The Native American Press (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1993-04-23

              Internal problems at Red School House continue
By Gary Blair
It took three letters from the
Principle ofthe Red School House to
terminate the school' s administrative
assistant. A decision that it appears
has once again opened the doors to
the school's internal problems.
The Red School House operates
under a contract from the St. Paul
Public School System and is designed
to be culturally specific for Native
American youth. This week The
PRESS was invited to attend a
community meeting held in St. Paul
and learned that students, staff and
atleast two school board members
have taken sides against the dismissals
of two school employees, the bus
driver/janitor and the administrative
assistant. Employees well-liked by
both students and staff.
They say the decision to fire the two
employees, whose names are being
withheld because of pending legal
action, was made by school board
chairperson, Mike Poolaw, and the
school's principal, Melvin Rautanen,
without full school board approval.
Indian women at the meeting cried
as they described what the school
meant to them as former students and
what it now means to their children.
They stated, "We send our children
there so they can learn their culture,
spirituality and traditions. Ifwedidn't
care about that we'd send them to
public school".
The first letter that the
administrative assistant received from
the principal about regarding the
dismissal was dated March 10,1993,
and it reads: "Due to gross
insubordination and lack of regard
for our program, I am suspendingyou
from all duties connected with the
Red School House for five working
days, without pay, affective
immediately. The school board will
be re-evaluating the qualifactions for
the position of administrative assistant
and you will be advised of the
outcome". Signed Melvin T.
Rautanen, Principal. The letter was
dated March 10, 1993.
However, within a few minutes the
principal gave the staff person a
second letter. This letter reads nearly
the same as the first one. The only
change was the term without pay.
The second letter says that the
suspension would be with pay. An
agreement the former employee said
was short lived.
The next letter that the employee
received was dated March 13, 1993,
and it reads as follows: "Effective
March 13, 1993, your position as
administrative assistant/TLC Project
Director has been elimated due to
reorganization determined and
approved by the board of directors.
You will receive two weeks severence
pay and any vacation pay due. Please
return all keys and materials
belonging to the Red School House as
soonas possible. My office will provide
you with a positive reference if you
request one. Signed, Melvin T.
Rautanen, Principal.
The person who received the above
letters said there wasn't any warning
or re-evaluating given, nor was there
any type of grievance procedure
offered. In fact, the full school board
hadn't approved any employee
dismissals.
The reason given in a letter by the
school's principal for the termination
ofthe school's bus driver/janitor was
worded the same has in the March 13,
letter that terminated the
administrative assistant. If there was
lack of performance by this employee
that caused his termination, the notice
didn't indicate it. The bus driver/
janitor says he was let go for personal
reasons, charges the school' s principal
denied in and earlier interview with
The PRESS.
Since the inception ofthe school 21
years ago, there have been numerous
internal problems. Problemsthat center
around financial mismanagement and
employees who have complained about
the improprieties have found themselves
quickly dismissed.
It appears that in recent months
Poolaw has acted alone in may ofthe
decisions that created the present
problems. When the school's principal
had fallen behind with his
administratative duties Poolaw
contracted his personal friend, William
Pensoneau, to step in rather than to try
and straighten things out with the staff
that was already employedby the school.
According to school staff, Mr-
Pensoneau was contracted to write six
grant proposals for which he would be
payed one thousanddollars. Staff report
that although Pensoneau tried to give
the impressionofworking diligently on
the proposals, all that he really did was
to up-date last year's proposals and
resubmit them. Once he had the format
doneforthefirstproposal, hejust inserted
that information into the other five.
As he was not aware that regular staff
members knew what he was doing,
Pensoneau asserted that the job was
taking longer than he expected and
asked for an additional five hundred
dollars. The school's administrative
assistant refused to write the check
because it was not a part ofthe original
contract nor had a new contract been
drawn and approved by the board as is
the proper procedure. However,
Pensoneau did receive the additional
five hundred dollars because Poolaw
went to the bank and changed the
signatories for the school to include just
himself and Principal Rautanen.
Presently, the Treasurer ofthe School
Board does not have check signing
privileges which is in direct violation of
the school's By-laws.
In addition, The PRESS has learned
that Mike Poolaw has personal friends
living for free in a house owned by the
school that was purchased to be an adult
School/See Page 3
ALF Gathers meet at Big Sandy for Mille Lacs Spearing Season - Page 5
Red School House has major internal struggles occurring - Page 1
Minneapolis American Indian Center delays release of audits - Page 1
Leech Lake to host Tribal Housing Development Conference - Page 3
Little Earth Housing turns to "Cock Roach Killer" for help - Page 5
Directions to Sandy Lake Reservation Encampment inside - Page 5
The Largest Weekly Native Newspaper in North America
■S *■■■ ■     r      ii ■'■•'
Founded in 1931
Volume a issue 50     April H3, 1993
Copyright, The Native American Press, 1993
MAIC Stonewall's Press's request for financial records
By Bill Lawrence
The Native American Press"s eight
month quest to obtain financial
information from the Minneapolis
American Indian Center was dealt
another delay. Ina letter dated April 14,
1993, attorney Ron Rosenbaum
informed the Press that "that due to
your previous reporting (see letter to the
editor of 3/26/93) my client will no
further information." In the
approximately eight months of seeking
information from the Center, the Press
has received only about one-tenth of
that requested. Due to federal contract
and grant conditions for openness and
accountability, the Press has referred
the matter to our general counsel for
possible legal action. The Press has also
sent out requests for contract information,
under the federal Freedom of lnfroniation
providing fiinding to the center. In 1992
the center received nearly $1,280,000 in
federal financial assistance and almost
$352,000 mprivatefoundationfunds. The
Press has also contacted several of the
foundations which provide the majority of
tundstotheCenter, seekingtheir assistance
in reviewing the centers financial affairs.
The Press has been seeking to dn-..
financial review ofthe Center's operation
due   to   community   reports   of
Photo by Mel Rasmussen
Young Native American activist, Michael Hutsell and David Manual of St Paul express their concerns
Prairie island Coalition protests against court
longer be able to meet your requests for   Act, to all federal agencies currently   mismanagement and financial abuse.       QeCISIOn  dQ3inSL IVlCleWSK3ntOn   LJSKOtaS
Wisconsin Winnebago Business Committee
Rescinds special compensation offer
By Gene Buckanaga
On January 9, 1993, the Wisconsin
Winnebago Business Committee
(WWBC) passed a motion to provide a
Special Compensation offer of $2,000
to former employees who were affected
by the "Glenn Corrie dispute."
Glenn Corrie, president of Jenna
Corporation had entered into a
management agreement with WWBC
to provide gaming equipment and
manage the Wisconsin Winnebago
gaming operations at Ho Chunk in
Bamboo, Wisconsin, in 1990.
This agreement created a split ofthe
WWBC's twelve (12) member
governing Business Committee. Six
members emerged to operate the tribal
operations (commonly known as the
Six Pac), with the other six members
boycotting the WWBC meetings,
thereby preventing a quorum of the
Business Committee.
This split ofthe tribal governing body
created two factions within the
Winnebagocommunity.In June of 1991,
a new Chairman Joanne Jones, an
attorney, was elected. It was hoped the
elections would bring together the
WWBC, this turned out not to be the
case.
Armed with resolutions, from the
General Council meeting held on July
31, 1991; the newly elected chairman
shut-down the tribal operation on July
15, hoping to deprive the Six Pac of
revenues being generated by the tribal
bingo operations.
Because of this tribal shut-down, many
WWBC employees were allegedly
terminated for planning and
participating in the shut-down by the
Six Pac faction or their agents in charge
at the time.
It was during this period of time that
Corporation. Glenn Corrie (Jenna) was
ordered off the tribal grounds and not to
interfere with the tribal gaming
operations.
The WWBC was able to reunite and
govern the tribe's business as a unit
Some of the former employees were
able to regain jobs within the WWBC,
although not in the same jobs they held
prior to the shut-down of the tribal
operations of July 15, 1991.
It was this group of former employees
the WWBC had made the Special
Compensation offerof $2,000 in January
of 1993. This special offer was provided
to the former employees in early
February 1993.
The former employees affected by the
Corrie dispute had to sign an agreement
as a condition to gaining access to the
$2,000. The agreement states in part, -
-Special Compensation offer that will
the U.S. Attorney General office in •«**,. , .
Madison instituted a suit against Jenna   WinnebagO/See Page 3
Another Victim of the Florida Pow-Wow
By Mel Rasmussen
Jimmy Boy-Dial is a Lumbee from
North Carolina who publishes a small
eight page newsletter on the east coast
He has been writing about the Native
American Indian issues and the abuse
that has been occurring by members of
the dominant society who have been in
no uncertain terms ripping off the
citizens who attend Indian functions.
According to Dial the most recent rip
offwas the Winter Pow-WowinHialeah,
Florida, held in January of this year.
The main culprit is the family of
Charlotte White, who was stating that
she ran a non profit organization called
Native Americans, Inc. To this date no
one has been able to verify that this
organization exists in Florida,
TennesseeorherhomestateofKentucky.
Charlotte White is said to be from
Manchester, Kentucky, and was
attempting to put on another
extravaganza in this small town in June
of 1993. AccordingtoDial he contacted
the local newspaper, the Manchester
Enterprise and talked to theirstaff about
the fiasco in Hialeah and warned them
of her past track record.
The Manchester Enterprise wrote an
articleaboutthis woman and her family's
lurid past. The mayor of this city then
looked further into their past practices
and after seeing what had occurred
canceled the entire event This was not
without some loss to their city. The city
did spend some $10,000 to install a
waterline to the expected powwow site
that would allegedly bring some 50,000
Native Americans for the event
Dial also indicated that White had
been involved with a group in Florida
called the Central Florida Muskogee
Creek Tribe, Inc. In his attempts to
contact this groupabout White he found
out that she had been kicked out of their
organization aftertheloss of fundsfrom
the previous year.
Dial is very concerned about this
misuse ofNative American traditions
and the abuse ofthe honor ofthe many
tribes in this nation. He state that it is so
easy for some of these vultures to obtain
a Jaye Treaty Card and set up their
groups or selves as Native American
Bands as no one is really sure of what is
occurring. He state and example of one
such individual who calls himself
George Whitewolf and is passing
himself off as Lakota. AccordingtoDial
who has obtained this person's birth
certificate and found out that this man
is a non-Indian who is abusing the ways
ofthe Lakota Nation.
Because ofhis intense belief in what
he is doing and at the urging of Ms.
Terri Brightnose ofthe Northern Winds
Store in Minneapolis who brought this
sordid affair to the attention of the
PRESS, we will reprint Dial's article
from his newsletter:
This letter is going out to all non-
renewers ofThe Spike over the past two
years.
Many of you may no longer have an
interest in the Native culture oryou may
not have renewed because you are not
interested in listening to me rant and
rave about the negative side ofthe trail
and the greed which is associated with
it. This is a story of just another victim
of that greed.
In January I attended a powwow in
Hialeah, Florida. This event was being
touted as a super major production with
$75,000 in guaranteed prizes, 100,000
people in attendance and a slew of
Florida/See Page 3
By Mel Rasmussen
April 18, Sunday, supporters ofthe
Prairie Island Coalition gathered at
Northern States Power nuclear plant
located next to the Mdewakanton Dakota
community at Prairie Island, Minnesota.
Partoftheprotest was in reference to the
court decision made against the Band
who were attempting to stop NSP from
hauling radioactive waste across Tribal
land.
NSP has been granted permission by
the Minnesota Public Utility
Commission to temporarily store high
level nuclear waste in above-ground dry
casks at their Prairie Island facility.
This temporary storage approval came
about due to the problems that the United
State Department ofEnergy has allowed
to develop over the years.
Since the first reactors were built in
the 1960's the federal government has
taken upon the responsibility to store
the radioactive wastes at yet to be built
permanent federal waste repositories.
Currently the projected date for a
permanent waste facility has been
projected for the year 2037. Because of
this problem utility companies have
beenforcedto absorb the storageof their
high level radioactive waste.
George Crocker, Executive director
of the North American Water Office
and organizer ofthe protest, stated that
the power company is running out of
space in their pool for storing of the
highly radioactive waste. Their major
problemistokeepthereactorsonlineas
it increases their net revenues over a
million dollars a day. Crocker went on
to state that there is an increased riskfor
the Prairie Island community for an
increase in cancer and other related
radiation induced diseases. This along
with the dangerous possibility of
contamination of the Mississippi River
are major concerns for the tribes and
other concerned parties.
Crocker went on to state that a past
survey ofthe Prairie Island community
are in support of the tribal council's
efforts to stop the nuclear production of
waste and of all nuclear operations.
Crocker went on to state that the tribal
council's loss in the Appellate Court has
not stopped the tribe's commitment to
stop this activity. He expects that there
will now be an concerted effort to stop
this form of environmental racism. In
his words he stated that there is a great
need for the Native American
community to be aware of this form of
racism. It starts from the initial mining
to the final by-product of radioactive
nuclear waste. Tribal land now sits
upon approximately 90% ofthe United
States energy resources of this country.
Crocker recognized this point and
then stated that the best tool available
for Native Americans is the increased
awareness of the sovereignty of the
different tribes. Only through this
recognition can there be a movement to
cut back on the further pollution and
degradation ofthe environment around
the earth. He stated that he supports the
growth and further development ofthe
sovereignty issue and is aware of its
impact upon this country.
Crocker addressed the strip mining
issues that are now coming to light in
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan
and was aware of the treaty rights issues
that are starting to address this issue. He
was very much aware ofthe tribes efforts
along with other environmentalists and
traditionalists who are workingtostop this
environmental disaster that is yet to
come. Crocker was supportive of the
issues being brought about by the
upcoming spearing at Mille Lacs and
realizes that it is an extension of the
treaty rights issues. In closing he wishes
the treaty rights activist well in this
upcoming struggle.
Leech Lake Considers New Constitution as Band
considers dropping from MTC's grip
By John Rainbird
On April 19th, the first of eighteen
scheduled meetings was heldattheBall
Club Community Center. This meeting
addressed the question on whether the
Leech Lake Band of Chippewa should
develop theirownConstitutionand withdraw from the Minnesota Chippewa
Tribe (MCT).
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Constitution was first adopted in 1936 and
amended in 1963 and 1972 into its
present structure. It is the constitution
for the Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand
Portage, Leech Lake, and White Earth
reservations and for the Nonremovable
Mille Lacs band. It is also the constitution for the MCT itself, the umbrella
organization ofthe six reservations.
The meeting was chaired by Mr. Bruce
Baird and Mr. Terry Michaud from the
Leech Lake Tribal Council. Mr. Si
Howard, former Tribal Chair of Leech
Lake was also present in his role as a
gatherer of information for this project.
Mr. Howard has been contracted by the
Tribe to gather this information.
Questions were raised as to how this
would effect the members of Leech
Lake and their tribal status. There was
a great fear of apprehension that the
MCT would cause some type of reprisal
or retaliation if the band members even
considered this option. Many band
members remembered similar actions
in the past and how the people suffered.
Because of this feeling the band members felt that they could not make an
informed decision until all of their options were given to them and the rest of
the tribal people. The band members
knew that writing a new constitution
would be a hard and arduous undertaking by all Leech Lake people and for
those who would chair these meetings.
The group in their entirety instead
gathered thtircoUective heads and drafted
aletterofirtentarKlrequesttobesenltothe
Leech Lake Tribd(j0uncil The letter clari-
fiedsomeoftlieircorcerrBarKlwhattheyfelt
was their right to know. The letter is as
follows:
April 19,1993.From:BaUClubConstitu-
uonal meeting To: Leech Lake Tribal
Council. Ref. Makingan cducatcddccision.
It is the consensus of the members present
that they cannot make an educated decision
on pulling away from the Minnesota Chippewa tribe and forming a new constitution
for Leech Lake.
Before a new meeting is held in the
communities tlicre should be a reservation
wide general meeting to provide information on the pros and cons of leaving MCT.
This meeting should be chaired by members of the Leech Lake Reservation Tribal
Council.
TheLeech members would liketotake full
partnership in this process, and can only do
this if they are fully informed
Leech Lake/See Page 3