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Dakota Download Governor Burgum's Weekly Update - June 19, 2022

Burgum highlights progress, outlines challenges in fourth conference on state-tribal partnerships

Gov. Doug Burgum welcomed tribal members and other attendees to the fourth Strengthening Government to Government Partnerships and Relationships Conference last week, highlighting progress made through collaboration between the state and North Dakota’s tribal nations over the last two years and outlining challenges and opportunities to address in the upcoming legislative session and beyond.

“While we’ve made great progress in the last five and a half years, we know that this is just the beginning,” Burgum, who has prioritized tribal partnerships as one of his five strategic initiatives, said during his keynote address. “There are gaps that still exist, and we also understand that no two tribal nations are the same. Each has got different needs, whether it’s transportation, employment, emergency services, law enforcement, health care, education, economic development, tax agreements, or fighting the scourge of drugs, everybody’s different. But we’ve all got things in common. … We’ve got abundant resources, we’ve got people who care. We can together tackle even the biggest challenges that might be in front of us.”

About 250 people registered for the two-day conference, which was first held in January 2018 and was last held in January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit North Dakota. Tribal leaders and elders, state agency leaders and staff, statewide elected officials and legislators are among those attending the conference. The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission office, led by Executive Director Nathan Davis, hosted the conference at the Bismarck Event Center. Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford and First Lady Kathryn Helgaas Burgum were among the conference speakers.

The governor shared his gratitude for the ongoing partnership and collaboration by the chairs of the five tribal nations that share geography with North Dakota: Chairman Jamie Azure of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Chairman Doug Yankton of Spirit Lake Nation, Chairwoman Janet Alkire of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Chairman Mark Fox of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara (MHA) Nation, and Chairman Delbert Hopkins of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate.

Burgum highlighted the progress made since the last conference, including:

  • The North Dakota Highway Patrol entered an agreement with the MHA Nation to enhance emergency response on the Fort Berthold Reservation. The agreement, signed by Burgum and Fox, allows the closest available peace officer to respond to an emergency call for service until the agency with primary jurisdiction arrives and assumes the lead. The agreement to allow mutual aid across reservation boundaries was made possible by legislation signed in 2019 and 2021. A similar agreement with Spirit Lake Nation was signed Tuesday during the second day of the conference.
  • Burgum signed legislation providing a framework for the state and MHA Nation to share tax revenue from oil wells that straddle the boundary of the Fort Berthold Reservation, settling an unresolved issue from the state’s historic 2019 tax agreement with MHA.
  • The North Dakota National Guard finished signing memorandums of agreement with all five tribal colleges in North Dakota to make the State Tuition Assistance program available to qualified student service members attending college.
  • Burgum also signed legislation to allow North Dakota Information Technology to enter into agreements with tribes and other government entities to assist with cybersecurity incident response, and to allow the state Department of Transportation to enter into agreements with tribal governments to assist with federally funded safety improvement projects on tribal-owned highways, streets, roads and bridges.
  • The Highway Patrol created and implemented a five-member criminal interdiction team that focuses on drug and human trafficking and other criminal activity occurring on roadways in the state. The team is tasked with working closely with tribal law enforcement to intercept illegal substances destined for North Dakota reservations.

The governor outlined challenges and opportunities that have been identified with the Indian Affairs Commission office and other cabinet agencies as issues to address during the 2023 legislative session and beyond, including enhancing access to primary and emergency care; eliminating food deserts; reducing barriers to accessing capital; tribal gaming; expanding law enforcement, cybersecurity and tax-sharing agreements; and growing tribal tourism. Other conference topics included maximizing funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, drug force task force expansion and increasing behavioral health services for tribal communities.

“We’ve got to challenge ourselves to do the things that we’re talking about, including to really listen to each other,” Burgum said. “And part of that can be part of the healing that has to occur, to achieve a greater understanding of our shared history. … We, right here in this room, working together, can leave a legacy of understanding, empathy and mutual respect.”

ND Highway Patrol and Spirit Lake Tribe sign mutual aid agreement

A mutual aid agreement was signed Tuesday between the Spirit Lake Tribe and the North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP). This agreement will enhance law enforcement in the areas of emergency calls, requests for mutual aid and other law enforcement functions on the Spirit Lake Reservation.

The agreement does not expand arrest authority. It does provide a legal means for officers to intervene during certain situations regardless of tribal status until local law enforcement is available.

Prior to signing the agreement, Gov. Burgum, Spirit Lake Tribal Chairman Douglas Yankton and NDHP Superintendent Col. Brandon Solberg offered comments and gratitude to everyone involved in bringing the historic agreement to fruition.

Burgum referenced passage of HB 1234 during the 2019 legislative session and HB 1126 during the 2021 session that laid the groundwork as well as the mutual aid agreement signed with MHA Nation and the NDHP last October.

“In an emergency, allowing the closest available peace officer to respond to a call for service could mean the difference between life and death," Burgum said. "This agreement with Spirit Lake Nation prioritizes the safety of our citizens regardless of where they live or whether they are an enrolled tribal member. We are deeply grateful to Chairman Doug Yankton, the Spirit Lake Tribal Council and the North Dakota Highway Patrol for their collaboration on this agreement, which cuts red tape and continues to strengthen our state-tribal relationships built on understanding and mutual respect.”

Yankton offered comments noting that the mere presence of law enforcement hinders criminal behavior, to include drug trafficking and human trafficking, which are serious problems on the state’s five tribal reservations and throughout the state.

Solberg further commented that the mutual aid agreement will curb criminal behavior as well as bolster safety for all citizens of the state.

The agreement was signed during the Strengthening Government to Government Partnerships and Relationships Conference, hosted by the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission in Bismarck.

Burgum: New Vantis command center is major step forward for beyond visual line of sight UAS operations in ND

Gov. Burgum on Thursday participated in the grand opening of the new Mission and Network Operations Center (MNOC) for Vantis, the first-of-its-kind statewide network that supports unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations in North Dakota beyond visual line of sight.

“This operations center is a prime example of how North Dakota continues to invest in technology to create opportunities for citizens and businesses and diversify our economy,” Burgum said. “With Vantis, we’re creating a platform for entrepreneurs and innovators to develop new products and for the government and private sector to offer better services to the public. Today’s grand opening further cements North Dakota as a destination for UAS operations.”

Burgum first proposed funding for Vantis at the State of Technology Conference in Fargo in November 2018. State lawmakers approved $28 million for the network in 2019 and an additional $20 million in 2021, helping to attract UAS technology research, development and commercialization to North Dakota. The Grand Sky business and aviation park near Grand Forks employs more than 180 people and houses aircraft valued at over $2.5 billion.

Thursday's ribbon-cutting event for the MNOC included representatives from the Legislature, congressional delegation, Vantis, the North Dakota Department of Commerce and Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, the UAS industry, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, and Thales, the Vantis system integrator and long-term partner building out the system.

Burgum appoints Kevin Black, reappoints Danita Bye to North Dakota Board of Higher Education

Gov. Burgum on Friday appointed entrepreneur Kevin Black of Minot and reappointed business consultant Danita Bye of Stanley to the North Dakota Board of Higher Education.

Black co-founded Creedence Energy Services, a business creating specialized chemical solutions to enhance performance and production of oil and gas wells, in 2014. He previously worked in account management and sales for Baker Hughes in Minot and Champion Technologies in Williston.

Black earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and management from North Dakota State University. He currently serves as vice chair of the Minot Area Chamber EDC and as a board member for the North Dakota Economic Development Foundation and the North Dakota Petroleum Council. He also serves on the North Dakota University Development Foundation Board of Trustees and the University of North Dakota Petroleum Engineering Industry Advisory Council.

“As a business leader, Kevin is well-suited to drive efficiency, strategy and innovation within our university system,” Burgum said. “His experience serving on various boards at three of our 11 university campuses and on the North Dakota Development Foundation will bring a unique and strong perspective on how to transform higher education. We’re deeply grateful to Kevin and all of the candidates who demonstrated their passion for higher education in North Dakota.”

Bye, who was originally appointed to the board in 2020, has been a leadership and sales development consultant since 1997 for small- to medium-sized businesses in the science, technology, engineering, manufacturing and medical device industries. She previously worked as an investor and sales manager for Micro-Tech, a medical device manufacturer, and in sales and sales management for Xerox Corp.

Bye earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology from the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) and a master’s degree in transformational leadership from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn. She also currently serves on the board of directors for the North Dakota Petroleum Council and The Triple T Inc., an oil and gas company. She previously served on the North Dakota Economic Development Foundation board, the Innovate ND board and the University of Sioux Falls Board of Trustees.

“We appreciate Danita’s service on the board these past two years and look forward to her continuing to drive positive change for higher education in North Dakota during a full four-year term,” Burgum said.

Black is being appointed to the seat previously held by Jill Louters, who resigned last month after accepting a position with the North Dakota State University Extension Service. Both Bye’s and Black’s terms run until June 30, 2026, and are subject to confirmation by the North Dakota Senate. Burgum expressed his gratitude for Louters’ service on the board.

The Board of Higher Education has eight voting members appointed by the governor, including one student member, and two non-voting members who represent the North Dakota University System’s faculty and staff. The board oversees the system’s 11 public colleges and universities.

Governor, first lady to host sixth annual Recovery Reinvented on Nov. 10 in Grand Forks

Gov. Burgum and First Lady Kathryn Burgum are inviting the public to join them for Recovery Reinvented, an event dedicated to eliminating the shame and stigma of the disease of addiction, on Nov. 10, 2022, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. The event will be free and open to the public.

This will be the first time the event is held in Grand Forks, having previously been hosted in Bismarck three times, once in Fargo and virtually in 2020. The daylong event will feature state and national addiction and recovery experts who will focus on reinventing recovery through the sharing of stories, creating recovery-friendly cultures in the workplace and community, and eliminating the stigma surrounding the disease of addiction.

“We continue to build on the message that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to end the stigma surrounding addiction,” First Lady Burgum said. “Bringing this experience to the community of Grand Forks will allow us to lift up more faces and voices of recovery and inspire people to know that recovery from addiction is possible.”

Opportunities to volunteer at the event will be available. The public is also asked to submit nominations for the Recovery Champion awards, which honor local individuals and groups making an impact in the field of addiction and recovery. Addiction- and recovery-related nonprofit organizations and service providers are encouraged to join the Recovery Resources Expo, which will connect people to extensive addiction, recovery and mental health organizations and resources from across the state. Anyone who is interested in these opportunities to get involved can visit recoveryreinvented.com to learn more and sign up.

Registration for Recovery Reinvented will open at a later date, and event information is available at recoveryreinvented.com with additional updates being shared by the Governor, First Lady, and Recovery Reinvented’s social media on Facebook at @GovernorDougBurgum, @FirstLadyND and @RecoveryND and Twitter at @DougBurgum, @FirstLadyND, and @Recovery_ND.

Boards and Commissions openings

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Main Street Initiative Survey

The North Dakota Main Street team is excited to begin planning visits for 2022 and beyond. We genuinely look forward to the opportunity to meet with MSI communities again and catch up on the progress and reflect on the challenges brought in 2020 and 2021.

To help us identify potential community visits, we ask you to complete a brief survey in order for us to plan a successful year!