This summer’s “2-percent” payments from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa
and Chippewa Indians indicate that slot machine revenues at the tribe’s two
casinos are down for the second year in a row.

The Tribal Council last week released a list of 40 governmental and
non-profit organizations which will receive a portion of the $774,763.68
that the tribal government is slated to distribute in the coming weeks.  The
amount to be distributed is down about 4.2-percent from this time last year.
The amount distributed in the summer of 2006 was down about 4.8-percent from
2005.

Under a federal court consent decree, the tribe is required to distribute
two-percent of its slot machine revenue twice annually to local units of
government that are authorized to levy taxes in the immediate vicinity of
the two tribal casinos.  The tribe has interpreted language of the agreement
to include non-profit organizations that have received an endorsement from a
unit of government anywhere within the tribe’s six-county service area.

Winter payouts are generally higher than summer payouts because of the
seasonal nature of the gaming business in northwestern lower Michigan.  In
January, the tribe distributed nearly $1 million under the program. That
payment was down around 3.8-percent from the same time in 2005.  Since
payments began in 1995, the tribe has distributed more than $17 million in
”2-percent” funding.

The Tribal Council last month considered 96 applications for “2-percent”
funding, totaling more than $2.7 million in requests.

Of the 40 requests honored, nine were from Leelanau County organizations for
a total of $298,922 or about 38.5 percent of the overall distribution.

As usual during the summer, the largest single payout was a flat $100,000 to
Suttons Bay Public Schools to help fund its federally-mandated Indian
Education Program.  The school district will also receive $25,000 from the
tribe to help develop curriculum for a new Anishnaabe language program.
Northport Public School will receive $33,000 for its Indian Education
Program.

The second largest amount awarded in this summer’s payout, $52,750 went to
Leelanau County under an ongoing contract to reserve 10 beds at the county
jail for use by the Tribal Police.

The county Board of Commissioners had endorsed three other applications for
”2-percent funding” ­ none of which were honored by the Tribal Council.  The
county had asked for $70,000 to fund a 9-1-1 emergency services initiative
to upgrade  communications systems  at Leelanau County schools.
The Tribal Council also turned down a request for $14,926 from the county
Michigan State University Extension office for a gardening education
program.

County administrator David Gill said he was “disappointed” that the Tribal
Council did not honor an application for $75,000 to help the county relocate
its veterans memorial from Leland to Suttons Bay Township when the county
seat moves there next year.

Gill said he would solicit “in-kind” donations from contractors working on
the new Governmental Center who may be able to transport the granite
monument from Leland to Suttons Bay Township.  A one-acre Veterans Memorial
Park is planned on the new county campus which may include flagpoles,
lighting, sidewalks and other amenities.

”Obviously, we will need to do this project in phases; and we will try again
for “2-percent” funding in the future,” Gill said.

The third largest amount awarded to a unit of government in Leelanau County
will be $35,200 to the Leelanau County Road Commission.

Road Commission clerk Joe Nedow said the commission had submitted two nearly
identical requests, but the one granted was for a road improvement project
on the Indian reservation in Peshawbestown, on Stallman Road between M-22
and Eagle Valley Road.

The Village of Suttons Bay earlier this year endorsed a request from
Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails, Inc. for $30,000
to pave a portion of the Leelanau Trail in Bingham Township.  The Tribal
Council awarded the entire amount requested.

Suttons Bay Township endorsed a request from the nonprofit Leelanau
Christian Neighbors organization for $10,000 for a community support
program.  Among other activities, the group runs a food pantry for needy
families.  The entire $10,000 was awarded.

The Suttons Bay-Bingham Fire and Rescue Authority sent several requests for
funding to the Tribal Council, two of which were honored.  The tribe will
pay $9,822 to help fund a training program for emergency services worker,
and $1,150 to help buy a new heart monitoring machine.

”We’re tremendously pleased,” said authority president Rich Bahle.  “Any
time we can work cooperatively with the tribe on fire and rescue, it’s a
good thing.”

Leland Township will receive $2,000 to help pay for dredging in Leland
Harbor which is used regularly by tribal fishing vessels.