The Mille Lacs Band called on the MN Department of Transportation to erect highway signs on the “reservation boundaries.” These are based on tribal claims that the long-since disestablished reservation still exists. The secretly-negotiated signage campaign went up without the knowledge of any Mille Lacs County Commissioners.

It’s just another tactic to support tribal boundary claims. This time while a lawsuit addressing those claims is still underway!

The tribal maneuvering is understandable, maybe. But there is no justification for MNDOT’s blatant (and clumsy) catering to special interests. They are discriminating against the rest of Minnesota’s citizens, who no longer enjoy equal protection of the law.

Read more below

County gets hundreds of calls on boundary sign issue
By T.A. LeBrun news.messenger@apgecm.com Jan 30, 2021

The Mille Lacs County Board of Commissioners, during their work session on […]

Tracy LeBrun writing in the Mille Lacs Messenger, Reservation Boundary Signs Go Up, January 11, 2021, provides details about the Mille Lacs Band’s MnDOT “reservation boundary” campaign.

Mille Lac tribal claims for the existence of the long-since-disestablished Mille Lacs reservation are being amped up with MnDOT highway signage. The signs include the words “Established in 1855 Treaty” and are placed where the old boundaries cross highways.

It’s part of a well-funded, coordinated campaign of public relations, litigation and political influence to bolster the “reservation still exists” narrative. The Band hopes to mold public opinion against Mille Lacs County, which is defending itself against a lawsuit that is ultimately over defining reservation boundaries.

A similar effort came in January when Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced filing an “opinion” in court that […]

Steve Johnson makes some good points in his recent opinion article in the Mille Lacs Messenger, “When will we be able to keep a walleye?” Mille Lacs Messenger, Nov 27, 2020.

He says, “On the Native American side, subsistence and culture are the claimed reasons for the harvest.” But Steve believes neither reason forces DNR to co-manage by simply reacting to numbers.

He writes, “The subsistence part of the equation can easily be replaced. (Actually, the Supreme Court specifically eliminated “subsistence” as a consideration in making their ruling. Subsistence only counts if there was an actual Phase II allocation in which the need for subsistence is considered.)

Steve then adds, “The culture argument in my opinion is actually a neutral point as culture exists on both sides.” That’s a great point he […]

I am saddened to report that because of new COVID restrictions we have been forced to cancel our scheduled Dec 3, 2020 “Save Minnesota” Blainbrook fundraising event.

This has always been a time to renew friendships, have some fun, and raise much-needed funds to keep moving forward with our goal for equal hunting and fishing rights for all Minnesotans and beyond.

It seems needless to be having this argument in 2020, a year when so many Americans are expressing their need for equal rights. With the treaties that have been signed, and with the Indian Claims Commission Act being the so-called end to claims, we should all be living under one set of laws.

PERM really appreciates your continued support and hopes you will continue to support our efforts […]

Here are the WINNERS of PERM’s Fall Legal Fund Raffle.

I’m always happy to share some good news. It also gives me a chance to talk to some our raffle winners. There’s no question PERM has a very supportive membership.

Thanks to everyone who got in on the raffle. We count on your support, and you came through. It’s the only way PERM can continue making your voice heard in these difficult times.

Again, thanks for your support!

Doug,
Douglas Meyenburg,
President, PERM

List of Winners

#1 Cindy B.*          Foley                   Savage Axis 30-06 w Leupold Scope

#2 Brad S.           Lindstrom            Ruger American 270 Win Bolt

#3 Dennis N.      Little Falls           Ruger American 7mm-08 Remington

#4 Dave M.         Princeton             Ruger American 243 Win Bolt

#5 […]

Buried MLFAC meeting notice excludes citizen participation

PERM encourages Minnesotans concerned about the Mille Lacs Lake and economy surviving “co-management” to attend (now ZOOM) Mille Lacs Fishery Advisory Committee meetings. Committee members deserve and could use citizen support for their often thankless and sidelined efforts to help the DNR’s political bureaucracy make “co-management” work.

According to the DNR, “Members of the public may observe MLFAC meetings,” They even get fifteen minutes “reserved for public comments and questions.”

That’s looking like a hollow promise.

PERM monitors all DNR press releases for upcoming meetings so we can get the word out. The Monday October 12 meeting was announced in a DNR release sent out (after business hours) on Friday, October 9 at 5:26 pm. This was for a 4:30 meeting on Monday, (Columbus Day) a national […]

County’s legal autonomy could be undermined

As a conservation group, PERM has always followed Minnesota citizens’ response to Mille Lacs Band claims of the existence of the long-disestablished reservation. Our concern is the protection of natural resources for benefit of all citizens. Mark Utne’s Letter to the Editor, “Conflict of interest? Mille Lacs Messenger, September 30, 2020” is a good example of why we do. (Letter below.)

Currently, the Mille Lacs Band is suing Mille Lacs County over a law enforcement agreement between the County and the Band. The sticking point is whether the agreement covers the entire claimed–but long since disestablished–61,000-acre reservation and not just the current 3,500-acres of trust land serving as a “reservation.”

If a tribal member is elected to the Mille Lacs County Board of Commissioners, that person would […]

While attending the virtual MLFAC meeting, a couple of weeks ago, it became clearer to me how the MN DNR’s role in the lake’s co-management may still be discriminating against non-tribal anglers.

They are charged with the job of protecting our Natural Resources for all Minnesotans. But that’s not happening. Instead, under the current co-management of Mille Lacs, the DNR’s focus has been on hasty solutions—that hang around forever. “Mis-management” if you ask me. Plenty of walleyes are still there. Proper management is not!

Mille Lacs Messenger Editor Traci Lebrun’s August 20 report on that MLFAC meeting, MLFAC committee discusses remainder of walleye season, is a good overview of the meeting. It includes details that I believe relate to discrimination.

The DNR admits that neither they nor the Tribal governments have a […]