“While we’ve made great progress in the last five and a half years, we know that this is just the beginning,” Burgum, who has prioritized tribal partnerships as one of his five strategic initiatives, said during his keynote address. “There are gaps that still exist, and we also understand that no two tribal nations are the same. Each has got different needs, whether it’s transportation, employment, emergency services, law enforcement, health care, education, economic development, tax agreements, or fighting the scourge of drugs, everybody’s different. But we’ve all got things in common. … We’ve got abundant resources, we’ve got people who care. We can together tackle even the biggest challenges that might be in front of us.”
“In an emergency, allowing the closest available peace officer to respond to a call for service could mean the difference between life and death," Burgum said. "This agreement with Spirit Lake Nation prioritizes the safety of our citizens regardless of where they live or whether they are an enrolled tribal member. We are deeply grateful to Chairman Doug Yankton, the Spirit Lake Tribal Council and the North Dakota Highway Patrol for their collaboration on this agreement, which cuts red tape and continues to strengthen our state-tribal relationships built on understanding and mutual respect.”
“This operations center is a prime example of how North Dakota continues to invest in technology to create opportunities for citizens and businesses and diversify our economy,” Burgum said. “With Vantis, we’re creating a platform for entrepreneurs and innovators to develop new products and for the government and private sector to offer better services to the public. Today’s grand opening further cements North Dakota as a destination for UAS operations.”
“We continue to build on the message that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to end the stigma surrounding addiction,” First Lady Burgum said. “Bringing this experience to the community of Grand Forks will allow us to lift up more faces and voices of recovery and inspire people to know that recovery from addiction is possible.”
