The Elson S. Floyd Award honors a visionary leader who, through partnership, tenacity and a strong commitment to community, has created lasting opportunities to improve quality of life and positively impact the regional economy.

EVERETT — Mel Sheldon received his award in the house he helped build.

“When I first got on Tribal Council 24 years ago, we had nothing but dirt, trees and dreams,” he told the audience gathered at the ballroom in the Tulalip Resort Casino — the 12-story, 370-room hotel that has been an economic resource for the tribe.

“It’s made a big difference,” Sheldon explained later in an interview. “We didn’t have many sources of cash coming in, our cigarette store, our gas station, bingo was creating some money, but not a whole lot.”

He said the casino changed the whole equation, also allowing the tribe to diversify, including an outlet mall, a Walmart and a business park.

Sheldon said that has given tribal members guaranteed annual payments, housing subsidies, college tuition grants and other assistance.

And water. Plenty of water.

A new water pipeline connected the tribe with the city of Everett’s water supply in April 2017, ending the problem of wells that sometimes ran dry for hundreds of tribal members.

The pipeline connection was part of an October 2016 settlement agreement between the city and the tribes stemming from a decades-old dispute over a salmon habitat

Sheldon was instrumental in negotiating the agreement with Everett, said former Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, who now chairs Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

In November 2001, the Tulalip Tribes filed a $37 million legal claim against the city, saying the dams Everett had built, dating back to 1916, harmed salmon habitats and led to reduced runs.

Negotiations in 2016 led to Everett paying a $5 million settlement to the tribes to help fund the $67 million cost of the pipeline. State grants provided another $6.5 million for the project. The remainder of the cost was shouldered by the tribes.

Sheldon said the settlement saved a lengthy lawsuit.

“We can sit down and realize the importance of relationships and how we can benefit each other,” he said.

Sheldon retired last year and did not run for reelection on the tribal council. He is a commercial fisherman by profession. He has spent weeks at a time fishing in Alaska — something he may do again.

Randy Diamond: 425-339-3097; randy.diamond@heraldnet.com.