https://www.facebook.com/105163801043643/

Leech Lake Secretary/Treasurer Lenny Fineday, Cass Lake, MN (2026)

06/26/2024

Greetings Leech Lake Band members! I am honored to provide you with this update regarding the activities undertaken in the month of May 2024.

Finance Update

With the FY25 Budget approved, the finance team has shifted focus to complete proposed revisions to the LLBO Budget Ordinance. Part of the Budget Ordinance revisions will include processes to build and maintain the reserve fund for the Band and procedures for how to expend those funds. This will allow us to move forward with proposals to expend reserve funds that focus on public engagement and input on how best to utilize these funds.

We will continue to review the FY25 Budget, noting that additional General Fund revenues are being realized for the first time in many, many years. More than $4.6 million has been allocated to Leech Lake in Tribal Nation Aid from the State of Minnesota. We will look at priorities for these funds, including investing in our infrastructure, programs and services.

We are also projecting additional profit from our offsite Class II gaming operations in FY25, which is in addition to the budgeted allocation from Class III activities. I will be bringing forth a proposal to allocate 40% of Class II profits to the Elders program and 40% to Youth Activities. This will create a sustainable revenue source for these important programs. More information will be forthcoming as we consider these matters.

We also continue to work on our audits. On May 9, 2024, the RBC approved a second engagement letter with our auditors REDW so they can do onsite work regarding our FY22 audit. This onsite work is scheduled and will be completed as soon as possible. Once the FY22 audit is finalized and completed, the Finance team will review the timing and communication from REDW to determine whether to enter into a multiyear engagement letter for FY23 and going forward. The good news is that once we get the FY23 audit done and submitted, we will be fully caught up on our external audits. Work to get and stay caught up will continue.

Land Update

May 1, 2024, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs unanimously advanced S. 616, the Technical Corrections Amendment, which will restore approximately 4,400 acres of Forest Service land back to Leech Lake. The bill goes to the full Senate now. We will continue to work closely with Senator Smith to get the bill through the Senate and eventually on to the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, planning continues on the Land Back ceremony, scheduled for July 17, 2024. This ceremony will accomplish the return of almost 12,000 acres of Forest Service land back to Leech Lake. On May 16, 2024, I joined a call with attorneys representing the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Forest Service to finalize a Federal Register Notice that is the last step before the transfer can be accomplished. Please watch for updates regarding this important event as we want to celebrate this historic return of our land with all Band members! The event is tentatively scheduled to take place at the Bug O Nay Ge Shig School.

Minnesota Indian Gaming Update

On May 2, 2024, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association held its regular meeting. Several updates to the MIGA Charter were proposed and unanimously adopted, including procedures for majority vote for internal matters and clarification that unanimous support is required to adopt official MIGA positions on legislation and public issues of concern. Another change was the addition of a new officer for MIGA – a Vice Chair position. Though these Charter amendments are largely procedural in nature, they will help the Association tremendously from a functional and operational standpoint.

At the meeting, Shakopee Chairman Cole Miller, who had been serving as interim MIGA Chairman since January, was elected MIGA Chairman for a full two-year term. As the LLBO Representative to MIGA, I was elected MIGA Vice Chairman. Together, we will continue the work to protect Tribal government gaming in Minnesota and advance Tribal sovereignty.

Cannabis Update

On May 6, 2024, Leech Lake RBC members joined other Tribal leaders in a meeting with staff from the Governor’s office and the staff of the newly formed Office of Cannabis Management, the office that will regulate the cannabis industry in Minnesota. The meeting focused on the potential impacts of pending legislation regarding Minnesota’s cannabis laws. We also discussed how Tribes and the State can work together in this new industry. The meeting was productive and more regular meetings will take place in the coming weeks and months.

On May 7, 2024, an open Band member meeting was held at Cedar Lakes Casino in Cass Lake to discuss advancements the Leech Lake Band has made in the cannabis industry and to gain Band member input on the direction we are taking. At the meeting, members of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission presented on its work to date. Also, members of the Cannabis Company Board of Directors presented on their work.

Overall, we know there is high interest in licensing individual band members to enter the industry. We are working as expeditiously as possible to help make this a reality. But it will take time to develop the breadth of regulations required, a lab to test product, and experience for our regulators to implement processes to ensure the highest standards in safety and quality are maintained.

We are also working to open a dispensary, which should be open in early June 2024. I commend our Cannabis Company Board of Directors for the work they have accomplished in a short period of time and for their innovation and dedication to the Band as a whole. Please watch for more announcements as progress continues.

On May 16, 2024, Leech Lake leaders and staff met with the Cass County leaders and staff regarding the Band’s movement in the cannabis industry. This meeting was productive from a government to government standpoint and the County and the Band agreed to continue to work together moving forward.

State Government Updates

On May 6, 2024, Leech Lake RBC members attended American Indian Day on the Hill at the Minnesota Capitol sponsored by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. The event promoted Tribal sovereignty and efforts to strengthen partnerships between Minnesota Tribes and the state. Many productive conversations took place at this event.

On May 8, 2024, Attorney General Keith Ellison visited Leech Lake tribal leaders to discuss the work the Attorney General’s office is prioritizing. Topics of conversation focused on expungements, the opioid/fentanyl epidemic, and gaming and cannabis matters. The conversation was cordial and fruitful.

On May 10, 2024, I joined others from Leech Lake at the investiture of a new 9th Judicial District Judge, Matti Adam. Judge Adam previously served as the Itsaca County Attorney; in that role, she was a champion of the joint jurisdiction healing to wellness court with Itsaca County and LLBO Tribal Court. We are looking forward to working with Judge Adam as she steps into her new role.

On May 23, 2024, I joined other Leech Lake leaders at the quarterly Minnesota Indian Affairs Council meeting. At that meeting, we heard updates on the implementation of the new Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families, which will be open on July 1, 2024. The meeting also featured an honoring for retiring State Representative Jamie Becker-Finn for all of her hard work and dedication to Indian Country during her service in the Legislature.

On May 31, 2024, I attended the Tribal-State Partnership meeting where we discussed the ongoing work on the Partnership and the areas we should be prioritizing as we move forward with implementing the grant. Conversation focused on positive outcomes for all indigenous people involved in the child welfare system.

This concludes my report for May 2024. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at any time. It is a pleasure and an honor to serve each of you! Chi-Miigwech

05/10/2024

Greetings Leech Lake Band members! It is my honor and privilege to provide you with this report regarding the activities undertaken in April, 2024.

FY 25 Budget & Audit Update

On April 5, 2024, the RBC adopted the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget, which runs from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. This adoption was completed on time in accordance with the Leech Lake Budget Ordinance for the first time in memory. This is a testament to the hard and dedicated work of the Budget Team, Administration, Band members and the RBC. I am very thankful we were able to accomplish this task together and I am hopeful that moving forward our new normal will be open, transparent and timely completion of budgets.

As reported last month, work on our FY 2022 audit continues. We are hopeful this audit will be concluded by June and then work can immediately commence on the FY 2023 audit.

Election Update

On April 2, 2024, the Regular Primary Election was held for RBC Chairman and District III Representative. A total of 1,553 votes were cast in the election for Chairman and 1,080 votes were cast in the District III race. After the election, the Election Board received one recount request, but that request was denied by the Election Board for insufficient justification supporting the request. Furthermore, one election contest was filed, but that contest was dismissed due to a lack of supporting evidence. The election contest was not appealed to the Court of Appeals. This means that the results of the April 2, 2024 Primary Election are valid and the two prevailing candidates in both races move on to the Regular General Election on June 11, 2024.

Indian Gaming Update

During the week of April 8, I attended the Indian Gaming Association Annual Meeting, where we discussed a number of current topics including sports betting and iGaming, and had various meetings with vendors. At the Annual Meeting, the tribes represented re-elected IGA Vice Chairman David Bean from the Puyallup Tribe in Washington state and newly elected Treasurer Justin Barret from the Eastern Shawnee Tribe in Oklahoma.

While we were gathered to discuss gaming issues, I met with various Minnesota tribal leaders regarding the status of the sports betting legislation currently under consideration by the Minnesota legislature. Leech Lake leadership also met with vendors regarding Class II gaming, in order to explore further opportunities as we fully exercise our exclusive jurisdiction within the boundaries of the Reservation. More information on these matters will be forthcoming.

Historic Horse Racing Update

On April 1, 2024, the Minnesota Horse Racing Commission approved Historic Horse Racing (“HHR”) machines in Minnesota’s two racetracks. HHR machines operate and function as slot machines, and the Horse Racing Commission’s action effectively grants the two racetracks in Minnesota the ability to become “racinos,” operating slot machines, table games and pari-mutuel wagering, all without any further approval or oversight from the Legislature.

The Commission took this action despite the Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Director’s clear opinion that HHR machines are illegal slot machines and cannot be approved by the Horse Racing Commission. Furthermore, the Commission’s action failed to comply with Minnesota Statute Section 10.65, which requires the Commission to consult with tribes prior to taking any action which impacts a tribe.

After the Commission’s vote on April 1, 2024 to approve HHR machines, the Legislature acted quickly to introduce legislation banning HHR machines and overturning the administrative action of the Commission. This language looks very likely to pass this legislative session. Furthermore, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community filed a lawsuit in the Minnesota Court of Appeals that will likely overturn the Commission’s approval.

On April 16, 2024, I attended an informal meeting between several Minnesota tribal leaders and the Chair of the Minnesota Horse Racing Commission. This meeting was not very productive and no meaningful answers or steps forward were provided. However, Leech Lake leadership will continue to work aggressively with other Minnesota tribes to ensure HHR machines are not allowed to be installed at the two racetracks.

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Update

On April 17, 2024, I attended a strategic planning session at the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe headquarters with MCT staff and TEC leadership. This strategic planning will help guide the activities of the MCT for the next five years. Please watch for more information on this plan as it becomes available.

On April 22 and 23, 2024, I attended Subcommittee and TEC meetings in Grand Portage, Minnesota. At the Legislative Subcommittee, the topic of updating the personnel handbook was discussed, as well as implementing internal controls and best practices in accounting procedures. At the Tribal Executive Committee meeting, discussion centered around the Constitutional reform process and updating our enrollment requirements. The possibility of removing the requirement to hold a secretarial election to amend the constitution was discussed and will be discussed in more detail and future TEC meetings. I encourage all Band members to engage with the Constitutional Reform delegates on Leech Lake to help shape the future of our governance!

Land Update

Leech Lake leadership and staff continue to work diligently to implement the Leech Lake Reservation Restoration Act, which will restore almost 12,000 acres of stolen land back to the Leech Lake Reservation. Initially, we had been planning for a Land Back ceremony for May 29, 2024, but due to unforeseen circumstances with our federal partners in the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture, this date got pushed back. Throughout the month of April, I was involved in numerous meetings and conversations with these agencies in order to accomplish the land transfer. Finally, on April 30, 2024, Leech Lake hosted leadership from both federal agencies to finalize all outstanding issues and develop a plan to get these transfers done. We are hopeful that all parties are now at the table and on the same page, and that these transfers can be accomplished before the end of summer 2024. Please continue to watch for more updates.

Work also continues on enacting the Technical Corrections Amendment to the Restoration Act, which would allow for the return of an additional 4,000+ acres of land. I and others from Leech Lake attended meetings with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs staff to move the bill forward. The bill, S.616, is slated for a vote in the Indian Affairs Committee on May 1, 2024.

On April 23, 2024, I met with Leech Lake staff and MN DNR leadership to discuss the transfer of school trust land near the Bena Community Center, which would allow the Band to own lakeshore on Lake Winnibigoshish and expand community activities there. This meeting was productive, and resulted in a survey being commenced on April 29, 2024. On April 18, 2024, I and other Leech Lake leaders met with Representative Matt Bliss and Senator Steve Green to discuss this proposed transfer and the potential benefits to Leech Lake and the broader community as a whole.

The Leech Lake local property tax exemption bill for the Twin Cities Office has also advanced in the Legislature this session without controversy or issue. It appears slated to be part of the 2024 Tax Omnibus bill and we are hopeful it will be signed into law by the end of legislative session later in May.

Federal Reserve Update

On April 24, 2024, I was invited to speak to the employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, regarding the Bank’s community engagement. I focused my talking points on the need for further development in Indian Country through increased access to capital, the need for increased housing opportunities, and developments in Tribal Court jurisdiction over financial transactions. The talk went well and I was thankful for the opportunity.

Tribal State Partnership Update

On April 26, 2024, I attended the Tribal State Partnership meeting, which was our first in person meeting of the whole team. Discussion at the meeting focused on strategies we can engage in to address the disparities facing indigenous youth in Minnesota’s child protection system. We discussed a number of specific items, including focusing on family preservation and pre-petition services as well as adopting more culturally appropriate solutions and plans in the state court system. These were initial conversations and the overall plan will develop as these conversations continue, but I was excited to see the commitment for change from so many stakeholders in the state and county system. I will continue to keep you updated as the work progresses.

This concludes my report for April 2024. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at any time. It is a pleasure and an honor to serve each of you! Chi-Miigwech.

05/01/2024

Greetings Band members! As I was preparing to post my April report, I noticed that I neglected to post my reports from both February and March here on my Secretary/Treasurer page. My apologies for that oversight! Both reports were timely published in the DeBahJiMon and on leechlakenews.com. However, ICYMI, here are combined highlights of my February and March reports, starting with the quarterly financial update!

FY24 Quarterly Financial Update
This quarterly update will cover revenue and expenditures for the six-month period from July 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023 pursuant to the FY2024 Budget. I will cover General Fund, Special Revenue and Indirect Cost Pool expenditures.

For the first and second quarters of FY24, the total revenue for the General Fund was $15,580,217, reflecting an increase of $283,209 over the same period last year, for a year over year increase of 1.9%. Total General Fund expenditures for the period were $16,472,497, reflecting a $2,360,638 decrease over the same period last year, for a year over year decrease in General Fund expenditures of 12.5%.

For the first and second quarters of FY24, the total revenue for the Special Revenue Fund was $41,799,075, reflecting an increase of $14,209,488 over the same period last year, for a year over year increase of 51.5%. Total Special Revenue Fund expenditures for the period were $42,654,903, reflecting a decrease of $5,449,557 over the same period last year, for a year over year decrease in Special Revenue expenditures of 11.3%.

For the first and second quarters of FY24, the total revenue for the Indirect Cost Pool was $6,936,232, reflecting an increase of $249,021, for a year over year increase of 3.7% for the same period last year. Total Indirect Cost Pool expenditures for the same period were $7,516,266, reflecting an increase of $208,235 over the same period last year, for a year over year increase of 2.8% in Indirect Cost Pool expenditures

General Finance Updates:
· Work continues on getting caught up on audits. Our Finance Team and REDW are working diligently on the FY 22 Audit with the hopes of submitting it very soon and immediately commencing work on FY 23 Audit;
· Community Budget Meetings were held at the end of February and beginning of March 2024 regarding the FY 2025 Budget. The meetings were very well attended and feedback results in changes to the preliminarily approved budget (including increases in powwows for renovation and a TCO powwow and increases for a new youth activities program);
· Work is wrapping up on revisions to the Budget Ordinance, which will soon be published for Band member comment and feedback.

General Governmental Updates:
· Work has continued throughout February and March on the Leech Lake Cannabis industry; more information is forthcoming on the next steps.
· Progress is being made on the land transfer pursuant to the Leech Lake Reservation Restoration Act
· Leech Lake is pursuing various initiatives at the State Capitol this legislative session, including a property tax exemption for the Twin Cities Office building, further revisions to the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act, and tribally-exclusive sports wagering;
· Tribes scored a major victory with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (“CMS”) relating to their Four Walls Policy when the CMS decided to stop implementation against tribally operated health services;
· Leech Lake has started the Community Wellness Recovery Navigator Program, which seeks to meet individuals actively engaged in addiction where they are to connect them to community resources and affirm their worth and identity;
· Leech Lake is undertaking the Small Business Credit Initiative, which will provide access to loans for band member owned businesses while creating a revolving loan fund to ensure future band members have appropriate access to capital necessary to invest in their businesses;

My April report has further updates and will be coming out soon.

Miigwech, Leech Lakers. It is an honor and a pleasure to serve you all!

02/14/2024

Greetings Leech Lake Band members! It is my privilege and honor to provide you with this report for activities undertaken in January 2024, including a quarterly report for Fiscal Year 2024 Quarter 1.

Government Financial Update

This report covers the first quarter of FY 2024, which ran from July 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023.

For the first quarter of FY 24, the total revenue for the General Fund was $10,171,192, reflecting an increase of $2,286,702 over the same period last year, for a year over year increase of 29.0%. Total General Fund expenditures for the first quarter were $5,296,613, reflecting a $1,699,424 decrease over the same period last year, for a year over year decrease in General Fund expenditures of 24.3%.

For the first quarter of FY 24, the total revenue for the Special Revenue Fund was $16,362,618, reflecting a decrease of $8,623,126 over the same period last year, for a year over year decrease of 24.5%. Total Special Revenue Fund expenditures for the first quarter were $19,487,192, reflecting a decrease of $7,556,536 over the same period last year, for a year over year decrease in Special Revenue expenditures of 27.9%.

For the first quarter of FY 24, the total revenue for the Indirect Cost Pool was $2,952,633, reflecting an increase of $14,123, for a year over year increase of 0.5% for the same period last year. Total Indirect Cost Pool expenditures for the same period were $3,987,255, reflecting an increase of $391,394 over the same period last year, for a year over year increase of 10.9% in Indirect Cost Pool expenditures.

Regarding the FY 24 budget performance for the first quarter of FY 24, 15.29% of General Fund Direct Funding was expended through September 30, 2023, reflecting $4,439,644 in actual General Fund Direct Funding expenditures. Special Revenue Direct Funding was 56.82% of total FY 24 spending, reflecting $725,548 in actual Special Revenue Direct Funding expenditures through the first quarter of FY 24.

Enterprise Quarterly Report

On our enterprise side, for the first quarter of FY 24, Total Casino, Small Business and Gaming Administration revenue increased by 2.72% over last year, while the Total Cost of Goods decreased by 9.45% over last year. Total Payroll Expense increased by 2.35% over last year. Total Operating Expenses decreased by 3.37% over last year. The total Net Profit from Casino, Small Business and Gaming Administration for the first quarter of FY 24 increased by 21.28% over the same period last year.

Audit & FY 25 Budget Update

Our Finance team and our auditors at REDW have completed the FY 21 audit, and it has been submitted to the federal clearinghouse. Work has immediately commenced on the FY 22 audit and the team continues to work diligently to ensure that gets completed as expeditiously as possible.

Work also continues for the FY 25 Budget. A preliminary budget was presented to the RBC for initial approval on February 8th, 2024. Public meetings will be held in the three Districts as well as in Duluth and Minneapolis. Final adoption of the FY 25 Budget should take place at the April Quarterly Meeting.

Association of Minnesota Counties Update

On January 2, 2024, Leech Lake leaders joined tribal leaders and county officials for a meeting at the Association of Minnesota Counties in St. Paul, MN, to discuss ways that tribes and counties can continue to work together. Items of discussion ranged from child protection and education to infrastructure and transportation issues. It was a good discussion, and I am thankful Cass County Commissioner Rick Haaland was present and that Grand Portage Chairman Bobby Dechampe helped organize the event. We will continue to discussions with the counties and find paths forward for working together.

Reserve Fund Update

On January 9, 2024, the RBC met and approved the establishment of a Reserve Fund, allocating $40 million. This Reserve Fund was created from Fiscal Years 2020, 2021 and 2022 General Funds, as we were able to reallocate General Fund expenditures from those years utilizing the Revenue Loss formula provided in the American Rescue Plan Act’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. This recategorization of funds allowed us to place most of the gaming allocation and tax agreement dollars from those fiscal years into this Reserve Fund.

The Resolution enacted by the RBC requires that the Reserve Fund “shall be meticulously controlled,” and mandates that the RBC maintain “transparent and accountable management of the Fund, with regular reporting and oversight to ensure its use aligns with the Band’s best interest.” The establishment of this Fund is important and will help ensure the Band’s financial stability into the future.

Cannabis Update

The RBC and the Cannabis Taskforce continue to work on implementing the LLBO Cannabis Code enacted in August 2023. On January 9, 2024, the RBC approved the allocation of funds for the newly appointed Cannabis Regulatory Commission and an initial contribution for the Leech Lake Cannabis Company. The Regulatory Commission has begun its work on developing the regulatory structure pursuant to the Cannabis Code. The LL Cannabis Company is working on business plans. Interviews for the Board of Directors for the Company will take place in early February, with plans to host a Band member public meeting in early March to discuss in more detail the implementation plan for cannabis on Leech Lake.

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Update

On January 10th and 11th, 2024, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe held its quarterly Tribal Executive Committee and Subcommittee meetings at the Fond du Lac Reservation. At the Legislative Subcommittee meeting, we discussed the financial operations of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, approved necessary personnel actions, and heard a presentation on the proposed updates to the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act. At the Tribal Executive Committee meeting, we approved resolutions, including one in support of the MIFPA revisions and one in support of amending the List Act to list each MCT Band separately. We also heard presentations from Sandy Lake Band and the Constitutional Reform delegation.

Tribal State Partnership Update

On January 16th and 17th, 2024, I attended the kickoff meeting for the Tribal State Partnership grant with tribal and state leaders from each of the states who received funding from the grant (Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and Alaska). It was a great first meeting and it was good to hear about the work that has already been accomplished. The statewide Minnesota team will be meeting in March at Northern Lights Casino to continue the initial work of implementing this grant.

National Congress of American Indians Update

On January 23rd and 24th, 2024, I attended a retreat for the National Congress of American Indians Executive Committee. This retreat provided an opportunity for the incoming executive committee to meet face-to-face and to get to know one another better, as well as dive into important policy discussions. We talked at length about NCAI’s operations and strategy for upcoming two years. It was a very helpful event, and included some time with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. I look forward to reporting back on the progress we are making to protect and advance sovereignty as we advocate for the benefit of all of Indian Country.

Land Transfer Update

Plans are underway to host a land transfer ceremony, commemorating the implementation of the Leech Lake Reservation Restoration Act. This transfer will include almost 12,000 acres of federal Forest Service land back to Leech Lake. The ceremony was originally planned for the end of 2023, but will now take place sometime in the Spring of 2024. We are working diligently to ensure this transfer takes place and some of our illegally taken land is rightfully restored.

As we work on implementing the existing law, we are still advocating for an amendment that would allow for the transfer of additional acreage that was identified as illegally taken. This past month, progress has been made in the Senate to move our amendment forward and we are hoping the Committee on Indian Affairs will mark up the bill soon.

This concludes my report for January 2024. As always, it is a privilege and honor to serve each of you. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. Chi miigwech!

01/09/2024

Greetings Leech Lake Band members! I hope that you all had a happy holiday season and enjoyed the company of loved ones. It is my privilege to report to you the activities undertaken in December 2023.

Audit Update

Our finance team continues to work diligently with our external auditors to get us caught up on our audits. We are very close to completing our external audit for FY 21, which ran from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. We anticipate this audit being completed in the first week of January 2024. Once the FY 21 audit is complete, work will immediately commence on the audit for FY 22 (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022). Even though we are behind in our audit schedule and are working diligently to get caught up, it is important to remember that the time period we are dealing with was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when there were numerous federal and state monies that came into the tribal government for the required response to the pandemic. We want to ensure that each dollar is appropriately accounted for in accordance with the various requirements from the appropriate agencies.

Center for Indian Country Development

On December 1, 2023, I attended the last meeting of 2023 for the Center for Indian Country Development Leadership Council. We discussed upcoming data tools the Center will be unveiling in order to assist Tribal governments across the country with decision making, including the Native Community Data Profile tool that was released on December 13, 2023. Please check with the Center’s website for more information on this and other work the Center has accomplished in 2023.

Tiwahe Initiative

On December 1, 2023, Leech Lake leaders had a call with Bryan Newland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs regarding the Tiwahe Initiative. We were informed that Leech Lake was selected as one of two tribes to join the Initiative, which will mean the first substantial increase in our Self Governance base funding for the first time since the 1990s. The funding for the first year is $500,000.00 and the second year—and every year thereafter—is $1,000,000.00. The Initiative focuses on human services, public safety and justice programming to work together to protect and promote healthy and resilient tribal families and communities. We are very excited about Leech Lake’s inclusion in this Initiative and look forward to working together to develop effective solutions that will assist our communities and families. Staff have been working closely with Local Indian Councils to develop plans for how this Initiative can best serve Leech Lake. Please watch for further updates and announcements as we move forward with implementing this new Initiative.

White House Tribal Nations Summit

On December 6 and 7, 2023, I was able to represent the Leech Lake Band at the White House Tribal Nations Summit in Washington, D.C. At the summit, we heard from various federal departments and agencies regarding tribal priorities. We also were able to have several direct conversations with cabinet officials regarding our individual tribal priorities and how to strengthen the relationship between the federal government and Tribal governments. I was able to attend sessions with the Department of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency. It was a jammed packed couple of days, but many good conversations were had and many Leech Lake issues were elevated, including the need to adequately clean up the Superfund site, the need for additional housing (including middle income housing) on the reservation, and the need for increased infrastructure and transportation.

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe

On December 11, 2023, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe held a special Tribal Executive Committee meeting regarding the upcoming 2024 MCT Election. The TEC approved minor updates to the Election Ordinance and the 2024 Election calendar. Filing for the open RBC positions will begin on January 12, 2024 and continue until January 22, 2024. Please watch for additional updates for upcoming deadlines.

On December 21, 2023, I had a call with the team conducting the forensic audit for the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. They reported adequate and timely progress was being made on the audit, with appropriate responses so far to the document requests they have made to management. They still anticipate a target completion date of March 2024 for their final report, with a presentation to the TEC in April 2024.

Minnesota Legislature Update

On December 15, 2023, Leech Lake leaders and staff met with Representative Zach Stevenson, Chair of the House Commerce Committee. The meeting centered on the upcoming 2024 Minnesota legislative session with topics ranging from sports betting to cannabis to broadband. We also discussed the Leech Lake Cannabis Regulatory Act and where tribes are at in the negotiation of cannabis compacts with the State. The meeting was productive and we look forward to positive results in the upcoming session.

Superfund Update

On December 19, 2023, the RBC approved an agreement with Hydrogeologic, Inc to provide technical assistance and support regarding the St. Regis Superfund Site. Hydrogeologic, Inc.’s work will focus on providing updated remedial alternatives for Operable Units 1 and 2 that more adequately reflect the clean up standards required by tribal law than the alternatives currently under consideration by the EPA. This work will commence very soon so that the updated alternatives can be provided to the EPA while they are still in the remedial selection process for OUs 1 and 2. Overall, work on getting the entire site cleaned up to an appropriate standard is an arduous task, but I am thankful for the diligent work of the Environmental and DRM teams for the progress made the last several months.

Tribal State Partnership

Throughout the month of December, I have had many meetings with stakeholders in the Minnesota Judicial Branch, the Minnesota Department of Human Services and other tribes regarding the upcoming Tribal State Partnership grant that the Judicial Branch obtained from the federal government. Under the Partnership, state and tribal stakeholders in Minnesota will work collaboratively to effectuate positive outcomes for indigenous families involved in the justice system. This work has long been one of my passions, and I am thankful for the opportunity to continue in a leadership role. The Tribal State Partnership is still in its infancy stage and work is picking up where the Children’s Justice Initiative ICWA Subcommittee left off. Please continue to watch for further updates on our progress.

This concludes my report for December, 2023. As always, it is a privilege and honor to serve each of you. I wish a safe, healthy and prosperous 2024 to all! Chi miigwech!

Address

Cass Lake, MN

Telephone

+12187601712

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Leech Lake Secretary/Treasurer Lenny Fineday posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Leech Lake Secretary/Treasurer Lenny Fineday:

Leech Lake Secretary/Treasurer Lenny Fineday