By Amy Yannello, Roseville Press-Tribune
Roseville City Council members tonight were to have considered approving an agreement between the city and the United Auburn Indian Community, in an attempt to offset any real or perceived impacts from the tribal casino proposed just outside Roseville’s borders.
That deal is now off.
The Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, would have provided more than $200,000 a year in tribal money for the Maidu Interpretive Center, $150,000 annually for an at-risk youth program for South Placer, $300,000 toward the realignment of Fiddyment Road and $30,000 annually to the Roseville Chamber of Commerce to help fund a South Placer marketing plan to promote area tourism and economic development.
As reported previously, the city has been in negotiations with the tribe for at least seven months. The Press-Tribune has learned, however, that the tribe pulled its offer late Tuesday – an action spurred, it said, by one too many "misrepresentations" by city officials throughout the laborious negotiation process between the tribe, the city and Placer County.
The county and the tribe reached a local compact in August.
The final offense reportedly occurred at a special meeting of the Rocklin City Council on Sept. 29, held to discuss that city’s intension to formally oppose locating the casino at the intersection of Athens Avenue and Industrial Boulevard.
During public discussion, Roseville Mayor Harry Crabb was asked by Rocklin Councilman George Magnuson – despite his opposition to the project – if the City of Roseville was in negotiations with the tribe for an MOU. Crabb answered "no," despite the fact that the final draft of the MOU was delivered to the council and the tribe on Sept. 24.
Rocklin’s decision to oppose the project came on the heels of a similar decision by Lincoln officials.
Rocklin Mayor Connie Cullivan and City Clerk Sandy Davies both confirmed that Crabb said he was "unaware" of any negotiations taking place between the two entities.
Crabb did not return calls for comment Tuesday.
In a letter from the tribe to Roseville City Attorney Mark Doane, attorney Howard Dickstein wrote, "(The) Tribe’s good faith has not been reciprocated by city officials, whose positions seem to change on an almost daily basis.
"We were particularly appalled that the Mayor testified before the City of Rocklin just last week that there were no negotiations between the city and the tribe on an (MOU). As your letter to me of September 24, 1999 … confirms, this was simply not true."
Councilman Randy Graham and Councilman Earl Rush said they "weren’t sure" what Crabb was talking about, as they both were aware that the city and tribe had been negotiating an MOU.
But Graham and Rush – while both opposing the siting of the casino near city borders – differed in their approach to the signing of such a document.
"If the Bureau of Indian Affairs is going to grant them the authority to build it here, then I’d hope we could work out any impacts and mitigate them," Rush said. He added that he feels it legitimate to sign an MOU and formally oppose the project simultaneously.
"I’m not happy with the current language (in the document)," Rush continued. "I’d want a stronger statement requiring the tribe to also pay for local police and fire protection and traffic impacts."
Graham, on the other hand, said Tuesday that the potential loss of mitigation dollars is worth taking.
"I’m concerned, but I think it’s a good risk," he said. "Lincoln and Rocklin have stepped up to the plate and now I think it’s our turn. So I’ll vote against the MOU. There’s some real good momentum building right now to get this sited elsewhere and I’d like to see that continue."
Tribal consultant Doug Elmets said the site issue is irrelevant at this point.
"The reality is that they know and we know this project is going forward," Elmets said. "Unfortunately, by their actions, they’ve sent a strong indication that they’re not dealing in good faith, as the tribe is. The tribe is not going to lower itself to the level where it misrepresents the facts in front of elected bodies, as the mayor did with his comments."
Prior to learning about the tribe’s decision, Rush wondered how he can say he’s representing his constituents’ views if he supports the project with so many letters piling up in opposition.
"But how can I represent them and not see that our impacts aren’t mitigated?" he added.
Elmets had little sympathy.
"I think that these city councils feel they can vote no and then, when the dust settles and the project goes forward, we’ll come back and negotiate with them. What this letter says is we’re withdrawing our offer to negotiate – now and forever," Elmets said.
Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Gamar and Councilman Dan Goodhall did not return calls for comment.
Copyright © 1999, Roseville Press-Tribune
