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Tribal affairs

Executive Order number 39 calls on all state agencies to work cooperatively with Native American tribes on efforts that strengthen regional and statewide economies.

May 2005, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) entered a first-of-its-kind Tribal Partnership Agreement with Wisconsin's 11 tribal governments that promotes communication and cooperation between the state and tribes on transportation issues.

The agreement establishes a WisDOT Tribal Task Force comprised of WisDOT and tribal officials that will serve as a forum to discuss transportation issues and policies impacting tribes.

• Executive Order #39
  • Affirmation of government-to-government relationship between the state of Wisconsin and Indian tribal governments located in Wisconsin.
• WisDOT/Tribal partnership agreement, Oct. 26, 2010
• Tribes of Wisconsin (reference manual)
  • Should be used ONLY as a reference guide.
  • Serves as an educational tool when working in Indian country.
  • Provides a general overview of issues and information affecting the Tribes in Wisconsin. The areas of American Indian history and American Indian law are extremely complicated.

Over the past year, WisDOT and tribes have met to craft policies on historic preservation, business capacity building, and training of WisDOT staff on Indian sovereignty and law.

The Partnership Agreement between WisDOT, Federal Highway Administration (FWHA) and 11 Tribal Governments in Wisconsin, was signed in May 2005 and is one of the few written agreements between a state Department of Transportation and Indian Nations.

WisDOT and Tribe sign partnership agreement

On July 22, 2011, WisDOT and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Tribal Council signed a partnership agreement and extension of Executive Order number 39, which is an affirmation of the government-to-government relationship between Wisconsin and Indian tribal governments in Wisconsin.

This agreement promotes a partnership between WisDOT, the Wisconsin Division of the Federal Highway Administration and the 11 federally recognized Tribes on transportation issues, as well as measureable goals outlining transportation initiatives designed to strengthen state and tribal economies.

During the past five years, the partnership agreement resulted in many successful projects:

• Tribal Task Force
• Tribal Historic Preservation Project
• Tribal Transportation Conference
• Tribal Transportation Safety Project
• Tribal Road Safety Summit, held in March 2010

An integral component of this agreement is the annual tribal leaders' consultation meeting, hosted by WisDOT's Secretary, to provide a unique opportunity for tribal leaders to continue a dialogue on a shared vision for future tribal initiatives at WisDOT.

National Summer Transportation Institute Program

A safe driving public service announcement (PSA) was developed by students participating in the National Summer Transportation Institute Program through the College of Menominee Nation and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College in Wisconsin.

For more information on tribal affairs, contact:

Kelly Jackson, Statewide Tribal Liaison
Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Division of Transportation System Development (DTSD)
Office of Business Outreach and Compliance
4802 Sheboygan Ave., Room 451
P.O. Box 7965
Madison, WI 53707-7965
(608) 266-3761
kelly.jackson@dot.wi.gov

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Questions about the content of this page:
Kelly Jackson, kelly.jackson@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: February 28, 2013