Band Assembly Weekly Update, November 30-December 4, 2020

Published

For the entire update, see legislative-weekly-update-12-4-20-final.

The Mille Lacs Band Assembly approved two bills at their meeting on Wednesday, December 2:

— Band Assembly Bill 19-02-08-21: A Bill enacting the Revisor of Statutes Code as Title 25. The Revisor of Statutes Code will grant the Revisor the authority to establish an independent Revisor’s Office to ensure the annual compilation, updating, and publication of Band laws and official acts; to provide confidential drafting services of proposed legislation and policy revisions to District Representatives; and to establish a Tribal Register for the publication of Band statutes and policies, Executive Orders, Secretarial Orders, Commissioner’s Orders, Legislative Orders, Chief Justice Orders, Solicitor’s Opinions, and other official notices. The sponsor of the bill was District II Representative Marvin Bruneau. The bill was introduced and approved with a waiver of the formal reading.

— Band Assembly Bill 19-02-09-21: A Bill of Supplemental Appropriation for the Administration, Natural Resources, and Health & Human Services Department for the Fiscal Year ending September 30, 2021. Sponsor: District I Representative. Bill was introduced, read and approved with removal of Administration Interest Fund Portion and correction.

Michaa Aubid, a member of the Minisinaakwaang Leadership Academy School Board, provided an educational update. Presented history of MLA and school, employee, and budget information. Donation request items with questions, comments, plan to be under NAS, and goal for BIE status. Best interest of the Band for Education.

Band Assembly records from February 11 through August 26, 2020, were approved.

The following contracts were approved:

— A contract for Deerwood Technologies, Inc. to provide monthly maintenance, repair services, and troubleshooting for the Tribal Police computers and servers to keep the department compliant with federal and state guidelines. Contract end date is September 30, 2021. Contract approved.

— A contract for SCR to provide emergency repairs and response to heating, cooling, and boilers for all District ALU buildings. Contract end date is September 30, 2021. Contract approved.

— A contract for SCR Companies to provide materials and labor for heating, cooling, HVAC, and control systems for Band facilities in District 1, 2, 2a, and 3. Contract end date is September 30, 2021. Contract approved.

— A contract for Negen & Associates to provide architectural services and engineering services for the conversion of the old clinic in District 1 into the Aanjibimaadizing Program facility. Contract end date is December 31, 2021. Contract approved.

— A contract addendum #1 for Degerstrom & Sons Construction, LLC to reduce the total contract amount due to the deletion of supply and installation of three rows of aluminum bleachers as well as extending the contract date from September 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Contract approved.

— A contract for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures to provide implementation of Tribal Economic Business Incubator through the Minnesota Disaster Recover Fund Grant through the St Paul & Minnesota Foundation in support of coronavirus recovery in the community. Contract end date is April 30, 2021. Contract tabled.

Resolution 19-02-24-21: A Resolution Approving the Grant Application Submission to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Energy and Mineral Development Program for a Feasibility Study for Solar Energy was approved with waiver of formal reading.

A hardship request from District I was approved.

Several bills remain tabled:

— Nomination: On November 9, 2020 Chief Executive Benjamin nominated Sylvia Wise for the District III Associate Justice position pursuant to 5 MLBS § 5 (b). Band Assembly has thirty (30) days to either confirm or reject the nomination.

— 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.

— 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.

— 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.

Band Assembly also met for a Pre-Band Assembly on Tuesday, December 1, to discuss the agenda items, and a Legislative work session on Thursday, December 3, with the Band Assembly members, Legal Counsel, Staff Attorneys, Legislative Staff and Legal & Policy Counsel. Work Session Agenda: Legislative Order: Legislative Sessions, Revenue Allocation Plan (RAP), and Title 3.

At the work session, they reviewed a Legislative Order regarding Legislative Sessions, discussed Title 3 to possibly remove Roberts Rules of Order and replace with Masons Manual for Legislative Bodies, and read and discussed the Revenue Allocation Plan revisions line by line.