Submitted Photo Gov. Doug Burgum, left, and Three Affiliated Tribes Chairman Mark Fox are at the opening of the traveling Vietnam Memorial Friday in the 4 Bears Casino & Lodge, west of New Town, shown in this photo by Tony Lone Fight. Burgum and staff met with tribal leaders that day to discusss water rights, taxes, law enforcement and other issues.

NEW TOWN – Gov. Doug Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford met Friday with Three Affiliated Tribes Chairman Mark Fox and other tribal leaders at New Town to identify areas of opportunity for government-to-government collaboration on issues ranging from water rights, taxes and law enforcement to addiction, historic sites and tourism.

The governor and lieutenant governor, along with nine cabinet officials, Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger and Bank of North Dakota senior executive Kelvin Hullet began the daylong series of meetings and cultural events in New Town by attending a ceremony honoring Vietnam veterans.

Following the ceremony, Fox, Burgum, Sanford, North Segment Councilwoman Dr. Monica Mayer, and Councilmen Mervin Packineau and Fred Fox spent more than two hours discussing a range of issues including water rights, tax and law enforcement issues and ensuring tribal interests are considered during policymaking.

On Tuesday, Burgum and staff met with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council as part of ongoing tribal engagement. A visit with the Spirit Lake Nation is also in the planning stages.

A meeting with Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa representatives was held July 21 in Belcourt.

The first meeting of the new interim legislative Tribal Taxation Issues Committee will be held Aug. 31 in Bismarck. The committee’s voting members include legislative leadership, and ex-officio members include the governor as chairman, lieutenant governor, Indian Affairs Commission Executive Director Scott Davis and Rauschenberger. The committee will meet with all of the tribes to discuss tax revenue agreements, human services, education, corrections, economic development and other issues.