Community

We have already started plotting out a schedule for this year's Community Meetings, which have become an annual tradition. I personally advocated for some deviation from what we have done in the past, the priority lists and the sticky dots, but it was not to be. Admittedly I had some vague notions of a town hall style forum where those attending could grill us, and didn't have many details beyond that. I just like the concept, and many of our General Council meetings seem geared for "Other Business" more than any organized presentation. That is my perception anyway.
These Community Meetings have been going on for as long as I can remember. And I have been going to them for as long as I can remember. There are recurring themes raised by the membership, like enrollment, economic development, a recreation center. One year people were deadset on having a swimming pool.
Some might argue that these meetings are just a form of lip service, and I could certainly see why one might think that. But then again I've also seen pressure from these meetings make a difference. I really wonder if a Eugene Satellite Office might not have ever happened had there not been repeated calls during the Community meetings down there.
It wasn't until my first year on Council that we first started to really reach out beyong Portland-Eugene-Grand Ronde. Part of that was due to the fact that a Community Meeting in Bend in 1999 had fewer than 10 people show up. But by 2005 I think things had changed. Members outside of the area were eager to get involved.
I remember distinctly our first meeting in Tacoma in 2005. It was well-attended. We had to rethink allowing employees and committee members to enter the door prize drawings, because only one prize ended up going to a Tacoma local, which was rather embarassing. At the first meeting in Bend one gentleman came up to me and said he'd thought I would have been taller. I also remember in Tacoma 2006 when during a breakout session one fellow in the group told Wink and I he had not voted for us. Later on that day I thought of the perfect comeback, which would have been to point out to him that had we not been elected, since we advocated for expanding the Community meetings, he would have never been able to tell us to our face.
The Bend meeting in 2007 was well-attended as was the meeting in Yakima last year. The all-time worst attendance had to be Tacoma 2008, and I am convinced that was because we chose Monday night. It seems most other weekend nights work fine, though having them Sunday afternoons draw the most people.
For reasons I am not clear on last year Council and for that matter all employees were included on an email thread where evidently some local Tribal members felt Yakima wasn't really part of the community. To them I guess, the local community is the community. I've never really understood that mentality. Actually, I understand it, but can't agree. I've met far too many Tribal members living in Tacoma, Eugene, Portland, Bend and Yakima who care deeply about this Tribe.
People have their reasons for living elsewhere. Some of them have found careers and lives that simply would be much harder to establish in Grand Ronde, if not impossible. I like that we can take a sliver of Grand Ronde to its members, at least those living regionally. They are almost always incredibly grateful, and curious. Perhaps that why I look forward to our outside Community Meetings.