meeting minutes 12/9/05

12/09/2005

UNEDITED PRELIMINARY NOTES FROM THE “ROUND LAKE WATER LEVEL MEETING”

Present were representatives from the DNR, Sawyer

County, LCO Tribe, Round Lake Property Owners Association,

Jim Hausman, UW Extension, Sawyer County Record.

John Hirschfeld

Introductions were done by going around the room.

An outline for Ground Rules was established:

-Avoid speaking when someone else is speaking.

-Avoid personal attacks or accusations.

-Respect other people’s opinions.

-Do not rehash the lawsuit.

-Respect others and allow them the time and opportunity

to speak.

-Focus on the issue – not the person.

Decision Making Process.

It was determined that consensus would be used in the

Decision making process. However, no actual decision

Will come out of these meetings. The intent of the meetings

is to bring to the public some sort of resolution regarding the

lake water levels. All final decisions will be made by the

Sawyer County Board, DNR, State of Wisconsin or some

other governing board. Furthermore, the LCO Treaty Rights

are of paramount importance and they must agree also.

The group’s goal is to bring forth a proposal for a management

Plan to bring to the public. Code requirements must be met.

Tom Duffy questioned the rights of the county because of

Treaty rights. Does DNR “trump” the treaty rights?

The culvert on “NN” was brought up in relation to the treaty rights.

The DNR is going to be working on getting an answer regarding

Treaty rights. No plan can go ahead if treaty rights are not taken

Into consideration and are unknown.

Per Mic Isham, “The tribe is against lowering Round Lake.

Other tribe members are against the lowering of the culvert on “NN”,

They don’t want to touch the culvert. ACT 31 – the state is not discussing the

Treaty rights.”

The issue for some is “controlling” Round Lake levels and not

Necessarily “lowering” the lake levels. Lake levels are only one

Component of lake management.

PHYSICAL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH:

-Culverts “NN”

Treaty rights need to be identified and who owns the road,

Is it in reservation boundaries, tribe wants Round Lake to stay

where it is, tribe does not want Round Lake lowered.

-Lake Level on Osprey Lake

-Bridge and Dam

-Tiger Cat Lake Levels

-Impervious Surface Water Runoff

Per Dale Olson from Sawyer County, the large impervious

Surface around Round Lake has had greater run-off issues.

Sawyer County has petitioned the DNR for direction regarding

The lake level. The DNR has not given direction to Sawyer County

And the DNR requested that the petition be dropped while these

Issues are being hammered out. Sawyer County, Shirley Reidman

would not agree to drop the petition. The County stated they

urgently need water level guidelines.

(Mr. Jim Hausman has advised us that the above paragraph is incorrect and should read as follows: "DNR has given some direction to Sawyer Count in reference to the culverts at Highway NN. DNR did not request that this petition be dropped. Shirley Riedman asked what if Sawyer Count would withdraw the petition and DNR stated that Sawyer County would be in violation of its settlement agreement with Hausman."

“Ceded Treaty” – the State has an obligation to notify the tribe.

Water levels must be consulted with the tribe per Mic Isham.

The county culverts put in on “NN” were put in by the county

and are regulated with the county without the tribe’s consultation.

The tribes have their own determination and don’t go by

State Statutes.

Again, who is the regulatory authority, the tribe or the state?

The Chippewa Flowage has a Lake Management Plan and that

Is going to be studied to see if it could be used as a template for Round Lake. The Chippewa Flowage model plan is an award

Winning plan recognized by Harvard.