HomeMy WebLinkAboutTribal-County Relations Committee - Minutes - 6/24/2002Minutes of the Bayfield County Tribal Study Committee Meeting
1:00pm, Monday, June 24, 2002 Bayfield County Annex Conference Room
The meeting of the Bayfield County- Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribal Study
Committee was called to order at 1:00pm, Monday, June 24, 2002, at the Bayfield County Annex
Building East Conference Room.
Members present: Dave Good, Ray DePerry, Phil Gordon, Dick Compton and Leo
LaFernier.
Others Present: Donna Lynk, Mark Abeles-Allison, Jan Karlen, Karl Kastrosky, Amelia
Lindsey, Beth Armstrong, and Kris Kavajecz
No chairman or vice-chairman was elected for this committee. It was mutually agreed that when
the meeting is held at the County complex, David Good would serve as chairman, and that Ray
DePerry would serve as chairman when the committee meets in Red Cliff.
Meeting called to order at 3:10pm by Good.
Motion by DePerry, second by Compton to approve minutes of the April 18, 2002 meeting.
Motion carried.
BIOTERRORISM PLANNING MONEY-Amelia Lindsey
Lindsey clarified for all present the difference in the Bioterrorism planning grant and the
implementation grant. Lindsey further stated that monies for the planning grant needed to be
spent by December 31, 2002. Handouts were presented which detailed the proposed Local
Public Health Consortiums and Potential Trauma Regions that have been tentatively identified
for the purpose of Bioterrorism planning. The County was awarded $11,903 and the tribe
$5,179. Lindsey will be copying any communications regarding this planning process to Patti
Deragon and Dick Reese. Lindsey indicated that the implementation of this program may result
in the hiring of 3 employees for the consortium area.
LAND-USE PLANNING ORDINANCE REVISION, PARTNERING WITH BAYFIELD
COUNTY- Karl Kastrosky
Kastrosky, as an advisory member of the Bayfield County Land Use Planning Committee,
attended the committee meeting to ensure that the tribe was being fully informed and included in
all portions of the Land Use Planning process. Brief discussion of past committee and land use
communications was held. DePerry explained that one tribal member is an advisory member of
the Land Use Planning Committee and he feels that the current communication with the tribe is
sufficient. DePerry requested a copy of the most recent draft of the Land Use Plan.
The tribe is currently considering implementing a zoning department and may request assistance
and training from the county zoning office.
DISCUSSION REGARDING GROWTH OF UNDERAGE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
AND GENERAL DISCUSSION REGARDING LAW ENFORCEMENT RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE TRIBE AND BAYFIELD COUNTY:
DePerry presented statistics from the Red Cliff Police Department that stated that 33% of total
citations issued in the last 6 months were for juvenile alcohol offenses. Gordon added that he
has observed a significant increase in juvenile related alcohol offenses in the recent months.
Karlen presented Bayfield county statistics on first time underage alcohol offenses. Over ½ of
all offenses that were alcohol related occurred within June July and August.
A representative from Red Cliff observed the most recent Teen Court proceedings in Bayfield
County. The Tribe is interested in developing a teen court program of their own. Karlen
clarified that only 1st time misdemeanor offenders were eligible for teen court. All alcohol
related offenses were processed through regular circuit court. In addition, Bayfield County does
no offer community service to juveniles. Fines, restitution, and miscellaneous penalties are
imposed by the teen court.
A discussion regarding jurisdictional issues followed. It was decided to table the jurisdictional
issue discussion until representatives from both law enforcement agencies could be present. It
was suggested by Abeles-Allison and agreed upon by DePerry to meet informally prior to the
next Tribal Studies Committee meeting to discuss these issues.
Officer Kangas and Pam Deragon will be asked to attend the next Tribal Studies Committee
meeting to further discuss the Teen Court and other potential programs to deter juvenile
violations.
COOPERATIVE EFFORTS
Abeles-Allison explained that the County Fair would take place from August 8 through 11. He
asked if the tribe would be interested in providing transportation for individuals or groups from
Red Cliff that may be interested in attending the fair. The County Administrator’s office will
forward a letter of request to the Tribal Chairman for review.
LAND SALE
Donna Lynk introduced Beth Armstrong, who will be working on the Tribal Land Recovery
Project for the next several months. Beth attended the meeting as an observer and did not
provide input at this time. Lynk presented several handouts: 1) Lands currently owned by
Bayfield county, but are located within Tribal boundaries and contain in excess of 20 acres of
property 2) Lands owned by Bayfield County, but are located within Tribal boundaries and
contain under four acres of property. 3) A list of land currently identified as being subject to tax
deed foreclosure 3) Parcels of Tribal Land that the County may have a fractional interest in due
to Non-Native American heirs.
After lengthy discussion, it was decided that the following would take place regarding each of
the parcel types that were identified by each handout:
1. The parcels that contained in excess of 20 acres would be discussed as possible land
swaps. In order to facilitate this discussion, further investigation will be completed by
both the county and the Tribe to investigate possible land swap options. The main issue
with these properties is the designation as forest crop land, which provides revenue to the
county.
2. The parcels that contain under 4 acres will be evaluated on an individual basis. Chairman
DePerry will forward a letter to the county officially requesting that the parcels be
deeded to the tribe.
3. Cecelia DePerry property. This is a fee property, no longer in the tribal trust. It is
delinquent on taxes. The tribe has paid the 1997 taxes to delay the tax deed foreclosure
process. Two parcels at the north end, across from York Island are at issue. The tribe
would like to bring these properties back into the reservation. Abeles-Allison will further
investigate the legal questions related to reverting this property back to the tribe rather
than taking the property on a tax deed foreclosure. The question is whether the county
could sell the property to the tribe after foreclosure rather than place the land up for
auction/bidding or could the county deed the land to the Township and then require the
township to deed the land to the tribe.
4. A final category of property was included on a sheet entitled Trust Allotments Shown on
Town of Russell Tax Roles. These are properties that are in the trust, not taxed but which
BC may have a fractional interest in. Donna is going to determine what interest if any
BC has in these properties and report back.
Lynk reported that the Bureau of Indian Affairs instructed that the county should take the
property under tax deed foreclosure and then proceed with the process as outlined in item 3 listed
above. Lynk also stated that it was a concern to the tribe that if the land were to be taken by the
county on tax deed foreclosure and then sold to the tribe, the county would maintain mineral
rights to the property.
The topic will be discussed further at the next Tribal Studies Committee Meeting.
The next meeting will be August 15 at the Red Cliff Bingo Hall at 1:00pm.
Motion by Gordon, second by LaFernier to adjourn. Motion Carried. Meeting adjourned at
3:05pm.