Bejou Jurisdiction Question

A meeting was held in Bejou Monday to gauge interest and tell others about a court case between the White Earth Nation and Mahnomen County farmer Dave Vipond.  Vipond tells the Red River Farm Network this started in March when he applied for a permit from the State of Minnesota for an irrigation system.  The permit was granted in August, but the next day the White Earth Nation served Vipond with a summons, claiming he needed another permit from the White Earth Nation to irrigate out of the Wild Rice River on the Reservation’s southwest border. Vipond wants to know who’s in charge.

Vipond says about 75 people attended Monday’s meeting including landowners, local and state lawmakers.