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Home My WebLink AboutCOW 2020-12-14 Item 4G - Discussion - Land Acknowledgement PracticeCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS Initials Meeting Date Prepared by Mayor's review Council review 12/14/20 LH ITEM INFORMATION ITEM NO. 4.G. 149 STAFF SPONSOR: LAUREL HUMPHREY ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 12/14/20 AGENDA ITEM TITLE Land Acknowledgement Practice CATEGORY ❑ Discussion Mtg Date 92/ 94/20 ❑ Motion Mtg Date ❑ Resolution Mtg Date ❑ Ordinance Mtg Date ❑ Bid Award Mtg Date ❑ Publi. Hearing Mtg Date ❑ Other Mtg Date SPONSOR 0 Council ❑ Mayor ❑ HR ❑ DCD ❑ Finance ❑ Fire ❑ TS ❑ P&R ❑ Police ❑ PlV SPONSOR'S The Finance Committee recommends reciting a land acknowledement statement when SUMMARY dedicating new facilities, installing signage at facilities, adding to the city website, suggesting the practice to the Planning Commission, and to read at certain City Council meetings. The recommended statement is: The City of Tukwila is located on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish people. We acknowledge their continuing connections to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging." REVIEWED BY ❑ Trans&Infrastructure ❑ CommunitySvs/Safety ❑ LTAC ❑ Arts Comm. DATE: 11/23/20 0 Finance Com ❑ Planning/Economic Dev. Comm. ❑ Planning Comm. CHAIR: ❑ Parks COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS: SPONSOR/ADMIN. COMMI1'1 EE COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED $ Fund Source: Comments: MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION 12/14/20 MTG. DATE ATTACHMENTS 12/14/20 Information memo dated October 20, 2020 Minutes from the 11/23 Finance Committee meeting 149 150 City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Committee of the Whole FROM: Laurel Humphrey, Legislative Analyst DATE: October 20, 2020 Updated November 17, 2020 SUBJECT: Land Acknowledgement Practice ISSUE Some groups and agencies have adopted a practice of land acknowledgement, which is a formal statement that pays tribute to the indigenous inhabitants of the local land. The King County Committee of the Whole and the Seattle City Council's Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee open with these statements. The Edmonds City Council has also incorporated this practice into its Council meetings. BACKGROUND Tukwila's earliest residents were members of the Duwamish Tribe who made their homes along the Black and Duwamish Rivers. The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe is the closet federally recognized tribe. The Duwamish received acknowledgement from the federal government in 2001, but the decision was reversed in 2002 and the case is still pending with the Interior Board of Indian Appeals. During a preliminary Council discussion on the matter, concerns were raised around legal or political implications, types of events where this would be appropriate, as well as how to be inclusive of other groups that have experienced historical injustices. The Committee of the Whole discussed this again on March 23, 2020 and referred it to the Finance Committee for a recommendation. The topic was placed on hold for a portion of 2020 when Governor Inslee proclaimed City Council business should be limited to COVID-related matters, which has since been lifted. Staff is seeking Council direction on implementing a land acknowledgement practice, and if it chooses to do so, in which types of events. Some options that emerged from prior Council discussions are: • Opening of City Council meetings • Dedication of City facilities on public lands • Plaque or other installation in city facilities (this was done in the new Station 51 and Justice Center buildings and will also be incorporated into the new Fire Station 52) • Statement on website or other media • Statement about origin of the name Tukwila on City Council agendas • City Council resolution of land acknowledgement • Opening of Planning Commission meetings and City Council meetings where agenda items pertain to land use. 151 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 The City has closely worked with a cultural resources consultant and tribal liaison, Holly Taylor, of Past Forward NW Cultural Services, on projects such as the Duwamish Hill Preserve. Ms. Taylor provided advice on the land acknowledgement installation to be included in the Stations 51, 52 and Justice Center facilities. That recommendation, which was implemented, is: "The City of Tukwila is located on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish people. We acknowledge their continuing connections to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging." RECOMMENDATION This is presented for Committee discussion and recommendation. When last discussed at the October 26, 2020 meeting, the Committee directed staff to reach out by email to the Duwamish and Muckleshoot for feedback on the City's effort toward appropriate use of a land acknowledgement. No response has been received at the time of this writing, although Councilmember McLeod has been in recent communication with Cecile Hansen and Jolene Haas of the Duwamish Tribal Services Board of Directors. If the City Council decides to move forward with a regular land acknowledgement practice, staff recommends using the language advised by Ms. Taylor above. 152 City Council Finance Committee City of Tukwila Meeting Minutes November 23, 2020 - 5:30 p.m. - Electronic Meeting due to COVID-19 Emergency Councilmembers Present: Verna Seal, Chair; Kathy Hougardy, Zak Idan Staff Present: Rachel Bianchi, Garron Herdt, Marty Roberts, Vicky Carlsen, Tony Cullerton, Laurel Humphrey, Juan Padilla Chair Seal called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. I. BUSINESS AGENDA A. Equipment Purchase: Fire Department Aid Unit Staff is seeking Council approval to purchase an Aid Unit in the amount of $280,000 for the Fire Department. Committee Recommendation Unanimous approval. Forward to November 23, 2020 Committee of the Whole. B. Contracts: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System Staff is seeking Council approval of two contracts to replace the City's current financial software system. One contract is with CentralSquare Solutions for an annual subscription fee of $111,388 and implementation costs estimated to be $706,945. The second is with NeoGov for a year 1 subscription of $69,195, year 2 of $75,317, and year 3 for $98, 853. Committee Recommendation Unanimous approval. Forward to December 14, 2020 Committee of the Whole. C. Land Acknowledgement Practice Committee members continued discussion on implementing a land acknowledgement practice. Committee Recommendation • Continue use of the phrasing installed in the Public Safety Plan buildings and recommended by the City's cultural resources consultant: o "The City of Tukwila is located on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish people. We acknowledge their continuing connections to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging." 0 • Perform the land acknowledgement in the following ways: o Dedication of city facilities on public land o Installation at new city facilities o Add language to City website o Suggest that Planning Commission include a land acknowledgement in its meetings 153 Finance Committee Minutes November23, 2020 o Read at City Council meetings: ■ Councilmembers Seal and Hougardy in favor of land acknowledgements at meetings where land use items are being discussed; Councilmember Idan in favor of land acknowledgements at all meetings. II. MISCELLANEOUS The meeting adjourned at 6:44 p.m. Minutes by LH 154 Committee Chair Approval