Community Renewal Good Stories - Turtle Mountain

Information by State  Print version

Tax Incentives Yield Hope and Development in Rural North Dakota

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, RC

Like a torch in the night, the tax incentive utilization plan (TIUP) developed by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa RC has been guiding the successful development efforts of this community since 2002. The TIUP outlines the ways in which the RC will utilize both Federal tax incentives and local resources to spur economic activity.

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa RC has aggressively implemented its TIUP within the designated area. In 2002 the tribe allocated nearly $190,000 in discretionary funding to establish an RC center. The Turtle Mountain TIUP also has proven to be the starting point for a host of development initiatives.

"With the awarding of the RC designation, the tribe has been able to extend and market our economic development efforts outside of the reservation boundaries while further enhancing our ability to diversify our economy, create new wealth, and produce jobs as well as showcase the efforts and opportunities that the TIUP is creating for businesses and community betterment," says Lyman Bercier, CEO of the RC center.

Because many tribes on Indian reservations or in Indian Country do not have sufficiently developed legal environments for business, they are unable to handle large economic development efforts. The creation of a new corporate governance structure and implementation of a tribal uniform commercial code will allow the Turtle Mountain tribe to take advantage of the 8-year "window of opportunity" that the RC designation presents. The new structure and code were developed cooperatively by the tribal government, the RC leadership, and the RC center staff.

The RC designation has sparked other local initiatives, including a new 100-acre industrial park for the reservation and the possible opening of an aerated concrete company that will employ at least 15 tribal members. It may even lead to a partnership between the tribe and the North West Area Foundation Ventures Program, resulting in aid for the comprehensive reduction of poverty over 10 years.

Other initiatives designed to advance development in the RC include a land-use planning effort, a moratorium on new tribal taxes, a coordinated approach to meeting tribal housing demand, and the development of a comprehensive indoor-outdoor recreation plan for local youth and families. As the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe moves toward economic and community development and self determination through the RC designation, the future looks bright for a renewed tribal community in the heart of Indian Country in north-central North Dakota.

For more information on the programs of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa RC, contact Chief Executive Officer Betty Hamley at (701) 477-2607.