SENATOR.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> YOU BET.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> Frederica: THAT WAS SENATOR
MARRY FELZKOWSKI.
HER DISTRICT ALSO INCLUDES LAC
DU FLAMBEAU WHERE ACCESS TO
HOMES OVER TRIBAL LAND HAS BEEN
BLOCKED OVER AN EASEMENT
DISPUTE.
>> IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE LAC
DU FLAMBEAU BLOCKED FOUR ACCESS
ROADS THROUGH TRIBAL LANDS AND
RESIDENTS SAY THEY'RE NOT SURE
IF THE CHANGE WILL COME ANY TIME
SOON.
>> UNLESS ALL THE PARTIES ARE
REALLY WILLING TO SIT DOWN IN
PERSON, I'M CONCERNED THIS COULD
DRAG ON FOR A WHILE.
>> THE DISPUTE THAT BLOCKED THE
ROADS HAS TAKEN COURSE OVER THE
LAST 10 YEARS.
STARTING IN 2013, AGREEMENTS FOR
PASSAGE ON THE ROADS LAPSED
BETWEEN THE TRIBE AND TITLE
COMPANIES THAT ENSURE MOST THE
HOUSES IN THE AREA.
SINCE THEN NO NEW AGREEMENT HAS
BEEN IN PLACE.
THE ROADS IN QUESTION CUT
THROUGH TRIBAL LANDS, WHICH,
ACCORDING TO THE TRIBE, MEANS
NON-TRIBAL HOMEOWNERS HAVE BEEN
TRESPASSING.
HE SAID HE AND HIS NEIGHBORS
WERE GIVEN ABOUT TWO WEEKS'
NOTICE BEFORE THE BARRIERS CAME
UP.
IN A STATEMENT RELEASED JANUARY
31, THE LAC DU FLAMBEAU TRIBAL
PRESIDENT JOHN JOHNSON SENIOR
SAID QUOTE THE LAND OF LAC DU
FLAMBEAU AND TITLE COMPANIES
HAVE NOT ALWAYS ACTED IN GOOD
FAITH TO RESOLVE THE IRISH.
THE OF -- ISSUE.
IN RESPONSE TO THE BARRIERS,
FIRST AMERICAN, ONE OF THE TITLE
COMPANIES INVOLVED, TOLD PBS
WISCONSIN, QUOTE, FIRST AMERICAN
TITLE HAS MADE A GOOD FAITH
OFFER ON BEHALF OF OUR INSURED
HOME OWNERS BASED ON RIGHT OF
WAY EASEMENTS.
THOUGH FIRST AMERICAN SAID THEY
MADE AN OFFER, THE BARRIERS HAVE
REMAINED IN PLACE.
BECAUSE OF THESE ROADS BEING
BLOCKED, ABOUT 55 HOUSEHOLD NOW
STUCK IN A SITUATION WHERE
THEY'RE CARS COULD LEAVE BUT NOT
BE ALLOWED BACK IN.
>> THE THING WE'VE TRIED TO SAY
IS THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE
RESPONSIBILITY ARE THE PEOPLE
THAT ULTIMATELY ARE PAYING THE
PRICE ARE THE HOME OWNERS.
>> TO GET GROCERIES AND
SUPPLIES, THEY WALK ACROSS THE
LAKE TO THEIR CAR, WHICH IS
PARKED AT A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE
LOCATED ON A PUBLIC ROAD.
>> IF WE NEED TO GET GROCERIES,
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR KIDS ARE ALL
GROWN BUT WE HAVE THEIR PLASTIC
SLEDS AND WALK ACROSS THE LAKE
AND GO TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND GET
THE JEEP AND ONLY GET AS MUCH AS
STUFF AS WE CAN FIT ON THE SLEDS
BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO MAKE IT
BACK.
>> HE SAID THE TRUCK ACROSS THE
LAKE ISN'T TOO BAD FOR HIS
FAMILY BUT FOR OTHERS IN HIS
COMMUNITY THE TRIP ISN'T
POSSIBLE.
>> WE HAVE A PERSON AND IS THE
HAD A HIGH SCHOOLER THAT IS A
SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD AND SHE AND
HER CHILD HAD TO LEAVE AND MOVE
BACK TO IOWA TO SOME FAMILY
MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY
LITERALLY -- THERE WAS NO WAY TO
HANDLE THIS OTHERWISE.
>> WHILE THE ROADS ARE BLOCKED,
THE SHERIFF SAID HE HAS BEEN IN
CONTACT WITH THE LAC DU FLAMBEAU
TRIBAL POLICE WHO SAY THEY HAVE
DIRECTED TWICE DAILY WELLNESS
CHECKS.
POLICE SAY THEY HAVE DELIVERED
MEDICATION TO AT LEAST TWO
RESIDENTS AND OFFERED FOOD BOX
DELIVERIES.
HOWEVER, HE SAID THE WELLNESS
CHECKS ARE FAR LESS FREQUENT
THAN THE TRIBE CLAIMS.
>> THEY'VE BEEN IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD TWICE IN THAT TIME.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE MAYBE
ONLY HAD A CHECK-IN ONE TIME.
>> WHILE RESIDENTS WAIT FOR A
SOLUTION TO GRANT THEM ACCESS TO
THE ROADS AGAIN, GOVERNOR EVERS
MET WITH TRIBAL LEADERS MONDAY
AND SAID THE MEETING WAS
PRODUCTIVE.
IN A STATEMENT THE GOVERNOR
SAID, QUOTE, AS THIS IS AN
ONGOING PRIVATE DISPUTE, MY
PRIORITY AS GOVERNOR IS
ENCOURAGING EVERYONE IN THE AREA
TO ENGAGE AMICABLY AND
PEACEFULLY WHILE WORKING TO
BRING ALL PARTIES TO THE TABLE
TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE QUICKLY.
THE TRIBE PUT OUT A STATEMENT
HOPING BE RESOLVED IN A TIMELY
MANNER AND THE TOWN MET TUESDAY
TO CONSIDER POSSIBLE LEGAL
ACTION.
ONE POSSIBLE SHORT-TERM SOLUTION
REQUESTED BY BOTH THE TOWN AND
FIRST AMERICAN WOULD BE TO
NEGOTIATE NEW EASE MANIES AND
LIFT THE BARRIERS WHILE
NEGOTIATES.
HOWEVER, NO ACTION HAS BEEN
TAKEN.
HE SAID NOBODY IS SHARE WHEN THE
BARRICADING WILL BE LIFTED.
>> WE NEED THESE PEOPLE TO ALL
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS TO
GET THIS FIGURED OUT, GET THE
ROADS UNBLOCKED AND GET THE
EASEMENTS IN PLACE, MAKE SURE
THE TRIBE IS COMPENSATED FAIRLY
FOR THEIR EASEMENTS AND WE CAN
ALL GET BACK TO LIVES.