LdF town board approves payment, latest proposal to tribe in road dispute

The Lac du Flambeau town board has approved another monthly payment to the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.

The town has been making payments since May of last year, due to an ongoing dispute with the tribe regarding expired easements on tribal land on four roads. The easements have been expired for a decade or longer. 

After a closed session on June 19, town supervisor Gloria Cobb made a motion to send a letter, finalized during the closed session, with a proposal to the tribal council regarding the road issues.

Her motion also included making the latest monthly payment to the tribal council, which will cover the July 12 to Aug. 12 time frame. 

Town chairman Matt Gaulke seconded her motion and town supervisor Bob Hanson abstained. 

The contents of the proposal to the tribe were not immediately made public as Frank Kowalkowski, the town’s outside counsel, was on vacation. 

Gaulke said the town hadn’t heard from Kowalkowski, who he said was in Colorado, but town clerk Susan Schoonover was going to be in contact with him. 

“I think he’s trying to do work on the letter and proposal there with whoever is in his office,” Gaulke said.

As for the payment, which will be $48,000, Gaulke said that will be submitted to the tribal council “right after the Fourth of July.”

Schoonover said she emailed Kowalkowski as well as town attorney Greg Harrold but hadn’t received a response. 

As far as the monthly payments, she said with the $48,000, the total paid to the tribal council since May, 2023, will be $550,000.

Schoonover said the title companies involved in the road easement dispute have been paying half of the payments since July of 2023. 

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].