MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MENOMINEE PARCEL: Of the 21 Menominee benchmarks (tribal and WholeZone) progress in these areas have occurred: Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Community, Inc. Tourism Project: The most significant progress from the Menominee end is the intertribal tourism consortium development. Traditionally, the Menominee tribe has experienced frustration with intertribal Wisconsin governmental cooperative efforts. The EZ/EC intertribal consortium has worked well in spite of minor communication barriers, including inadequate telecommunications and technology barriers. Early developments of a WholeZone Arts & Crafts Cooperative have transpired by instituting and combining a Youth and Elders Committee into a Menominee Tribal Tourism Committee. USDA-Rural Development’s Margaret Bau has formulated in December the Arts & Crafts Cooperative concept paper that we continue to reference. An earlier document developed by business consultant Gary Mejchar also lends assistance with its keen insight into Arts & Crafts business marketing. Efforts to solicit input from the Menominee Elders Commission and the Youth Committee have begun. Under the auspices of the Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Community, Inc. a new organization will be instituted by combining the efforts of two standing committees to form a Menominee SubZone Committee.

Menominee Jail Expansion Project: Preliminary studies have been assembled and architectural plans have now been developed. The tribe will soon advertise and entertain the bid process.

Water Treatment Project: Preliminary architectural plans and designs have been developed. We are presently looking at funding the entire project through the Menominee Termination Money Judgment Award although other leveraging techniques are being explored.

Precursor to 911 System: Preliminary studies have been completed to institute a 911 system on the Menominee reservation. Leveraging techniques featuring tribal program monies are being established.

Shawano Industrial Park Developable Site Project: Progress and discourse continues with the Shawano County Board of Directors to develop an Incubator Project in the Shawano County Industrial Park. We currently continue discussions involving other project development options in Shawano County.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION - MENOMINEE PARCEL: The USDA-Rural Development EZ/EC project on the Menominee reservation has been a huge undertaking. Using an Affinity Model planning technique, the Menominee Office of Economic Development succeeded in establishing comprehensive community dialogue on all three northern Wisconsin Indian reservations. We are presently reorganizing strategic planning activity by combining the efforts of the Menominee Tourism Committee and the Menominee Elders Commission to establish a Menominee EC SubZone Committee. Public participation has improving dramatically over the past six months. The first half of 1999 witnessed the Menominee EC project effort experience a slowdown in EC committee meeting activity. Efforts have taken the form of public General Council meetings, Menominee Tribal Legislative meetings and reports. Greater input by Menominee tribal standing committees, in particular the newly established Menominee Tourism Committee has greatly increased participant performance.

The total number of community meetings throughout 1999 involving EZ/EC project development, benchmark and community participation totals 19. Special efforts to involve traditionally underrepresented groups particularly low-income people, elderly as well as youth, has taken on a more responsive approach. We continue to pursue greater community input by initiating group meetings and other dialogue with traditionally underrepresented individuals and groups. Greater participation will occur in the near future when the Menominee Community SubZone Committee becomes operational.

PARTNERSHIPS AND ALLIANCES - MENOMINEE PARCEL: New partnering alliances have expanded to include the interest of area lending institutions, in particularly the Shawano Associated Bank. The leveraging capability has improved dramatically with the availability of $27 million dollars via the Menominee Termination Money Judgment Award. The award monies will be directly applied to areas within the Menominee EC benchmark categories. We have made and continue to dialogue with several federal and state agencies for future leveraging and other activity assistance. Shawano County, the Menominee tribal developable site partner is presently considering future Menominee project development initiatives in the Shawano area industrial parks. Shawano County, the Menominee tribal developable site partner will participate in benchmark review as well as the implementation of EC benchmarks.

PROBLEMS AND OBSTACLES - MENOMINEE PARCEL: Dubious board decision-making has sidetracked time-specific and other deadline requirements throughout 1999. Minor to major communication problems has arisen as a result. Sharing of board duties and administrative workloads of the Chief Executive became problematic which contributed to eventual communication problem areas. The problem areas have since been rectified and a more conscientious teamwork approach supplanting what was originally used to establish coordination.

SOLUTIONS - MENOMINEE PARCEL: A dysfunctional teamwork approach manifested decreased morale levels. A prime barrier to productivity was the lack of an administrative support team. Inaction in hiring a Northwoods NiiJii EC Executive Director appeared to be the primary reason for communication breakdowns. Though barely 6 months in office, the presiding CEO was removed at the annual election of the Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Community, Inc. annual meeting. Subsequent board realignment now appears to allow for greater efficacy in decision-making. Greater emphasis should be placed on board training and organizational development. Establishing the teamwork approach whose guiding principles should be mutual respect and empathy for the poor should be preeminent.

Effective and efficient administration of corporate decision-making is another prime educational area of concern. Training will be an adjunct to the present educational opportunities of board members within their respective tribal organizations. Intertribal collaborative efforts should be stressed with emphasis on the Northwoods NiiJii EZ/EC Mission Statement. Creation of greater good will and harmony is among the esthetic qualities that lead to the official formation of the Northwoods NiiJii EC. Traditional sharing should be the driving principles of board interaction in the future attempts to eliminate poverty in Wisconsin's Northwoods.

BEST PRACTICES - MENOMINEE PARCEL: The best practices from the Menominee standpoint to the effective implementation of the Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Community Strategic Plan has been the harmonious interdepartmental cooperation of Menominee public officials, organizational support staff and program organizations. The adoption of the 1999 Menominee Long-term Strategic Plan featuring a heuristic planning technique has established the basis for sound decision-making and proper coordination and collaborative. The Menominee Long-term strategic Plan though adopted formally by (legislative motion) of the Menominee Tribal Legislature, should be established by (Menominee tribal ordinance) to give it more authority and make for a more streamline and systematic approach to long-term development.

PLANS/PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE FOR MENOMINEE PARCEL: Immediate short-term goals are to establish financing and conclude development of the first two-year benchmarks. The prescription for this undertaking is to solicit greater participation from the Menominee reservation and community. The basis for all community discourse will be by SubZone Committee participation. Future Menominee Office of Economic Development efforts to add more emphasis on planning is currently being discussed with Menominee governmental committee realignment attempts. Menominee Long-term Strategic Planning remains to be a long-range goal. Advocating for and establishing a greater role for the traditionally underrepresented is another. Long range goals will lack effectiveness and continuity unless tribal government officials sanction (by law) the prescription necessary to fulfill future long-range goals.