Following approval of transferring borough lands to the Wrangell Cooperative Association for a memorial park, the municipality and the tribe are entering a new era of collaboration. The borough assembly kept up this momentum with the formal adoption of a joint work plan with the tribal government.

The assembly, on Sept. 8, voted unanimously to approve the first formal joint work plan between the borough and WCA. While there have been memorandums of understanding between the two entities in the past, this is the first plan formally adopted by both. The plan notably prioritizes tourism, along with quality of life and heritage projects.

“The two organizations have had varying levels of engagement and collaboration over the years, but with new leadership on both sides, I believe we have a real opportunity to build a stronger, more productive relationship,” Borough Manager Mason Villarma said on Sept. 10.

According to the assembly meeting materials, the joint work plan is intended to establish a coordinated government-to-government partnership between the borough and WCA.

Tribal Administrator Albert Reinhart confirmed via phone that the tribe has also adopted the work plan.

The plan does not include any borough funding, but Villarma said it outlines projects that they could work together to seek funding for in the future.

This comes just a couple of weeks after the assembly agreed to donate 2.7 acres of land on Institute Creek for WCA to develop a memorial for the students who attended the federally run Native boarding school at the site decades ago.

Initially slated for the 2027 fiscal year, which would have ended June 30, 2027, Villarma amended the joint work plan at the assembly meeting to extend it through the end of calendar 2027 to allow more time to work on projects.

The plan lists two areas of focus: transportation, recreation and quality of life are listed as one, and tourism, culture and heritage the other. The two governments have worked together on transportation-related issues since at least 2010 with the Shtax’héen paving project in the residential area above the state housing rentals, their first joint roadway project, but the emphasis on tourism is new.

Priority projects include upgrading Petroglyph Beach tourism access, a potential connecting trail between Mount Dewey Trail and the beach, the Alder Top Memorial Park and bilingual street signs.

Villarma said at the meeting that he would like to see the establishment of regular operating hours for heritage sites — like Chief Shakes House and the carving shed —to make them more accessible to visitors. He also said he wanted to keep the WCA at the forefront of designing the waterfront heritage walk that the borough wants to put in after it adds fill and expands the downtown waterfront.

The community garden site at the old ball field near City Park was also highlighted as a priority. Villarma said he would like the borough and WCA to find a use that improves the derelict space while respecting the cultural significance of the surrounding grave sites.

“I think that we have a really good opportunity to get some great things done for the community,” Villarma said, “So we plan on bringing a work plan each year to the city council, city assembly and the tribal council.”