The Rapids Review. Rez Report Photo Credit ~ Kim Detweiler R A I N Y R I V E R F I R S T N A T I O N S INSIDE EDITION REZ REPORT 1

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1 R A I N Y R I V E R F I R S T N A T I O N S The Rapids Review V O L U M E 8, I S S U E 1 2 J U N E 1 5, Rez Report Photo Credit ~ Kim Detweiler INSIDE EDITION REZ REPORT 1 C & C Community Meetings RRFN s Program & Community Notices Call For Financial Trustee Application Employment Opportunities administration/employment/ Various Informational Program Calendars Birthday Calendar 36 Language Corner 37 Adult & Youth Puzzles RRFN s Communications 40 Photo Credit Credit ~ Kim ~ Karen Detweiler Oster

2 P A G E 2 RRFN Community Meeting Chief and Council will hold Community Meetings the 1st Wednesday, every second month. Next Meeting Wed, July 5, :30 pm Resource Centre MEMBERS OF RAINY RIVER FIRST NATIONS If your address or information on your contact form changes, please fill out a new form and re-submit to keep your information current. This will ensure that you receive your future payments. Please keep your contact information up to date. This contact form can be found on Rainy River First Nations Webpage, This form can also be printed from the web and can also be filled out from the web. To send the form, save the.pdf, and attach it to an , or print it, and mail it or fax it. Forms may also be picked up at the Band Office.

3 P A G E 3 (Staff photo by Emily Gedde ~ Rainy River First Nations Chief Jim Leonard and Ed Oerichbauer, Koochiching County Board Tuesday.) The Koochching County Board Tuesday will seek 2 million from the 2018 capital budget to protect, restore and reopen the Grand Mound Historic Site. The deadline to submit requests is Friday. The Grand Mound site, located west of International Falls, is listed a Minnesota historic site and on the national register. It is owned by the Minnesota Historical Society and was closed in 2002 because of state budget cuts and the site s lack of attendance. Information provided at Tuesday s meting said they visitor center and grounds have since fallen into disrepair. A letter from board Chairman Kevin Adee to Rep. Rob Ecklund said the planning process for the Grand Mound Historic Site has continued and a site concept plan has been developed without consultation from the board. Furthermore, this plan and the change in oversite of Grand Mound has not been shared with any member of the county board, the letter said. It appears that nothing has drastically changed since the Minnesota Historical Society last met with the county board. As a result of that meeting, the county board adopted a resolution adamantly disagreeing with MHS plans for the development and operations of Grand Mound. Commissioner Wade Pavleck said the process has been frustrating and even after endless meetings with MHS, nothing has been accomplished. It s important to protect sacred sites, he said. Whose in the best position to protect them? I believe with all my heart it s Rainy River First Nations. The best example is what they ve done with their site on the Canadian side. Rainy River First Nations Chief Jim Leonard told the board he s been involved in many discussions with the Minnesota Historical Society and noted the original plan was to reopen in We went along with that plan, he said. Up until a few weeks ago. There was a meeting in Cloquet...for whatever reason...they changed structure and all the people involved in the planning up until now are gone. Now they ve developed a new committee. The committee, he said is made up of tribal leaders from around the state, many of whom were unaware of where Grand Mound is located. Basically, what they are saying is that they are going to close it down forever, he said. They think it is a sacred site and should not be accessible to the public I ve been taught the only way to protect something is to share it. He noted the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Center is also a sacred site, but welcome people from around the world to visit, learn and share the culture. That s what we re trying to propose here, he said. Unfortunately, Leonard said he feared historical society representatives have already made up their mind about keeping the site closed with no intention of reopening it. Commissioner Brian McBride said if bonding money is received, it needs to be determined how the site will be supported. I d hate to get it all fixed up and have no support, he said. We d be right back where we re at. Pavleck said no matter what, funding needs to be secured first. It would require further discussion, he said. Also Tuesday, no comments were generated during a public hearing to grant business subsidies in the development of a data storage center in International Falls, moving the project one step farther. Following the hearing, the board adopted a resolution giving state and local government agencies the ability to grant business subsidies, and allowing the county to invest public funds or agree to voluntarily forfeit tax or other revenue that benefit private development projects. Tuesday s hearing is the next step in the process after a March 21 hearing on a proposal to abate property taxes for 10 years on the former Army Reserve building. Mershon has asked to purchase for $300,000 the building located at 1804 Third Ave. W., from the county to site the centre. In addition Tuesday, as a formality in the process of the project, the board agreed to allow the county attorney to solicit bids for the sale fo the armory building. We have an agreement with Granite Digital Realty and this more of a formality because we don t anticipate getting any better bid than we already have, said Molly French, assistant county attorney. French said to perfect the sale of county owned real estate and pass on clean title to the buyer, the county must comply with a competitive bidding process.

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40 P A G E 40 Wednesday, June 21, 2017 National Aboriginal Day NOTICE OF OFFICE CLOSURE RRFN Administration Buildings will be closed Wednesday, June 21, 2017 For National Aboriginal Day To the Members of Rainy River First Nations Boozhoo! Aaniin Ezhi Ayaayan? Hello! How are you? It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood. :) POWWOW WEEKEND IS HERE! Volunteers are welcome and appreciated. Regular Office Hours will resume Thursday, June 22, 8:30 am Distribution List Would you or someone you know like to receive The Rapids Review, news about programs & services provided by the Administration of RRFN s? Please contact Kathy at the numbers listed below and I will be happy to add you. Phone: Ext. 222 Fax: communications.rrfn@bellnet.ca Webpage: Photo Credit ~ Kim Detweiler Newsletters can be found on Rainy River First Nations webpage at: Until next newsletter, hug the people you love, today! Miigwech ~ Kathy Bombay-Lyons Community Communications Officer NIIBIN - Summer ODE IMININ-GIIZIS - June AABITA-NIIBINO-GIIZIS - July MANOOMINIKE-GIIZIS - August