Updates from the Chief Executive

April Message from the Chief Executive

Aaniin everyone, ”As I thought about the topics for this month’s column, I thought about how Mille Lacs Band information is delivered to you, the Band members.

Chief’s Communication Page

My past columns have been about the work my team and I have been performing, detailing the meetings I have attended, the people I’ve talked with, and how all are important for Band members to know.

But that made me think about the bigger picture. The communication vehicles we’ve depended upon to deliver important information have not really changed over the years. We have the Inaajimowin (which you are reading right now). Then there are the video capabilities that I have used to deliver short up dates on some items, the most recent being from February in which I discussed the actions by the current U.S. presidential administration. The Band has also sent out mailings in the past, and that is something that will continue, depending on the issue at hand.

With that in mind, in an effort to run the most transparent administration in Mille Lacs Band history, I have decided to publish all of my office’s official correspondence on the Mille Lacs Band website, available to Band members and employees who possess official log-ins.

Now eight months into office, I am extremely proud of the work that my staff and I have done in maintaining and growing relationships with the state and federal governments, navigating the numerous changes at the federal level, and working internally within Band government with the Band Assembly, Commissioners, and other stakeholders.

Additionally, updates regarding the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, the Tamarack Nickle Sulfide Mine, and The Wilder Survey, along with video updates, are available on the communications and videos page to ensure Band members can stay informed on important topics.

I’ll have more information to share once I and my team have completed a “step-by-step” guide that will help you find important updates and correspondence.

Mille Lacs Band Foundation

In other matters, you may have heard or read about the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Foundation donating $250,000 to the Mille Lacs Area Health Foundation in support of the Mille Lacs Health System’s “Next Chapter” project, helping to bring the hospital’s expansion and modernization efforts to completion.

This contribution will provide funding for key areas within the new facility, including the Ambulance Garage, an Emergency Observation Exam Room, the Kitchen, and the Laboratory.

Mille Lacs Health System is a vital healthcare provider for both Mille Lacs Band members and the surrounding community. The Foundation’s contribution reflects the Band’s longstanding commitment to strengthening healthcare services and ensuring access to quality medical care for all who call this region home. As many of you may already know, and for those of you who maybe unfamiliar with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Foundation, there is an advisory committee to the foundation. That committee is comprised of the Mille Lacs Band elected officials — myself, Secretary-Treasurer Boyd, and District Representatives Beaulieu, Merrill, and Davis — serving as its members, providing strategic guidance to ensure that the Band’s philanthropic initiatives align with its cultural values, priorities, and vision to create a meaningful and lasting impact. This is a responsibility we all take very seriously.

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

During the last week of February, I joined my fellow tribal chairmen from Red Lake and Fond du Lac and the Secretary-Treasurer from Leech Lake in Washington D.C. to provide testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies as Congress prepares its next bud get, that was due on Mach 14, 2025. My fellow tribal leaders and I spoke about preserving, not necessarily increasing, funds for Indian Education, Indian Health and tribal public safety.

What I expressed to the subcommittee was how import ant it is to improve health outcomes for all Native Americans across Indian Country. I related how the life expectancy for Na tive males is around 62, and how these health disparities harm our communities. With the passing of an Elder there is also a loss of knowledge, of history, of language, and of traditions.

As I stated to the subcommittee in my testimony: “I am not here simply seeking money. I'm here seeking longer, healthier, better lives for my people…This is not just a budget request, it is a matter of life and death.”

The reality of the situation is, owing to the treaty-trust responsibility by the federal government to Native nations, they need to do the right thing: Keep our funding at the present levels instead of cutting it.

26th Annual Treaty Rights Celebration

I closed out the month by participating in our annual 26th Treaty Rights Celebration on Friday, March 21. As I said in my speech, we came together “not only to reflect on the past, but to celebrate the strength, the resilience, and the determination of our people. This is not just a legal victory. This is a testament to the power of our ancestors, the wisdom of our elders, and the unbreakable bond we share with this land.

“We remember that moment when the ruling came down. A 5-4 decision in our favor. A phone call to the government center. A voice over the intercom announcing the news. And a celebration — right there on the steps of our Government Center — because we had won.

“That day did not grant us new rights. It reaffirmed what we have always known: that our treaty rights are not privileges, they are promises. Promises made by the United States government, promises that our ancestors secured through great sacrifice. Promises that we must always defend.

“Every time we set a net, or spear, or harvest wild rice from these waters, we are living the legacy of our ancestors. It is important for our young people to hear this and understand this, but it is so very important that they participate in these activities, the hunting, fishing, and gathering that we have al ways done. We have declared this the Year of the Child and it is encouraging to know that our DNR is actively engaging with our youth, having them ice fish, or maybe tap a maple tree, or go ricing.”

It was a good day.

Maadginzo (First Monday) Ceremony

Our next Maadaginzo (First Monday) Ceremony will be on April 7 at the Government Center. I hope to see some of you there.

Onward Mille Lacs Band Members!