For 1-½ hours on Thursday, Oct. 20, two high-ranking officials of the State of Wisconsin held a roundtable discussion at the Kinnamon School Visitor Center and Museum with Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Tribal organizations about how the tribe plans to use a $4.6 million Workforce Innovation Grant for water infrastructure to support a variety of projects including an apartment complex and new healthcare center.

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes and Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Deputy Secretary Pam McGillivray meet with LCO Tribal Governing Board Vice Chairwoman, Lorraine Gouge, LCO Public Works Director Willard Gouge, LCO Development Director Robert Sharlow and Planning/Grants Department Director Jordon St. Germaine and her team, along with representatives of LCO Ojibwe University, Sevenwinds Casino and LCO Health Center.

The $4.6 million grant is one of 27 Workforce Innovation grants in the state that offered $128 million in building Wisconsin’s workforce.

The $4.6 million will be used to create what is called the K & B Loop, new water infrastructure between County Hwy. K and School House Road in an area south of the casino.

The new water infrastructure will support a new apartment complex that is being built near School House Road set to be completed next fall and will eventually support a new LCO Health Clinic closer to Hwy. K.

[Adapted from: State officials hear from tribe on $4.6 million grant October 26, 2022 Sawyer County Record]