Tribal Members Services

Introduction

As of October 2009, Tribal Member Services and Records Management have been integrated into a single department.  Tribal Member Services (TMS) will continue to maintain tribal population data, vital statistics and demographic information, administration of various tribal benefits and assist in the facilitation of tribal enrollment and election processes. 

The department’s Records Management responsibilities will include, but are not limited to planning, developing and establishing the various components of an electronic records system throughout the organization to ensure the integrity of the Tribe’s documents and to assure the highest level of confidentiality of those records. It is also the department’s responsibility to provide assistance to various departments and committees. 

.Tribal Enrollment

The Coquille Indian Tribe has enrolled 28 new members since January 09, bringing the total tribal population to 919.  This number represents roughly a 3% increase over last year’s total.

Elders Benefit Fund

Tribal Council recently approved an increase to the Tribal Elders’ Benefit.  Effective January 1st, payments increased from $400.00 to $420.00 per month, a 5% increase.  The Tribal Council took this action to help the Elders’ Benefit keep pace with inflation and to help address the economic challenges faced by many Tribal elders.  Funding for the CIT Elders’ Fund comes from the investment earnings generated by the Tribe’s Elders’ trust fund.  Every year the Tribal Council deposits money into the Elders’ trust to grow the principle, which helps provide for periodic increases to the Benefit.  Since 2001, Council has deposited over $6.1 million into the Elders’ trust to ensure that the trust’s principle is of sufficient size to generate the funding necessary to provide every Tribal member with the Elders’ Benefit beginning at age 62.  Benefits were distributed to 67 tribal members during 2009 totaling $333,360.00.

Tribal Council Service Fund

Tribal members that have served at least one year on Tribal Council and have left Tribal Council shall be eligible for a monthly benefit when they reach the age of 62.  The benefit amount is based upon the total years of service.  In 2009, Service Fund benefits were distributed to 11 members in the total amount of $33,400.00.

Tribal Burial Fund

The Burial Fund provides funeral and burial assistance of up to $5,000.00 to all tribal members, their spouses and children under 18 years of age that are members of a Tribal household.  Also, Tribal members and spouses that have reached the age of 55 may now access up to $350.00 of the Burial Fund benefit prior to death for the purposes of creating a memorial display.  In 2009 the Tribe provided benefits for five families.  The families of the deceased members received assistance in the total amount of $19,475.29.

Tribal Council Elections

2009 Tribal Council Elections were held on October 23rd.  Ed Metcalf was re-elected Chairman.  Joan Metcalf was elected Secretary/Treasurer and Kippy Robbins was elected Representative # 1.  TMS duties within the Tribal Election process were again twofold.  As department coordinator, the responsibility was to provide the Election Board with all relevant information and data as well as maintain all election records.  Serving as the Election Board Chair, the responsibility was to oversee and coordinate all other aspects of the election. The number of received valid ballots totaled 303 which translated to a 51% ballot return rate.

Photo Management

The TMS Department shares the responsibility of maintaining historical photographs as well as creating a collection of contemporary images that will someday serve as historical reference.  The department goal is to catalog all existing digital images into a database that will allow the user to access, edit, and transmit at a rapid pace.  Once all existing digital images are organized, the remaining collection of non-digital images will then be converted and also stored.  The rationale for undertaking this project is to create greater work efficiency as well as create a secure and manageable system that can be utilized well into the future.

In the spring of 2006 TMS embarked on this photographic digital archive project.  The idea was to digitally convert and store all existing photographs. The bulk of these pictures included a majority of the historical Coquille Tribal Families.  In the last year, the TMS Department has worked in conjunction with the CIT Cultural Services Department in cataloging all culturally significant images and documents as well as (re)photographing artifacts that are currently in our possession.  New for this year is the Family Photo Project – a solicitation effort to acquire copies of images that exist in the homes of CIT families.  The number of mages currently cataloged in the photographic database now totals 5510

Enrollment Database

The TMS department utilizes an enrollment database to maintain tribal population data, vital statistics and demographic information.  The information is also shared with other tribal entities (Community Health Center, Housing Authority, and Education Department) as a means of eligibility verification for various tribal programs. 

TMS also works in conjunction with these entities to continually update database information in order to maintain the most accurate data possible.  While the database has proved to be very useful, improvements to the system are still possible.  By increasing the amount of available information and its accuracy, the Tribe will be able to expand its ability to reach the greatest amount of members in an effort to provide programs and services.  As always, the accuracy of the database depends upon tribal members and their families for current information. 

If you’ve moved or have changed a phone number, please let us know so that the appropriate updates can be made.

Tribal ID Cards

Tribal Member Services is responsible for providing ID cards to Tribal members and their spouses.  Individuals have two options for receiving a new or replacement card.  Eligible persons can schedule an appointment to come into the main office to have an ID picture taken and receive your card, or email your picture and have the card mailed to you.  In total, 183 ID cards were printed in 2009.

Records Management

In the twenty years since Restoration, the Coquille Indian Tribe has never established a formal method of storing its records.  Each department has for the most part acted independently to manage and maintain the records and documents specific to conducting its day to day business.  Unfortunately, the organizational model translates to having accumulated twenty years worth of file boxes and file cabinets that are either housed at a temporary storage unit or within the confines of the various tribal entities.  Because of organizational growth over the past few years, space (or lack of) has become an issue.  Another issue of great importance is the ability to retrieve documents in an organized and timely fashion.  The Tribe recently purchased data capture software that gives Records Management the ability to scan paper documents and import electronic documents into a records management system that will allow for quick access to records, as well as safe storage and backup of important Tribal information.  In actuality, there is a tremendous amount of planning and implementation that needs to take place over the next several years.  As is the case with most new programs, things will sometimes progress slowly.  Rather than illustrate everything that needs to be completed, below is a list of significant accomplishments to date as well as pertinent undertakings:

 

• Scanned original copies of CIT Resolutions from current date back through 1999.  All resolutions will be in the system by the Spring of 2010.
• Imported the last 3 years of Tribal Council agendas and meeting minutes.
• Initiated Tribal Council Workshop Information Forms – this procedure allows us to gather information from upcoming presenters and deliver it to Council Members and Executives ahead of the meetings.
• Establish a Records Management Working Group – this group function will be to brainstorm ideas and to address administrative concerns regarding records management.
• Set about developing a Records Management Policy and Procedure guide – this guide will lay the groundwork for the overall workings of the department and how it relates to other programs within the administration.
• Begin implementing document retention schedules for departments as well as all documents currently stored in temporary storage facility.

 

In all, some 17,000 pages of material have been scanned or imported into the records software allowing various users to quickly and efficiently search for and locate important information at their fingertips.  In the coming months, the amount of information within the system, both in administrative and cultural/historical context, will grow rapidly.  The ultimate goal of the program is to reduce paper usage thereby creating efficiency and organized and safe storage of all documents that are created by this organization or any other in which we do business.