Updates from the Chief Executive

June Message from the Chief Executive

Aaniin, Band members. May was a joyful and busy month as high school graduation season swept through our region. I had the privilege of attending some of the ceremonies and witnessing the pride and excitement of families and graduates alike. I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of our graduates. Your hard work and determination have brought you to this important milestone, and we couldn’t be prouder. A special shoutout goes to those who not only completed high school but also earned their Associate’s Degrees — an outstanding accomplishment! I look forward to celebrating all of our graduates, from high school and beyond, at a special event later this summer. Congratulations to our dedicated young Band members — your futures are bright, and we can’t wait to see all you’ll accomplish.

I want to take a moment to shed some light on a significant issue that has recently resurfaced. First, I want to recognize the dedication of our attorneys, lobbyists, and Mille Lacs Band staff, as well as the resilience of Band members throughout our many legal battles with Mille Lacs County. Those battles have involved, among other things, our 1837 treaty hunting, fishing, and gathering rights; our efforts to place lands into trust; the construction and operation of our regional wastewater treatment plant; and, most recently, our law enforcement authority. The Band has prevailed in every instance.

The recent battle over our law enforcement authority began in 2016 with the County’s revocation of a mutual aid law enforcement agreement between the County and the Band. The agreement had been entered into under a state law conferring state law enforcement authority on the Band. After revoking the agreement, the County asserted that, with limited exceptions, the Band no longer had state law enforcement authority within the 1855 Reservation. It also challenged our inherent, sovereign authority — which exists separately and apart from state law — to enforce the law within our Reservation and protect our community. The County’s challenge included threats to arrest Band police officers for doing their jobs.

After revocation of the agreement and the threats to our police officers, there was a rise in crime, drug trafficking, over doses, and violence on the Reservation. Our community was in crisis. Our efforts to negotiate a new agreement with the County went nowhere, in large part because the County demanded that we act as if our 1855 Reservation had been disestablished as the price of a new agreement. We refused to give in to this demand and instead filed suit in 2017 to confirm our inherent law enforcement authority within the 1855 Reservation.

The Band prevailed on all issues in the Federal District Court, including the continued existence of the 1855 Reservation and the existence of the Band’s inherent law enforcement authority throughout the Reservation. The County appealed the District Court’s decisions to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

While the County’s appeal was pending, the Minnesota Legislature amended the state law conferring law enforcement authority on the Band. That amendment means the Band has concurrent state law enforcement with the county sheriff over all lands and all persons within the 1855 Reservation boundaries, without the need for an agreement with the County. In other words, the Minnesota Legislature delegated to the Band the very authority the County sought to deny to the Band in 2016 and that the Band sought to establish in its lawsuit.

In order for a lawsuit to proceed in federal court, either in a district court or on appeal, there must be a live dispute. Because the Band obtained everything it was seeking in its lawsuit when the state law was amended, there was no longer a live dispute. Accordingly, the Band asked the Eighth Circuit to dismiss the County’s appeal. The County opposed the Band’s request, but the Eighth Circuit agreed with the Band and dismissed the County’s appeal, bringing the case to an end.

Because the County was unable to pursue its appeal, the Eighth Circuit also “vacated” the District Court’s decisions. The Eighth Circuit stated that the effect of vacating the District Court’s decisions was to leave the underlying issues, including the status of the 1855 Reservation, to a future lawsuit that would be subject to appellate review.

Some have said that the Eighth Circuit indicated that, had it reached the reached the issue regarding the 1855 Reservation on the merits, it would have found that the Reservation had been disestablished. This is wrong. The Eighth Circuit said repeatedly it had no power to decide that issue and that it was leaving that issue to be decided in a future case. While it included a limited discussion of the issue, it did not pretend to decide it. In fact, the Eighth Circuit expressly agreed with the District Court that prior Supreme Court decisions were not inconsistent with the continued existence of the Reservation.

We are the Non-Removable Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Our ancestors negotiated the 1855 Treaty in good faith, and in the 170 years since then, we have worked to live peacefully on our homelands. As we developed economic tools, we have invest ed in our people and contributed significantly to the well-being of the broader community. Today, our law enforcement officers serve side by side with local agencies, helping to ensure public safety for everyone. That’s not a loss — it’s progress. And no amount of misinformation can change the truth we’ve always known: our rights are intact, our Reservation was never disestablished, and our presence is permanent.

Adopt-a-Shoreline and Rez Road Cleanups

In May, the Band conducted its Adopt-a-Shoreline and Rez Road Cleanups. As of this writing, I have participated in both the cleanup efforts in Districts I and III, and I plan to attend the cleanup in District II. As Anishinaabe people, appropriate land stewardship is one of our core values. We must honor the Earth in our everyday lives, the same way we expect others not to negatively impact the environment. Events like these also serve to remind officials such as myself who and what we work for: Band members, our way of life, and the natural environment we all care so deeply about. Thank you to our Department of Natural Resources and all other staff members who helped make these cleanup efforts a success.

Commissioner Nominations

I recently sent three Commissioner nominations to the Band Assembly for their consideration. My nominees are Kelly Apple gate for Commissioner of Natural Resources, Raina Killspotted for Commissioner of Education, and Darcie Big Bear for Commissioner of Administration. I rely on each of these Commissioners to carry out the everyday business of the Band, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work they have done so far.

Commissioner Kelly Applegate has served the Band with unwavering dedication through his work in the Department of Natural Resources since 2006. Upon his promotion to Director of Resource Management, he quickly demonstrated his ability and commitment to protecting the Band’s natural resources. Now, after more than 18 years of service, he continues to play an instrumental role in guiding the Department of Natural Resources and ensuring that cultural values and traditional knowledge remain at the heart of the Band’s environmental policy.

Moving on to Commissioner Raina Killspotted. Her seven-month tenure has been marked by key accomplishments that reflect her strong leadership and dedication to education. Among other successes, Commissioner Killspotted revitalized the Ojibwe Language Program by boosting compensation and re launching the Quiz Bowl, which recently drew 11 teams from five schools. She also updated the scholarship policies to increase awards, expand eligibility to cannabis-related and Ojibwe language degrees, and encourage graduates to return and serve the Band. Finally, she formed a cultural workgroup that is rebuilding the Eminence Credentialing Pathway, with a launch expected in 2025-2026. Commissioner Killspotted’s list of accomplishments in such a short period is truly remarkable.

As for Commissioner Darcie Big Bear, she is an outstanding public servant who has dedicated the past 24 years of her life to serving the Band. Her work across all branches of government has given her a comprehensive and practical understanding of the Band’s structure, operations, and core values, yet she is al ways striving to improve. Over the past eight months, Commis sioner Big Bear has undergone a tremendous degree of profes sional development, including the ability to assess and manage high-level talent. I only look forward to more great things to come from her in the future.

Ongoing Projects

Other notable items taking place within our communities include the renovation of the ceremonial buildings in Districts I and III. The Chief’s Office, along with the Community Development Department met with Drum Keepers and members to lay out the improvement, update, and remodel plans for each building.

Band members may have also noticed a couple of small red buildings popping up in Districts I and III. Those buildings are being customized to use as temporary cannabis retail locations until the more permanent locations are complete. The temporary business will be open soon.

And both the Ventura Project (in Minneapolis) and Sugar Maple Crossing (in Hinckley) are beginning to lease up with in coming tenants.

The Ventura Project will house a cultural and residential space for community members. This is a first of its kind for the Band to support our Urban membership. This affordable mixed use housing development will help serve the Mille Lacs Band community in the Urban area and offer our commitment to pro viding further affordable housing spanning Minnesota. Another plus is, it will house our Mille Lacs Band Urban Office.

The Sugar Maple Project is a 40-unit, market-based work force housing development designed to meet the needs of its residents with a wide range of amenities. These include an on-site laundry facility, fitness center, community garden, park space, and much more — all thoughtfully included to create a place that truly feels like home.

Joseph Nayquonabe Sr.

On a final and more sobering note, I recently attended the funeral of one of our most respected Elders and Drum Keepers, Joseph Nayquonabe Sr., who has walked on. Joe Sr. was a great mentor of mine and to so many others over many, many years. Much more than that, Joe Sr. was a respected member of the community who served us all with his experience, his wisdom, and his kind words, whether in happy or difficult times.

Joe Sr.’s passing is a great loss to all of us, not the least of whom are the family members he leaves behind. My heart goes out to the entire Nayquonabe family and anyone else who shared a special connection with Joe Sr. He will be missed deep ly by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Miigwech.