A town in northern Wisconsin has once again paid the Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to maintain public access to roads traversing the tribe's reservation. This $24,000 payment ensures the roads will remain open until mid-August, extending a temporary solution in an ongoing and increasingly expensive dispute over land access.

The heart of the issue lies in expired easements for 1.25 miles of roads. These easements, which allowed the town of Lac Du Flambeau to use the roads, lapsed approximately a decade ago. Negotiations to renew them have reached an impasse, leading the tribe to barricade the roads in January. This action effectively cut off access for non-tribal property owners, restricting them to essential trips for groceries and medications.

The situation escalated in February when affected property owners filed a federal lawsuit seeking permanent access to the roads. The U.S. Justice Department also filed suit, backing the tribe's position and asserting that the town has been trespassing since the easements expired. Both legal challenges are currently pending.

A temporary reprieve came in March when the tribe agreed to open the roads for 90 days in exchange for a $60,000 payment from the town. This agreement expired on June 12, prompting another payment of $22,000 to extend access until the end of June. Now, with the latest $24,000 payment, the roads will remain open until August 12th.

Adding to the complexity, the tribal council passed a resolution in May stipulating a monthly increase of $2,000 for future access payments. Town records confirm the agreement to the $24,000 payment through August 12th, reflecting the escalating cost of this ongoing dispute.