Hopkins Township and Gun Lake Tribe need to talk

ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” story. It is an editorial by the editor.

PIONEER: Hey! What we stoppin’ fer?

WAGON BOSS: Can’t go no further. This here’s Indian territory.

PIONEER: Well, then… it’s treaty time! — The Firesign Theatre, “Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him.”

John Shagonaby senior director for government affairs for the Gun Lake Tribe, last Monday night offered the Hopkins Township Board an olive branch, an invitation to begin negotiations on a fair and equitable way to resolve the issue of taking a 130-acre parcel into a trust and off the tax rolls.

The board should accept.

Hopkins Township officials have made it clear they oppose the tribe’s plans to take a parcel next to Arnsman’s near 12th Street and 129th Avenue into a trust and will send their official complaint to the U.S. Department of Interior. Their main line of reasoning, most vocally stated by Trustee Bob Modreske, is that this will result in about $33,000 less in tax revenue.

Interestingly, the tribe sends just about the same amount per year now to Hopkins Township in a revenue sharing compact it made with the state.

Supervisor Mark Evans reported, however, that adding the lost revenue from this parcel to the Jijak Foundation property’s exemption amounts to about $100,000 per year. That seems to be why Shagonaby offered the township a chance to talk about it in negotiations.

I urge board members resolutely to authorize Evans to make arrangements for negotiations with the tribe and bring a recommendation back to colleagues on the Township Board.

But this is only the latest chapter in a distressing saga that has revealed strained relations between the township and the tribe.

Hopkins Township was the only municipality to vote against filing an amicus brief on behalf of the Gun Lake Casino in David Patchak’s (and others) last gasp attempt to block the existence of the tribe’s business.

Evans expressed much negative commentary about the tribe’s effort to set aside land for the Jijak Education and Environmental Center. Hopkins Township did not support that proposal either.

Evans inexplicably has refused to pick up the checks the tribe issued and I don’t recall him being present for any of the photo-op public relations presentations for the tribe.

Many have asked why Hopkins Township has had negative relations with the tribe and casino. Some have indicated they believe it grinds the board that the casino is located just across the expressway from Hopkins Township’s borders, yet the bulk of the economic benefits go to Wayland schools and to Wayland Township. Some also have suggested the customary “gambling is evil” explanation, yet so many still play the stock market or get in on the March Madness bracket pools.

Another troubling example of double standard is that it’s extremely rare to see or hear of anyone making a fuss when a church takes over a former commercial property, thereby also taking it off the tax rolls. One solid example recently was New Life Church replacing Snap Fitness on Pine Street in the City of Wayland. I did not see or hear any wailing and gnashing teeth over the subsequent loss of tax revenue.

Hopkins Township must somehow end its unproductive war against the Gun Lake Tribe. Its objection to the U.S. Department of the Interior is a waste of time and money and it is likely to be unsuccessful. The township would do much better instead to sit down at the negotiating table and see what can be done on its behalf and on behalf of the tribe.