June 12, 2023 at 11:57 a.m.
Lac du Flambeau town board OKs increases in monthly payments to LdF tribe
The money is to be paid to the tribe as the result of an agreement reached by the two governing bodies in early March in relation to easement expirations on tribal land on four roads.
Because those easements have been expired for at least a decade, the tribal council had the roads barricaded on Jan. 31, resulting in several court cases and hardship on many different levels for the property owners involved.
The 90-day, $20,000-a-month agreement reached in early March was meant to be a preliminary measure while the tribe and town continued to meet and come to a long-term resolution to the road easement issue.
At the June 7 meeting, Lac du Flambeau town chairman Matt Gaulke said the town received correspondence from the tribe's attorney, Andrew Adams.
"The tribe is willing to extend the monthly payment ... for the roads that are in question with trespass," he said. "It's for the same amount ($20,000) plus $500 for each road."
The payment for the period between June 12 and July 12 would be $22,000.
Essentially, from this point forward as long as the road easement matter remains unresolved for the long-term, the monthly payment the town makes to the tribe will increase by $2,000.
"The original motion we had was for a 90-day period only," Gaulke said, adding the agreement "didn't state 30, 60 or 90 days."
"It stated for a time as long as we are still negotiating and working on it," he said. "So, what we would need is action by the board to authorize the extension of the monthly payments while the negotiations are going forward."
"I don't see that we have a lot of options here," town supervisor Bob Hanson said. "We need to maintain access for residents out there so I would move that we accept that."
After the motion passed, Gaulke was asked what would happen if the town stopped making the monthly payments, including the tribe barricading the roads.
"I don't want to say for sure but my personal assumption would be yes," Gaulke said.
He was also asked by Lac du Flambeau resident Jim Somerfeldt if the town had heard from the title companies regarding its request to have them pay the monthly fees.
The town board had made a decision to issue the request of the title companies following a closed session with legal counsel in late May.
Gaulke said there was a preliminary response.
"I don't want to really say anything yet because I just want to verify things," he said.
According to an Associated Press article, earlier the same day a federal judge,said he "more than likely" won't stop the tribe from blocking the four roads - Annie Sunn Lane, Center Sugarbush Lane, East Ross Allen Lake Lane and Elsie Lake Lane - while non-tribal property owners pursue their lawsuit against the tribe which was filed earlier this year by title company attorneys on behalf of property owners on the four roads.
Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].
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