A town in northern Wisconsin has agreed to another payment to a Chippewa tribe, ensuring continued public access to reservation roads for an additional month. The town of Lac Du Flambeau will pay the Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa $22,000, extending access through July 12th. This follows a previous 90-day agreement where the town paid the tribe $60,000 for road access. The heart of the issue lies in expired easements on approximately 1.25 miles of road within the reservation. These easements lapsed roughly a decade ago, and subsequent negotiations for renewal have stalled. The tribe initially barricaded the roads in January, restricting access for non-tribal residents except for essential trips like purchasing groceries or medications. This led to a lawsuit from affected property owners in February, seeking permanent access. The case, supported by a separate lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department on behalf of the tribe alleging trespassing, is currently before a federal judge. Complicating matters further, the tribal council recently passed a resolution stipulating a $2,000 monthly increase in payments for road access. This means the cost for the town to maintain access from July 12th to August 12th will rise to $24,000.
