Band Assembly Weekly Update, November 2-6

Published

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Band Assembly hosted a Pre-Band Assembly meeting on Tuesday, November 3, a regular Band Assembly meeting on Wednesday, November 4, and a work session on Thursday, November 5.

At the Wednesday meeting, which occurred through conference call and Zoom, Band Assembly heard a donation request from Brendan Fairbanks, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota, for an Ojibwe Immersion House at the University of Minnesota.

Commissioner of Administration Melissa “Baabiitaw” Boyd came to the meeting to discuss the suspension of Grievance Committee and the Early Elder Retirement Option.

The following bills and resolutions were introduced and approved:

a) Band Assembly Bill 19-02-04-21: A Bill of Supplemental Appropriation for the Health & Human Services, Natural Resources and Education Departments for the Fiscal Years ending September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2021. Sponsor: District III Representative.

b) Band Assembly Bill 19-02-05-20: A Bill enacting the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Home Ownership Act, to be known as Leasing of Trust Lands, and numbered in the Mille Lacs Band Statutes as Chapter 7 of Title 21. The Leasing of Trust Lands Code will grant the Band the authority to negotiate and enter into leases without further approvals by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Specifically, the Act authorizes the Band to execute agricultural and business leases of Band trust lands for a primary term of 25 years and up to two renewal terms of 25 years each. Leases of Band trust lands for residential, recreational, religious, or educational purposes may be executed for a primary term of up to 75 years. Sponsor: District I Representative. Bill was introduced and approved with changes and with a waiver of the formal reading.

c) Resolution 19-02-12-21: A Resolution Approving the Continuance of the Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, Non-Gaming, and Gaming Fiscal Operations Until December 31, 2020. Resolution was approved with a waiver of the formal reading.

Contracts were approved for home repairs, fire rehab, development of a chronic pain clinic, and technical assistance and training for Guardians Ad Litem.

Formal notifications from Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures were approved for the following:

  1. Grand Casino Mille Lacs – Projects – Scoping Services
  2. Grand Casino Hinckley – Security – Patrol Vehicle
  3. Grand Casino Hinckley – Grounds – Gardener Truck
  4. Grand Casino Hinckley – Projects – Scoping Services
  5. Grand Casino Mille Lacs & Hinckley – Information Technology – Telecom Hardware/Software Replacement.

Formal requests from Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures were approved for the following:

— Formal Request FY2021 Capital Project (MLCV): Grand Casino Mille Lacs New Device and Computer Equipment. Formal Request approved.

— Formal Request FY2021 Capital Project (MLCV): Grand Casino Hinckley New Device and Computer Equipment. Formal Request approved

— Formal Request FY2021 Capital Project (MLCV): Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Hinckley – Infrastructure Hardware/Software Replacement. Formal Request approved

— Formal Request FY2021 Capital Project (MLCV): Gaming Regulatory Authority – Surveillance Capital. Formal Request approved

— Formal Request FY2021 Capital Project (MLCV): Grand Casino Mille Lacs Slot Capital. Formal Request approved

— Formal Request FY2021 Capital Project (MLCV): Grand Casino Hinckley – HVAC Upgrades. Formal Request approved

— Formal Request FY2021 Capital Project (MLCV): Grand Casino Mille Lacs – HVAC Upgrades. Formal Request approved

— Formal Request FY2021 Capital Project (MLCV): Grand Casino Hinckley – Slot Capital. Formal Request approved

The following items remain tabled:

a) Nomination (TERO): A letter from Secretary-Treasurer Boyd dated October 22, 2020 nominating Ezra Sam and Krista Klug to serve on the Tribal Employment Rights Commission Board. Term expiration date will be December 31, 2024. Tabled 10/28/2020

b) Resolution 19-02-05-21: A Resolution Authorizing Submission of the Mille Lacs Band Leasing of Trust Lands Code to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (“BIA”) Central Office, Deputy Bureau Director – Office of Trust Services (“DBD-TS”). Tabled 10/7/2020

c) Band Assembly Bill 18-04-16-20: A Bill for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (“Corporate Ventures”), a corporate body politic of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (“Band”), for the purpose of appropriating funds and authorizing expenditures to Corporate Ventures for its operations, and capital and economic development projects for the period beginning October 1, 2019 and ending September 30, 2020.
Sponsor: District I Representative Tabled 12/10/2019

d) Band Assembly Bill 18-04-17-20: A Bill for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (“Corporate Ventures”), a corporate body politic of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (“Band”), for the purpose of appropriating funds and authorizing expenditures to Corporate Ventures for the operations, and capital and economic development projects of any current or future non-gaming business managed or operated directly or indirectly by Corporate Ventures (“Non-Gaming Businesses”) for the period beginning October 1, 2019 and ending September 30, 2020.
Sponsor: District II Representative Tabled 12/10/2019

e) Band Assembly Bill 18-04-18-20: A Bill for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (“Corporate Ventures”), a corporate body politic of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (“Band”), for the purpose of appropriating funds and authorizing expenditures to Corporate Ventures for the operations, and capital and economic development projects of Grand Casino Hinckley and Grand Casino Mille Lacs (“Casinos”) for the period beginning October 1, 2019 and ending September 30, 2020.
Sponsor: District III Representative Tabled 12/10/2019

Legislative held a work session on Thursday, November 5, for the Band Assembly members, Legal Counsel, Staff Attorney, and Legislative Staff. Attendees reviewed comments that came in during the public comment period for the Revisor of Statutes Code. The attendees went through the comments received and the Notice of Formal Public Hearing, discussed the public hearing process, and considered all comments and agreement on draft changes while ensuring the comments enhance the Revisor of Statutes Code.