Cook County enters peak of summer with a variety of pressing issues

The Cook County Board of Commissioners started the month of July with a growing list of priorities and a series of meetings, including a presentation in Grand Portage titled Building a Better Future: A Look at Native History and How Inequality Led to Racism.

The presentation was held at the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino July 7. Among the presenters was Professor Tadd Johnson, the University of Minnesota’s first senior director of American Indian tribal nations relations.

During an interview with WTIP on July 6, Johnson said that the relationship between local government in Cook County and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is better than any other county in Minnesota.

Cook County Administrator James Joerke acknowledged the importance of this relationship with the band during an interview with WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs July 7. The audio to their conversation is shared below.

Other topics discussed during the update include the status of hiring a new director of the local community center and how the county continues to address the local housing crunch.