LA JUNTA CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT
There are many organizations involved in historic preservation, and it is important that CLG members become familiar with these organizations and their missions. An alphabet soup of acronyms is used to identify these organizations. Listed from local to national.
The Preservation Community
City of La Junta Historic Preservation Board-CLG (LJHPB-CLG) – formed by the City of La Junta in 2019. Board members are appointed by the City Council and serve at their will. The board consists of nine members, with a chairperson, vice-chair, and treasurer selected from the board.
The board assists city residents with nominations to the city, state, and national registers, providing preservation advice following the Secretary of the Interiors Standards and Guidelines, supporting educational efforts pertaining to history and preservation, assisting with preservation projects, sharing information on tax credits, and advising the City on preservation approaches.
City of La Junta Historic Preservation Board Enabling Documents
Otero County Historic Preservation Board- CLG (OCHPAB) – formed by the Otero County Commissioners in 2004. Board members are appointed by the Commissioners and serve at their will. The board consists of up to seven members, with a chairman and secretary selected from the board.
The Board is tasked by the Commissioners with assisting County residents with nominations to the historic register, recommending sites to be listed to the Commissioners, providing information concerning restoration, rehabilitation, recognition, etc. based upon the guidelines of the Secretary of the Interior and the Colorado State Historic Preservation Office, supporting educational efforts about history and preservation, assisting with preservation projects, and any other tasks requested by the County Commissioners.
Projects have included the archaeological assessment and historic context for The Dry-an African American Homestead Community, Japanese-American History of Otero County, the Purgatoire River Region Driving Tour project, Preserving Rocky Ford’s Historic Adobe Stables documentary, the Otero County Preservation brochure, the Pilot Project training project for community based survey.
Otero County Historic Preservation Officer (HPO) – traditionally has been a member of the Preservation Board. The HPO is appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Responsibilities include advising the OCHPAB and BOCC on preservation issues, conducts reviews of land use/planning requests and Section 106; writes and manages CLG and SHF grants; assists with outreach and community education, etc. Serves as liaison between the OCHPAB, Board of County Commissioners and preservation organizations and interests throughout the state and country.
History Colorado (HC) formerly the Colorado Historical Society (CHS) is a state entity and is under the Colorado Department of Education. They are charged with running state museums around the Colorado History Museum and its associated research departments. HC also is the umbrella for all the state programs related to history and preservation.
State Historic Preservation Office/State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). The term SHPO is used in two ways. It refers to the office as an entity, as well as to the person designated by the State to be the head of all state related activities associated with history and historic preservation. The person who is SHPO also serves as President and CEO of the Colorado Historical Society. In Colorado, two people are designated as Deputy SHPOs. Currently the Colorado SHPO is Steve Turner, and the Deputy SHPOs are Tim Stroh, the Director of the State Historical Fund and Dr. Holly Norton, the State Archaeologist.
State Historical Fund (SHF) – The SHF is a part of History Colorado. Funds for the program come from two sources. Each state receives certain federal funds for historic preservation. Colorado additionally funds the SHF through a percentage of the gaming taxes generated by Central City, Black Hawk and Cripple Creek. The SHF offers grants for historic preservation.
