Virtual Town Hall Meeting on Mille Lacs Band Territory

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office as well as Mille Lacs County Commissioners held a virtual town hall meeting last week.

The meeting was in regards to the state’s position for the boundary of the Mille Lacs Band’s territory within Mille Lacs County. In January the Minnesota Department of Transportation placed signs, at the Mille Lacs Band request, where the believed reservation’s boundaries to be.

Attorney General Ellison stated the state’s position is based off of past legal rulings and that only the U.S. Congress has the ability to disestablish boundaries with legislation.

The public was given the opportunity to ask questions which included topics such as governing bodies for the area and the effects of property taxes and values.

Assistant Attorney General Stacey Person also covered a question involving land ownership should residents find that their land might reside on reservation territory.

"There is private land ownership on reservations all across the United States." stated Person. "In the past congress often allowed individual plots within a reservation to be sold to private individuals, but that doesn't mean that Congress was terminating or changing the reservation boundaries."

You can watch the full town hall discussions by clicking here or by checking out the Minnesota Attorney General Facebook Page.