2009 AVCP Convention Report
Director’s Report: Association of Village Council Presidents 45th Annual Convention
Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, Bethel, Alaska
October 13, 14, & 15, 2009
Summary:
This year’s AVCP Annual Convention was most notable for the lack of internal conflict that has plagued the Convention in recent years surrounding the issue of Donlin Creek and the management of our regional for-profit corporation – Calista.
The development of Donlin Creek was barely mentioned and Calista provided a presentation that clearly demonstrated how far the company has come under the current management.
The lack of controversy over these two subjects, possibly coupled with the absence of several key regional leaders who had spearheaded the dissatisfied factions, allowed the delegates in attendance to once again turn their energies towards addressing other more current, more everyday life issues that are important to the people of the region: Subsistence, Energy, Public Safety, Health, & decent, affordable Housing.
Much attention was given to the extremely poor 2009 salmon season on the Lower Yukon.
Attendance:
Napaimute’s Traditional Council President, Marcie Sherer attended the Convention in two capacities:
She served as both Napaimute’s Delegate to the convention and as an AVCP Executive Board Member representing Unit 3 – the Middle Kuskokwim Villages from Lower Kalskag to Stony River. Her term on the Executive Board was also due to expire at this Convention.
It was disappointing that many of our Unit 3 villages were absent this year.
Present were delegates from Lower Kalskag, Upper Kalskag, Chuathbaluk, Napaimute.
Absent were: Aniak, Crooked Creek, Georgetown, Red Devil, Sleetmute, Lime Village and Stony River.
In all there were 38 of the 56 AVCP villages present at the opening roll call on the morning of October 13th.
Highlights:
Here are some of the main highlights of this year’s convention:
President’s Report (Myron Naneng):
Energy & Subsistence took up a great deal of AVCP Administration’s time in 2009. This included work on:
• the CITGO Free Fuel Program
• monitoring fuel deliveries by barge over the summer
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (AVCP’s LIHEAP dept. processed 3000 applications)
• Lower Yukon Fisheries Management
• Kuskokwim Moose Moratorium (first moose season in 5 years)
• Amendments to the Migratory Bird Treaty (extend season & duck stamp exemption)
• North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, the Bering Sea Pollock fishery & the salmon by catch issue)
Other important issues/projects that AVCP Administration worked on in 2009 were:
• The Obama Administration’s Economic Stimulus Program
• Negotiating 2010 funding with the BIA
• A New Administration Building to house all of AVCP’s Program’s under one roof
• Inuit Circumpolar Conference (AVCP has been invited to join)
• The flight school and development of an aircraft mechanic program
• Proposition 1 – a vote to remove the Local Option Laws on alcohol importation & sale in Bethel
• Private Enterprise Investments – AVCP has been investing in real estate designed to bring income to the Company
Senator Lyman Hoffman’s Legislative Report:
2009 was Senator Hoffman’s 24th year in the Alaska State Legislature and like the rest of our regional leadership, energy issues took up a great deal of his time this year. Legislation that he was instrumental in included:
• Increased funding to the State’s Weatherization Program to $360 million
• Power Cost Equalization (PCE) was increased from $0.56 / kw hr to $1 / kw hr.
• An extra $9 million was allocated to LIHEAP & income limits were raised
• Increased funding for grant programs that focus on alternative energy such as wind power
Governor Sean Parnell:
In his speech to the Convention, the Governor described what his administration is doing to address the 2009 Yukon Fisheries Disaster:
• Considering an extended moose season to allow people to harvest more meat to compensate for lack of fish
• Asked for federal disaster declaration
• Looking for better in-season fisheries assessment by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game
• Salmon By catch by Bering Sea Pollock Fishery – looking for better data
Governor’s Energy Plan:
• Identify local energy resources and compile into a guide book
• Create an energy plan using these resources
• Pursue energy funding based on an energy plan
• Raise PCE (done)
• Raise funding to LIHEAP (done)
• Raise funding for Weatherization Program (done)
The Governor on Public Safety:
• Lack of officers
• Slow response time
• Need to fill Trooper vacancies
• Ad more Trooper positions
• Increase funding & benefits to Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO)
• Increase training for VPSOs
• Communities need to support their VPSOs
• VPSOs need family housing
• There are 71 VPSO positions funded throughout Alaska, but only 52 are filled
Legislative Panel:
The panel consisted of Rep. Bob Herron, Sen. Hollis French, & Sen. Al Kookesh.
Their discussion centered on fisheries management with the consensus that Alaska’s Tribes must be included in the development of fisheries management plans.
There was also some discussion of the upcoming 2010 U.S. Census and the possibility that if rural AK is losing population (people moving to urban areas) we may lose seats in the State Legislature and these willlikely be seats held by Native Legislators.
The solution is to make sure everyone in Rural Alaska gets counted.
U.S. Senator Mark Begich Report:
“Supports constitutional amendment to give priority to subsistence”
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski Report:
$100 million for water and sewer projects in Rural AK in 2010
Reauthorization of the Indian Health Service is one of her priorities.
Congressman Don Young Report:
2009 was a year of attacks on Alaska. Attacks on:
• 8a small disadvantaged businesses program
• Retirement benefits for Alaska Territorial Guardsmen
• USDA programs to Alaska
• The Denali Commission
On fisheries management Congressman Young says “Challenge the science!”
Denali Commission Report:
The Denali Commission is funded by an annual appropriation from Congress, otherwise known as an “earmark”. Earmarks have been a controversial issue in Washington, D.C. recently and funding for the Commission has been steadily decreasing from a high of $110 million to about $40 million this year.
The main programs of the Denali Commission are:
• Energy: bulk fuel tank farms & renewable energy. Partnerships with Alaska Village Electric Coop (AVEC) & the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA)
• Training: such as heavy equipment training prior to a construction project in a village. Partners with Alaska Department of Labor
• Transportation
• Health Clinics
• Economic Development
• Solid Waste Management
Subsistence Issues:
The Alaska Department of Fish & Game Commissioner was at the Convention the first day, but left with the Governor so was not there address fish & game concerns from the people of our region.
Gene Peltola, Jr. Yukon Delta Wildlife Refuge Manager spoke on the following:
• Goose management Plan & the need to renew/update it as geese are moving into new areas of the Lower 48 that were not covered under the original plan (due to changing crops by farmers)
• Sport Hunting on the Refuge (very limited – only a handful operating in specially designated areas)
• Why Moose hunting in GMU 18 was not opened on Federal lands in the Sept 2009 season (had to go through the regulatory cycle – long process, not enough time in 2009)
• Proposal to open a community based moose harvest on Fed land in 2010 (quota of moose per village, Respective Traditional Councils would decide how and when to pass out permits, quota reduced if moose are poached)
• Fisheries- refuge manager is the in-season fish manger for the Kuskokwim. Works with Kuskokwim Salmon Management Working Group. Yukon is managed from Fairbanks.
North Pacific Fisheries Management Council:
AK governor appoints 5 seats. WA. Gov appoints 2. NPFMC is responsible for the management of ground fish such as Pollock.
Jennifer Hooper is the AVCP Representative on the Salmon By Catch Work Group.
Tim Andrew, AVCP Natural Resources Director spoke on the following subsistence issues:
• Yukon salmon issue is a “candle burning at both ends”. They are being caught in the Bering Sea & wasted by Pollock fisherman. A Treaty with Canada sets a minimum number of salmon that must reach Canada each year. AK natives are caught in the middle and their salmon needs are often sacrificed.
• The sonar at Pilot Station is unreliable for accurately counting salmon going up the Yukon.
• Tribes need authority in managing salmon.
• 2009 Lower Kuskokwim Moose Hunt – very successful- 109 moose taken in 10 days.
• Looking to open fed land in 2010 and change in regulations to include north side of Johnson River in Yukon GMU 18 seasons.
• The Annual Need for Subsistence that agencies use for moose management is only 80-100 moose for the entire GMU 18. This needs to be increased.
Regional Energy Plan – Bob Charles, Nuvista Energy
The goal of the plan is energy security & economic stability for the Region: energy equality with the rest of Alaska.
Components of the Plan include:
• An All-Alaska Generation & Transmission Utility
• Renewable Energy: wind, hydro, & biomass
USDA Report:
Focus on water & sewer & rural development programs in Alaska.
Commerce Department:
Focus on small business development & job opportunity programs.
Alaska Federation of Natives Report:
AFN President Julie Kitka made the following points in her speech to the Convention:
• Hold the Obama Administration to the fire. Make them follow up on campaign promises to Native Americans and Programs initiated under the Economic Stimulus Package.
• AFN helps the Denali Commission allocate funding for Projects. Need to restore full funding to the Commission.
• The Native American Challenge Project – need to find out where this potentially beneficial program is at. Intended to be a compact program. Need letters of support from Alaska’s tribes.
• The Department of Interior (Larry Echohawk) will be making a major announcement at this year’s AFN Convention. Nobody knows what it is about.
• The Fish & Game Regulatory Process is too complicated and cumbersome.
• All Tribes have been invited to meet with Obama on November 5th. Our tribes need to have an action plan when going to this meeting that addresses issues like Energy, Subsistence, & Transportation.
• The Millennium Agreement is modeled after U.S. foreign aid agreements and is designed to bring the same type of assistance to Native Americans.
• 8a contracting for our Regional For-profit Native Corporations must be protected.
• Changes need to be made to the U.S. tax code regarding our regional corporations.
• With Internet & Cell Phone technology rapidly expanding into Rural AK we are no longer remote. We can do anything anyone else can.
Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation Report (YKHC):
Most notable about YKHC’s report was the revelation that cancer is now the #1 killer of people in our region and the #1 killer of Alaska Natives in general.
The most common forms of cancer in our region are:
• Lung (most common form)
• Colon/rectal
• Breast/cervical
Calista Corporation Report (given by Felix Hess)
13,000 shareholders enrolled when Calista formed in 1974.
2nd largest regional corporation in terms of number of shareholders. Sealaska is first.
Calista provided $350,000 in scholarships to shareholders & their descendents in 2008.
Over the past 15 years Calista’s management has been successful in erasing $80 million of debt to show a profit of over $8 million in 2008. Quite an accomplishment.
It currently has assets totaling $144 million.
Other Reports:
These included reports/updates on the Department of Corrections Sex Offender Program, the District Attorney’s Office, AVCP’s Tribal Transportation Program, The Regional Museum & AVCP Administration Building Plan, AVCP Regional Housing Authority, and the Yuut Yaqungviat Flight School which has produced 18 commercial & 28 private pilots since it began in 1999.
Unit Elections:
This year the AVCP Executive Board Seats for Units 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9 were up for election.
We are pleased that Napaimute’s Traditional Council President, Marcie Sherer was unanimously reelected to the AVCP Executive Board by the Unit 3 Representatives present at the Convention.
Wrapping up the 45th Annual Convention:
The final day of the Convention was spent reviewing & approving a handful of resolutions brought forth for consideration by the delegates.
This year’s resolutions appeared to be fewer and less controversial than in previous years.
That’s our report on the 2009 AVCP Convention.
Thank you.
Created By mleary on 10/23/2009 02:33 PM
Last updated by mleary on 10/26/2009 03:03 PM
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