Wrangell’s municipal and tribal governments are entering a new era of collaboration. This follows the City and Borough of Wrangell approving the transfer land to the Wrangell Cooperative Association during their August 25 meeting for a memorial park honoring students who attended The Wrangell Institute, a federally run Native boarding school at the site decades ago.
The borough assembly kept up the momentum on September 8th by formally adopting a joint work plan with the tribal government. The vote was unanimous. Tribal Administrator Albert Reinhart says that the tribe has also adopted the work plan.
Borough Manager Mason Villarma addressed the borough assembly.
Because the relationship has kind of been reinvigorated, and we have a renewed partnership with WCA, we want to kind of just lay out a work plan annually, and I think that’s a better instrument to accomplish our shared goals.
The joint work plan is intended to establish a coordinated government-to-government partnership between the borough and the tribal corporation.
The plan does not include any borough funding, but Villarma says it outlines projects that they could work together to seek funding for in the future.
The plan lists two areas of focus: transportation, recreation and quality of life are listed as one, and tourism, culture and heritage the other. The two governments have worked together on transportation-related issues since at least 2010 with the Shtax’héen paving project in the residential area above the state housing rentals, their first joint roadway project, but the emphasis on tourism is new.
Priority projects include upgrading Petroglyph Beach access, a potential connecting trail between Mount Dewey Trail and the beach, the Alder Top Memorial Park and bilingual street signs.
I think that we have a really good opportunity to get some great things done for the community. So we plan on bringing a work plan each year to the city council, city assembly and the tribal council.
The community garden site at the old ball field out Zimovia Highway was also highlighted as a priority. Villarma says he would like the two governments to find a use that improves the space while respecting the cultural significance of the surrounding grave sites.
