HomeMy WebLinkAboutTribal-County Relations Committee - Minutes - 7/15/2024
Bayfield County Administrator
117 E 5th Street, PO Box 878, Washburn, WI 54891
Ph: 715-373-6181 Fax: 715-373-6153
Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator Kristine Kavajecz, Human Resources Director
Kim Mattson, Finance Director Gail Reha, Bookkeeper Paige Terry, Clerk III
MINUTES OF THE:
Bayfield County Tribal Relations Committee Meeting
9:00am, Monday, July 15, 2024
Meeting was held at the Bayfield County Board Room, Courthouse, Washburn, WI
Members Present: Tribal Vice-Chair Rick Peterson, Tribal Chairwoman Nicole Boyd, Supervisor Steve
Sandstrom, Supervisor Mary Dougherty
Members Excused:
Others Present: Bayfield County Chief Deputy Andy Runice, Bayfield County Administrator Mark Abeles-
Allison, Red Cliff Tribal Police Chief Jess Hall, Bayfield County Sheriff Tony Williams, and Bayfield County
Clerk III Paige Terry.
Called to order at 9:01 a.m. by Committee Chair Sandstrom.
Introductions: Introductions of committee members and attendees were made.
Public Comment: None.
Minutes of May 20, 2024, County-Tribal Relations Committee Meeting: Motion by Dougherty, seconded by
Boyd to approve the minutes of the May 20, 2024, County-Tribal Relations Committee Meeting. Motion
carried, 4-0.
Tribal-County Law Enforcement Grant Agreement: Bayfield County Administrator, Mark Abeles-Allison,
gave a brief history of the grant agreement to the committee. Bayfield County Sheriff, Tony Williams, stated
that he and Red Cliff Police Chief, Jess Hall, have had discussions regarding the 2025 agreement and the topic
of staffing has come up as a major challenge for the Red Cliff Police Department. Williams explained that the
lack of staff for RCPD will put a strain on the Sheriff’s Office as the office will need to provide a lot of
additional coverage to the area. Hall stated that the department will have four positions open soon. Williams
explained that Bayfield County Corporation Counsel, John Carlson, is currently in the process of working on an
interagency agreement that would allow the Sheriff’s Office to conduct the bulk of the field training for new
officers for the smaller law enforcement agencies throughout the county. Hall spoke on the staffing challenges
that have been experienced by the department. Boyd informed the committee on the funding and management
challenges faced by the department. Committee members expressed interest in maintaining the Tribal-County
Law Enforcement MOU regardless of grant funding. Sandstrom reiterated that the MOU is not part of the
agenda and cannot be added to the agenda as the agreement is the only action item on the agenda. The
committee reviewed edits recommend by Red Cliff to the grant agreement. Boyd stated that Red Cliff is not
prepared to take action on the agreement at this time and that the changes would be brought to the Red Cliff
legal counsel for final review before they come back to the committee for approval. Abeles-Allison
recommended the committee take action on the agreement at the next meeting scheduled for September.
Proposed Next Meeting Time and Date: September 16, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in Washburn.
Adjournment: There being no further business to discuss, committee chairman Sandstrom adjourned the
meeting at 9:58 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
PAIGE A. TERRY,
Clerk III, Bayfield County Administrator’s & Clerk’s Offices
On behalf of the Bayfield County-Tribal Relations Committee
PAT