Treasure America Project: Kaktovik, Alaska …

                 Treasure America Project: Kaktovik, Alaska

                                     Summer 2005

Project Introduction:

A team of economic development advisors concerned with the long-term prosperity of
native communities in Northern Alaska is visiting with residents of Kaktovik during the
summer of 2005. These experts come to Alaska as part of the "Treasure America
Project," a bi-partisan, not-for-profit effort to inform economic and energy policy in the
United States.

This memo outlines the proposed activities that the Treasure America Project team hopes
to facilitate on behalf of community and government leaders in Kaktovik.

Opportunity:

The Treasure America Project team is experienced advising community leaders and
government officials internationally to develop long-term strategies for sustainable
economic development. The team is accustomed to working with regions that receive
financial gains from commodity industries such as oil in the short-term, but in the
medium-term often feel like the overall prosperity of the community has declined. The
project team is volunteering its services to the residents of Kaktovik during the summer
of 2005 to inform important choices facing the community regarding oil industry
expansion and alternative economic activities such as tourism.

The project team proposes working with residents and political leaders of Kaktovik
through two unique seminars:

1) "Treasure Kaktovik: Community Round Table" ­ During this two hour afternoon
session the Treasure America team seeks to understand long-term economic, social and
environmental objectives of the community. This session is an opportunity to introduce
the Treasure America Project to Kaktovik residents while hearing about the successes and
failures of past community development efforts.
(Proposed time/date: 7:00-9:00pm, Wednesday, June 22, 2005)

2) "Treasure Kaktovik: Economic Development Strategy Session" ­ During this three
hour afternoon session the Treasure America team will present case studies from within
and outside Alaska of how small communities have successfully and unsuccessfully
diversified their economies. Participants will work with project facilitators to create a
twenty-year vision for the island of Kaktovik. The Treasure America Project Team will
take the results of the seminar and prepare a "Draft Strategy for the Long-term Prosperity
of Kaktovik" which will be distributed to all seminar participants and government
officials involved with the project. This document is not meant to serve as an official
government policy or plan of action for the community. Instead, it will serve as a guiding
document for community leaders eager to develop new economic, social and
environmental initiatives on the island.
(Proposed time/date: 2:30-5:30pm, Sunday, July 3, 2005)

Who Should Attend:

All Kaktovik residents concerned with the long-term prosperity of the community are
invited to attend these two important Treasure America events. The seminars are
designed to be highly participatory and a mutual learning experience for everyone
involve.

Once the date, time, location and attendance to the events is solidified, the Treasure
America Project team will look forward to telephone introductions with each seminar
participant prior to arriving in Kaktovik. These conversatiosn will allow the Treasure
America Project team to customize the seminar events to the specific needs and interests
of the community.

Contact and Next Steps

All parties interested in this unique opportunity for Kaktovik should be in touch with the
seminar coordinator, Holly Colman at Email: hcoleman@treasureamerica.org or Tel:
(415) 359-5786. Holly is also available to answer any additional questions regarding the
seminar and the Treasure America Project team.

We look forward to meeting all members of the Kaktovik community and contributing to
the long term prosperity of the region.

Best Regards,

The Treasure America Project Team