Cooperation Can Mean Savings
Week of January 26, 2004

The City and Traditional Native Village of Kiana is taking a hard look at combining the two governments into a single managing entity for the village. According to spokesperson Charlie Curtis, the union is being evaluated due to the cost savings that could result from overall efficiency.

The savings to the community would result from having a single administrator and clerk serve both the City and Native Village Councils simultaneously. Additionally, a single building could serve the new organization, thus eliminating the cost of operation for the second existing building.

Under the plan being formed and considered, there would still be both a City and a Village council, which would meet jointly to consider community business. The Native Village Council would also meet separately to conduct certain business relative to Kiana's continuing tribal status.

A budget of about $32,000 is required for preparation of an operating plan, according to Mr. Curtis, and he has approached Maniilaq Association, NANA, and the Borough for funding assistance. Because what Kiana learns in this planning process may well prove to be of great value to other villages within our region, I have agreed to help fund this planning.

Serious thinking about cost reduction and efficiency has resulted from the elimination of state revenue sharing for cities, which were already feeling a financial squeeze in recent years. But while financial considerations may be the driving force behind consolidating management of the two governments, an added benefit would surely be the overall cooperative spirit that would result. Too often, city and village governments spend time at odds over local matters that should be resolved for everyone's benefit.

At a town meeting in Selawik last week, which had representation by all community organizations including the city and village governments, school advisory council, the elders, Maniilaq Association, NANA and our borough, the potential for combining local governments in that village was also addressed. All eyes will be on Kiana's planning efforts as a "pilot" project.

Kivalina is feeling the pinch of lost state revenue sharing as well. In a recent letter from Mayor Stanley Hawley, he advised me that options under consideration in his village include either dissolution of the municipal government altogether or consolidation of the city with the tribal government. Noatak is presently the only community in our region that is served by tribal government alone.

I have felt for years that a consolidation or at least a strong cooperative relationship among village governments would be highly beneficial. I believe it is possible for communities to enjoy the benefits of both without suffering from competition or a lack of communication between the two. The fact that the vast majority of the population of all our villages is comprised of Natives further makes the case for consolidated governance.

We will continue to monitor developments in Kiana, where a decision on consolidation could be forthcoming this summer.