RD12 - Annual Executive Summary on the Interim Activity and Work of the Virginia Council on Indians


    Executive Summary:
    I. Meetings

    During 2003, the VCI held six business meetings, in January, April, June, August, October and November, and a day-long annual conference in March. A business meeting scheduled for February was cancelled due to inclement weather. In addition, the Council met in executive session in September and November for work on the documents pertaining to state recognition of tribes in Virginia.

    II. Membership changes

    In July, membership terms expired for Reeva Tilley, Rappahannock representative and Chair; Wayne Adkins, Chickahominy representative and Vice Chair; Paul Grinstead, Indian at large; Dante Desiderio, Sappony, Indian at large; and Loree Gunn, citizen at large. Karenne Wood, Monacan representative, was appointed Chair. Dante Desiderio was reappointed for a second term as Indian at large. New members appointed were Reggie Stewart, Chickahominy representative; Frank Richardson, Rappahannock representative; Buck Woodard, Muskogee Creek, Indian at large; and Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, citizen at large. Two legislative members were also added by Senate Bill 1315; the appointments for these were delegates Floyd Miles and Allen Louderback. At the first meeting with the new members in August, Nita Smith, Nansemond representative, was elected Vice Chair.

    III. Major consultations and collaborations in 2003

    A. Collaboration continued with the College of William and Mary, the Department of Historic Resources and private landowners on the archaeological work at Werowocomoco.

    B. The VCI participated in educational consultations with the National Museum of the American Indian for exhibit development; the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, for workshops and lectures in conjunction with the Uncommon Legacies exhibit; the Peninsula Fine Arts Center in conjunction with an exhibit on Native American art influence; Colonial National Park at Historic Jamestowne for Indian programs and preparation for 2007; history professor Camilla Townsend of Colgate University on her biography of Pocahontas; and the Department of Education for the Virginia state atlas and outreach education on Virginia Indians.

    C. Ongoing consultation continued with the American Indian Resource Center of the College of William and Mary's Oral History Project, which has produced an educational interactive CD on Virginia Indians.

    D. Ongoing consultation continued with Virginia Tech on the American Indian Studies Program and Pre-College Initiative.

    E. A dialogue was opened with the University of Virginia on improving interaction with the Virginia Indian community and increasing Native education opportunities at the university.

    F. The Department of Historic Resources solicited VCI input throughout the year on historical highway markers referencing Indians.

    G. Consultation was begun with the U.S. Navy on the archaeological excavation at Yorktown Naval Weapons Station, which includes the Late Woodland site of Kiskiack.

    H. Consulting party status was requested on several state and Federal projects, including Portsmouth Terminals, the Kings Highway project, the Nottaway River bridge, and the Fort Eustis residential construction initiative, in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Properties Act. Consulting party status was also continued on the King William reservoir project and the National Park Service development for Historic Jamestowne.

    IV. Significant recommendations and decisions

    A. Throughout 2003, the VCI continued work on the clarification of the criteria for state recognition, including documentation for the VCI website, a brochure on state recognition to be given to prospective petitioners, and a document of internal procedures on considering petitions. By the close of 2003, ad hoc committee work on all three documents had been completed, and the VCI had held two executive sessions for final editing of the documents. A membership vote on acceptance of the Council's work is anticipated early in 2004.

    B. In January, the VCI agreed to support the Sappony Tribe of High Plains in their move to solicit and distribute grant funds for the Virginia tribes from the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program, and the Community Service Block Grant program.

    C. In June, the VCI agreed to work jointly with the American Association of Indian Affairs to seek grant funds to hold a national diabetes conference.

    D. In June, the VCI declined a request from the Sappony Tribe of High Plains that the Council recommend that the Sappony tribe have a permanent representative on the Council. The Sappony tribe is state recognized in North Carolina as the Indians from Person County.

    E. In August, the Council approved an allocation of up to $6000 for the Council to host a Tribal Leadership summit for the chiefs and assistant chiefs of the Virginia tribes, along with the directors of the Council, Mattaponi-Pamunkey-Monacan Inc., the Virginia Indian Tribal Alliance for Life, and the United Indians of Virginia. The summit was ultimately scheduled for January 2004.

    F. In September, the Council approved $2500 in funds to assist in education initiatives at Virginia Tech, the annual American Indian Summit on Higher Education, and the Pre-College Initiative for Virginia Indian students.

    G. In October, the Council was asked to file a FEMA claim on behalf of Virginia tribes who suffered damage to reservation properties as a result of Hurricane Isabel. The Council's claim application led to claims from the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes, both of which were awarded funds for repairs to tribal property.

    H. In November, the VCI agreed to write a letter to the Suffolk City Council recommending that they uphold their promise to return 104 acres of ancestral Nansemond land along the Nansemond River to the Nansemond Indian tribe. The letter was sent in November and read at the Suffolk council meeting on December 3.

    I. Prior to the 2004 General Assembly, the VCI submitted a request for legislative changes that would define the identity of an Indian for purposes of clarifying who was eligible for appointment as an Indian at large member, and define the legislative members as ex-officio voting members whose presence would not be counted toward a quorum. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources appended the changes to ask that the Secretary of Health and Human Resources not be included among the Council members, and to add an Indian at large position. The Governor's staff office also added to the proposed bill a change of the Council's association from the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to the Secretary of Natural Resources. As the Council approved of these additions and changes, the bill was subsequently submitted to Legislative Services. The patron will be Delegate Ryan McDougle. (Note: This bill is HB782 for the 2004 General Assembly.)