Tribal Politics, Power Struggles, and the Cost to Our Community
By Joe Morey
Today, I want to share what has truly transpired at Big Fish Golf Course,
and why our LCO Tribal Chairman set out on a mission to destroy me. This isn't
just a personal dispute—it's about tribal politics gone wrong, with no regard
for the future of our beautiful golf course. The course, and everything we
worked so hard to build, was sacrificed for one man’s agenda: to silence me in
fear that I could expose a land deal that benefited him personally, at great
cost to the Tribe.
The land in question lies at the corner of Hwy B & K with C2,
Sevenwinds and Dollar General. I’ll explain more about that deal later.
The Crisis at Big Fish and My
Appointment as Interim GM
On December 7, as Vice Chairman of the Big Fish Golf Board, I faced a
critical moment. The course was running out of money. We had two options: shut
down for the winter or act fast to turn things around. The board at that time
consisted of Chris Rusk (Chairman), Cameron Quaderer, Michelle Beaudin, Tweed
Shuman, and myself.
That day, the board agreed to appoint me as interim general manager. I
brought 20 years of restaurant and bar management experience to the table, and
with winter approaching, the focus needed to shift toward food and beverage
operations. We had 12 active employees on payroll while all seasonal staff had
already been laid off. One major issue was that seasonal employees had been
kept on too long, draining the funds made during the 2024 season.
Chris Rusk had initially proposed a different candidate—someone
handpicked by him—but neither the board nor the Tribal Council supported that
choice. From that moment on, Chris began working to undermine my leadership,
aided by his uncle, Chairman Louis Taylor.
The Conflict of Dual Roles and
Targeted Scrutiny
Despite the precedent of others on the reservation holding multiple
high-paying roles (one with a salary at $200,000 annually), Louis, Tweed, and
David Bisonette decided I couldn’t hold two jobs—even though I offered to
continue doing graphic design and communications work for half the pay.
I proposed this compromise because a newly hired public relations person
could take on the writing responsibilities, allowing me to focus on Big Fish.
But they wouldn’t budge. It became clear: Louis saw me as a threat and was
determined to remove me, using his nephew Chris Rusk to do the dirty work.
Turning Big Fish Around
From day one, it was obvious how bad things had become. There was no
clear management, department heads weren’t communicating, and some weren’t even
speaking to each other. I held a meeting and shared my vision—we were starting
fresh, and everyone needed to work together.
In the months that followed, we launched a major marketing campaign for
the restaurant and a membership sale, generating over $108,000 in 30 days. I
also uncovered $65,000 in unpaid debt from the previous season—utilities,
vendor payments, and pro shop inventory. We paid off that debt and invested
$25,000 into facility improvements. We added a PA system, installed big screens
with full connectivity, hung vintage golf photos, and improved the POS system.
These upgrades transformed our event center into a desirable space for
community events.
Soon, we were booking private events and doing less of our own, and daily
food sales rose from nearly nothing to over $1,000 per day. Memberships also
surged—from a decline in 2024 (27,000 rounds in 2023 down to 21,000 and a loss
of over 100 members)—to nearly 300 memberships by last week. We set out with a
goal to surpass 30,000 rounds this season.
Undermined by Politics Despite Success
Despite our success, none of it mattered to the golf board or Tribal
Chairman. They were focused solely on silencing me and stopping the exposure of
the land deal. Golf board members included Rusk, Cameron Quaderer, Don
Quaderer, Tweed Shuman, and Michelle Beaudin—though Michelle was often excluded
from meeting notices and financial disclosures.
Financial Smokescreens and False
Claims
Throughout my four-month tenure, I never received a Profit & Loss
statement from our assigned enterprise accounting bookkeeper, Melissa Kagigebi.
In a recent email thread with the Tribal Council, golf board, and enterprise
accounting, Melissa falsely claimed I had overspent and left only $6,000 in the
account. This misinformation was repeated by board members to staff after I was
escorted out by eight county deputies and conservation wardens.
A concerning and misleading narrative has been circulated regarding my
management of Big Fish Golf operations—one that misrepresents financial
realities and appears to be driven by a personal agenda. Among the most
damaging claims was a payables list sent out by Melissa Kagigebi, designed to
make it appear as though I had accumulated over two hundred thousand dollars in
debt. However, this portrayal ignored key facts.
First, the majority of those payables were tied to net 60 terms on
merchandise ordered by the pro shop manager—standard practice for golf retail
operations. Additionally, the list included $60,000 in previous payroll debt,
specifically Christmas bonuses authorized by the prior manager. These bonuses
were never approved by the golf board. The funds were temporarily covered by
the tribal office payroll, with the understanding that Big Fish would repay the
amount. Presenting this as debt incurred under my leadership is both misleading
and unfair.
Following these claims, I immediately went to the bank to obtain a
current statement and address the false report that only $6,000 remained in the
account. The actual balance was $42,000. When challenged, Melissa shifted her
explanation, stating there were pending checks yet to clear. I asked for a
detailed list of those outstanding checks. She delayed, citing reconciliation
tasks, and finally sent a list a day later. That list, however, included checks
that had already cleared—a fact pointed out in the email chain by Michelle
Beaudin. After correcting for cleared checks, the actual amount pending was
just $15,000, leaving $27,000 in the account—a far cry from the initial claim
of $6,000. There was a $10,000 check for Bartingale Mechanical she had on the list,
but that check had never been signed nor approved for payment so it was
misleading on her part to include that on the payables list.
Weekly Meetings and Agenda-Driven Reporting
This was not an isolated incident. Over a period of a few months leading
up to the board’s move to terminate my position, I was continuously undermined
by misinformation fed to the golf board, aimed at painting a picture of
financial mismanagement. Chris Rusk, during this time, began calling weekly
golf board meetings—an unprecedented shift, considering that during my five
years on the board, meetings were held monthly at most. Despite being expected
to defend my role, I was denied access to the necessary financials—such as
profit and loss statements—that would have allowed me to prepare a proper
report. I would arrive at meetings to find that Melissa had already presented
her narrative, leaving me on the defensive without context or documentation.
Historically, the general manager would present their report to the
board, and the bookkeeper would be called in only when specific questions
arose. This changed while I was interim GM, which appeared increasingly aligned
with a personal effort to discredit me. Eventually, I refused to participate in
this dysfunction and instead shared the truth with tribal council members I
trusted, including Michelle Beaudin—who also serves as secretary-treasurer of
the golf board yet was excluded from meeting notices and discussions—as well as
Bill Trepanier, Don Carley, and Little Guy.
Conflicts of Interest and Mismanagement
It became evident that a small group, closely tied to Chris Rusk, was
orchestrating efforts against me. This group included Melissa and others with
similar agendas. Following the vote to terminate me, the board appointed a new
general manager—John Quaderer, a Big Fish mechanic and father of board member
Cameron Quaderer. Cameron’s involvement in the vote and subsequent appointment
process raises ethical concerns and should have disqualified him from
participating.
Moreover, I pointed out immediately that John Quaderer is a St. Croix
tribal member, which, as of now, has delayed his assumption of the general
manager role.
Over the past week, I’ve taken a step back to observe the results of
these actions. Unfortunately, the consequences have been swift and damaging.
Promotions have ceased, marketing efforts are nonexistent, recipes are already
being altered, and money is unaccounted for. Chris Rusk and his associates are
now golfing in large groups, using up to five carts per group—an allowance not
extended to regular golfers but seemingly acceptable due to his status as board
chairman. Meanwhile, current staff admit they are in over their heads and
struggling to manage the operation.
The environment is rapidly regressing to the disorganized and
conflict-ridden state it was in as of December 7. Communication among staff has
broken down. It’s heartbreaking to witness the dismantling of the progress we
made in just four months—progress undone by ego, hidden agendas, and political
gamesmanship at the expense of the operation’s future.
The Land Deal and Tribal Chairman
Misconduct
Now to the land deal. A formal complaint was filed with the LCO Tribal
Court by Adam DeNasha, a tribal member and aspiring attorney attending UW-La
Crosse. That complaint is printed in its entirety just below. He submitted it
first to the Tribal Governing Board, but they suspended the Tribal Code of
Conduct, rendering his complaint moot at the time.
Then, on Monday, April 7, Chairman Louis Taylor, along with Tweed Shuman
and David Bisonette, introduced an amended Code of Conduct that would grant
Tribal Governing Board members immunity for any misconduct while in
office—arguing that they should be sovereign just as the tribal governing board
is as a whole. The rest of the TGB opposed it, and the proposal was tabled—for
now.
They were expected to attempt passing it again at Monday’s meeting
yesterday.
The land deal below involves Chairman Louis Taylor selling the acreage across from the casino to the Tribe for $168,000 (valued at $43,000) after purchasing it from St. Croix Tribe for $20,000. The purchase amount from St. Croix was confirmed by sources at their Tribe.
Final Notes
Following this complaint printed in its entirety are documents supporting
the misconduct complaint, my projections report for Big Fish’s future, and all
relevant financial documentation.
CODE OF CONDUCT COMPLAINT/GIREVANCE
LAC COURTE OREILLES TRIBAL GOVERNING BOARD
CODE OF CONDUCT COMPLAINT/GRIEVANCE
I. INTRODUCTION
I, ADAM DENASHA, the Complainant, file this complaint
pursuant to MCC. I. I I .0 IO in good faith, alleging that the following
Elected Official, LOUIS D. TAYLOR, violated multiple Tribal Laws. The
Complainant is a tribal member of LCO and is exercising his constitutional
right to petition the TGB for redress of grievances. The grievances are
multiple violations of the Tribal Government Code of Conduct,§ MCC.l, and
violation of the Special Meetings Notice Requirement under§ MCC.2.5.020. The
Tribal Code of Conduct was established because the "citizens of the Tribe
are entitled to have complete confidence in the loyalty and integrity of their
Elected Officials. To that end this ordinance establishes clear standards of
ethical conduct and behavior of the Elected Officials to the Tribal Governing
Board. This ordinance seeks to require accountability to the citizens of the
Tribe by the Tribal Governing Board in exercising the authority vested with
them"(§ MCC.1.1.020). This petition is filed due to the loss of confidence
in the integrity of LOUIS D. TAYLOR. The redress of these grievances is
accountability and corrective actions to regain the confidence in the integrity
of the Tribal Governing Board, along with a report to the public on these
actions.
II. PARTIES'
INFORMATION
Complainant Name: Adam
DeNasha
Elected Official:
LouJs D. Taylor, Chairman
Ill. STATEMENT OF
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Resolution No. 2023-108 "Temporary Suspension of MCC. l
Tribal Government Code of Conduct for Revision" was adopted on August 21,
2023. This Resolution suspended the Tribal Government Code of Conduct for a
total of" 180 days for revision, additions, and updates". The 180-day
suspension has since expired.
1. The Chairman of LCO, Louis D. Taylor,
has multiple connections to the St. Croix Tribe, including the period of
2014-2018.
2. In
December 2013, the St. Croix Tribe entered into an employment relationship with
Jeffrey S. Taylor. His position was the Chair of the St. Croix Gaming
Commissioner (see doc. A, pg 9, #54).
3. In July
2015, the St. Croix Tribe entered into an employment relationship with Kate
Wolfe Taylor. She was the Administrative Assistant for the Gaming Commission.
4. In
September 2014, Lewis Taylor was a member of the St. Croix Tribal Council.
5. Lewis
Taylor was one of eleven individuals involved in embezzlement from the St.
Croix Tribe's Casino from 2014 to 2017.
6. Jeffrey S.
Taylor was one of eleven individuals involved in embezzlement from the St.
Croix Tribe's Casino from 2015 to 2017.
7. Jeffrey S.
Taylor was alleged to have received improper disbursements totaling $55,481.37.
(see doc. A, pg. 9, #58).
8. Jeffrey S.
Taylor is an enrolled member of the St. Croix Tribe. (see doc. A, pg. 2, #7).
9. Kate Wolfe
Taylor was one of eleven individuals involved in embezzlement from the St. Croix
Tribe's Casino from 2015 to 2017.
10. Kate Wolfe
Taylor was alleged to have received improper disbursements totaling $30,590.
11. Kate Wolfe
Taylor is a non-Indian.
12. The NIGC
levied a 5.5 million dollar fine against the St. Croix Tribe in May 2019, which
included a "$1 million fine assessed for payments to Jeff Taylor and Kate
Wolfe Taylor of the Tribal Gaming Commission ... " as "[t]hese
individuals were responsible for protecting the tribal assets from abuse"
(see doc. A, pg. 9-10, #59).
13. Kate Wolfe
Taylor is married to Bruce Taylor.
14. Bruce Taylor
is the brother of the Chairman of LCO, Louis D. Taylor.
15. Jeffs.
Taylor is the son of the Chairman of LCO, Louis D. Taylor.
16. On September
15, 2014, Louis P. Taylor acquired a parcel of land from the St. Croix Chippewa
Indians of Wisconsin for an unknown amount. (see doc. B)
17. The Parcel
Identification Number, or "PIN", was: 010-841-28-3202 (hereinafter
"3202") with a legal description of"The NW¼ of the SW¼ of
Section 28, Township 21 North, Range 8 West, Town of Hayward, Sawyer County,
Wisconsin, EXCEPT that part lying North of the Town Road" (see doc. B).
1. From
2007-2017, the above parcel was listed as 18.5 acres.(see doc. C & D)
n. In
2018-2021, the above parcel was listed as 21.5 acres with no change to the
Legal Description. (see doc. E & F)
18. Lewis Taylor
signed the Warranty Deed on behalf of St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
as "Tribal Chairman" transferring ownership of parcel 3202 to Louis
P. Taylor. (see doc. B)
19. Louis P.
Taylor is an enrolled member of the St. Croix Tribe.
20. Louis P.
Taylor is the son of the Chairman of LCO, Louis D. Taylor.
21. In September
2017, the NIGC began an investigation of St. Croix's use of gaming revenue.
(see doc. A, pg. 9, #56).
22. In March
2018, just six months after St. Croix started being investigated, Louis P.
Taylor signed the land over to his father, the Chairman, Louis D. Taylor. The
sale price, if any, is unknown. (see doc. G)
23. On November 15, 2021, the Chairman, Louis
D. Taylor, sold 19.45 acres out of the 21.5 acres of the land to the Lac Courte
Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. (see doc. H)
24. Louis D.
Taylor did not engage in negotiations, Louis P. Taylor did negotiations for the
sale of parcel 3202.
25. The legal
description for the land acquired from the Chairman, Louis D. Taylor, by LCO is
as follows:
"Lot 1 as recorded in Volume 37 of Certified Survey
Maps, page 220, Survey No. 8597 as Document No. 435876, located in the Town of
Hayward, Sawyer County, Wisconsin, being a part of NW¼ SW¼, Section 28,
Township 41 North, Range 8 West." (see doc. H)
26. Parcel 3202
has two child parcels, the 19.45-acre lot with PIN "0 10-841-28-3206"
(hereinafter "3206") owned by LCO and the two-acre lot with PIN
"0 10-841-28-3207" owned by Louis D. Taylor. (see Doc. K)
27. The 2022 Tax
Record shows that this land has a "Total Value" of $31,400, with a
"Total Estimated Fair Market" (hereinafter "EFM") of
$40,600. (see doc. I)
28. The Warranty
Deed (#435952) shows that the Transfer fee was $504.00. (see doc. H)
29. According to
Wis. Stat.§ 77.22(1), "There is imposed on the grantor of real estate a
real estate transfer fee at the rate of 30 cents for each $100 of value or
fraction thereof on every conveyance ... ", meaning the transfer fee is
0.3%.
30. Calculations
show that the Chairman, Louis D. Taylor, sold this land to LCO for $168,000.00.31.
No agreement for this land was ever made public, and the complainant, Adam
DeNasha, was unable to review any record of this agreement or the Warranty
Deed, as the complainant bought a copy of the warranty deed online.
32. The sale
price of the parcel sold by Louis D. Taylor, as determined by Realty, was based
on the price LCO paid for the adjacent 36.610-acre parcel, PIN
"010-841-28-3303" (hereinafter "3303"), which was roughly
$250,000. (see doc. J for acreage, doc. K for PIN)
33. In 2007,
parcel 3303 had an EFM of $254,300. (see doc. J)
34. In 2007,
parcel 3202 had an EFM of $52,800. (see doc. C)
35. The EFM
considers surrounding property prices in its calculations, which is shown in
the 2014 & 2015 Tax Records of each parcel:
1. 2014 EFM
of:
a. 3202 -
$46,000 (see doc. L)
b. 3303 -
$221,800 (see doc. M)
11. 2015 EFM of:
a. 3202 -
$30,600 (see doc. N)
b. 3303 - $0
(Parcel was placed in trust) (see doc. 0)
36. LCO paid the
close to the EFM for parcel 3303 in 2006.
37. LCO paid
more than four times the EFM for parcel 3202 in 2021.
IV. ALLEGED
MISCONDUCT AND LAWS VIOLATED
In addition to Tribal Laws, each alleged misconduct violates
the traditional and cultural values of Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty,
Humility, and/or Truth. Per§ MCC. l.3.070(b)(5), "Elected Officials will
adhere to the principles of this ordinance by... Tak[ing] alleged violations
and suspected violations seriously, as they could delay, compromise, or
otherwise impair the services the Tribe provides". The Complainant alleges
that the following acts, numbered 38-42, violate the subsequent laws:
38. Louis D. Taylor obtained land that was
previously owned by the St. Croix Tribe, and sold it to the LCO Tribe, more
than four times its EFM value. This violates the following:
1. § MCC. I
.3.020 (a) "Elected Officials shall represent the interests of all members
of the Tribe and not serve special interests inside or outside of the
Tribe."
11. § MCC.1.3.020 (b)(3) "To fully represent the
interests of the Tribe, Elected Officials shall... Refuse any offer that has
the appearance of being an illegal or inappropriate offer, solicitation,
payment, or remuneration".
m. § MCC. l.3.060(b)(3) "To maintain confidence in the
Tribal government, such officials shall ... " "Conduct business
dealings in a manner such that the Tribe shall be the beneficiary of such
dealings".
1v. § MCC.1.4.0IO(a) "No Elected Official shall use, or
attempt to use, any official or apparent authority of their office or duties
which places, or could reasonably be perceived as placing their private
economic gain or that of any special business interests with which they are
associated, before those of the Tribal membership, whose paramount interests
their office or employment is intended to serve".
v. § MCC.1.4.010 (b)(I) "It is the intent of this
section that the Elected Officials of the Tribe avoid any action, whether or
not specifically prohibited by the provisions of this ordinance as set out
herein, which could result in, or create the appearance of... Using public
office for private gain" (emphasis added).
v1. § MCC.1.4.010 (b)(5) "It is the intent of this
section that the Elected Officials of the Tribe avoid any action, whether or
not specifically prohibited by the provisions of this ordinance as set out
herein, which could result in, or create the appearance of... Making a
government or management decision outside official channels" (emphasis
added).
v11. § MCC.1.4.010 (b)(6) "It is the intent of this
section that the Elected Officials ofthe Tribe avoid any action, whether or not
specifically prohibited by the provisions of this ordinance as set out herein,
which could result in, or create the appearance of... Adversely affecting the
confidence of the Tribal members in the integrity of the government and
administration of the Tribe" (emphasis added).
39. How this land was obtained by the Chairman's son, Louis
P. Taylor, due to the illegal activity going on at the time Louis P. Taylor
obtained the land, appears to be unethical, if not illegal, as his brother
Jeffrey S. Taylor was also involved in the embezzlement of Tribal funds. Louis
D. Taylor is connected to the former Chairman of St. Croix, Lewis Taylor, and
without a resolution from the St. Croix tribe, this appears to be, not only
unethical but illegal. This violates the following:
1. § MCC.1.3.020 (b)(l) "To fully represent the
interests of the Tribe, Elected Officials shall... Not engage in any business
activity that appears to be unethical or illegal".
11. §
MCC.1.4.0 IO (b)( l) "It is the intent of this section that the Elected
Officials of the Tribe avoid any action, whether or not specifically prohibited
by the provisions of this ordinance as set out herein, which could result in,
or create the appearance
of... Using public office for private gain" (emphasis
added).
40. The
Complainant asked to see the deed, but the Realty employee did not know if I
was allowed, so did not allow me to see it. The Complainant was denied direct
access to the amount LCO Tribe paid for the land. The Complainant had to review
Wisconsin laws and buy a copy of the deed to figure out the Transfer fee and
calculate the price the Tribe paid.
Not allowing the land
purchase agreement to be viewed by the public is not dealing openly or honestly
with fellow Tribal members and violates the following:
1. LCO CONSTITUTION, ART. V § l. (j) "All expenditures
by the Governing Board shall be in accord with a previously approved budget,
and the amount so paid shall be a matter of public record at all times"
11. § MCC. l.3.060(b)(2) "To maintain confidence in the
Tribal government, such officials shall... " "Deal openly,
effectively, and honestly with fellow Tribal members, Elected Officials,
employees, contractors, government agencies and others".
m. § MCC.1.4.0 IO (b)(I) "It is the intent of this
section that the Elected Officials of the Tribe avoid any action, whether or
not specifically prohibited by the provisions of this ordinance as set out
herein, which could result in, or create the appearance of. .. Using public
office for private gain" (emphasis added).
1v. § MCC.l.4.010 (b)(6) "It is the intent of this
section that the Elected Officials of the Tribe avoid any action, whether or
not specifically prohibited by the provisions of this ordinance as set out
herein, which could result in, or create the appearance of... Adversely
affecting the confidence of the Tribal members in the integrity of the
government and administration of the Tribe" (emphasis added).
41. Due to the Chairman's position as a member of the TGB,
the Chairman knew or reasonably should have known, that the Tribe wanted to
acquire that parcel of land from St. Croix. The Chairman acquired it intending
to sell it to LCO Tribe at an excessively inflated price. This violates the
following:
1. § MCC.1.5.0IO(a)(9) "To avoid using governmental
positions to serve their own personal, financial, or business interests...
Elected Officials shall not engage in transactions that will provide them an
economic advantage due to information received through their public office or
employment, and such officials shall not acquire any property or other economic
interests when doing so that will substantially affect or influence the
performance of the official actions or duties".
11. § MCC. l.5.030(a)(3) "Except as otherwise provided
herein or by applicable rule or regulation adopted hereunder by the Tribe, or
by other applicable law, no Elected Official shall solicit or accept for
themselves or another, any gift, including economic opportunity, favor,
service, or loan (other than from a regular lending institution or Tribally
sponsored lending program on generally available terms) or any other benefit
from any person, organization or group which... Has any interest which, within
the past two years or in the foreseeable future, has been or will be directly
affected by an official action (or inaction) of such Elected Official or the
Election Official's office".
42. Louis D.
Taylor took ownership of this parcel six months after St. Croix came under
investigation to prevent the loss of the land. This allegation violates the
following:
1. § MCC. l .3.020 (a) "Elected Officials shall
represent the interests of all members of the Tribe and not serve special
interests inside or outside of the Tribe."
11. § MCC.1.3.020 (b)(1) "To fully represent the
interests of the Tribe, Elected Officials shall... Not engage in any business
activity that appears to be unethical or illegal" (emphasis added).
m. § MCC.1.3.020
(b)(3) "To fully represent the interests of the Tribe, Elected Officials
shall ... Refuse any offer that has the appearance of being an illegal or
inappropriate offer, solicitation, payment, or remuneration".
1v. § MCC.1.4.0 I 0(b)(6) "It is the intent of this
section that Elected Officials of the Tribe avoid any action, whether or not
specifically prohibited by the provisions of this ordinance as set out herein,
which could result in, or create the appearance of. .. Adversely affecting the
confidence of the Tribal members in the integrity of the government and
administration of the Tribe" (emphasis added).
Each of the aforementioned violations violates §
MCC.1.3.070(b)I) "Elected Officials will adhere to the principles of this
ordinance by... Becoming familiar with the provisions of this ordinance and the
policies and procedures applicable to Elected Officials".
V. RESOLUTION
2023-108, THE SUSPENSION OF§ MCC.l AND STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Regarding§ MCC.1.11.080 "Statute of Limitations",
it would not bar this claim in this instance. The Deed was signed to LCO Tribe
on November 15, 2021, which would've made the deadline to present the claim
November 15, 2023, however, Resolution No. 2023-108 was signed on August 21,
2023, suspending the Tribal Government Code of Conduct. That resolution being
signed statutorily prohibited claims from being presented and the time during
this prohibition does not toll the time for the statute of limitations but
rather extends it by the number of days of the statutory prohibition period.
The prohibition period started the day the Resolution was enacted (August 21,
2023) to the date that would have been the expiration date (November 15, 2023),
which is 86 days. Resolution 2023-108 expired on February 17, 2024, which
started the toll of 86 days, making the deadline May 19, 2024.
VI. REQUESTED
RELIEF
Remove Louis D. Taylor from the position of Chairman until
the investigation is complete and prohibit him from being the Vice Chairman as
well. He should be prohibited from being included in any official conversations
between the LCO Tribal Governing Board and St. Croix's Tribal Council.
No Tribal Law requires public disclosure of the
investigation, but to strengthen the complete confidence in the integrity and
loyalty of the Tribal Governing Board that Tribal Members are entitled to have,
a report of any findings of this claim should be made public. This benefits the
Tribe as a whole regardless of the findings. If the allegations are found to be
true, then the Tribal Governing Board should move forward with immediate
removal and any possible civil and/or criminal proceedings that may be applicable.
If allegations are found to be disproven, this would clear the name of Louis D.
Taylor and show the public that Louis D. Taylor maintained his integrity. This
is crucial considering his ties, directly or indirectly, to the embezzlement of
St. Croix's Tribal funds.
VII. CONCLUSION
The LCO CONSTITUTION, ART. VII states that"... no
member shall be denied freedom of conscience, speech, religion, association or
assembly, nor shall be denied the right to petition the Governing Board for the
redress of grievances against the Band" and per § MCC.1.11.0 I 0, the
complainant is exercising the Constitutional right to petition the Governing
Board redress of grievances to demand accountability for violations of the Code
of Conduct as Tribal members are ENTITLED to have complete confidence in the
integrity and loyalty of the Tribal Governing Board. By law, the TGB must take
the alleged allegations seriously. Any failure to take the allegations
seriously results in the violations of a tribal member's constitutional right
to petition the Tribal Governing Board for the redress of grievances. With the
right to grieve comes the right to redress, otherwise the right to grieve is
fruitless.
The Tribal Governing Board, sans Louis D. Taylor, needs to
discuss with the Tribal Attorneys the legality of the transactions and possible
outcomes. The Complainant suggests that the Tribal Governing Board, sans Lewis
D. Taylor, open discussions with the St. Croix Tribe and request the resolution
approving the transfer of the land to Louis P. Taylor, and the sale price of
the land to know there was a legitimate transaction. Due to Public Law 280,
along with the Tribe not having laws regarding fraudulent real estate
transfers, claims may go through the State Court.
Signed on this 23rd day of February 2024. AJ:Q
Adam DeNasha
Additional Documents Attached to Support Claims:
A. Complaint
for St. Croix v. Jeffrey Taylor, 20-CV-208, (St. Croix Tribal Court, 2020)
B. Warranty
Deed 392326. St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin to Louis P. Taylor
C. Sawyer
County Tax Bill for 2007 for parcel 3202 owned by St. Croix
D. Sawyer
County Tax Bill for 2017 for parcel 3202 owned by Louis P. Taylor
E. Sawyer
County Tax Bill for 2018 for parcel 3202 owned by Louis D. Taylor
F. Sawyer
County Tax Bill for 2021 for parcel 3202 owned by Louis D. Taylor
G. Warranty
Deed #411640. Louis P. Taylor to Louis D. Taylor
H. Warranty
Deed #435952. Louis D. Taylor to LCO
I. Sawyer
County Tax Record for 2022 for parcel 3206 owned by LCO
J. Sawyer
County Tax Bill for 2007 for parcel 3303 owned by LCO
K. Sawyer
County parcel map showing parcels 3303, 3206, & 3207
L. Sawyer
County Tax Bill for 2014 for parcel 3202 owned by Louis P. Taylor
M. Sawyer
County Tax Bill for 2014 for parcel 3303 owned by LCO
N. Sawyer
County Tax Bill for 2015 for parcel 3202 owned by Louis P. Taylor
0. Sawyer County Tax Bill for 2015 for parcel 3303 owned by
LCO
FOR A FULL COPY OF THIS COMPLAINT FORM WITH ALL THE DOCUMENTS LISTED ABOVE, AND SOME ARE NOT PRINTED IN THIS ARTICLE, SUCH AS THE ST. CROIX TRIBAL COURT COMPLAINT DOCUMENT AGAINST CHAIRMAN TAYLOR'S SON, JEFF TAYLOR, EMAIL REQUEST FOR DOCUMENT TO JOEREZLIFE@GMAIL.COM.
IMAGES OF ALL SAWYER COUNTY DOCUMENTATION WILL FOLLOW AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE...
Big Fish Golf Club - Operations & Future Updates
Presented to the Board of Directors
Prepared by: Joe Morey, General Manager Date: April 7, 2025
1. Golf
Operations
With temperatures rising and conditions improving, we are targeting Thursday for course opening, with a possibility of Wednesday if drying conditions allow. There is no longer frost, and with temperatures expected to exceed 60 degrees, we believe this is a safe and exciting time to officially open. I am requesting board approval to move forward with this plan and begin public announcements.
Our grounds crew had previously prepped the course
for an earlier warm-up before
snowfall delayed us. As a result,
the course is currently in a nearly ready state. Preparations included:
-
Removing and cleaning up hazardous trees.
- Clearing downed trees near
fairways and cart paths to enhance playability and aesthetics.
- Equipment
maintenance has been ongoing, but aging equipment remains a concern. I am
requesting approval for new fairway and greens mowers, financed with an option
for early loan payoff at seasons end. This upgrade is critical for both
efficiency and course quality.
2. Marketing
Progress
The addition of Sean Whyte as our Marketing Specialist has been transformative. His work, in conjunction with my marketing background, has greatly accelerated our growth this winter.
-
Website Overhaul: Sean has developed
a new website ready to launch which will exceed the
capabilities of our existing
ForeUp system, allowing
us to eliminate that software
for marketing purposes.
- Marketing Channels: We now
run a robust marketing mix that includes:
- Consistent social media engagement
- Regular email newsletters
- Print and radio advertising
- Enhanced customer service
and food quality standards
- Strategic event planning
Membership & Rounds:
- Rounds of golf are projected to exceed 30,000 this season (compared to 21,000 last year and 27,000 two years ago).
- New members
have shared positive feedback, specifically citing the excitement and
improvements happening at Big Fish.
3. Food
& Beverage Growth
Our food and beverage operations are expanding dramatically.
- New POS
system (installation begins Tuesday, April 8) will streamline inventory
control, integrate with the new website, and allow online ordering.
- On-cart ordering will launch
once new carts arrive.
-
Food point-of-sale stations:
- On the 14th tee box
- Food truck located at the
Tribes Hayward Fame lot
Service Enhancements:
- Two beverage carts will run during peak hours (a major improvement over past years).
-
Current service network includes:
- Two restaurants
- Two bars
- Food truck
- Food stand on 14
- Two beverage carts
- Full delivery in the Hayward
area
- Online and on-cart ordering
-
Remaining work cannot proceed until the outstanding balance of $10,000
is paid.
- Final assembly costs will be
under $3,000.
Conclusion
The team has worked tirelessly to elevate Big Fish in every facet from course prep and staffing to marketing innovation and food service expansion. We are now poised for a record-breaking season. With continued support from the board especially for strategic equipment upgrades and storage infrastructure we can fully realize this momentum.
Checks Haven't Cleared Image Shows Falsehoods
The following image shows the list of checks that hadn't cleared supplied by enterprise bookkeeper Melissa just after misleading the golf board that there was only $6,000 left in the bank account which they relayed to key employees at the course in their effort to discredit me. Note that the Bartingale Mechanical check for $10,152 was not even signed nor authorized at this point and should not have been included in this list. It was only included to inflate the number and discredit. All checks on this list with a checkmark were reported to have cleared at this point.
Now Back to the Chairman's Land Deal
The following are images from the complaint by Adam DeNasha against Chairman Louis Taylor showing the documents from the Register of Deeds of Sawyer County to support Adam's claims.
