The Native American Press (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1992-12-18

              Legislative Auditor Finds Financial Abuses at Minnesota Indian Affairs Council
By Mel Rasmussen
Today, an audit report of the
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council
(MIAC) is scheduled to be released by
Minnesota Legislative Auditor, James
Noble. The State Auditorfound issues
with the following items.
MIAC paid their Executive
Director, Roger Head, nearly $74,000
in travel expenses over a four year
period. This was allegedly for his
commuting to and from his residence
in Bemidji to St. Paul and back to his
place ofwork inBemidji.(See chartA)
MIAC paid $8,863 to Ms. JoAnne
Stately for mileage reimbursement
while she was hired as a consultant.
Ms. JoAnne Stdtely was paid for her
mileage to and from her home to the
St. Paul office. Stately was supposedly
working out of her home and not the
St. Paul office. However, it was
determined that she spent the majority
of her time in the St. Paul office rather
than her home, performing duties
that were previously being
accomplished by a former state
employee.
MIAC, more specifically, Roger
Head, illegally contracted and kept
Ms. Stately on as a consultant, for
professional and technical services.
This was done when it would have
been more cost effective to hire a full
time employee. Because ofthe illegal
contract an inordinate amount of
monies were expended for
compensation purposes. (See Graph
B) Roger Head originally told the
state that he could not employ Ms.
Stately because of the salary
requirement that she requested.
However, he avoided the process of
hiring through appropriate state
channels by executing an illegal
contract, therefore allowing himself
the improper right to determine any
salary he so desired for an employee.
In doing so, he was able to meet the
projected salary range that Stately
requested through the use ofthe perks
available.
It is estimated that for over a four
year period that MIAC paid over
$50,000 to 60,000 more than was
necessary. It would have been more
cost effective if MIAC had employed
a full time employee under a
professional or technical position as a
classified state employee.
MIAC, again more specifically,
Roger Head, continued to keep Stately
as a consultant for over 4 years. Then
she was hired as a state employee. It
is important to note that at no time did
Stately compete with any other person
on a competitive basis for state
employment.
This action is in violation of the
State of Minnesota Department of
Administrations Contract
Requirements and the Department of
Employee Relations Hiring
Guidelines. Thus, this hiring practice
is suspect and should be further
investigated by the Attorney Generals
office. Longevity does not determine
seniority norjob security. This practice
and action by the Executive Director
and condoned by the full Minnesota
Indian Affairs Council, headed by
Chip Wadena, is a direct affront to all
classified and unclassified employees
within the State ofMinnesota. It is an
insult to any individual, yet alone to
any member ofthe Native American
community, who has sought state
employment and gone through the
entire application process. Head's
actions along with MIAC is a apparent
violation of several labor management
relationships that have been developed
by the State ofMinnesota.
In a historical note, the PRESS
started to investigate and ask questions
about the activities that had been
occurring within the MIAC since July
1991. In the July 3rd edition ofthe
PRESS, it was reported that the MIAC
had issued 71 loans for Indian
Business Development. In the
previous decade, over $1 million was
given out. Of this amount
approximately $90,000 had been
repaid. Also $387,918 would not be
recovered as the receiver of these
funds had gone out of business,
declared bankruptcy, been foreclosed,
or were delinquent in their payments.
Because of these types of issues and
indications of impropriety and
ineptness, it was the reason that the
PRESS proceeded to ask more
questions about this agency.
reported what former Red Lake Tribal
Chairman, Roger Jourdain stated in a
letter to Governor Arne Carlson.
Jourdain recommended that all state
funds to the commission be
reprogrammed. He said that the
commission is run by a few elite who
"exploit the commission for their own
benefit." He also said the MIAC is
nothing more than a political office
for its executive director Roger
"Bucky"Head. Jourdain further stated,
"As we have observed for the last 12
years, they haven't achieved
anything,...It no longer provides the
services, to the Indian people for which
it was intended."
On August 30, 1991, William
Lawrence ofthe Press stated that he
had a chance to review various council
documents obtained by a Minnesota
Data Practices Act request. In his
article, Lawrence stated: Those
documents, along with the time and
effort it took to obtain them, reveal a
disorganized, unaccountable and
poorly managed state-funded
Council. Despite a highly paid staff
to be ineffective in representing the
needs of the Native American
community in the state ofMinnesota.
Major weaknesses in the law (MSA
3.922) regulating operation of the
Council are its emphasis on
reservation representation, lack of
accountability of its Executive
Director, and its lack of prescribed
meeting dates for participation by
the Native American community. The
actions of this agency to this date and
the legislative audit appear to
substantiate this original observation
of this agency run by Head and
Wadena.
Also, it was noted that when Head
took office, Jourdain withdrew the
Red Lake Tribe from the MIAC.
Jourdain stated, "They (Head and
Wadena) exploited the commission
only to their benefit, and I didn't want
to be a part of it." Jourdain also said
that he had written a letter to then
Governor Rudy Perpich and
recommended that the commission
be disbanded. Also the late Art Garbo,
Chairman of Mille Lacs Reservation
Graph
A.    Roger Head's Expenses
Fiscal Year
1989
1990
1991
1992
FY93
Total
Mileage
4,865
5,071
4,738
4,766
1,280
20,720
Meals
4.358
5.057
5,771
5,839
1,456
22,481
Hotel
3,902
8,210
6,771
9,189
2,591
30,663
Total
13,125
18,338
17,280
19,794
5,327
73,864
Graph B.   JoAnn Stately's Payments
6 months
1 month
of FY
1989
Fiscal Year
of FY
1993
1990
1991
1992
Total
Compensation:
836.7 hrs X $29.50
$24,684
$24,684
2,053.6 X $29.50
$60,582
. $60,582
2,196.8 X $29.50
$64,805
$64,805
1,831 X $29.50
$54,015
$54,015
179.5 X $29.50
$5,295
$ 5,295
Expenses:
Estimated commute
1,500
2,948
2,366
2,049
0
58,863
Other expenses
1,285
1,879
4,930
3,340
105
11,539
Total Expenses
2,785
4,827
7,296
5,389
105
20,402
Total
27,469
65,409
72,101
59,404    5,400
229,783
On August 16, 1991, the PRESS   and consultants, the Council appears   InCOITipetenCy/page 3
Largest Weekly Native JVewwmjpapmr
The
Native
We Support Equal Ogxpurtunitu Fur All People
Roger Head,
Executive
Director,
Minnesota
Indian Affairs
Council
Copyright, Tom Native American Press. laaB
Alternative School Director Suspended
So., Minneapolis, the alternative
By Gary Blair school for American Indian Youth
has a present enrollment of 76 students
• The Board of Directors far theand has been in existence for twenty
Center School, Inc., has finally brokenyears. Former board member Carol
their silence and has issued its firstBrieschke, has been appointed to act
public statement on the status of Ronas the school's interim director until
Otterson, the school's Executivefurther decisions are made. Brieschke
Director who they say has been onsays the school educational programs,
leave for the past two months. "Ronwhich have always been excellent are
Otterson, will not be returning toin "good shape".
Center School. Ron needs to go on to But, PRESS sources who asked not
other things and we are in the processtobe named, say Otterson was relieved
of working out the separation." of his duties, which has prompted a
Located at 2421 Bloomington Ave.
full scale audit ofthe school's financial
records and allegations of forgery have
been leveled. The PRESS has also
learned that criminal charges may be
forthcoming. And if Otterson doesn't
accept the board of directors terms for
separation, they plan to sue.
The 53 year old Otterson could not
be reached for comment at his south
Minneapolis home. Center School has
an annual budget of approximately
$500,000 and Otterson has been the
executive director for the past eight
years.
Women of Nations Shelter Victim of DDT Exposure Bud Grant 'Chops' Mille Lacs Treaty Rights Issue
By Mel Rasmussen
It has been many years since the
product DDT has been allowed on the
market or allegedly used in this
country. However, according to
Georgia Mayotte, Director of the
Women of Nations Shelter in St. Paul,
it appears they have been the victims
of another outbreak of a form of
Chemical Warfare being
unknowingly waged by the U.S.
Army.
According to Mayotte the
Department of Defense (DOD) sent a
letter stating that some ofthe blankets
received from DOD for the homeless
support program have been
contaminated with DDT. The DDT
was originally used for moth
prevention in cloth prior to 1972 by
the military.
Mayotte stated that the original
contact with the Army was over a year
ago when they requested a donation
of a tent for use by the women at the
Shelter at pow wows. This request
was turned down and the blanket
donation was in turn substituted for
this item. Apparently the Army was
clearing out warehouses and
developed this donation program of
blankets to homeless shelters across
the country.
Needless to say when Mayotte
received the notification of the
continuance of Chemical Warfare on
behalf of the Army she became
concerned. After some conversation
about the subject, Mayotte received
some correspondence about the
blankets. However, after viewing
copies of the letter it is questionable
that one can really find an answer
through the doublespeak. Following
is an example of this.
In a letter from the Defense Logistics
Agency in Virginia, a statement went
like this. 'You should also be aware
that some ofthe blankets donated by
the Department of Defense were not
produces with DDT treated cloth. All
blue and cream color blankets and
some ofthe olive green blankets are
DDT-free and should not be discarded.
Because most of the olive green
blankets are affected, you should refer
to the enclosed information paper...'.
In a second letter received from EPA
in Washington, DC it states, 'As a
preliminary matter, until the blankets
are discarded they are not considered
a solid waste under EPA regulations,
and therefore, would not be a
hazardous waste. However, if the
blankets are considered discarded (for
example, if they are to be disposed
of), they must be assessed under our
regulations at 40 CFR Part 261 to
determine if they are a hazardous
DDT/ See Page 5
St. Paul Indian Center Fights To Save Food Shelf
By Gary Blair
On Monday December 21,1992, at
1:30 pm there will be a meeting held
at the St. Paul American Indian
Center, between the St. Paul United
Way and the Center's Board of
Directors. The purpose ofthe meeting
will be to try and save the funding the
United Way plans to cut from the
center's budget which operates its food
shelf program. Mike Poolaw,
Chairman of the Center's board is
hoping the St. Paul American Indian
community will turn out for the
meeting and voice their concerns to
help keep the food shelf open.
For the past six months the Center's
board of directors has been attempting
to avoid the decision they say United
Way officials have been wanting to
make regardless of what they say is
needed. United Way officials tell the
PRESS somewhat of a different story.
According to Alvery July, of the St.
Paul United Way, for the past six
months they have tried to work with
the St. Paul American Indian center,
and as a result of their efforts, they
have had to make a tentative decision
they will present to the United Way'.
Board of Directors in early January of
next year.
July said, "The Indian Center has
had four directors in the past six
months and at present is operating
without one." The PRESS has learned
that reports on the food shelf that
have to be submitted were only recendy
received by United Way. July says
that's no longer part ofthe problem,
but instead it has to do with the center's
administration. "We have offered
them technical assistance numerous
times in the past six months to help
them develop a bookkeeping system,
but each time they have turned down
our offer. At present we don't have the
resources needed to assist gthem
anymore," he said.
Poolaw admits there have been
problems. He said, "One of our
directors was hired at a salary of
$24,000 per year and next thing the
board found out, he had increased his
salary to $54,000 without telling
anyone." However, Poolaw does
believe something can be worked out
St. Paul AIC/ Page 5
By Mel Rasmussen
Friday, December 11,1992, may go
down as a day of infamy for the Mille
Lacs Tribe and the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources
tentative agreement on the 1837 treaty
issue. According to sources at the
meeting Mr. Bud Grant, former coach
of the Minnesota Vikings and
sometimes referred to as Mr.
Minnesota, announced that he was a
spokesman for a group called the
Save Lake Mille Lacs Association.
The purpose ofthe Save Mille Lacs
Association is to force the issue of a
negotiated fishing rights issue between
the Minnesota DNR and the Mille
Lacs Band into a court hearing. In
retrospect what is appearing is a
instant replay between Was-Wa-Gon
Treaty Association and PARR and
STA (Protect American's Rights and
Resources, Stop Treaty Abuse) in
Wisconsin during the "Fish Wars."
The outcome ofthe Fish Wars" was
an agreement with the State of
Wisconsin and the various tribes that
recognized their rights to hunt and
fish in the ceded territories outside of
the reservation. It also recognizes
that the ceded territories exist across
state lines. A further example of this
exists with the cross deputizing of
Game Wardens in Minnesota under
the auspices ofthe 1854 Commission.
This commission is based in Duluth,
Minnesota, and has game wardens
from GLIFWC (Great Lakes
Intertribal Fish and Wildlife
Commission) who are recognized as
Game Wardens by the Minnesota
DNR Their area of responsibility is
within the Arrowhead region of
Minnesota that falls under the Treaty
of 1854 with the Lake Superior
Chippewa.
Jim Genia, Deputy Solicitor for the
Mille Lacs Tribe, stated that the tribe
was never invited to the meeting at
Senator Bob Lessards office. Genia
did state that the tribe has been holding
hearings across the state and had held
one last Tuesday There were
approximately 250 people in
attendance at this meeting and in his
estimation there is about a 50-50 split
on the issue.
Genia was asked about Bud Grant
and his role in the Mille Lacs Issue.
He stated, "Bud Grant has apparently
become a spokesman for the Save
Mille Lacs organization. Bud Grant
may be an avid fisherman, but I'll tell
you what, that doesn't make him an
expert in resource issues, and that
does not make him an expert in legal
issues either."
When asked if he had heard from
the Save the Lake Association and
what have they had to say, Genia said,
"The're actually a outgrowth of the
Hunting and Angling Club based out
ofthe Twin Cities. The Hunting and
Angling Club is a member of PARR
and STA." Genia went on to state that
this group was at the meeting handing
out information. I asked him if there
was any Dean Crist Pizza there and
he declined comment but laughed
instead.
Genia went on to comment that he
was surprised by the naivete of the
general public in the discussion ofthe
issue of Indian Law. He made
reference to one such point in which
an individual came up to him and
showed him a letter from President
Zachary Taylor to the state governor
in 1852 and stated adamantiy that
this is the reason that Indians do not
have any rights. He state, "People
need to understand that these issues
are very complex. The Band and the
State ofMinnesota in the Mille Lacs
case have identified over 25,000 pages
of historical documents for use in the
trial and litigation of this issue.
Someone can't just pick out one or two
documents and say this is the answer."
Genia talked about Grant's role and
felt it was i mportant to look at what he
has done in the past. He talked about
a book and calendar in which Grant
had posed as an Indian complete with
feathers and his face painted up in
warpaint. In the book Grant was asked
what he wanted to be when he was
boy. Grant states inthebook:^5aZ>qy
growing up, I would have liked to
have lived with the Indians and
experienced their way of life. It always
bothered me that in the movies they
were always the bad guys and always
lost the fights they were in. I wanted
to help them win.
A former Red Lake Tribal Judge
stated that it was interesting to see
Grant's opposition to the treaty issue.
Bruce Graves, former Tribal Judge,
said that people are forgetting that
Bud Grant was one ofthe first people
ever busted in the Minnesota DNR's
TIP program (Turn In Poachers). His
sentence was to serve a year as
honorary chairman and provide his
services for public relations purposes.
Calls were placed to Senators who
sit on the Standing Committee on
Environment and Natural Resources.
As the PRESS went to print none of
these Senators bothered to contact the
Press and make statements. Included
on this list were, Bob Lessard,
Bud Grant/page 5
Anyone entrusted with power will abuse it if not also animated with the love of truth and virtue,
no matter whether he be a prince, or one ofthe people       Jean de ^ pontaine
The best security against revolution is in constant correction of abuses and the introduction of needed improvements.
.  It is the neglect of timely repair that makes rebuilding necessary.       _ Richard Whately