By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The National Park Service has notified Sitka Tribe of Alaska that the Annual Funding Agreement with STA for some interpretation, education and volunteer unit services at the Park will not be renewed.
STA said in a news release today that tribal government officials received non-renewal notice from the park service on Sept. 9, just three weeks before the Oct. 1 start of the 2020 federal fiscal year, when the anticipated renewal would go into effect.
Tribal officials said that on Sept. 26 STA staff was given four days to vacate the park and remove all tribal property.
In the Sept. 9 letter to STA tribal chair KathyHope Erickson and STA general manager Lisa Gassman, National Park Service associate regional director for business services Christina Caswell, said:
“We are electing to not extend the AFA beyond the completion of the program authorized under the current extended AFA because STA has been unable to provide the quality and quantity of staffing required to operate the program for the past two years under the initial 2018 AFA and the 2019 AFA extension...
“Considering the level of performance since the initial AFA went into effect and STA’s prior reluctance to limit the scope of its responsibilities under an AFA, it is our strong recommendation that we shift our focus and instead collaborate to explore alternative mechanisms to facilitate a strong tribal presence in park programs, such as our previously successful cooperative agreements.”
STA officials said in today’s news release that they were caught off guard by the letter, since the arrangement with NPS seemed to be going well.
“STA is shocked and saddened by this turn of events, and the manner by which this decision was carried out,” the news release said.
From Anchorage, Don Striker, acting regional director for Region 11 of the National Park Service, told the Sentinel that the agency hopes for a new agreement with STA in time for next summer’s visitor season at the Sitka park.
“We received what we believe was a request to extend the Annual Funding Agreement,” Striker said. “We decided not to extend it and instead pursue negotiations for a new agreement so we could modify (terms). ... We have a concern we’re not meeting our mission objectives with the current project, so we didn’t want to extend that for another year without having a chance to negotiate different terms and conditions.”
SNHP Superintendent Mary Miller said, “We’ve had various forms of agreements for years with STA, so this was a form of agreement we used the last couple of years, and we’re going to evaluate if that’s meeting our needs. But we’re in no way doing anything other than wanting to continue to have a really positive relationship with the tribe. We need to examine how this is working.”
Kelly Andersen, with the U.S. Park Service midwest regional office in Omaha, works on a list of backlogged maintenance items, including a new heating and ventilation system, at the Sitka National Historical Park with Park Superintendent Mary Miller this afternoon. (Sentinel Photo)
Meetings are scheduled for next week and again next month to continue working out details of a new arrangement for next summer, the NPS officials said.
Since May 2018, STA Tribal Citizens and Sitkans hired by STA have served as Interpretive Rangers at the Park, “sharing local knowledge and providing meaningful interpretive programs for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of the many visitors to the Park,” STA said.
Gassman said in today’s STA news release that the reason for the original agreement still holds true today.
“The agreement recognized the special geographic, historical, and cultural significance of Sitka National Historical Park to STA and STA Tribal Citizens. The agreement between STA and NPS also furthered long-held NPS goals of diversifying the National Park system and improving its historically fraught relationship with Alaska Native peoples and governments.”
Gassman said STA and its staff received high praise from the visiting public, local community members, partner agencies, and organizations leading the nation in the field of education. STA work at the park has been covered by a number of local and national news media outlets, she said.
Tribal Council Chairman KathyHope Erickson said she received positive comments as well.
“I personally was approached by Sitkans, unsolicited, who stated how happy they were with STA having a presence at the Sitka National Historical Park.” she said. “We were thrilled to implement the vision of our elders shared with tribal council members in the 1990s.”
Sitka National Historical Park seasonal interpreters from Sitka Tribe of Alaska
pose with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, center, and former SNHP Superintendent
David Elkowitz, right, at the park in this August 2018 photo provided by STA
General Manager Lisa Gassman. (Photo provided)
In his comments to the Sentinel today Striker said he had some “very serious concerns” about some of the content of the agreement.
“We, the National Park Service, didn’t retain the ability to exercise any internal controls that we were required to retain, so we can make sure we’re spending taxpayer money in pursuit of our mission objectives,” Striker said. “And we didn’t have them built into the earlier (version of the AFA).”
He and Miller characterized the first AFA as a type of “experiment” in its early years, so an evaluation was needed.
“And part of the feedback, from my perspective, was that we really needed much tighter internal controls to make sure that we were fulfilling the park service’s requirements with respect to interpreter services and educational programs,” Striker said. “We didn’t have anything built into the contract that said we were allowed to periodically evaluate the number and the quality of the interpretive or educational programs that were happening. ... There was no mechanism so if we weren’t hitting what we thought we needed, we could adjust things, mid-stride.”
STA officials said they are committed to continuing negotiations with NPS on future agreements.
“This type of co-management of the SNHP is set forth in the SNHP’s 1998 General Management Plan and by the STA Tribal Council in its 2004 Strategic Plan,” Gassman said. “STA has worked for many years to make this happen and remains committed to a strong partnership with the NPS. STA believes that, with its presence, there is a richer, more inclusive, and more diverse approach to interpretation and education at the Park.”
The Annual Funding Agreement between tribes and national parks is allowed under Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act Amendments of 1994. Tribes can pursue Annual Funding Agreement to provide projects and programs in parks where they have a special historic or cultural relationship.
National Park Service officials said they were optimistic about working out a new agreement.
“We remain committed to maintaining our relationship with Sitka Tribe,” said Caswell in the Sept. 9 letter. “The Park would like to continue partnering for a demonstrating arts program and will work diligently to examine other opportunities for projects to implement together. The superintendent and I are personally committed to exploring future opportunities with STA that align with the National Park Service mission, law, policy and regulation.”
In her statement to the Sentinel today Gassman said “we look forward to upcoming negotiation meetings that have been set up with NPS representatives to secure an agreement for FY20.”
