Elwha Klallam Tribe 

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe • 2851 Lower Elwha Road • Port Angeles, WA 98363

Phone (360) 452-8471 • Fax (360) 452-3428

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Departmental Fact Sheet

Tribal Council: The Lower Elwha Tribal Council, or Business Committee, is comprised of the five elected officials serving three year, overlapping terms. In balloting held one week after the annual May general election, the Chairperson is elected by all eligible voters, over 21, for a one-year term. The Business Committee has full and ultimate responsibility for management of all tribal programs operating on an annual budget in excess of six million dollars.

Child Care: The Tribe operates a licensed childcare center for 40 children, age birth through 12 years. Additionally, child care vouchers are available to eligible Native Americans residing in the Tribe’s service area who need child care to attend school, work, or work training or have need for child care for child protective purposes. The construction of our new childcare facility has been completed, so we are now located at Stratton Rd. For any further information, please call Chris Tyndall 452-3562.

Economic Development: The Tribe is currently funded with a grant to explore several development opportunities. This group is working with community members to assist in small business development and to research enterprise options for the Tribe as a whole. The tribe is collaborating with neighboring tirbes on a varity of issues of common interests.  Please call Rachel Hagaman ext. 142.

Education/TERO: The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe administers the Higher Education, Adult Vocational Training, and Adult Basic Education and GED classes for tribal members and other qualified individuals. Some other programs offered are Head start, Summer Youth Employment, and Johnson O’Malley that provides tutoring and other educational enhancement. The Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance (TERO) Program was established to ensure that qualified Native Americans are employed for jobs within the Reservation Boundaries that are part of Federally funded contracts. This programis coordinated by Mel Wheeler, ext. 218

Elders Program: This program provides meals for Native American Elders 55 years and up, funded through the Department of Health and Human Services, Title VI, Older Americans Act and U.S.D.A.. Meals are served five days a week in the Lower Elwha dining hall. Serena Antioquia is the program director.  She can be reached at ext. 177

Environmental Quality: The Tribal Environmental Quality (TEQ) Office addresses environmental threats to human health of the tribal community and ecological impacts to the Lower Elwha Reservation. Current projects include flood hazard planning, Klallam Community Forest, interpretive trail systems, computer mapping, clean up agreements for closure of the Rayonier Mill site, operation of community water systems, surface water quality testing, and treatment as a state for Water Quality Standards. Matt Beirne ext. 129

Grant Writing: This department is responsible for development of most grant proposals across all other program areas, grant management, and budget preparation. Ralph Kopansky head up this department, and he can be reached at ext. 126, but he wouldn't be complete without the helping hand of Mrs. Arlene Wheeler who is available at ext. 142..

Housing Authority: Lower Elwha Housing Authority has 103 houses under its jurisdiction. These houses are being purchased by Tribal members. All the houses are less than 6 years old or have been totally remodeled. The Housing Authority is in the process of building 10 more houses and a childcare center. Gerald Ballard ext. 161

Information Services: The Information Services department is responsible for maintaining the fully networked Tribal facilities and the on-line capabilities of the employees and tribal members as well as the phone system. The department is currently in the midst of a project funded by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine to improve our data connections to the web and other governmental agencies. Our web site is located at (www.elwha.org) Gary Smith  ext.114

Library: The Lower Elwha Tribe has a small lending library that also has a computer granted by the Washington State library system. This computer and its internet connectivity allow for research and web browsing ability for patrons. The Nataion Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) has provided a grant for Reservation-wide infranstructure. This tribal connections project can be found at www.tribalconnections.org

Police: The Tribal Police Department is dedicated to providing quality law enforcement services to the residents of the Tribal Community. The Police Department currently employs six Tribal members. The department is committed to professionalism through training and is the State Training Coordinator agency for the Clallam and Jefferson County region, as well as running the only Reserve Academy in the region. The agency prides itself on its dedication to youth and the reduction of fear and personal violence in the Tribal Community. A primary focus of the Tribe is the prevention and intervention of domestic violence. Michael Lasnier ext. 117

Social Services: The Social Services department provides a variety of services. It is the lead tribal agency for all matters involving Indian Child Welfare as defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, including direct child care and benefits, guardianship, and child placement activities. Another portion of this program is providing direct financial and in-kind services via General Assistance, Emergency Food (Food Bank and Food Vouchers), and Energy Assistance (LIHEAP and Elder’s Wood Program). The Tribe implemented its own TANF program on October 1, 1998 and Dept. of Labor – Welfare-to-Work program in June, 1999. The Social Services Team also works closely with other Tribal, State and Federal programs to coordinate services. Cecile Greenway ext. 136