By Joe Morey
News Editor
The LCO Tribal Governing Board recently approved a 6% Cost of Living Adjustment increase to wages for all tribal administration employees which, includes the Tribal Office and LCO Health Center and several other tribal enterprises.
LCO Chairman Louis Taylor acknowledged all the tribal employees for the incredible job they are doing, including the schools, college, casino, the clinic and all the enterprises.
“We have professional people here and it shows. Our managers and staff are doing an incredible job considering what we all went through this past year with the pandemic,” Taylor stated. “Our Tribe is doing better than ever and we owe it all to the wonderful employees that make up this Tribe.”
Taylor said all the recent successes of the Tribe couldn’t have been done without them. He noted highlights that include the LCO Ojibwe School seeing enrollment and attendance records, expansions at the LCO Ojibwe College, LCO FS adding two more portfolio’s increasing revenues, record profits at the Sevenwinds Casino, huge growth at the LCO Health Center leading to plans for a new facility, and increased revenues at all the tribal enterprises.
TGB member Don Carley added, “We’ve always wanted to do more for our employees and now that our financial conditions have improved immensely, this is long overdue.”
Carley said the future looks bright and now we can do more for our employees and the membership.
“We can also diversify into other businesses creating more job opportunities and profits to share with the membership. As a united council we can get this done,” Carley stated.
In addition to the 6% COLA increase, the LCO Tribal Governing Board also authorized recent bonuses for employees and is considering a tribal-wide minimum wage increase.