Heads Up September 2, 2022

City staff to meet with Tribal Representatives to build on conversations earlier this year

City staff have invited Tribal Representatives from American Indian Tribal Nations that share agreements with the city to participate in two online consultations on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, and Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, to continue conversations that occurred earlier this year. The city recognizes that several Tribal Representatives were not able to participate in the March 16 consultation this year. These two upcoming conversations will provide additional opportunities for Tribal Governments to share their guidance. During the upcoming consultation, the city has invited Tribal Representatives to:

• Continue discussing a proposed Memorandum of Understanding with American Indian Tribal Nations that focuses on use of city open space. The proposed MOU builds on past city-Tribal Nation consultations in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which led to current open space-related agreements the city shares with Tribal Nations and will consolidate past Memorandums of Understanding into one document.
• Receive input and guidance on a ceremony to recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples connections to the Boulder area – including The Peoples Crossing.

City staff hope these follow-up conversations will provide a path for a consensus agreement on the updated MOU and a process for it to be presented to Tribal Governments and City Council for consideration and potential acceptance.

During the upcoming consultation, the city also will present updates about community Indigenous Peoples Day events the city is supporting this year. Staff are planning to communicate events that the city is helping to support on this webpage by mid-September.

The planned conversations will help the city fulfill previous commitments city-Tribal Representatives agreed to in 2019, 2021 and 2022 consultations and will continue to help the city fulfill its Indigenous Peoples Day Resolution.

The city invites American Indian Tribal Nations that share open space-related agreements with the city and have historical connections to Colorado and the Boulder area to consult on projects that may affect their interests. While the city recognizes the community interest in its consultations with Tribal Nations, consultations are generally closed to the public in order to facilitate government-to-government negotiations that may include sensitive topics. The city intends to seek the permission of Tribal Representatives to release a summary statement of consultation discussions.

For more information about the two upcoming September consultation discussions, please contact Pam Davis, Assistant City Manager, at davisp@bouldercolorado.gov or 303-441-1965.

Regards,
Nuria