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Legislative Highlights
Tuesday, September 29, 2020: Legislative hosted a Pre-Band Assembly meeting to discuss the agenda items.
Wednesday, September 30, 2020: Band Assembly occurred through conference call and Zoom.
Band Assembly approved a contract for SailorsAllen Law to provide representation for MLB member clients that do not qualifying for Public Defenders in Mille Lacs County due to income exclusions as a result of per capita income.
Band Assembly Bill 19-02-63-20, A Bill of Supplemental Appropriations for Health & Human Services, Administration, and Natural Resources for Fiscal Year ending September 30, 2020, was introduced by the District II Representative and approved.
Joint Resolution 19-02-159-20: A Joint Resolution Approving the FY2021 Required Match for the Tribal Child Support Enforcement Program in Collaboration with the United States Administration for Children and Families – Tribal Child Support Enforcement Grant was approved with a waiver of the formal reading.
A number of contracts were approved for fiscal year 2020-21, including:
• A contract for MLCV Leasing, LLC. for the leasing of office space in the corporate building to be used by the Gaming Regulatory Authority, Office of Compliance and Regulation.
• A contract for Many Rivers West, L.P. for the leasing of eight (8) apartments to the Mille Lacs Band and its members in the Urban area. Contract end date is September 30, 2021.
• A contract for Rogers Plumbing, Heating & Electrical to provide plumbing services for projects for residential sites in D1, D2, D2a, and D3.
• A contract for Rogers Plumbing, Heating & Electrical to provide HVAC services for projects for residential sites in D1, D2, D2a, and D3.
• A contract for Rogers Plumbing, Heating & Electrical to provide electrical services for projects for residential sites in D1, D2, D2a, and D3.
• A contract for Aitkin Glass Service, Inc. to provide labor and materials for glass, window repairs, and replacements for residential sites in D1, D2, D2A & D3.
• A contract for Diversified Enterprises dba Vanderpoel Disposal to provide, delivery and pick up of dumpsters at the D1 warehouse, D2 warehouse and residential sites in the area surrounding D1, D2 & D2A.
• A contract for Wex Companies, Inc dba Septic Check to provide septic pumping and jetting for residential sites in D1, D2, D2A & D3.
• A contract for Hartl Enterprises, LLC dba Ron’s Roll-Offs to provide, delivery and pick up of dumpsters for residential sites, D3 housing warehouse and surrounding area.
• A contract for Garrison Disposal to provide solid waste disposal and for weekly roll-off, commercial dumpsters, recycling pick up at the MLB transfer station and to provide service for D1 & D2 community clean up.
• A contract for Thompson Excavating, LLC to provide and deliver black dirt as requested to multiple project sites within the D1, D2, D2A & D3 areas.
• A contract for Hartl Enterprises, LLC dba Ron’s Roll-Offs to provide, deliver and pick up roll-offs for various projects sites in D3.
• A contract for Diversified Enterprises dba Vanderpoel Disposal to provide, deliver and pick up roll-offs for various project sites in D1, D2 and D2A.
• A contract for Degerstrom & Sons Construction, LLC. to provide materials and labor for various residential roofing project sites in D1, D2, D3, Urban and the surrounding areas.
• A contract for EZ Excavating, LLC. to provide materials and labor to install an onsite box mound septic system at an existing rental home in D1, 17423 Virgo Road Onamia.
• A contract for Hy-Tec Construction of Brainerd, Inc. to provide materials and labor for the D1 ALU deck removal and replacement of the patio door units with a fixed center panel and patching of the exterior building finishes where deck structures are removed.
• A contract for Degerstrom & Sons Construction, LLC. to provide materials and labor for a private Elder home renovation located at 1711 Linden Lane, Brainerd, MN.
• A contract for MPJ Enterprise, LLC. to provide labor and materials for the installation of a new onsite septic system and abandon the existing system at a residence in D3, 13970 Emma Road, Hinckley, MN.
• A contract addendum #1 for Anderson Brothers Construction Company of Brainerd, LLC. for the D1 Hwy 169 HAWK crossing construction project, increasing the contract, to replace all of the existing fence along US Hwy 169.
• A contract addendum #1 for Garrison Disposal to cover additional cost of increased volume of disposal for this year’s weekly roll-off service along with community clean up events.
• A contract for Praestan Health to provide Psychiatric Outpatient Care at Ne Ia Shing Clinic and Four Winds Treatment Center.
• A contract for JSB Surveillance, LLC. to provide the replacement of 35 IP cameras at Mille Lacs Early Education in D1.
• A contract for Bohn Properties of McGregor, LLC. to provide a twelve-month commercial lease in McGregor for the D2 Aanjibimaadizing Program.
• A contract for Brett Larson to provide specialized professional services as editor and media relations consultant.
• A contract for DeLaForest Consulting, LLC. to provide strategic government affairs counsel and direct State lobbying services for the Mille Lacs Band.
• A contract for Red Circle Agency to provide public relations communications to The Band.
• A contract for Lockridge, Grindal, Nauen P.L.L.P to provide strategic government affairs counsel and direct State legislature lobbying for the Band.
• A contract for Lockridge, Grindal, Nauen P.L.L.P. to provide management of the Political Action Committee (“PAC”).
• A contract for Holland & Knight LLP. to provide Federal Government relations for the Band.
• A contract for The Rotunda Group to provide consulting services and State Legislature lobbying services for the Band.
• A contract for KAGR Jensen, Inc. to provide public relations initiatives, crisis media management, proactive public relations strategic planning and execution, media relations, media training and interview preparation and strategic counsel to the Band’s Government Affairs team. Contract end date is September 30, 2021. Contract was approved.
• A provider agreement for Dr. Anne Riddle to render family medicine services for the Band, at the Ne Ia Shing clinic, as determined by the Commissioner of Health & Human Services.
• A provider agreement for Dr. Brian Riddle to render family medicine services for the Band, at the Ne Ia Shing clinic, as determined by the Commissioner of Health & Human Services.
• A provider agreement for Dr. Michelle O’Brien to render family medicine services for the Band, at the Ne Ia Shing clinic, as determined by the Commissioner of Health & Human Services.
A Bill of Supplemental Appropriation for Supplemental Economic Expenditure for Fiscal Year ending September 30, 2020 was introduced by the District III Representative and approved.
Another Band Assembly occurred through conference call and Zoom. Resolution 19-02-01-20: A Resolution Approving a License to Operate Wewinabi, Head Start and Early Head Start in Districts I, II, and III was approved.
Thursday, October 1, 2020: Band Assembly occurred through conference call and Zoom.
Band Assembly approved the agenda. Formal Notification dated September 25, 2020 from Joseph Nayquonabe, Commissioner of Corporate Affairs, of FY2020, Capital Projects that reads as follows:
“Please accept this letter as a formal notification that we intend to open FY2020 capital projects. Per the revenue ordinance we must provide notice at least ten (10) business days before expending the money on a project equal to or exceeding $25,000 and less than $250,000. If the Band Assembly fails to stay the project within ten (10) business days after receiving notice, then Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures may expend money on the project.”
- Grand Casino Mille Lacs – Digital Signage and Equipment
- Grand Casino Mille Lacs – Hotel Lock Upgrades
- Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures – Data Analytics Expanded Platform
Legislative held a work session for the Band Assembly members, Legal Counsel, Staff Attorney, and Chief Executive Legal and Policy Counsel. Work Session Agenda: Minutes: Review, Title 8 – Child Support: Review federal government’s comments, and Revisor of Statutes: Review. Band Assembly members reviewed minutes by date with questions, comments, and corrections if needed. The attendees went through Title 8 Proposed revisions red line version line by line. Questions and comments were made during each section. Draft changes were made upon agreement of all involved while considerations of other parties affected or may be involved with the revisions.