Port :5~
of Seattle

March 26, 2012

Honorable Virginia Cross
Chair, Muckleshoot Tribal Council
39015 172nd Avenue SE
Auburn WA, 98092
Honorable Leonard Forsman
Chair, Suquamish Tribal Council
15838 Sandy Hook Road
PO Box498
Suquamish W A 98392-0498

Dear Chair Cross and Chair Forsman:
I am writing to follow up on our earlier communications to the Muckleshoot and Suquamish
tribes to request a discussion with you about the permanent placement of Native American
cultural materials currently in the Port'spossession.
For more than 20 years, the Port of Seattle has been responsible for the storage and preservation
of materials excavated from Native American archaeological sites during Port construction
operations.  As you know, the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture has been the
custodian of the materials under an annual contract. That contract expires this month.
Commissioner Bill Bryant and Port CEO Tay Yoshitani wrote to the Tribes in June, 2011, stating
the Port's intent to seek a permanent solution to the custody of the materials and inviting a
dialogue with the Tribes. We received a response last week.
As we had not received an expression of interest by the Tribes, the Port began discussions with
the Burke Museum to make permanent disposition of the materials through an interlocal
agreement to convey permanent custody and title to the Museum. Our goal is to establish a longterm
agreement that secures the proper storage of the materials, respects the interest of the Native
American tribes and mitigates the expense to the Port.
As part of the agreement, the Port would make a one-time payment of $117,045 to cover the
costs ofprofessional packaging, storage, and cataloging of the materials.

Port ofSeattle Commission IP.O. Box 12091 Seattle, WA 98111-12091206-787-3034 0 1206-787-3381 F

In transferring permanent custody of the Collection to the Museum, the Port intends that these
materials would remain readily available to the Tribes for inspection, research and other
purposes as is mutually agreeable by the Tribes and the Museum.
It is our hope that this permanent arrangement with the Burke Museum will assure that these
culturally significant materials are protected for the future.
We have scheduled a public hearing and first reading and on the proposed Burke Museum
agreement on April 10, 2012. Final action would be at a subsequent meeting. Please contact us
at your earliest convenience if you would like to discuss other arrangements. We are committed
to ensuring that these historic and culturally significant materials are handled appropriately.
Sincerely,
MW~
Gael Tarleton
President
Port of Seattle Commission
cc:   Port of Seattle Commission
Tay Yoshitani, CEO
Kurt Beckett
Mike McLaughlin
Mike Merritt
George Blomberg







Port ofSeattle Commission IP.O. Box 12091 Seattle, WA 98111-12091206-787-3034 0 1206-787-3381 F