Praising the agreement as a step toward deeper cooperation, the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and the Department of Commerce signed a “historic” agreement Thursday that will establish government-to-government relations between the entities.
“This historic agreement will strengthen our partnership, bringing efficiency for the state and the Chehalis people,” Chehalis Tribal Chairman Dustin Klatush said at a ceremony marking the agreement. “This is the first agreement of its kind between the state and any tribe, and others will follow.”
At the event, Klatush and Commerce Director Mike Fong signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) they hoped could be replicated, both between Commerce and other Tribal Nations and between tribal nations and other government entities.
The agreement aims to remove administrative barriers while improving communications, data privacy and other security measures. According to Klatush, the MOU will help expedite contracting and also include different areas of partnership integral to the expression of tribal sovereignty.
“We’re kind of like the leaders. We kind of like getting stuff done before any other tribes do,” Klatush said in an interview with The Chronicle. “This is just another thing we can put under our belt and be number one.”
Among other benefits, the MOU is expected to expedite the process for the tribe to receive Commerce grants. Under the previous system, the timeline for grant funding could require months of waiting as staff fill out the required paperwork, a process that will be shortened to weeks.
According to Fong, similar agreements with other Washington tribes are expected in the coming weeks.
“I’m really, really honored and excited that we can sign the first MOU between a tribal government and the Washington state Department of Commerce to lay the groundwork for a new working relationship,” Fong said. “One that I think really reinforces a more collaborative partnership-oriented approach.”
Discussions on a potential MOU began last May at an opioid awareness summit hosted by the Lummi Nation. Both new to their roles, Fong and Klatush discussed how the Department of Commerce could promote partnership while respecting tribal sovereignty.
According to Fong, he has prioritized “a high-touch, holistic approach” to remove unnecessary bureaucracy and provide more technical assistance to tribes and other communities.
“What struck me most was how important it was to recognize this really powerful and important relationship, this government-to-government relationship, we have with the tribes across Washington,” Fong said.
Seated next to Fong at the conference, Klatush said he was interested in learning about strengthening the bond between Commerce and the Chehalis Tribe.
“Just building the relationship with him, and seeing what they have to offer for the tribe,” Klatush said. “And we're basically becoming a team now.”
