10/10/2000 SELECT BOARD Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Board of Selectmen Minutes—Verbatim October 10, 2000 Selectman Green: It's a process that the Tribe has been in for twenty years. Most Tribal members don't understand the process either. It would not hurt to bring someone to explain the process. It would not hurt, and I think that it is a great idea. I think as far as having a lobbyist go to Washington, I think that is spending money we do not need to spend. I think we need to talk to the people who are involved. We need to sit down and talk of what we need to do, is talk about negotiation, or figure out what is happening. The Town of Mashpee needs to get together to discuss its own problems. We don't need to be taking it out of town with a lobbyist with anything else. If the Board feels that we need a lobbyist, I don't see...and Ken, I think its in your paperwork,there is nothing that can be done by a lobbyist except what can be done about finding out where the process is. It's a private document. It would be up to the Tribe to determine whether they will release that document to the Town of Mashpee. So the people we need to talk to is the Tribal Council. We need to talk to them. We need to sit down and talk. We need to start discussions whether it be with a facilitator, whether it be the Board of Selectmen to the Tribal Council. We need to sit down and talk. We have issues. We need to figure out what the issues are. We have to see what the Tribe wants. The Tribe wants to know what everybody else wants from the Tribe. The Tribe would like to sit down and talk. We are the ones that broke off negotiations. Selectman Marsters: ...I would like to make a comment on that one right there too...We haven't said a word other than to meet and talk about it. Selectman Green: I understand. Selectman Marsters: We did not agree to sign any formal petition so lets take some, mutual, a resolution, so let's take some mutual blame on that one. I'll take some blame on the issue 50/50, okay. I think it is a good thing. I agree with talking things over, we haven't been able to in a year, and I think that it's going to take us a long time to be able to talk again, but meanwhile, this form of legislation can pass and then we won't have any right to talk. So, I would like to spend a few bucks to go down there, or if nothing...I'll back off there, but I would like to have a lobbyist, but I would like to have a letter saying that we are not in favor of this bill, this legislation. 5