My First 100 Days Resolved

As my first 100 days come to an end, I'm sure some of you wondered if I would follow through with updating you. Some of you may have wondered if I would remember and some of you probably didn't care or have forgotten yourself. The truth is I am committed to communication (as I hope you learned through my campaign) and here are the updates regarding the areas I committed to working on in my first 100 days.

I will address my two commitments surrounding "accountability".

1) I proposed to council that we hang a dry erase board in the atrium for several reasons. One, it would allow the Central Phone Operators to know which council members were available should someone need their assistance. Two, it would serve as an indicator as to who from council is in the office for anyone visiting the Governance Center. Three, it would allow for council to not only inform the general public of their absence but give an explanation as to where they are. I will say that when council is out of the office, we are often times out on business and not just "taking time off". After my proposal, a majority of council decided to not only approve but add it to our Tribal Council Operating Procedures (TCOP). The Legal Department created the language and the amended TCOP will be presented to Legislative Action Committee (LAC) on Tuesday, December 22, 2009. Given that LAC approves it to move forward, it will then move to the Wednesday, December 30, 2009 Council Meeting where we will hopefully approve and adopt the resolution. My guess is that shortly after the first of the year, there will be a dry erase board hanging in the atrium at the Central Phone Operator's station. As a positive side note, since we are doing a resolution to amend and approve the TCOP, they will become public information and my hope is to post them on the website.

2) The second issue was doing a daily roll call. As much as I would like to take the credit for this, a roll call was already being done upon me being elected. There have been many discussions regarding this particular issue and we are looking into having these roll calls posted on the website daily.

I will now address my two commitments surrounding "communication".

1) Since my being elected, we have established a "Website Enhancement Group" to brainstorm and share ideas on how we can pump more information through the website. We have made a lot of progress as far as identifying how we can enhance the website for little-to-no cost. Please refer to blog post "Latest Revelations" which was posted on November 20, 20009 and will explain in detail the areas our group has given attention. Although my push was to publish the Tilixam Wawa every month, budget restraints have allowed only six issues per year. We will work with the Publications Department to assure that the most information possible will be published including articles authored by Tribal Council, the Executive Staff and it is our hope that the presentations given at the monthly General Council Meetings will be minimized and published as well. It is a work-in-progress but with some commitment, creativity and teamwork, I'm confident that we will open up our communication line between Tribal Council and their boss, the general membership.

2) My second area of commitment was developing a Tribal Council blog. After speaking to the Information Systems (IS)staff, this would be possible to do on our tribal website. There would be some cost associated with this and it would obviously need to be implemented with its own set of policies. The research is being done by the IS Team and we will be meeting shortly after the holiday season to discuss this further. On a positive side note, we are also hoping to incorporate not only a Tribal Council blog but departmental blogs as well. This way the membership gets information from all areas of our government.

Again, as much as I would like to take all of the credit for any achievements in these areas, I can not do that. I simply introduced some of these ideas, it was a majority of council that approved them.

Keep your fingers crossed and your hopes high.

Toby

Latest Revelations

Since my last update, there have been some very positive discussions and I believe that there will actually be some follow-through in the world of communication. We have put together a "Website Enhancement Group" and have met twice, to date.

First off, we are working on synchronizing the "Shared Tribal Council Calendar" with the website so members from anywhere will have access to our daily schedule. We presume that this will be relatively easy but it is moving forward and that is what I am excited about. There is research being done regarding the capabilities of blogging on the website. We are also discussing a blog page for any interested departments within the organization and this would obviously have to come with a set of policies. It is a work in progress with "progress" being the key word.

I believe that something we will all see in the very near future is the Legislative Action Committee (LAC) meeting minutes being posted on the tribal member side of the website. Another item from our list of website enhancements is using the email database in order to send registered users information in more of a timely manner. Another suggestion that I believe will move forward in the near future is posting all of the information sent to the membership via United States Postal Service (USPS) to the website immediately. This seems more timely than waiting to receive it in the mail.

It is our hope to put together "downloadable" press kits on the website that would allow individuals to download a kit that introduces Tribal Council (with photo) and explains the tribe's history, cultures and other pertinent information. We would also like to post the information provided at the General Council Meetings on the website as well as getting a PDF of the "Smoke Signals" online as soon as possible so the membership doesn't have to wait to receive it in the mail. One thing that I am pushing to move forward ASAP is providing all website users an extension from each department so users can easily obtain contact information and make communication with tribal staff more convenient. It has also been reported that changing the requirements to become a registered user is now being worked on. Basically, one would only have to submit the last four digits of their social security number rather than the entire number to become registered.

To me, these are great things and there are people who are committed to following-through and not letting these issues become dead issues. We all need to understand how important communication is and we will relentlessly continue our efforts.

Keep your fingers crossed and your hopes high.

Thank you for reading,
Toby

FYI: Enrollment Requirements

I recently came across the enrollment requirements from 1936-present. I found them interesting so I thought I would share them with those who also may be interested.

1936:
1936-1954
(Pre-Termination Constitution)
1) All persons of Indian blood whose names appear on the official census rolls as of April 1, 1935.

2) All children born to any member of the tribe who is a resident of the community at the time of the birth of said children.

1983:
1983-1985
(Restoration Act)
1) Individual is living; and

2) Individual's name was listed on final membership roll published on April 6, 1956, in the Federal Register (20 FR 3636-3642); or

3) Individual was entitled to be on the membership roll of the tribe on August 13, 1954 (date of Termination Act) but was not listed; or

4) Individual is a descendant of an individual described in #2 or #3 and possesses at least 1/4 degree of blood of members of the tribe.

1985
1985-1999
(Restoration Constitution)
1) At least 1/16 degree Indian blood of a federally recognized tribe.

2) Descended from a member of Grand Ronde.
*Lineal descent from any person who was named on any roll or records of Grand Ronde members prepared by the Department of Interior prior to the effective date of constitution

3) Not enrolled in another recognized tribe.

1999
1999-2008
(1999 Amendment)
1) At least 1/16 degree Grand Ronde blood
*Grand Ronde blood means all Indian blood derived from a direct ancestor whose name validly appears on the official tribal membership roll prepared under the Grand Ronde Restoration Act.
*Two part requirement:
1. Applicant has to have a direct ancestor on the Restoration Roll.
2. Applicant must have at least 1/16 Indian blood derived from that ancestor.

2) Parent was a member of the tribe at the time of the applicant's birth and who, unless deceased, is a member of the tribe at the time the applicant files an application for enrollment.

3) Not enrolled in another recognized tribe and for one year have fully and unconditionally relinquished membership in another Indian tribe.

2008
2008-Present
(2008 Amendment)
1) At least 1/16 degree Grand Ronde blood
*Grand Ronde blood means all Indian blood derived from a direct ancestor whose name validly appears on the official tribal membership roll prepared under the Grand Ronde Restoration Act.
*Two part requirement:
1. Applicant has to have a direct ancestor on the Restoration Roll.
2. Applicant must have at least 1/16 Indian blood derived from that ancestor.

2) Parent was a member of the tribe at the time of the applicant's birth and who, unless deceased, is a member of the tribe at the time the applicant files an application for enrollment.

3) Not enrolled in another recognized tribe and for five years have fully and unconditionally relinquished membership in another Indian tribe.

Just so you all know, enrollment has not become a dead issue among the council and we discuss it often. It is my goal to make sure we continue to investigate critical areas of correction and to focus on the injustices of our enrollment requirements.

Thank you for reading,
Toby

Information

I would just like to inform everyone that there have recently been some, what I consider to be, important discussions regarding the information Tribal Council disperses to the membership. I am new to the whole "Tribal Council system of operations" but any discussion seems like a step in the right direction.

We have discussed putting together a "sub-committee" for the tribal website to include members of Tribal Council, members of the I.S. Department and members of the Public Affairs/Publications Department. In my opinion, this would be a perfect opportunity for those interested in utilizing the tribal website to its full potential to share ideas, develop policy and inform the membership at little to no cost. I feel there are ways we can better communicate for no additional dollars.

It has also been said that the requirements to sign in to the "tribal member only" side of the website will be modified in the near future. There have been many concerns over the years because to access the "tribal member only" side of the website, one has to enter their social security number. The modification would allow tribal members to only submit the last four digits of their social security number. I will follow up on that and inform everyone when that change has been made.

Also, as I stated during my campaign, I would like to see Tribal Council utilize the Tilixam Wawa more often. I do believe 100% that this will happen but due to budget constraints, I don't know it will get published as often as I would like. In addition, it has been suggested that not only council write articles but members of both Executive Teams (tribal and casino) as well. I think this is a great idea and feel it would give the membership information from many different levels.

Anyhow, we are working in other areas too but communication is something I feel we can take immediate action on for no money and limited obstacles. I am committed to making some changes and as promised, I will keep you all updated with my progress.

Keep your fingers crossed and your hopes high.

Thank you for reading,
Toby

Tribal Council

Well, I have officially been a Tribal Council member now for almost three weeks. It has been a lot of information, time and pressure. I will speak about all three issues.

First of all, I will speak about the information. I usually receive a packet containing between 100-200 sheets of paper every day. These packets have the information I need to review for the day's meetings. This information should be reviewed, researched and an opinion should be developed by the time scheduled to cover that specific topic. Each of us should be ready to voice our opinions when the subject is brought to the table. For the most part, everyone has input and some more than others...

Three days last week were devoted to budgets within the organization and due to time constraints, they have ran over into this week. There is a lot of time spent asking questions to the division managers as to why they are asking for the money they are requesting. It has been a very interesting process, to say the least.

Now that I have made mention of the word "time", allow me to speak briefly about the time demand that comes with this position. Some may think that it is a Monday-Friday, 8-5 job. In fact, I used to believe that very same thing. Let me just say, that is simply not the case. I receive about 100 emails every day. If I am lucky enough to only put eight hours per day in the office, it is usually in the meetings that I mentioned above. Which leaves no time to get caught up on the email situation. So, I am left trying to review that information on my personal time. Which is fine with me because I do understand that it is my job and it does come with the territory. I just want to say that it has been more than I expected.

There is also an expectation of Tribal Council to be present at Tribal events, functions and to be available to the membership. I agree with that 100% and will do my best to fulfill those obligations. However, that too demands a great deal of time. On the days of the Wednesday evening Council Meetings, I can just expect to put in a 12 hour day. Not to mention the three or four hours for the General Council Meetings on the first Sunday of every month. Enough about time. I'm sure you get the picture and I could go on and on about the time demands of this job. If you ever want to hear more, feel free to contact me.

Now let's talk pressure. In every aspect of being a politician, there are times when he/she has to make decisions. Or at least vote to help make decisions. It is those moments that can create incredible amounts of pressure. No matter what way that individual decides to vote, he/she has just made enemies. Whether it is with their family, peers or their constituents, there is an expectation of that person. So, there is a lot of pressure for that individual as he/she tries to do the right thing. Without giving details or getting into particulars, this pressure has already showed its ugly face.

Anyhow, please don't confuse my information for complaining. I am just trying to update you all about my experiences thus far. It has had some very positive and rewarding moments as well and I will make sure to post them in the future.

Thank you for reading and remember, TOBY12!!

ATNI

As I sit at the desk in my room on the 18th floor looking out over the Port of Tacoma, I am left trying to process all of the information that has been thrown my way over the last two days. It's like diving for quarters in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

I have officially been a Council Member now for six days and on Sunday I left for Tacoma, Washington to attend the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) Conference. As some of my colleagues calmly stated, "it will be a good way to get your feet wet." Getting my feet wet was clearly an understatement. However, it has been a good way to measure how Grand Ronde is doing in comparison to the other tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Please allow me to give a very brief explanation of the information I have learned thus far.

After registration, the welcoming ceremony and the update reports given by the committees within ATNI on Monday morning, there was a series of presentations that consumed the rest of the morning. After lunch, there were "Committee Meetings" or what I like to call "breakout sessions". There were nine to choose from and my first interest was the "Law and Justice" session. Unfortunately the discussion was geared more for tribes that have their own independent Tribal Police Departments. I did however get to speak one-on-one with the Chief of Police from the Nez Perce Tribe regarding gang activity on tribal lands.

My second afternoon session was about economic development. There is an assessment tool structured specifically for tribal communities titled Tribal Self Assessment Tool (TSAT) that I would like to see Grand Ronde investigate. There was also discussion about the Colville Tribe who partnered with a major construction company as part of their particular growth in economic development.

Tuesday morning looked a lot like Monday morning and also had breakout sessions after lunch. My first afternoon seesion's topic was about Indian Child Welfare/Social Services. I learned some very interesting facts regarding these programs during one of the presentations. In addition, there were many statistics given related to the state of Washington. I did get contact information for some individuals who can provide me with the same statistics for the state of Oregon. It should be interesting.

My second session of the afternoon was put on by "Native Vote" and the U.S. Census Bureau. I received great information from them and you will all see more from me on the 2010 Census. Although there were only four people in this session, (compared to 20-30 in the others), I felt it was equally as important and more informative.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be another full day of information. And although this conference has been absolutely overwhelming, the knowledge, interaction and experience will help guide me through the next three years.

Thank you for reading and remember, TOBY12!! (Is it too early for that?)

Election Results

Here are the results for the 2009 Tribal Council Election:

1. Toby McClary 359
2. Val Sheker 338
3. Cheryle Kennedy 337
4. Jack Giffen, Jr. 324
5. April Campbell 272
6. Shelley Hanson 248
7. Jackie Many Hides 188
8. Perri McDaniel 181
9. Denise Harvey 172
10. Brent Merrill 138
11. Bobby Mercier 122
12. Sam Henny 106
13. Harold Lyon 85
14. Lenny Logan 53
15. Mike Bolton 51
16. Alton Butler 46
17. Debbie Marrington 40
18. Stan Jeffers 38

Total ballots cast: 1132

I will continue to update this blog as I enter the next phase of my journey.

Stay tuned...

Voters Confused??

I have been talking to many Tribal Members and asking them if they had turned in their ballots. Some of the responses I get are entertaining as they don't have the heart to tell me no and that it's from their own sheer laziness. Many, however, state that they did not vote because they didn't get their Signature Verification Form (SVF) notarized and sent in before they received their ballot.

There has been a lot of confusion about the "SVF" ever since it went out to the membership. It stated on the document that one either had to have it notarized before being returned OR a copy of one's picture identification needed to be attached and sent back with the completed form. Although that much is true, it was not mandatory for those forms to be completed in order for one to vote in this year's Tribal Election.

That is where the confusion sets in. Many people believed (myself included) that the "SVF" had to be completed in full with the required documentation attached to be eligible to vote in this year's Tribal Election. I was so confused that I had to call the Chairperson of the Election Board to find out if that was the case. That, in fact, is not the case. Basically, these forms are going to be sent out every five years (beginning this year, I believe) solely to update the voter's information. It is not a requirement for the voters to complete them in order to vote in the election.

Due to the confusion surrounding the "SVF", I believe we will have a very low voter turnout this year. My prediction is based on the amount of Tribal Members I have talked to that have opted not to vote because they felt their vote wouldn't count since they didn't complete the "SVF".

If you're reading this and you have not voted because you didn't complete the Signature Verification Form, please vote. It will count.

I will continue to talk with Tribal Members to get this message out. If everyone reading this could do the same and let their friends and family know that their votes will count, that would be very much appreciated. Again, our right to vote is currently the biggest voice we have.

Thank you for reading and remember, "TOBY09".

The Waiting Game

Through the month of July and the first three weeks of August, the "TOBY09" Campaign kept me on the run, to put it modestly. It seemed as if I was receiving a number of emails every day. On top of responding to emails, I would also get phone calls from concerned Tribal Members asking my opinion on certain issues and wanting to know what I could do to help if I were elected. Then there was the two (and sometimes more) hours I would spend on the computer daily to check some of the other candidate's websites and to read the posts written on public blog sites by the Tribal Members themselves. Attending local events is obviously a given. The Tribal Council meetings on Wednesday nights are a must. (If you're a Tribal Council candidate and you're not attending the Tribal Council meetings, I have to question your sincerity and your commitment.) Anyhow, trying to meet with Tribal Members I do not know was challenging but I also felt it should be attempted. Meeting with Tribal members I do know was another obvious commitment and was a good way to become familiar with some of the most concerning issues. In addition to everything listed above, I had to write my letters, hang up signs and design my postcards, campaign cards and t-shirts.

Now, I haven't listed all of the things I have done as part of my campaign but this gives you a good idea of the time commitment that this has been for me and my family. I did not mention the hurt feelings caused by my lack of participation in family events due to the rigorous campaign trail. That is probably a whole new blog in itself.

Since the Grand Ronde Pow-wow, it seems as though things have completely died. As if there is no longer an election going on. I receive no emails, no phone calls and my time on the computer has been cut in half. I see no other candidates campaigning and the public blog sites have turned more into private conversations among Tribal Members. Maybe this is happening because everyone has already voted and now they are just waiting to hear the results. Maybe it's happening because the last three weeks of an election have traditionally been just a waiting game.

Well, as many of you know, I have not ran the "TOBY09" Campaign as many have ran theirs in the past and I'm not about to start now. I am going to attempt to keep this election alive through these next couple of weeks. I am a "walk-in" voter and a lot can happen in two and-a-half weeks. I will continue to post blogs on this site and I am going to post some more video. It doesn't have to end like this and I don't believe it should.

Please don't stop emailing me or calling me. For the rest of you "walk-in" voters, this is a perfect period of time to see who is still working and who is now playing the waiting game. (That might show a bit of character...)

Thank you for reading and remember, "TOBY09".

What Is Grand Ronde Blood?

The question "What is Grand Ronde blood?" is one that has come up on several occasions during my candidacy. I heard it asked rhetorically at the Candidate Forum held in Portland, Oregon. Most recently it was asked of all the candidates present at the Candidate Forum in Grand Ronde on Saturday, August 15, 2009.

I was disappointed, embarrassed and ashamed of my answer, or the lack there of. I was unable to answer the question and stated that I would have to do some research to give a definitive answer. I do feel that my response was at least honest and I didn't try to fabricate an answer. However, I should know the definition of Grand Ronde blood. This is something that has been haunting me ever since it was asked.

So, you all can bet I did my research and I now know the answer. As it states in the Tribal Constitution, the definition of Grand Ronde blood is "All Indian blood derived from a direct ancestor whose name validly appears on the official tribal membership roll prepared under the Grand Ronde Restoration Act." Again, that is the definition as it is stated in our Tribal Constitution.

Now, I've been putting a lot of thought into the question as it was asked by the attendee at the forum. As I recall, it was actually phrased "What is your definition of Grand Ronde blood?" As you can imagine, I've also researched within myself for the answer to that specific question.

To me, Grand Ronde blood is the fuel for my fire. It is what drives my passion and reminds me that I have a responsibility to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Grand Ronde blood is what my ancestors passed down to me to help guide me and to help the tribe prosper. It is what runs through my veins and reminds me of my heritage and the cultures of our people. Grand Ronde blood is what keeps me pushing forward and helps me to help us all.

That is my definition of Grand Ronde blood. Rest assured that if this question comes up again I will be firing on all cylinders.

Thank you for reading and remember, "TOBY09".

"GROHL" Endorsement

As some of you already know and for those who do not, I was one of three candidates elected in a primary held by "Grand Ronde for Open and Honest Leadership" (GROHL). All 18 candidates were eligible for their endorsement. GROHL has already hosted two Candidate Forums. One was in Portland, Oregon and the other in Sisters, Oregon. There is one more on Saturday, August 15, 2009. It will be held at St. Michael's Church in Grand Ronde and begins at 3:00 p.m.

On the day of nominations, GROHL also sent all 18 candidates home with a questionnaire that contained 10 questions. The questionnaires were due back to them on July 19, 2009. After the footage of the two forums and the answers to the questionnaires were posted online, members of GROHL then had until August 5, 2009 to vote for three of the candidates they wanted to support. The results for those that received votes are as follows:

1. Toby McClary (39)
2. Perri McDaniel (23)
3. Shelley Hanson (22)
4. Denise Harvey (20)
5. April Campbell (15)
6. Jackie Many Hides (10)
7. Cheryle Kennedy (7)
8. Michael Bolton (3)
9. Debbie Marrington (2)
10. Sam Henney (1)
11. Val Sheker (1)
12. Stanley Jeffers (1)
(48 of 68 members casted votes)

The "TOBY09" Campaign is still going strong. As I've said in the past, I have no idea where I will come in as far as accumulating votes. I am hopeful and the majority of the feedback I receive is positive. I wish all of the candidates the best of luck but my campaign is still my focus.

I would like to thank GROHL and all of its members for having a primary as I think it is very important. I would also like to thank those who participated and especially those who voted for me and support me beyond the primary.

Thank you for reading and remember, "TOBY09".

Political Dirt

As the "TOBY09" Campaign continues through the 2009 Election Season, most of the feedback I receive is very positive. Many people contact me and would like to know what they can do to help. I also receive many encouraging and motivating emails wishing me the best of luck. I appreciate the encouragement so much because it keeps me driven and helps me understand that there are people out there that believe in me. As I've said recently, the "TOBY09" Campaign would not have been possible without the help of my supporters.

With that being said, I will refer back to the title of this particular blog. Not all of my experiences have been so positive. Not that the negative experiences were unexpected because they were. However, just because we expect them does not make them any easier to hurdle when they pop up through an election season. I will say that this year, so far, has remained relatively civil and other than the claims of last year's election season, there has not been any occurrences of that caliber thus far. Let's keep our fingers crossed...

I would like my supporters (and everyone else) to know some of the negative scenarios I have experienced through my campaign so far.

My first obstacle was my age. There are still people concerned with electing someone who is not of the elder category. And that is fine. I understand that elders have always made up the majority of our Tribal Council. And to be honest, I am all for having elders on council. It makes total sense. I do believe, however, it should be a little more balanced. I feel that this tribe could benefit from having people of a different generation express concerns and share ideas.

Perception has been another major set back. When I originally announced my candidacy (back in February), there were many rumors about how I was being persuaded to run and that I would be a "puppet" for one side or the other. That I was just coming in to make up a majority or to tear down empires that have been built amongst our current council. These accusations and rumors were totally inaccurate as I want to see our council made up of independent people working together for the betterment of our membership. Trying to reverse people's perception is not an easy task and I continue to try every day.

I have also had my campaign signs defaced with spray paint. This actually occurred during the weekend of Veteran's Pow-wow and there were several other candidates who fell victim to this as well. Not that this was a major set back but I do consider it to be an obstacle in my campaign.

I have received several phone calls where people were upset that I sent them campaign materials in the mail. During these calls, I would listen to the complaints for multiple minutes just to be hung up on before I had the chance to respond. I would like to add that if you do not want to receive campaign materials in the mail, please contact the Election Committee and ask that they remove your name from the mailing list.

Most recently, I was accused of pushing down, hitting and kicking a female Tribal Member when I was a child. I apparently used to call her a "Squaw" as well. These accusations are completely absurd and there is absolutely no truth to them whatsoever. In fact, this particular Tribal Member is 10 years my elder. I would have literally been a child "picking on" an adult. As humerous as this may seem to some, I do consider it to be another hurdle in my campaign. I do not know who all this person has told these stories to but one is too many.

I will close by saying that this blog is not to complain about my hardships. In fact, this year has been less "back biting" than years past. I just want to make people aware of the negative aspects that come with running for public office. If you plan to do it in the future I would suggest growing a shell.

Thank you for reading and remember, "TOBY09".

My First 100 Days

In national politics, there is always a lot of media coverage and attention put towards our newly-elected president's first 100 days in office. Many believe that our president's first 100 days can define him/her and determine what kind of job he/she will do for our country. I don't believe that to be true especially when taking into account what kind of mess he/she has to clean up. But I do feel that there are issues that can be addressed and, in some cases, resolved in the first 100 days.

As a potential leader of our tribe and our people, I would like to list some of the issues I would like to address in my first 100 days if elected to Tribal Council.

First, I would like to address the ethics and accountability issue. I believe that Tribal Council should set the example and should act in a way that best represents our tribe. I also believe that there needs to be a way that obligates our Tribal Council to be at work. I actually have a couple different ideas on how we can achieve this:

1). Hang a dry erase board in the middle of the Governance Atrium with a list of all council member names with an indication as to whether they are in or out and a reason for being out if they are. This would allow the membership, employees or anyone who needed to speak to council to see who was available and to know who is actually showing up for work and doing their job.

2). Do a roll call every morning and post or publish the roll call on our website, in "Tilixam Wawa" or in "Smoke Signals". We need to make our Tribal Council's attendance public to the membership. (The roll call was actually a suggestion from a current council member and I liked the idea. Making the attendance record public was my idea).

The second issue that I would like to tackle in my first 100 days is communication. I feel Tribal Council can better communicate with the membership. As I've stated many times before, I know what it is like to not have the information. I would like to be instrumental in correcting this. Here are some of my ideas:

1). Take advantage of the communication tools that we currently have. In my opinion, Tribal Council should make daily posts on the tribal website. Whether it is their agenda for the day or news that the membership has a right to know. The "Tilixam Wawa" should come out more often than it does. I would like to see it come out monthly at least. It should also include input from Tribal Council members themselves. I would like to see council author a percentage of the material published.

2). I like the idea of a Tribal Council blog. A way for the membership to ask direct questions to council. Council would then be obligated to responding in a timely manner. This would be a great forum for council to address the membership's concerns without having to organize a meeting.

Please remember that I am not promising that these things can happen in my first 100 days. What I am promising to do is introduce my ideas to council and push to have them implemented within my first 100 days, if elected. I can also keep the membership updated, via my blog, as to the progress I have made and whether or not my ideas were shot down or are being considered.

Thank you for reading and remember, TOBY09.

The Troopers

When one runs for public office, they need those closest to them to be supportive. Here are my troopers. The ones that remind me of what life is really about...

Logan, Sandy, Landon and Abbey (The Dog)

Landon, Sandy, Me and Logan

"TOBY09" Campaign Footage

Candidate Forums

As many of you know, there have been a couple of Candidate Forums over the past two weekends. One was held in Portland, Oregon and the other in Sisters, Oregon. These have served as a blessing for the candidates who are trying to get their names publicized to the greatest degree possible.

I believe that this is the first year that anything like this has taken place. Which I find ironic due to the complications of the new mailing system. I know that there have been Candidate Forums in the past but were always held in Grand Ronde and were "censored" by the Publications Department. Last year was the first year in many that there was not a Candidate Forum held. And I don't believe that the Tribe plans to host one this year. However, there will be another one on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at St. Michael's Church in Grand Ronde. It will begin at 3:00 p.m.

Special Note: There was a concern brought to my attention regarding my above statement that the previous Candidate Forums were "censored" by the Publications Department. I would like to clear that up. There were bulletins put up around the tribal campus requesting that members submit a question to be asked of the candidates at the forum. The questions had to be signed by the tribal member including their roll number. If the question was not signed with their roll number, the question was not accepted. The Publications Department did not determine whether or not a question was appropriate. I apologize if I misled anyone. My interpretation of the word "censored" in this particular case was that the questions had to go through a filtering system before being asked. My statement was by no means meant to be contentious toward the Publications Department.

Back to my original point, this kind of forum coincides with one of my earlier posts titled "Support For Tribal Council." The forums allow the membership to meet the candidates, have a better understanding of the candidates and make an educated decision as to which candidate they will support. It is a blessing for not only the candidates but the membership as well.

As for being helpful to the candidates, it allows them to express their ideas and concerns in a public forum that would otherwise go unheard. There were only a couple of avenues for expressing ideas and concerns for the candidates in the past. One was the 600-word Candidate Statement in our tribal publication and the other was to spend a lot of money on mailouts. And I mean a lot of money!!! If one could not afford to send mailouts, that leaves only one option.

With that being said, I understand that this system has been used for many years. And for a tribe that only communicates with the local membership, this system is probably successful. However, there are many others casting votes outside of our six county service area. Opening up an opportunity for candidates to debate, discuss and communicate outside of Grand Ronde is what this is all about. To me, it is absolutely necessary.

I will continue to take advantage of every opportunity to let my voice be heard. The Candidate Forums are another avenue that benefits our entire tribe.

Thank you for reading and remember, TOBY09.

P.S. The Candidate Forums were hosted and sponsored by a non-profit organization titled "Grand Ronde for an Open and Honest Leadership" (GROHL). Both forums were recorded and can be viewed at: www.grandrondepac.org

Nomination Sunday Photos

Here are a few photos taken on Nomination Sunday. June 28th, 2009.
Christina Mercier, Dean(Running Bear)Mercier and Marion Mercier
Aunt Marion and I
Mom (Joann Mercier) and I

Grand Ronde Culture

There are always topics and issues that stand out more than others in every election. In this particular election, it seems as though censorship, the infamous "Leno Letter" and communication seem to be getting the most attention thus far.

What I find interesting is that I only see one of my top priorities in the issues listed above and that is communication. Are we so focused on the "Leno Letter" and censorship that the education of our people, the health care of our people and the cultures of our people are falling to the wayside?

Now, please don't feel as though the ethics of our people and making sure that the membership has the right to express themselves are issues not important to me. They definitely are. As many of you have heard me say in the past, we absolutely need a council that is held accountable and does not try to control everything. As far as I'm concerned, council has too much power and too much control. I would like to see a day in our tribe when the membership is more involved with the decision-making processes. That is a whole new blog and I will post something on that particular issue in the near future.

To get back on track, I hope that the candidates, including myself, are not putting all of their efforts into areas I feel aren't as important as securing self sufficiency for our people.

Our culture is the only thing we have as a tribe that has always been there and always will be. You don't need money to practice the ways of our culture. That has been proven before the opening of Spirit Mountain Casino. I firmly believe it can be proven again should anything happen to the amount of revenue we currently bring in. Our culture is one of the most important programs the tribe has to offer. Our culture is what separates us as an ethnicity. It is what keeps the legends, traditions and ways of our people alive. And we, the membership, need to believe in it, practice it and share it.

I feel we need to be more focused on the areas of this tribe that will help us pave the path to self sufficiency. We need to secure a foundation of success for the generations that follow in our footsteps. I would encourage the membership as well as each of this year's candidates to remember and focus on our culture as it will always be what makes Grand Ronde, Grand Ronde.

Thank you. And remember: TOBY09!!

My First Campaign Letter

I have spent a lot of money to send out my campaign letter just to find out that it has not yet reached many people. I sent it almost three weeks ago. It should have reached other countries by now. I plan to call the mailing company in the morning to find out what is going on. Anyhow, I have added it below for my firends and family who have not yet received it.


Dear Grand Ronde Tribal Members,

My name is Toby McClary. I am running for Tribal Council in the 2009 Tribal
Council election. There are many issues confronting the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde that concern me deeply. Please consider this letter just a primer as
future mailings will get in depth.

I grew up in Grand Ronde and have played an active role in the tribe for many
years. I was here before Spirit Mountain Casino opened and I remember what a
tight-knit community it was. I remember the days of community support, lending
a hand to whoever needed it and participating in the many fundraisers held each
year. Often fundraisers were held to send our Royalty to state-wide pow-wows as
Grand Ronde representatives. I can't help but smile when I remember all that.
I'm sure many of you can relate in some way.

Over the years, Grand Ronde has seen many changes, not the least of which was
the opening of Spirit Mountain Casino in 1995. The casino has been a blessing to
our tribe and created unprecedented opportunity. Many of our benefits would not
exist without it. We should all be appreciative and thankful to our ancestors as
well the Tribal Council who have served up to now. Any concerns I have about the
tribe are not of past decisions, but rather the decisions that lie ahead. My concern
and passion are what drive me to take such a great interest in the Tribal
governance affairs and ultimately fueled my decision to run for Tribal Council.
Here are two of my issues:

Accountability:

I have spoken publicly on many occasions about this issue. I understand people
are tired of hearing "accountability" and seeing little done to correct it. First, elect a Tribal Council willing to take responsibility for their actions. This is one
promise I intend to stand by. Council should not be above reproach. Everybody is
wrong at times. Yet a leader is somebody who can admit mistakes have been
made but takes steps to correct them, somebody that apologizes for wrongdoing,
and can move on with integrity and focus on tribal business (with people they
may not necessarily get along with). I feel that council members should conduct
themselves professionally and without personal vendettas. That is not much to
ask for. These are somewhat hidden characteristics that could begin to change the
face of our council's accountability. These are characteristics that I possess and
can assure you all I will stand by them if elected to Tribal Council. As I mentioned
in a letter recently in the Smoke Signals, there are many flaws and what I
consider to be "conflicts-of-interest" in the current Tribal Ethical Standards
Ordinance. I would encourage all Tribal Members to read that ordinance and
develop their own opinion.

Communication:

Through my experiences over the last few years, the membership is clearly
hungry for information, any information regarding tribal affairs. The tribe has
many communication tools that are not fully used. Let's take the tribal website for
example. I've heard there will either be live feeds or recorded footage of the
council meetings for the last year. I have yet to see any of this posted on our
website. Certainly there are complications with streaming video sometimes and
that is understandable. All I ask is that information be passed on to the members
in a timely manner. Seems like a reasonable request. I was also present at the

Wednesday Council Meeting in May when representatives from UBS (United
Bank of Switzerland) were present to discuss the minor's trust funds. There were
more concerned Tribal Members at that meeting than I have ever seen at a
Wednesday night meeting. And believe me they were there for a good reason.
However, some of them traveled a very long distance for information that should
have already been provided in a letter or something as they watched their kids'
money plummet month-by-month.

I also feel that an uncensored Tilixam Wawa could serve as a beneficial
communication tool. After the budget issue was sent in February, 2009, I did not
receive another issue until June, which for some reason featured Council meeting
minutes from August. August 2008. That was ten months ago! I remember a
few years back when I received a Tilixam Wawa every month that contained
articles written by council members themselves. I really appreciated those
articles because council was at least trying to interact with me and keep me
abreast of major issues. I would like to see a day when we revert back to monthly
publications in addition to Smoke Signals. To me, keeping information from the
general membership insinuates that there is something to hide. Whether there is
or isn't, that is my perception and I am not alone.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my first letter. Again, there are many
issues I am passionate about and I am excited to speak more on them in future
letters, web postings and forums.

Respectfully,
Toby McClary #1471

SMGI Board of Directors

The "SMGI Board of Directors" issue is one that has burned me up for quite some time. There are some things that I do not understand and some that just don't make sense to me.

Allow me to explain. First of all, why does the Tribal Council make up the majority of the board? As far as I know, council has the right to override the suggestions and decisions of the board anyway. As it stands right now, there are five council members and four non-council members that make up the board. If council makes up the majority, why do we even have a board? If for some reason council does not like what the board has suggested, they can just change the decision to their liking. That doesn't make sense. Maybe I am missing a part of the story that would clear everything up for me.

A few years back, the council gave the membership the right to vote on whether or not they would like to see council on the board. As much as I admired our council for giving us a voice, I felt that the vote should have been worded differently. I personally agree with having representatives from council on the board. I do not agree with them making up the majority. I feel that if there were stipulations stating that council could have representatives on the board but not make up the majority, the outcome of the membership's vote would have been much different. It was "black or white." There could either be council on the board or not. Even as "black and white" as it was, the vote was very close. I believe in the membership. We are not idiots and if we were provided with more of a voice, I believe this tribe could be ran a lot stronger.

There was also a non-council tribal member whose term on the board had expired. This individual was not reappointed based upon a vote made by the other eight board members. This person recently confronted the council members that voted against his reappointment at a Wednesday night meeting. Now, I am not sticking up for this individual and maybe there was justification for their vote against him. All I can say is that the answers for their vote against him to be reappointed did not seem justified to me. In fact, I didn't even make any sense out of most of them.

I would like to see the board's voting history for reappointments over the last three years. I'll bet it is pretty interesting. I would also like to know what the criteria is for denying someone's reappointment as well as the criteria for voting "for" someone's reappointment. I really hope that there are some guidelines in place for these kinds of decisions. These people make big decisions for our tribe and for our casino. Or they at least make big suggestions to our council. As I also feel about voting for Tribal Council, it is very serious business and should not be taken lightly.

Thank you for your time. And remember, TOBY09!!

Support for Tribal Council

My candidacy so far has been very interesting, to say the least. My eyes have been opened to many things I was not aware of and some things I wish I would have kept them closed. It's no lie when people say that "politics" are a whole different world.

One of the most interesting things I've come across thus far are the reasons for why the membership supports the candidates they do. I know that I have always voted for who I thought was ethical and who had the best interest of the tribe at heart, or at least made me feel that way. I have not always been pleased with the outcome or the performance of the people I voted for but I felt in my heart at the time, I was doing the right thing. Since I have been nominated, I have spoken to many people and discussed with them who they will support in the 2009 Tribal Council election. I am not perplexed by who people want to support but why they want to support them.

I usually try to do my homework during election time because I feel it is important for me to know why I would cast a vote in anybody's direction. How has that person earned a seat to represent the membership and how are they going to help the entire membership? Are they ethical? Are they accountable? Do they believe in me and my opinion? Do they trust me? Do I trust them? Will they support the membership and if so, how?

These are just a few of the questions I ask myself about each and every candidate, every year. Voting council members in is not just voting for your family. It's not just voting for whoever hasn't made you mad in the last year or voting for the person that made a promise in your favor. It's bigger than that. It's about your children, your culture and your tribe. It's about everybody and securing a success for those who will live beyond our time. Voting someone in for Tribal Council is a very important decision and should be taken seriously. It should not be taken lightly and I would hope that everybody does their homework in between the months of July and August every year.

Let's not forget who Tribal Council represents and who they are supposedly working for.

Strategic Planning?

I recently received a letter from the Executive Office at the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde (CTGR). It stated that there was a violation of confidentiality in a letter that was sent to the membership in June of 2008. That was over a year ago. It was an anonymous letter (Leno Letter) basically saying that Reyn Leno's influence on Tribal Council had put his family members in high-paying, respectable positions at CTGR. Now, whether or not this is true, I don't know because there was never an investigation done on that side of the letter. The immediate focus was put on the author of the letter and the private records that were obtained in order to find out people's personal financial status as well as the membership's addresses. I totally agree that this violation should not have occurred and it is a breach of confidentiality. I would never stand for this kind of behavior and I hope that the guilty parties are held responsible for their actions.

Now let's go back to the letter that was written by the Executive Office. The letter went on to say that personal and private records were obtained to write the "Leno Letter" and that the Executive Team was concerned for the membership's private lives as a result. That may be true. They may be concerned. But have they been concerned for the last 12 months? Again, the "Leno Letter" went out in June of 2008. The letter from the Executive Team said that we (the membership) should run credit checks and keep a close eye on our bank accounts in case of identity theft due to the records obtained by the author of the "Leno Letter". To me, 12 months of potential criminal acts to my identity and bank accounts is too long of a period of time to show that somebody is truly concerned for my well-being.

With all of the information and the timing of it being released (the day after nominations), it leads me to believe that the letter sent from the Executive Office was also a strategic, politically-feuled source of information. It is at the very least, something to think about. Why wasn't that letter sent 10 months ago, six months ago or even 30 days ago?

I do not steer away from the fact that the author(s) of the "Leno Letter" committed criminal acts and need to be held responsible. I do feel that there has been too much time, money and focus on the letter and everything needs to come to a head, resolved and we all need to move on. How could any productive business be conducted when this tension is lingering over the heads of not only Tribal Council but the entire membership?

Thank you,
Toby McClary

Commentary continued...

A Video Commentary on my views, Part 1

"TOBY09" Officially Underway

All,

Well, it's official. I am a 2009 Tribal Council candidate. One of 18, might I add. It seems as though many others are looking for change also.

I have distributed t-shirts, campaign cards and my first mail-out letter is on the way. I have signs printed and have made contact with many concerned Tribal members in the past several months.

I do not know where I will stand as far as accumulating votes but it is a risk I am willing to take for the betterment of our people. I am concerned but I am also confident in the members of this tribe. I believe them when they tell me they want change. I believe in them to make it happen.

Whether it is me or not, I believe change will come this year. Change is the only thing that will cure the inefficiencies and injustices of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. I believe in the membership. Now I ask that the membership believe in me.

I appreciate all of the encouragement so far and any support you may have for me in the future.

Sincerely,
Toby McClary

Offensive Letter/My Response

In the Wednesday, June 10th edition of the Sheridan Sun, a lady from Sheridan published the following letter to the editor:

Memories on Memorial Day - When I was growing up I learned that God Almighty created us...that we are to know Him, love Him and serve Him, and then to be happy with Him forever in heaven.
Further I learned that our Constitution was formed primarily to protect us from all enemies, foreign and domestic... that we are all created equal in our needs and rights... one nation, under Almighty God... with liberty and justice for all.
The deceased heroes and the living military heroes are still honored, especially on Memorial Day, and rightfully so.
But our government, especially here in Oregon, starting with Senator Hatfield, has created domestic enemies among us and indulges them with unequal, anti-constitutional and unjust powers government created.
Do the citizens of Grand Ronde remember that in the year 1951 the Tribe requested termination of the federal wardship? They were proud of themselves then - could stand on their own, could drink alcoholic beverages - removed the last vestiges of discrimination against them by paying taxes like everybody else. Do they remember and memorialize that?
There is no more equal treatment for the rest of us now wherever tribal reservations exist. HUD monies go by the billions for tribal housing, etc. ODOT monies go to close off direct access into 25 year old Ft. Hill Restaurant, gas station and mini mart now. If you can figure out before you arrive in front of these businesses just how and when to get in there, they may survive - we all know that closing off is unfair devised by Oregon government, Polk County and ODOT - and that the new four lane Highway 18 that closes off those businesses bottlenecks unsafely down to a two lane Ft. Hill bridge. Then for more than half mile it's two lanes. Coincidentally, there is only one place to get anything to eat, or gasoline, between Salem and the coast... the casino!
Also look at the Hwy. 18 entrance to Grand Ronde Road and see that ODOT/Polk county/Tribal government, without permission from Bonanza Antiques owner, have stolen the Bonanza's "grandfathered in" first entrance to their store.
There is a banner of protest by the Franzen's Bonanza, a 16 ft. long sign. While our tax dollars pay for the closure of the entrance by government , the Franzens are to pay themselves to have the closure removed.
Several of our government people will be in Grand Ronde on Memorial Day. They are to represent all citizens. Will the ungodly power of the Tribe keep them from seeing Bonanza's sign? Or doing anything about it?
Now I am growing older, Almighty God is still the creator of all of us, but the Constitution is not government's pride anymore. The casino unequally pays no taxes, yet most employees do. We should memorialize with pride the tribe's 1951 action.

Kathy Thole
Sheridan

In the Wednesday, June 17th edition of the Sheridan Sun, I responded to Ms. Thole with the following to the editor:

Dear Kathy Thole,

In 1951, there were many governed laws that kept the Indians of Grand Ronde from acting as a member of society. There were many laws that prevented them from doing what non-Indian people could do. I ask you, Ms. Thole, in 1951 were you there supporting those Indians and publically stating your position for them to be able to act as the other members of our community? Since you take such a strong stance on equality, was it fair for the Indian people of Grand Ronde in 1951 to be treated differently than you were treated?

I found your letter to be offensive and full of inaccuracies. But that should not come as a surprise as you have been in opposition of the Tribe’s success for a long time. You opposed the Tribe’s Restoration, you opposed the Tribe acquiring Reservation land and you have verbally attacked many Tribal members through the years. I will choose to take the “high road” and not verbally attack you. However, I think your letter was hypocritical.

I believe that our Creator did create us all equal and would never be in support of prejudice. If you truly believe that our government officials are being discriminatory or behaving with prejudice, I suggest you send a letter to them. Your actions are no better than what you are accusing them of.

In closing, I would like to say that my ancestors would be proud of where the Tribe is today, just as I am. I hope one day, Ms. Thole, you can find pride and a sense of belonging. It’s a peaceful feeling.

Sincerely,
Toby McClary
A proud member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

Back to Accountability

I continue to hear the words “ethics” and “accountability” come up in conversation whether it be a private discussion or in a public forum. It is obvious that Tribal Members find these issues to be a very serious matter. It was recently pointed out to me that there is a Tribal Ethical Standards Ordinance of which I obtained a copy and read thoroughly. It states the following on page two of the ordinance:

The Tribal membership judges its government by the way Tribal Officials conduct themselves in the positions to which they are elected or appointed.

Tribal members have a right to expect that every Tribal Official will conduct himself or herself in a manner that will tend to preserve public confidence in and respect for the Tribal government.

Such confidence and respect can best be promoted if every Tribal Official, whether paid or unpaid, and whether elected or appointed, will uniformly: (i) treat both Tribal members and members of the non-Tribal public with courtesy; (ii) carry out the duties of their position with impartiality, fairness and equality under the law; (iii) avoid both actual and potential conflicts between their private self-interest and the public interest.

There are then two full pages of “Standards of Conduct” followed by two full pages of procedures that a complainant would have to follow in order to file a complaint. What I find interesting is that the complaint would be given to the Tribal Council Secretary, the Tribal Council Chairperson and the Legal Team. After that point, it would be determined whether or not there is any validity to the complaint and if there is, a hearing would then be pursued. It seems to me that it would be a conflict of interest to have a team of people that report directly to the Tribal Council investigate the complaint and be in charge of whether or not the complaint should be taken to the next step. If the Legal Team decided to take it to the next step, their findings would then be turned over to Tribal Council where they would then vote on an “appropriate” sanction for the guilty person(s). It appears that there are too many holes in the system we now have in place.

I do believe there are some possible solutions to this broken ordinance however I don’t feel like there are any “short-term” solutions. I feel like the processes need to be simplified and the conflicts of interest need to be removed. And there is only one group of people that can make that happen. Until this ordinance is fixed, we all need to vote in who we believe to be the most ethical choices for Tribal Council.

Grand Ronde @ Spirit Mountain?

I was hired on at Spirit Mountain Casino in June of 1996. I was introduced to many people as we opened one of the first expansions of the casino, Legends Restaurant. I remember going through new-hire orientation and listening about our tribe's history as we were given a clear explanation as to why the casino was built and what it meant to not only our tribe but Indian Country as a whole.

I remember the reaction of those who hadn't already known that information, the history and heritage and the conversations that took place about the tribe and it's future. I grew up in Grand Ronde so I was an easy source of information for those who had further questions. There were many individuals who wanted more and felt that the tribe's history was very rich and found the culture to be very interesting. When I was recognized in my department as a Tribal Member (at that time, I was the only one), I was bombarded with questions and dialogue and it was apparent that these non-tribal employees were hungry for information. I did my best to answer but I am no historian.

After several months of coworkers picking my brain about the tribe, it was obvious that they had begun to take some pride in where they worked and who they worked for. I believe that they were proud to become part of the Grand Ronde family. I feel they had a sense of belonging and they understood where Grand Ronde had come from. They understood that Grand Ronde was terminated, restored and were now paving the path to self-sufficiency for the entire tribe and it's members. They were happy to contribute. I would start seeing them at tribal functions such as our annual pow-wows, fundraisers and community events. They were proud to be part of something. They were proud to help pave our path.

In November of 2003, I was hired on with the Public Information Department at the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. I said goodbye to the family I had grown with for seven years. I worked in the Public Information Department for four years and then decided to pursue a career opportunity back at the casino.

When I went through new hire orientation this time, I noticed there was no information regarding the tribe and it's history. There was nothing to explain our heritage and nothing to describe what our ancestors had gone through to help secure our future. There was nothing to help explain to those in attendance why they were there, other than a job. To me, we had now become "just another company."

With that being said, it would be easy for non-tribal employees to become frustrated with benefits such as per capita, tribal hiring preference and free healthcare. It would be easy because they wouldn't understand where the tribe came from, the three decades it took to re-establish our identity and the path to self-sufficiency that the casino was built to help pave. A lack of understanding and education is a potential potion for discrimination. Tribal Members only make up about 10% of the casino's workforce. Tribal Members are the minority at Spirit Mountain. We need to share our story with the entire workforce at Spirit Mountain Casino. We need casino employees to be proud of where they work and who they work for.

Let's bring Grand Ronde back to Spirit Mountain.

Accountability

All,

As people are unable to attend local meetings, I would like to speak about the most recent council meeting held this past Wednesday, May 6th, 2009. In my opinion, this was one of the most productive meetings I have attended over the last year or so. Not because there was so much accomplished but because there was a lot of dicussion about how Tribal Council is held accountable for their actions. The most impressive part of the meeting, I felt, was that everybody remained professional and civil during the discussion. That is very important and doesn't always happen. Now, it's not like anything has changed due to that meeting but I feel that everybody in attendance left with some "food-for-thought." Allow me to speak briefly about what I personally took from the meeting. When the question about how Tribal Council is held accountable if they in fact are was asked, the response was that there are many different ways to hold them accountable and then a list of consequences that there have been in the past was given. Among those listed was a stern talk from the Tribal Council Chairperson and a request from council that the council member in question write an apology letter. As much as I appreciate there being something, I don't feel (depending on the severity of the offense) that these consequences are severe enough. Let's not forget that the members of Tribal Council are elected officials and it seems like the only real way to hold them accountable is by the membership itself. It was also brought to the attention of those in attendance that there is an Ethics Ordinance in place and that anybody can use it when they choose to. My problem with that is that many feel intimidated by council anyway and what could potentially happen to them as a result of retaliation. Also, I don't feel that the unethical actions of our Tribal Council is always worth the effort it would take to file and ethics charge. To me it seems that there is no real way to hold Tribal Council accountable and no short-term resolution. This is very bothersome to me and should be to us all.

The Campaign Trail

Here we are at the end of April and for most, the campaign trail has not even begun. For me however, I (we) have been at it for several months. When I decided to run for Tribal Council, I knew that the time demand of running a campaign (hopefully a successful one) would be intense. I guess I didn't know the level that the intensity would be. It is very common that I have at least two to three meetings Monday-Friday either on a personal or public level. On the weekends, there are usually at least that many meetings surrounding tribal politics. If I didn't have a cell phone and sticky notes, I honestly don't know how I would keep up. Sticky notes have become a very essential part of my campaign and sometimes I remind myself of Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty when he is trying to figure out how to answer everyone's prayers. 3M owes me...

Now, with all of that being said, I am sure that my family feels as though they play second fiddle. Just because I have tribal and political meetings does not mean that the need for the boys to be picked up, taken to practice or my presence at their games has ceased. In fact, with my now decreasing time spent with them, those things have become even more important. Trying to balance my family and my campaign has not been an easy job. I guess nobody warns you that the time demand will be as intense as it actually is. Or maybe I wasn't paying attention. Either way, doing my schedule and assuring that my time is balanced could be a full time job.

The love of my life, Sandy, has been an absolute trooper through all of this. I don't know why she remains so supportive but I would like to think that it is because she believes in me. Whatever the reason, her intensity of support helps keep me driven and inspires me to keep pushing on. She is one of the most intelligent people I know and her help through all of this has been invaluable. If she wasn't as supportive as she has been, this campaign would be so much harder if not impossible.

Now you have a little bit of history and information as to what has been put into the "TOBY09" campaign. It has been very rewarding also, but the intensity on both ends of the spectrum has been a life changing and learning experience. I am confident that this campaign will push through the toughest of obstacles (because of my support group) and inspire those who might not be as involved as they could be.

Please join me on this journey and remember, vote "TOBY09."

New Blog

So, this is my first blog-site and I am excited to begin sharing my future endeavors with my friends, family and followers. As I mentioned in my bio, I have decided to take the ultimate leap in our Tribal Government. That is my candidacy in the 2009 Tribal Council Election. I have many reasons as to why I feel it is important that I run but I will share just a few right now and there will certainly be more to come. I have a deep-seeded passion for the Grand Ronde Tribe, one that stems 20+ years. One of my major concerns is the future of the tribe and securing it's success for many generations to come.
I grew up in Grand Ronde and have seen many changes over that last 20 years. Through my childhood I participated in the activities of our young, flowering tribe. I attended council meetings, danced at our annual pow-wow, served as an escort for our Royalty Court, stapled the pages of the Smoke Signals (back when it was still being printed on notebook paper) and served the elders coffee and pastries during Elder Movie Night. I remember the days that council strived to achieve success for our entire tribe. I remember when Spirit Mountain Casino was just a dream of of it's founding members. I could go on and on with my memories of the Grand Ronde Tribe and I will continue to share memories with you in the future.
My original point is that I have reason to involve myself and I wish to share my passion, tribal experiences and ideas with the Grand Ronde Tribal Membership. Please join me in my journey. I welcome your thoughts, concerns and ideas and look forward to making Grand Ronde as strong and prosperous as it can be.

Also, follow me @ http://twitter.com/TobyMcClary I will make daily posts and beginning in June, I will list a weekly goal and keep everyone updated on a daily basis. Thank you for reading.