July 20 2015 Chairmans Notes

Posoh Nec-Omaeqnomenewak, My last update was the start of June, so here is an update since then. Summer season is in full swing and we continue to push forward. In the past month, my office and the Legislature have held numerous meetings and intergovernmental consultations and below is a summary of some of the main events that have taken place: • June 10, 2015 – Special meeting of the Menominee Tribal Legislature to discuss the advisory referendum materials. In this meeting, we approved the plan of action which included approval of the upcoming events: - July 14-15, 2015 – Educational Forum; two 4 hour (repeated) sessions to be held at the Menominee Casino Convention Center on Tuesday from 4-8 pm and Wednesday from 12-4 pm. The system used will be different information tables/sections that people can visit to ask questions or pick up material. This event is open to Tribal members and Tribal employees. There will be food and Free-To-Plays for attendees. - August 13, 2015 – General Council Meeting of the Tribal Membership regarding the referendum to be held at the Menominee Casino Convention Center, Keshena, WI -August 19-20, 2015 – Advisory Referendum to allow or not allow the use of Cannabis. Polling will be held in Neopit on Wednesday August 19, 2015 at the Neopit Fire Station and in Keshena on Thursday August 20, 2015 at the Menominee Tribal Courthouse on Wolf River Drive in Keshena, WI. - In addition to these events, we have posted an ongoing link on our tribal website, so go to www.menominee-nsn.gov and click on “home” tab at top of page. You will see a link on the left side of the page, so please check this out and become educated on the issue. We tried to include all sides of the issue and to be as neutral in our material as possible. • June 10, 2015 – Attended the Robert Wood Johnson Leadership Dinner at the Casino. The Tribe, led by our Menominee Tribal Clinic, was selected from over 300 communities nationwide as a finalist for the Robert Wood Johnson Culture of Health Prize. The foundation had a site team here to interview us on the great efforts we have undertaken to improve our community. While we were one of 15 finalists, they will narrow these down to 10 communities to be awarded the prize and a grant. Based on even becoming a finalist, we should consider ourselves winners. Congratulations Gatie, Clinic, and tribe. • June 11, 2015 – Attended the Wisconsin Council on Humanities dinner, which was held at the Menominee Casino. This meeting was organized in order to build our relationship with the Council and to provide education on the Tribe’s people, places, and culture. • June 12, 2015 – Attended a GLITC meeting in Wausau regarding consultation with WI Dept of Justice/Special Agent and US Asst Attorney General/Federal Prosecutor regarding drug laws on reservations. Discussed developing stronger tribal laws on various reservations to keep drug offenders from “hiding out” on reservations without strong laws. Also discussed creation of communications protocol between tribes to inform the other tribes of offenders who leave their home rez and may try to reside on other reservations (similar to the Sex Offender Notification Program). Also created an agenda of pressing topics for our July consultation of tribal chairs with the WI State Attorney General. • June 15, 2015 – Met with the US Attorney General/Eastern WI, James Santelle, to discuss the position of his office regarding Tribe’s upcoming advisory referendum to allow or not allow cannabis, as well as any information regarding industrial hemp. This discussion was informative and did provide general information regarding the stance of the US Attorney General/Eastern District WI in relationship to the DOJ memorandum. This was at least our third or fourth meeting with his office. • June 15, 2015 – Attended the Joint MTL/Menominee County Task Force meeting. While there were several topics discussed, the main topic was primarily the county foreclosures on the approximately 57 properties held as county fee simple property for non-payment of property taxes. The number was over 120 to be foreclosed on originally, but some owners either paid their taxes owed or signed binding agreements to pay the county after they were warned of foreclosure. We tried to intervene to halt the foreclosures on certain properties (I believe 17 had homes on them where Menominee lived), but our request was denied by the county. While the tribe can’t legally stop the process now, MTL and tribal administration are working with the county board to understand the process they have developed to use. The county had discussed creating a county ordinance giving preference to family members of the former property owners, but I don’t know where that stands. If that comes to fruition, the tribe will definitely lend support to that measure. As I understand it, the county will put these properties up for bid (sale) and in the first round of bidding the bids must be at the appraised value or higher. If the properties aren’t sold, and no doubt many won’t be because the appraised values are very high, there will be a second round of bidding where bidders can bid what they perceive to be the fair market value, which realistically in most cases should be much lower than the appraised. The county will review these blind bids and determine if they believe the bids are reasonable. MTL will see how we might help in this whole process. We will keep you informed as the process unfolds. In hindsight, I respectfully think if you’re a tribal member paying county taxes you should consider turning your property back to the tribe in exchange for a 99-year lease, which is transferable upon your passing. This will save you a lot of money and keep you out of harm’s way if you fall behind in your taxes. • June 16, 2015 – Attended the retirement dinner for James “Pokey” Reiter at the Menominee Casino Convention Center. This event included a “roast” and tribute dedication in honor of Jim’s service to the Tribe and gaming industry. Just a week earlier the Native American Tourism of Wisconsin (NATOW) Council, at their annual conference, honored Pokey for his pioneering efforts in Indian Tourism in the age of gaming. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement Pokey, and waewaenen for your dedication and service. • June 19, 2015 – Held the Finance Manager position interviews (Kathy Kaquatosh is retiring-waewaenen for your service) and MTL selected (and he accepted) tribal member Greg Smith. Congratulations Greg, we are confident in your abilities, and proud to hire another tribal member in a lead role after MIGA just hired James “GeeGee” O’Kimosh as the Menominee Casino Resort General Manager. • June 22-26, 2015 – Attended the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Partner’s in Action Conference (PIA) in Baraboo, WI along with many of our tribal directors. We attend educational sessions held by BIA lead directors from their various agencies. Attending this saves the tribe monies and time, since we could meet with all their program directors at once instead of smaller conferences spread out over the year. I was also able to meet with the Midwest Regional Office, and staff from the Office of Indian Gaming’s Washington, DC Office, in 3 separate consultation meetings. • June 26, 2015 - Met with the State-Tribal Relations Committee tribal caucus after the PIA Conference. We believe we may have some fairly decent legislation in the new state budget that was created by this committee that is currently included in the state budget and may be kept in the budget bill when signed this month. We met to confirm related legislation was still in the budget bill and provide input needed for change options the State requested. • July 1, 2015 - Along with appropriate Directors of the Tribe, met with Secretary Anderson of Wisconsin’s Department of Children & Families. Our Directors were able to provide program overviews and then to discuss issues of mutual concern. While most of our funding is federal, we also receive state funding and work with state agencies. We were able to identify issues and potential solutions that could remedy the problems encountered by Tribal members when receiving or requesting services from the Tribe or State. • July 3, 2015 - While I did not attend the Neopit Fireworks, I heard it was great. The kids loved it and could stay home and be safe. Waewaenen to the Volunteer Fire Department for taking it upon themselves to set this up, and for your service to the community in general. • On July 7, 2015 – Met with former Senator Russ Feingold to discuss the Tribe’s priorities, needs and successes, as well as questioning the Senator on his platform going forward. We look forward to hearing from former Senator Feingold in the future as well as meeting and hearing from other candidates. We have much to look forward to. It is my wish that you all take a position to educate yourself further on the upcoming initiatives and voice your opinion at General Council and in the Advisory Referendum. Our goal for these upcoming events is to provide balanced information that identifies both the benefits and consequences of cannabis sale and use. In closing, I hope you all have been able to enjoy time with your relatives, whether it is family cook-outs, gathering at the lakes and rivers, attending pow-wows in the area, or just taking some time to cast around with your children on the river. If not, please take that time. Please remember our children, elders, disabled and our veterans in your thoughts and prayers. Eneq, Gary Besaw, Menominee Tribal Chairman

Gary Besaw

  

Date: 7/20/2015