Tribal Council Meeting 07-26-2025

Attendees: Darryl Peasley, Dave Hall, Dan Coutu, Steve Coutu, Cathie Baker, Amber Beach,
Bill and Sherry Gould, Jill Cresey-Gross, Bill Bailey, Don Stevens, Michael Descoteaux,
Kevin Parsons, Brittany Johnson, Tina Daniels, Francine Jones, Madeleine Wright

We discussed how the most recent language class went, the attendance was quite good.
Elders thanked the Chief and Tribal Council for working together positively. Some
progressive things have therefore been able to be accomplished.
TC is working on review and reflection of their portion of the constitution. Also working on
policies and procedures such as those having to do with elections.
Upcoming events:
Tribal annual gathering in Eden, VT from 22-24 August with overnight camping for Abenaki
citizens.
This month’s Abenaki words are:

Chief’s report:
A new building at the Shelburne Museum has broken ground. It should be completed by
Spring of 2027 and is focused on Indigenous heritage.
We have lost some of the grants that we previously had due to federal politics. We have
enough to continue operating the food shelves until at least next June.
He’s working on a grant for strategic planning as well as succession planning for the AHA
executive director position in about six years time.
He’s working on how to diversify our outreach for funding needing to keep things going.
He wants to work with AHA and TC to think strategically about possible ways for us to
become self-sustaining financially. We spent quite a bit of time discussing the financial
self-sufficiency. Much of the disussion oriented around getting people to actually step up
and do the work that would be needed. There was also some discussion about the value of
creating a true business plan, particularly related to sugaring operations. The Farm Bureau,

• namas – fish
• namagw – lake trout / siboiskotam – river trout / skotam – speckled trout
• sibo – river
• Senigantegw – Lewis Creek, VT – gravel or fish-weir river
• Ômilkanpôtegok – Lewiston Falls, ME – the place at the falls where fish are dried
• adelahigan – trap or snare or sticks to weir a stream
• losada – let’s walk
• michida – let’s eat
• papida – let’s play

which is oriented by county, would love to work with us for help with planning and
execution of sugaring operations.

He mentioned the idea of having one or more tribal citizens that have farmland becoming
the people that operate things related to the bison herd. That would improve the tribe’s
financial situation.

There’s an Intertribal Agricultural Council indigenous group that focuses on agriculture that
would like to learn more about how we’ve been working with non-indigenous groups for
growing of crops because we have no agricultural land. Chief is working with them.
The Lenape have reached out to us asking for some help with their own language
revitalization efforts.
He encouraged us all to be thinking about succession, particularly with regard to having
our young people involved and taught how to take on the reins of leadership.
VCNAA report:
Curriculum
30×30
LAOB
VT Public policy regarding VT Abenaki
Citizenship report:
We have added a few more citizens of family. Enrollment of non-related people is still on
hold.
Land committee:
There’s a work weekend planned for Aug 2-3 in Wheelock. This will cover building a new
outhouse and other activities.
Events committee:
Annual gathering logistics have gone very well and the team is close to ready to make it all
work.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission:
They are still seeking our stories.p so that people that are not functionally capable of
fulfilling their duties serving on the TC are not eligible candidates?