March 16, 2023 at 12:40 p.m.
90-day agreement reached in Lac du Flambeau road standoff
Hunt: 'The fix is still gonna have to come from the federal government'
The reason for the closure was because easements on tribal land portions of the roads have been expired for a decade.
Last Saturday, the Lac du Flambeau town board, after meeting in closed session for nearly an hour, accepted a proposal from the tribe to re-open Annie Sunn Lane, Center Sugarbush Lane, East Ross Allen Lane and Elsie Lake Lane for 90 days.
The motion to accept the proposal from the tribe "with modifications" to re-open the roads for 90 days in exchange for a payment of $60,000 came from town chairman Matt Gaulke.
The 90-day period is expected to be utilized for meetings between tribal officials, town officials and others involved in the situation, including possibly property owners, in an effort to forge a long-term agreement.
Gaulke said the $60,000 would come from the town's road budget for 2023 which would require a budget amendment.
On Monday, tribal president John Johnson, Sr. issued a statement on behalf of the tribe announcing the agreement had been ratified.
The tribe has agreed to provide temporary access permits to the town to open the roads with expired easements "to provide a window of opportunity for the Town and the Title Companies to make a viable offer to get this situation resolved, he wrote.
Johnson said the tribe "still expects compensation for unauthorized land use and disregard of our private property."
"This includes expenses incurred over 10 years as well as terms to protect Tribal Lands from unauthorized use, so future generations of Tribal Membership can live peacefully without worry," he noted. "We hope this encourages impacted property owners to press for immediate action by the Town and the involved Title Insurance Companies to resolve this matter."
By Monday afternoon, the four roads were re-opened.
Lac du Flambeau resident Joe Hunt has lived on Old Big Thunder Lane in Lac du Flambeau for 30 years.
He and his wife, Marti, have been among those town residents with property along or near the four roads that have been closed since Jan. 31 as Old Big Thunder Lane intersects with Ross Allen Lake Lane.
"It's strange realizing that all we did was kick the ball down the field because nothing really has been resolved," Hunt told The Lakeland Times Wednesday. "The fix is still gonna have to come from the federal government because the tribe is within their legal right to do what they're doing. There's no restriction. It ain't over 'til it's over."
Regarding a first meeting between the town board and tribal council, Gaulke told the Times the town was waiting to hear from the tribal council.
He said he suggested to the tribal council that March 27 would be a possibility, as that is when the council's next meeting is scheduled, but he said the response was a possible "sooner date."
"We're just waiting to hear from them again," Gaulke said.
In the meantime, Hunt didn't express much relief now that the roads have been reopened.
"Well, I'll tell you a secret," Hunt said. "It's worse now knowing that it'll happen again in just a few short weeks and there's not damn thing we can do about it. We'll see how it plays out."
Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].
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