The bland name gives no indication that this federal/state partnership has anything to do with historic preservation, but that is its purpose. Administered jointly by the National Park Service (NPS) and the NJ State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), communities enrolled in the Certified Local Government program gain access to many important preservation resources, including grants and technical assistance. A brief explanation of Certified Local Government and the benefits that would be available for preservation in the historic district can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/clg/index.html.
Enrollment in the CLG program is not automatic. Municipalities must submit an application and be accepted by SHPO. Neptune Township has recognized the importance of obtaining CLG status—it appeared as a goal in the 2011 Master Plan—but has failed to submit an application. A variety of excuses have been offered to justify this failure, but the HOA has found none to be valid.
Our National Historic District attracts thousands of visitors every year. They gaze with awe inside the nationally recognized Great Auditorium, marvel at the Victorian planning that created the “flare,” wonder about spending summer in a tent, and take picture after picture of our splendid 19th-century architecture. Enrollment in a program that can help preserve these assets is too important for continued excuses by the Township.
Here are two links that might be of interest. The first is a link to the actual CLG application (requires a lot of reading). The second is a list of NJ municipalities that are enrolled in the Certified Local Government program.
