The most recent edition of Cityvision Magazine explores how tribes in Washington state are building relationships with city governments despite decades of not working together.
You can download the entire magazine here. Cityvision Magazine is a publication of the Association of Washington Cities.
The centerpiece article describes how two treaty tribes are working with their neighbors on infrastructure, natural resources and other issues.
From the magazine:
“(The Suquamish Tribal Council and Poulsbo City Council) came together, learned a little bit about each other, touched on issues of common concern, and ended the historic meeting with a meal,” recounted the Kitsap Sun on July 13, 2005. Asked about her impressions of the meeting, Poulsbo Mayor Donna Jean Bruce replied, “To think it’s been this many years and this has never taken place — it’s appalling.”
…
“One of my priorities as a (Lacey) councilmember at the time was wanting to create better relations with surrounding jurisdictions, and the (Nisqually) tribe was at the top of the list because they are our closest neighbors,” says (Lacey Mayor Andy) Ryder, who also is friends with Willie Frank, Billy Frank’s son and a Nisqually tribal councilmember. “I’m a Lacey boy born on Lacey Street in old historic Lacey; I bought my childhood home and am raising my family in it. I have a deep appreciation of the City of Lacey and have a deep attachment to the city, so there’s mutual respect.” The concerted outreach ultimately led to the accord of 2014, the year Ryder became the city’s mayor. “It was a really big deal,” he stresses. “It puts in writing that we have a lot of mutual interests and that we’ll work together to achieve common goals.”
