Days celebration. I know there are a lot of mixed feelings about Treaty Days, such as whether it is a day we should celebrate, or if it is a day that we should be sad. There have been different message from elders as I have talked to them about Treaty Days.

Many say that was the day we practiced our Winter Ceremonies because the Agency and the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) thought we were celebrating the treaty. Whereas others say that was the day they brought all the children from the boarding school, where they came and sat in the bleachers. Even though the children did not get to talk to their families, at least the families were able to see the children that day. For me personally, it is more about honoring our ancestors, their sacrifices, and their wisdom they had to lead us to where we are today.

I hope tribal members will come and join us. At 3pm work will commence, we’ll be cleaning the floor. Dinner will be at 5pm, and the actual work will start at 6pm. We will start with a prayer, and then we invite all the Tulalip people to the floor to sing the “Welcome Song” to welcome all our guests. I hope you will join us for Treaty Days.

Also, we still need bids for the treaty days dinner. Below is the information for submitting a bid.

cisanla;

Shelly L. Lacy

SMOKEHOUSE COMMITTEE IS ACCEPTING BIDS FOR COOKING THE FOLLOWING DINNER:

Dinner will be held on Friday, January 22^nd, 2010 for Tulalip Tribes/Treaty Days in the Smokehouse. Food will be served in the Kenny Moses Sr.- K.M.B. The bid will be to feed 300-500 people and is as follows:

(These items will be provided or purchased by the smokehouse committee)

Deer/Elk Roasts

Boiled Potatoes-quartered

Gravy

Vegetable: Corn or Greenbean

Bread: Rolls or Frybread

Green Salad/Potatoes Salad

Beans w/bacon

Pies (please have a few sugar free desserts available)

Cake w/Berries and whipcream

Seafood if provided

Extra meats if Deer/Elk are not available.

Coffee/Tea/Juice/Water

200 sandwiches/snacks will be made and put in lunch bags to be handed out in the smokehouse later in the evening.

The bid includes the following:

Preparation of all food

Serving of food

Clean up of the kitchen and tables and serving areas

Paying for any helpers or bid helpers

If there is leftover food, it will need to be wrapped and set out for people to take.

THE BID PACKAGE NEEDS TO INCLUDE HEALTH FOOD CARDS FOR EACH PERSON WORKING IN THE KITCHEN (AND THE PERSON MAKING BID) The successful bidder will receive payment after job and clean-up is complete.

PLEASE HAND INTO BONNIE JUNEAU (360-716-4369) Bids will include a timestamp from front reception. BIDS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 4:00P.M. FRIDAY, JANUARY 15^TH, 2010

Men’s Wellness Day

Gentlemen, it’s that time of year again, time to head down to the Health Clinic and look after yourself by getting check-ups and learning about common health problems. This Friday, January 8^th, the Health Clinic is holding their 3^rd Annual Men’s Wellness Day, and I hope you all can make it down. I know you don’t always take that time to make sure you’re healthy, but all of you dads, uncles, brothers and cousins, you mean a lot to our community and we need you healthy!

The Men’s Wellness Day begins at 9:00 am and continues until 3:00 pm. Staff will be there to screen for Diabetes, Blood Pressure, Prostate Cancer (Blood Draw only), Body Mass Index, HIV testing, Dental Screens, Cholesterol Screens with a full lipid panel and much, more. Please take the time and make sure you get those tests! The Clinic also has some great incentive items for participating and they’re raffling two Chainsaws, a set of golf clubs, a tablesaw, a tool set, a fishing pole, a roadside safety kit, a back revitalizer, a massage pillow, a dart board, a golfers putting game, two thermoses, two Seahawk cooler bags with coffee mugs, and Tulalip Bingo donated some gift Certificates for Bingo. You do not need to be present to win, but you do need to participate.

And just as a reminder that employees, with their supervisor’s approval, may have two hours to attend the Men’s Wellness Day. If you have any questions about the Wellness Day, contact the Health Clinic, 360-651-4511.

cisanla;

Shelly L. Lacy

Learn about minors trust accounts

On January 7^th, Enrollment is holding an informational meeting about Minors’ Trust Accounts. During the meeting we’ll learn about investment options, and how to manage your child’s account. Remember, any changes for 2010 have to be made by January 31^st. The meeting will be held at 5:00pm at the Administration Building (first floor training room), dinner will be served. Hope to see you there!

cisanla;

Shelly L. Lacy