1/14/2026

LAC DU FLAMBEAU - Town Chairman Matt Gaulke telling the Lakeland Times a mediation order is the next step to resolve a conflict between the town of Lac du Flambeau, the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, and the U.S. DOJ after a nearly three-year road easement dispute is set for the 22nd. The conflict began in January 2023 when the tribal council blocked four roads over expired easements. Following a May 2023 DOJ lawsuit on the tribe’s behalf, U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled for the town on August 6, 2025. A March 2023 agreement temporarily reopened the roads, with the town paying nearly $600,000 in permit fees by October 2024. After the ruling, the DOJ appealed to the Seventh Circuit, citing fee reimbursement issues. Gaulke stressed during the announcement to the January 8th town board that the mediation was ordered by the court.