TOWAOC Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia came to Montezuma County Friday and announced two at-large members of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs (CCIA).
According to a news release, Steve Moore, a senior attorney with the Native American Rights Fund and Dr. Rocco Fuschetto, Superintendent of Ignacio School District were re-elected to one-year terms on the commission.
These are dedicated individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to strengthening the government-to-government relationship between Colorado and its Native American residents, said Garcia.
The at-large members were announced at the CCIA quarterly meeting with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Towaoc. They are elected by other members of CCIA. Lt. Gov. Garcia serves as the chair of the CCIA.
CCIA is an 11-member commission, comprised of Southern Ute Tribal Chairman Jim Newton, Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Chairman Gary Hayes, their appointees and several state department representatives. There are also nine non-voting members.
CCIA was created in 1976 to deal with state/Native American issues in Colorado. The Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Tribes are sovereign governments within Colorados boundaries.