Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2000-04-28

              INDEX
News Around Indian Country
News Tidbits
Commentary/Editorials/Voices
Smoke Signals of Upcoming Events
Classifieds
Commentary
Marge Anderson
decisively
defeated in Mille
Lacs primary
pg4
Analysis of
Minnesota Chippewa
Tribal election results
pg 1,4
Mishandling of funds alleged at Bois Forte Band
Exceipted from Charles Ramsay
Mesabi Daily News
Bois Forte, Minn. - A Fortune Bay
Casino employee who was fired
from his job March 26 is alleging
mishandling ofthe casino's and Bois
Forte Band's employee self-insured
health fund.
However, the band chairwoman,
Doris Isham, and casino/conference
center board of directors chair, Gary
Gotchnik, said in a general statement
that an accounting firm's recent auditor for the band's pension plan and
checks on medical, dental and life
benefits found the plans were "adequately administered."
Norman Adams, a band member
who worked at the casino as human
resources manager fonn May 1995
to November 1999 and then as casino director of internal compliance
from about December until March
26, said he was fired at a closed, executive session of Fortune Bay's
board of directors that day and hired
back on paid administrative leave a
week later.
Gotchnik confirmed April 12 that
Adams' casino job classification had
been eliminated in a decision by the
Reservation Tribal Council, and that it
was now an RTC-administrated position.
Several factions have claimed that
reservation politics before the April
18 Bois Forte Band primary for chair
and RTC was driving charges and
counter-charges. Adams denied that.
"I do feel the self-insured health
fund is being mismanaged," Adams
said, adding that during his tenure as
casino human resources manager, he
noticed several allegedly questionable
occurrences:
• A Blue Cross/Blue Shield query
faxed to him about a supposed
$320,000 shortfall in the band's self-
insured employee health plan in the
early summer of 1999, which also
told him the health plan was "very
much under funded." He claimed that
money allegedly had to be withdrawn
from the workman's compensation
insurance program to cover the health
plan.
• Examples of what Adams said
was underfunding ofthe health insurance pool, form premiums deducted
form Fortune Bay employees sent to
the RTC, which were to be invested in
the pool overseen by a Duluth finn.
About SI ,000 to $5,0000 a month allegedly was short at times, based on
1997-98 records, he claimed. "That
began to raise my suspicion last
year..," he said.
At the time, Blue Cross/Blue Shield
was doing overall administration of
the plan; their handling ended Dec.
31,1999, when Adams said he found a
vendor to do for less ofa fee.
After questioning an item he noticed, Adams said he kept records and
started looking at other statement of
deposits.
"I could not match up the deposits
that were paid to the RTC. It was the
RTC's responsibility to deposit Fortune Bay's premium into the pool,"
Adams said. He added that, what we
BOIS FORTE topg. 7
Tribal accountability and casino
profits issues in Mille Lacs election
Incumbents at White Earth and Mille Lacs second place in primary
Excerpted from Pat Doyle
Star Tribune
Longstanding political challengers on two Minnesota Chippewa reservations finished first in tribal primary elections this week, setting up important runoff elections between them and incumbents in two months.
  At Mille Lacs, Melanie Benjamin got more votes than
prominent tribal chief executive
Marge Anderson, who finished
second, and six other candidates.
This was the first time the band
has held a primary election in
determining the new chief executive.
During the Mille Lacs campaign, challengers asked
whether Anderson had lost touch
with members and questioned
how millions of dollars in profits
from the tribe's Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley
were being spent.
At White Earth, Doyle Turner, a minister, finished ahead of tribal chairman John Buckanaga and three other candidates. The race Was notable in
part by the absence of Darrell (Chip) Wadena, a tribal chairman for two
decades before he was convicted on corruption charges. White Earth officials barred him from running this time.
The top two finishers in each ofthe six Chippewa bands qualified for
the general election in June.
Turner received 45 percent ofthe White Earth vote in the five-candidate
race. Buckanaga won 37 percent.
MILLE LACS to pg. 7
Benjamin, a former band
administrator, said band
members lack information
on the budget and casino
revenues and asserted that
"a lot of outsiders make
our decisions for us."
Ramstad praises
Mille Lacs'Marge
Anderson
Excerpted from James Baden
Mille Lacs Messenger
Republican U.S. Congressman Jim
Ramstad visited the Mille Lacs Reservation last week and geve chief executive Marge Anderson high praise
for her long-time tribal leadership.
The praise came one day before the
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe's primary
election.
Calling Marge Anderson the "best
chief executive in the nation."
Ramstad went on to give her high
grades for bringing Indian issues to
Washington and to Congress.
"She lets us know how our actions
affect you," he said, "she has great
people around her too."
Ramstad, who is himself a recover
ing alcoholic, also praised the Mille
Lacs Band's alcohol program, wlncii
was under some criticism from some
of Anderson's opponents in the primary race.
"I have so much respect for my favorite chief," he said, gesturing to
Marge Anderson. "Visionary leaders
like Marge are few and far between,"
he told the guests.
Candidates advance in
Fond du Lac elections
Excerpted from Sarah Jackson
Duluth News-Tribune
Incumbent Robert "Sonny" Peacock and challenger Kevin Dupuis Sr.
advanced in the primary for Fond du
Lac Chippewa chairman, tribal election officials announced April 19.
Ofthe 955 votes cast, including absentee ballots for those living off the
reservation, 445 (47 percent) voted
for Peacock, while 196 (21 percent)
cast for Dupuis.
Only two will advance to the general election June 13, but Donald E.
Wiesen wasn't far behind with 161
votes (17 percent) for chainnan. The
three other chairman candidates, Robert Martineau, Les Northrup and Jim
Northrup finished with 4 percent, 5
percent and 6 percent ofthe vote, respectively.
Two candidates in the races will advance to the general election and winners there will hold four-year terms.
Fond du Lac Band members also
voted for two district representative
seats.
In an unusually large field of nine
candidates. District I incumbent
Clifton Rabideaux led with 237 votes
(36 percent), followed by Carl
Abrowmowski Jr., who had 160 votes
(24 percent).
In District III, incumbent George
Dupuis got 92 votes (52 percent);
Bryan Jon Maciewski trailed with 63
(36 percent).
More than 60 band members ofall
ages turned out the night of April 18
to watch the counting of ballots at the
Fond du Lac Reservation Tribal Business Center in Cloquet.
'   General Election Judge Elwin
Benton, who read each ballot as he
counted them April 18, said the elections are important for the resen'ation
because the council — which also includes a District II representative seat
and a secretary treasurer — makes
most ofthe decisions for the band.
"A lot ofpeople want change on the
reservation. 1 think fresh ideas would
be a positive thing for the band," said
Carol Smith of Brookston. "It gets really tense this time of year — around
election time. It's a small community.
There's a lot involved. There's a lot of
politics."
Hunt, Ross advance in
election at Leech Lake
Excerpted from Devlyn Brooks
Bemidji Pioneer
Incumbent chairmen from Leech Lake and White Earth reservations
moved onto their respective general elections, finishing as one ofthe top
two vote getters in their tribes' primary elections
April 18.
Leech Lake Chairman Eli Hunt placed first with
363 votes or 21.4 percent ofthe vote, outdistancing •
a close field of challengers led by second-place finisher Lenee D. Ross who had 303 votes. Ross- the
director of American Indian Programs and Services
at Bemidji State University - will challenge Hunt in
the June 13 general election.
Ross and Hunt have tough roads ahead as each
gathered only a fraction ofthe votes cast in a 12-
Eli Hunt candidate field. Third-place finisher Alfred
Fairbanks finished with only five votes less than Ross and two other candidates finished with more than 200 votes, as well.
"1 was surprised at how close the race was. I had actually thought I
would do better in Districts I and III," said Hunt, a first-time incumbent. "I
was disappointed in the results."
Ross- who scored big during the second day of ballot counting April 19
-said, however, he wasn't suiprised about the close vote in which five candidates split almost evenly about 85 percent ofthe voters. After most ofthe
ballots were counted the night of April 18, Ross needed a large count in the
Cass Lake and Minneapolis precincts and a large number of absentee votes
to pull into the all-important second-place spot.
"It was. pretty close," he said. "With a close race like this, people are
ready for a change.
Officially, there were 1,692 votes cast, and the other candidatesw were
Alfred Fairbanks Jr. (298), Walter "Frank" Reese (237), George Goggleye
(227), Jerry Otto Reyes (72), Martin Robinson (63), David Chief Morgan
(61), Tony "Skin" Hare (34), Bonnie Rock (18), Bibsy Kingbird (9). Guy
g. Cloud (7).    "
"1 would hope that the people that voted for me recognized that I have
die experience in tribal goveniment to know what the issues that are facing
our membership are," Hunt said. "I think I've already established a track
record in terms of accountability."
Ross said his plan is to meet with other candidates about their platforms
and visions about the band.
"My plan is to not get involved in mudslinging. There is no reason two
candidate's should attack each other or their supporters because we're all
members ofthe Anishinabe nation," he said. "We should be kind to each
other and let the people decide."
Leech Lake District III
Incumbent District III Representative Richard Robinson Jr. cruised to an
easy primary win, garnering 352 votes or 31.1 percent ofthe District 111
vote.
Arthur "Archie" LaRose moved into the general election as well, getting
245 votes or 21.7 percent to finish second.
There were 1,129 votes cast for the District III representative seat, and
the other candidates were Fred K. Jackson Jr. with 183 votes, Emmanuel
Headbird (116), Sally Morrison (100), Robert Budreau Sr. (82) and Delmer
Jones Jr. (51).
Series on racism
in Shakopee
Mdewakanton Sioux
Community begins
pg4
Everything the Tribal
establishment
doesn't want you to
know about Tribal
courts
pgi,4
Mishandling of
funds alleged at
Bois Forte Band
P9 1
Voice
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T   H   E
People
web page: www.press-on.net
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Press
Ojibwe News
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A weekly publication.   Copyright, Native American Press, 2000
Founded in 1988
Volume 12 Issue 28
April 28, 2000
Panel on state,
tribal, federal
courts draws
criticism
By JuBe Shortridge
In all began innocently enough.
The St. Paul City Attorney's Offices speaker's bureau,
which has lined-up half a dozen Continuing Legal Education (CLE) lunch-hour courses for attorneys in its approximately three years of existence, decided to sponsor a CLE
on the interaction of state, tribal and federal courts.
Assistant City Attorney and speaker's bureau member
Lisa Veith had recently stumbled upon a concunence in the
Granite Valley v. Jackpot Junction case (559 N.W2d 135,
1997) written by state court of appeals Judge R.A. (Jim)
Randall, thought it and the Judge were interesting, and suggested a CLE on the topic.
The six-member speaker's bureau, including St. Paul City
Attorney Clayton Robinson, agreed the topic was of interest, and the CLE was set up to include a panel of three:
Judge Randall, publisher of this newspaper Bill Lawrence,
and Mille Lacs Anishinabe People's Party president Vincent
)   Hill. Sr. As usual. ;ui im itatiotl went out to public law of-
upa, as well as io Southern Minnesota Region Legal Services.
A week before the CLE was to take place, Hennepin
County district court Judge Robert Blaeser- who is enrolled with the White Earth Band of Chippewa and is the
only sitting Native American state court judge - called the
City Attorney's office to demand that the CLE be cancelled,
asserting that Judge Randall was a racist and should not be
given a forum to voice his perspective on the issues.
Several members ofthe Minnesota American Indian Bar Association (MA1BA)
also called making the same demand, according to staffin the City Attorney's office.
But the six-member speaker's bureau unanimously refused to buckle to the
pressure. "I don't believe in stifling any views," said St. Paul City Attorney
Robinson, who serves on the speaker's bureau. "My job is to uphold the law, not
violate it If I were to advocate through our CLEs for any particular view or position on a legal issue, that would be an abuse of power."
According the City Attorney's office Judge Blaeser, who did not attend the April 25 panel discussion, threatened to get the
CLE credits revoked.
Robinson said the city applied for, and received, credit from the board of CLE for their panel discussion of Randall,
Lawrence and Hill to count as 1.5 credit hours towards lawyers' required 3.0 credit hours per year on the subject of'fostering
the elimination of bias in the legal profession." Robinson said he has not received any notification from the board of CLE that
credits will be revoked.
Judge Blaeser, through his assistant, said he would not be available to talk to the newspaper about this issue.
In her introduction to the panel discussion, moderator Veith said the speaker's bureau had been unaware of the depth ofthe
controversy involving tribal courts. "It's a good thing because had we known, we may not have gone ahead," she said. Veith
also said that die speaker's bureau will be sponsoring two CLE's on the topic, the next one representing the views expressed
by those opposed to this first one.
PANEL topg. 6
(top - bottom)
Vincent Hill, Sr., Bill
Lawrence,and Judge
R.A. (Jim) Randall
spoke at the St. Paul
Attorney's Office
Continuing Legal
Education panel
April 25.
Turner, Buckanaga win White Earth primary
Goodman, Bevins advance in District II
Exceipted from Nathan Bowe
Becker County Record
In a primary election marked by a
large local voter turnout April 18,
Doyle Turner and John Buckanaga
came out on top and will compete in
the June 13 general election for tribal
chairman ofthe White Earth Band of
Chippewa.
Turner received 865 votes and
Buckanaga 714 votes to advance to
the June 13 general election.
The men were followed by Dan-ell
"Boone" Wadena, who receive 254
votes; Dean Van Wert, with 63 votes;
Census
collection still
causing
confusion
Reservation members
being counted in-person
and Albert Bellecourt, with 38 votes.
Buckanaga is running for a second
term as tribal chairman. The former
District III representative became interim chainnan in 1998 following the
ousting of former Tribal Chairman
Eugene "Bugger" McArthur.
The 57-year-old Turner, an ordained Episcopal priest, narrowly lost
in his bid to become chainnan in
1996.
In the race for District III committee representative, incumbent Ralph
"Bucky" Goodman and Kenneth
"Gus" Bevins will advance to the general elections.
Goodman received 316 voters and
Bevins 249 in the primary election.
Elmer "Eugene" Tibbetts received
225 votes, followed by Ed Miller Sr,
90; Albert "Spunky" Brunner, 78;
Harold Annette Sr, 57' and Ivy
Ailport, 35.
District III represents the communities of Pine Point, White Earth,
Callaway, Ogema and Elbow Lake.
The absentee voter count was down
about t50 percent from the previous
election.
"The (reservation) resident vote carried a lot of weight in this primary."
Excerpted from Nathan Bowe
Detroit Lakes Tribune
Jean Johnson of Callaway was concerned after reading last week's Detroit
Lakes Tribune story about low Becker
County census returns.
Although census forms were supposed to have been mailed to residents,
filled out, and returned to the Census
Bureau by April 11, she told a Tribune
reporter that she hadn't received one
yet. And neither had any of her neighbors on Goat Ranch Road.
Worse yet, Callaway Postmaster Cleo
Baker reported that no census forms
had arrived for delivery to the 206
boxes on her rural route and 75 boxes in
town.
As it turns out, the people in the
townships of Riceville, Eagle View, Forest, Maple Grove, Pine Point, Round
Lake, Spring Creek, Sugar Bush and
White Earth have the same problem. All
of those townships arc located on the
White Earth Indian reservation.
The Tribune's initial attempts to further investigate the matter were made
more difficult by unreturned phone calls
from the local census office in
Moorhead.
However, after the friendly intervention of U.S. Rep. Colin Peterson's office
the Tribune was contacted by Cindy
Gordon, local census office manager in
Moorhead.
She oversees the census efforts in 28
counties and seven Indian reservations
in Minnesota, including the White Earth
Indian Reservation.
Gordon explained that people who
live on the White Earth Reservation,
both Indians and whites, are being
counted differently this year.
It's call "Update Enumerate" and it
basically means that everybody on the
CENSUS to pg. 6