City of Evart receives Certified Local Government status to bolster local historic preservation activities

Certification provides state and federal technical assistance, eligibility for historic preservation grants

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) announced today that the city of Evart in Osceola County has been accepted to the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, following confirmation from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

“We are pleased to welcome the City of Evart to the CLG program,” said Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Martha MacFarlane-Faes. “Evart’s commitment to historic preservation is to be commended, and the city’s acceptance into the program is an important milestone representing the hard work of the community. We look forward to working closely with the city on its preservation goals.”

The Certified Local Government program is a partnership among local, state, and national governments focused on promoting historic preservation at the local level. The National Park Service administers the program in coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office. Certification makes the city of Evart eligible for specialized technical assistance and programming from the SHPO.

Participation in the CLG program also makes the community eligible for federal grants provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior and administered by the SHPO. These grants may be used for a variety of preservation activities, such as historic resource surveys, National Register of Historic Places nominations, educational and heritage tourism initiatives, pre-development plans and studies, and rehabilitation of certain historic properties.

“Becoming a Certified Local Government community is a mark of distinction for our city. SHPO has been an amazing partner in assisting us along this journey. The CLG program will help the city recognize our historic places and then tell their stories so that they can be cherished and preserved in the future. Our history is our identity and sets us apart from other communities,” said Evart City Manager Sarah Dvoracek. “By our local government leading by example through preservation work of our own historic buildings and educating our community on the importance of preservation we are hoping to incorporate preservation in every aspect of planning, developing, and growing our city. We are truly honored to be joining this program with many other great communities.”

Evart joins a growing network of more than 2,000 Certified Local Governments across the country, including 32 other Michigan communities. There is no financial cost to participate in the program, but communities must meet certain requirements. Participating communities must have a local historic district ordinance and appoint a historic district commission to review proposed work in locally designated historic districts. CLGs must also encourage public participation in the local historic preservation program and seek ways to identify, protect, and celebrate important historic resources in their community.

About the State Historic Preservation Office
Focused on the historic preservation of culturally or archaeologically significant sites throughout the state, Michigan's State Historic Preservation Office’s main function is to provide technical assistance to local communities and property owners in their efforts to identify, evaluate, designate, interpret and protect Michigan’s historic above- and below-ground resources. SHPO also administers an incentives program that includes federal tax credits and pass-through grants available to Certified Local Governments.

To learn more about the State Historic Preservation Office and the Certified Local Government program, visit https://www.miplace.org/historic-preservation/.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

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