The Native American Press (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1993-04-09

              Indian Housing Corporation's Board issues
improper payments to members !
By Gary Blair
According to documents received
by The Press, certain actions of the
American Indian Housing Corporation (AIHC) is in direct violation of
the organization's bylaws. In a letter
of resignation dated March 13, 1993,
former AIHC board member, Diana
Buckanaga, called the breach a "rip
off' of American Indian people. The
following is a letter from Attorney
Joshua Kariassatega, also an AIHC
board member, in response to Ms.
Buckanaga's concerns that she says
have gone unaddressed by other AIHC
board members:
"In a telephone conversation with
me on January 27, 1993, you asked
me to advise the Corporation as to the
validity of providing compensation
for services and related expenses to
members of the Board of Directors. I
have reviewed the Corporation's bylaws (a copy of which is enclosed
herewith) and find that Article II,
Section 2.6, directly addresses this
issue."
Section 2.6 provides: Compensation.
The board shall authorize no compensation for director services, but
may authorize a reasonable allowance for actual expenses incurred
by a director at the written direction of the board.
"It is my opinion that Board members may not receive compensation
for director services, including consulting services. A per diem payment
to a director, for example, to attend
Corporation meetings is permissible
under this section.
Further, Section 2.6 authorizes payment of a 'reasonable allowance' for
actual expenses incurred in providing services to the Corporation. This
payment is, however, contingent on
'the written direction of the board'.
Before any expense can be reimbursed,
I recommend that trie Board adopt a
daily per diem rate and policies which
will govern reimbursable expenses.
The daily per diem rate established by
the Board should not exceed the rate
currently in effect for employees conducting official business on behalf of
the state ofMinnesota. The policies
should include, at a minimum, establishing a rate for travel in a motor
vehicle owned by a director, a prohibition against first class air travel,
and a maximum cap on the amount of
reimbursable expenses for breakfast,
lunch and/or dinner meals.
Until the Board has adopted such
policies, I strongly recommend that
no payments for director expenses
occur. In addition, a detailed expense
report which itemizes each expense
should be attached to any request for
such payment. A copy ofthe minutes
'of the Board meeting at which such
action was requested, and a copy of
any other documentation, should also
be attached to any payment voucher.
During this telephone conversation,
Housing/See Page 5
Mille Lacs Spearing Group Meets and Plans Next Meeting
Maple Syrup Camps Spring Up Across the North Country
Indian Housing Corporation May Be Misusing Funds
Leech Lake Tribal Council*Seeks New Constitution
CALC Schedules Gaming Symposium
Ada Deer Frontrunner For Department of Interior
Bug School Letters Continue To Come In
The Largest Weekly Illative Newspaper In North America
U.S. Attorney Heffelfinger fries to meet Attorney
General about Indian issues
By Mel Rasmussen
MinheapolisbasedU.S. Attorney Tom
Heffelfinger, is one ofthe many U.S.
Attorneys from across the country who
have been asked to submit their
resignations to Janet Reno, the new
Attorney General ofthe United States.
This is due to the Clinton
Administration's desire to have their
own legal specialists in place to
implement their desires. Heffelfinger
has been trying for several weeks to
meet with the new Attorney General to
ensure that further support within the
Native American community to protect
the rights and issues ofthe women and
children is protected.
Heffelfinger wants to talk to the
Attorney General about crimes against
women and children upon the
reservations. He that these issues are
more than a law enforcement
responsibility but a major need for
upgrading social services as well to
protect this group.
Heffelfinger went on to discuss a four
part initiative that will accomplish this
initiative. The first part was to change
federal law so that it more effectively
covers the issues of child abuse. He state
that Congressman Ramstad in
Washington,D.C, is hosting legislation
that is supporting this measure.
The second part ofthe initiative was
in law enforcement response which
would ensure that police would work
hand in hand with a multi-disciplinary
unit of social service and psychological
experts. Heffelfinger stated that this
type of component is now very well
established in Red Lake and is being
effective.
The third component is dealing with
victims in crisis. He felt that this was
especially important like in a community
such as Red Lake where everybody is
known to one another. He stated that
there is a need to remove a person in
crisis such as a child abuse victim,
battered spouse, rape victim, orafamily
who has been burned out of their house.
They need short term housing for crisis
intervention. According to Heffelfinger
again in the Red Lake model that the
Tribal Council is very concerned about
this point and is addressing it. This is an
area that is not that far along and is the
area of greatest risk in the area of
transition in these cases.
According to Heffelfinger, the Red
Lake Tribal Council has authorized the
tribal government to seek funds from
HUDaboutdevelopingandestablishing
such housing needs. HUD is very
interested in developing this model for
Red Lake. He went on to state that he
had seen the plans for this activity and
it would become part ofthe government
center complex.
The fourth component is the crime
prevention component. This would
consist of teaching potential offenders
and victims respect for each other. This
would require less of law enforcement
but more ofthe social service agencies
involvement. An example of this was in
the development of the Illusion Theater's
program and plays on violence
prevention. The U.S. Attorney's Office
paid for the development of their
"Touch" production to be presented
across the area. This production was
adapted to the Ojibway culture and are
booked all overthecountry. Heffelfinger
felt that this was the beginning of a
nationwide violence preventionprogram
within the Native American
Community. This same typeof program
has been in effect for some time within
the non-Native community.
Heffelfinger stated that he has been
trying to set up a meeting with Reno but
as of this moment, there has been no
activity from her office to meet with
him. He said that he also contacted
Senator Wellstone's office and he is
apparently eagerly waiting for his
replacement as that is his right.
Heffelfinger stated, "I just want to be
sure that when I leave here that the
thi ngs that the community is supporting
and that are in process have as good a
chance of surviving."
Heffelfinger intends to go back into
private practice and will be working on
developing a nationwide network of
investigatorswhowillbeabletocontract
to the tribes. They will be able to do the
background checks and determi ne the
viability of the numerous gaming
industries companies who are
springing up throughout the country.
He felt that the tribes should be
managing their own casinos and
gaming establishment. He stated that
the casino management companies
are bleeding the Indian tribes of their
rightful monies. He hopes that the
current administration will look at
this and correct this problem.
However, up until this moment
nothing has occurred or been acted on
by the administration.
Anishinabe Liberation Front comes into being
By Mel Rasmussen .
The birth of a new organization to
respond to the Mille Lacs Treaty
Agreement betweentheMilleLacs Band
and the State of Minnesota has been
formed. It is called the Anishinabe
Liberation Front (ALF), Its purpose is
to bring about the gathering of all ofthe
various signatories of the 1855 and
1837 Treaties and invoke their rights
for gathering and hunting in the ceded
territories as prescribed by the agreed
upon Treaties. It is their policy to state
to all outside governmental agencies
and alleged governing Tribal bodies
that they do not have the authority or the
righttonegotiateorabrogate any treaties
for all ofthe Anishinabe Nation.
During this meeting on Saturday,
April 3,1993 further discussion ensued
concerning the strategies and needs for
support from the various groups and
nations who supported the Wisconsin
Spearers during the "Fish Wars" in
Wisconsin. Hereditary Chief Hole In
The Day, Cliff Skinaway, has sent a
letter out to the Native American
Nations, Individuals, Support Groups,
and Warrior Societies to come to Sandy
Lake, Minnesota to support this effort
in re-establishing the true sovereignty
of the Anishinabe Nation. This
sovereignty is for the people and bands
and not for the Reservation Business
Committees.
During the meeting several groups
were developed to provide coordination
of the effort of spearing in the ceded
territories in Minnesota. The groups
range from communications, legal
assistance, fund-raising, housing,
witness training, and spearing classes
for those new spearers who have never
speared before.
According to the steering committee
of ALF the tentative spearing activity
will begin on April 23, 1993 and will
continue through approximately April
26,1993. This date is an estimate as it
is up to the lakes to determine when it is
time to go pur and harvest the spring
Walleye. ALF intends to spear Mille
Lacs Lake and/or all other available open
lakes in theceded territories ofMinnesota.
On a historical note it wasbrought up that
the Mille Lacs Band had spearers come
into Wisconsin for several year and they
have al 1 been issued Reservation spearing
permits for any and all lakes within the
ceded territories in Wisconsin.
Skinaway is encouraging and inviting
all Ojibwes and any other Native
American who wishes to exercise their
treaty and/or aboriginal rights to gather,
harvest, hunt, fish and/or trap to come to
the Sandy Lake Reservation during the
dates of April 23rd to April 26th, 1993.
There will be ongoing witness
nonviolence training classes held daily
andlegal assistance will be made available
on site for this project.
Because of the limited facilities
available, Skinaway has asked that all
attendees bring .food, blankets, medical
supplies, tents, etc. For further
information, contact the Sandy Lake
Reservation at (218) 426-3832.
CALC Symposium On Gaming Comes to Bemidji
A symposium exploring the value of
gaming will be held at Bemidji State
University, Bemidji, Minnesota, May
3, from 8 AM to 4 PM. Co-sponsoring
the event are: Minnesota Clergy and
Laity Concerned, and BSU Indian
Student Services.
Ojibwe elder Ira Sailor will keynote
the event. Spiritual leader larry Cloud-
Morgan, Leech Lake, will offer a prayer
and pipe ceremony.
Presentations include: Roger Jourdain,
Bemidji, on the future of tribal gaming;
Dale Hanks, White Earth, on organized
crime and gaming; Dave Larson,
Minneapolis, on the appropriate use of
gaming funds; Rod Ranum, Virginia,
on the primary beneficiaries of gaming;
Deb Storbakken and Roberta Brown,
both of Minneapolis will co-represent
concerning working conditions, sexual
harassment and advancement in tribal
casino; and a representative ofthe Hotel
Employee and Restaurant Employee
Union, local 17, will speak to the
possibility of unionizing tribal casinos.
Camp Justice organizer, Erma
Vizenor, White Earth, will address the
matter of jurisdiction, sexual
discrimination and employee rights.
Lowell Bellanger, also an organizer of
WhiteEarth/Camp Justice, will discuss
accountability and the role ofthe tribe,
the reservation, the community and
family, in moving towards that end.
Betty George, Executive Director
of the Minnesota Council on
compulsive Gambling, Inc., a
recognized authority on the topic,
will discuss the history of gaming, the
current impact of gaming, compulsive
gaming, and prevention strategies.
Small group discussions in the
afternoon will be followed by a two-
hour question and answer session
moderated by Ranum, and Walter
Reese, Walker.
The symposium is being
organized by CALK Program
Coordinator, Anne M. Dunn, and
advisors: Reese; Bellanger;
Wendell Drift, Net lake; and
Esther Nahgahnub, Sawyer.
For further information call
Minnesota CALK director Maggi
Adamek, (612) 871-3088; or Anne
M. Dunn, (218) 335-2538.
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Founded In 1991       Volume 2 Issue 48      April 9, 1993
I ii|ii|i iijl'.t, Tlif [\i.it iw Aiiii-i u .in Pre"i«i, 1 993
Photo by Mel Rasmussen
Vince Bcyl, (aka Pied Piper), leads Mr. Bakke's 4th grade class to the sugar bush camp
Spring is time for Maple Syrup and
sugarbush camps
By Mel Rasmussen
With the coming of the longer
days and warmer temperatures,
people across the North Country
come out of hiding and start to
begin anew the rites of Spring.
One ofthe time honored traditions
is the return ofthe people to their
sugarbush camps to collect the
maple sap and the priceless dark
amber gold that is known to many
as Maple Syrup.
With the smell of sap boiling
down in a huge cooker you can
smell the sweetness ofthe golden
syrup coming to life in the woods.
Pictured above are some of the
children from Mr. Bakke's 4th
grade class from J.  W.  Smith
elementary school who had the
opportunity to visit a sugar camp
run by Vince Beyl of White Earth
Band.
Beyl is the Director of Indian
Education Programs with
Independent School District #31
of Bemidji, Minnesota and has
had a sugar camp for a number of
years. In the interest of cultural
diversity and sharing this little
known Anishinabe tradition, it was
decided to provide field trips for
classes within the school district.
On this warm spring day these
young leaders of the future came
to the sugar camp to enjoy the
outdoors and to learn about the art
of making syrup. The group was
met by several people who taught
them with hands on training how
to tap and collect the sap from the
sugar maple. Excitement was in
the air and the children were
ecstatic in learning this art, and
were willing to experience this
sharing of knowledge.
At the conclusion of the field
trip the class was given the chance to
taste some of the infamous Beyl fry
bread from a family secret recipe given
to him by his Grandma Rhodes. The
class then sampled some ofthe syrup
they were instrumental in making
and then enjoyed the soliloquy ofthe
world of nature around them. Then,
after being blissed out by Mother
Nature the group boarded their bus
and drove back to civilization to learn
more about the world around them.
Leech Lake Reservation starts on new
Constitution
By Mel Rasmussen
Last week the Leech Lake
Reservation Tribal Council sent a
letter out to all of its Band
members. The purpose ofthe letter
was to announce the formulation
of a new Constitution project in
which the Band would develop
their own Constitution and get out
from underneath the existing
Constitution with the Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe. The Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe currently has six
bands of Anishinabe Bands under
its Constitution. I lieu of the
importance of this issue the PRESS
will run the letter sent out by the
Leech Lake Tribal Council.
OPEN LETTER TO MEMBERS
OF THE LEECH LAKE BAND
OF CHIPPEWAS.
The Leech Lake Reservation
Tribal Council is the governing
body for the Leech Lake Band of
Chippewas, operating under the
Constitution of the Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe. The Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe is comprised of
six bands of Chippewa Indians.
The Leech Lake Tribal Council
is researching the concept of
forming its own Constitution. We
are aware that this will be an
extensive and complex process.
The first and most important
phase of this research is seeking
the input from the enrolled
members of the Leech Lake
Reservation. Your views will be
gathered, both verbal and written,
in a process that will include group
and individual meetings. The
result ofthe ongoing meetings and
information gathering will be to
produce a "draft constitution". At
which time a constitutional
convention will be held.
Simon Howard has been hired
to coordinate this project. He will
be responsible for setting
meetings, conducting interviews,
gathering and compiling
responses. Any questions may be
sent to his attention at the
following address: Leech Lake
Reservation Tribal Council,
Attention: Simon Howard, Route
3, Box 100, Cass Lake, MN 56633,
(218) 335-6395 (home phone).
Signed by the Leech Lake Tribal
Council: Alfred R.Pemberton,
Chairman. James D. Michaud,
Secretary/Treasurer. Alfred
Fairbanks, Jr. District I. Jack
Seelye, District II. Myron Ellis,
District III.
It is the understanding of the
PRESS that there are several other
Tribes that are intending to or are
considering the possibility of
pulling out of the Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe. If this occurs then
the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
will become a non-entity and the
abuses of Indian Rights and of its
offices will become moot.
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