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Council resolution formalizes tribal outreach; staff reports initial contacts
Summary
Council passed a resolution committing the city to a process for engaging Indigenous and tribal nations. Staff said they emailed roughly 24 tribal contacts and received one response so far; committee members emphasized building long-term relationships beyond regulatory consultation.
Staff reported that city council passed a resolution to formalize a process for outreach and engagement with Indigenous and tribal nations. Staff said they used a compiled contact list and sent letters and emails to about 24 tribal contacts and had received one reply from the Saginaw Chippewa preservation officer; staff also offered to meet in-person or travel to tribal communities to build sustained relationships.
A council member explained the resolution was intentionally general (not tied to specific projects) to establish an ongoing commitment to engagement beyond the strict regulatory triggers that accompany federal funds. Committee members urged using the city’s new process to ensure that relationship-building extends to current projects such as Water Street and the Peninsula Dam, and urged staff and council to fold lessons learned from consultation into project stewardship and land-use decisions.
Staff said they are coordinating with state archaeologists and academic consultants to design an engagement approach that goes beyond minimal regulatory compliance (Section 106) and prioritizes relationship‑building and co‑developed interpretation if communities wish to participate.
