CALUMET - Recent legislation in Washington, D.C. is translating to opportunities for the Keweenaw National Historical Park, according to the park's Tom Baker.
Baker, KNHP management assistant, who gave Superintendent Jim Corless' report to the KNHP Advisory Commission Tuesday, said the legislation, which removes many restrictions on the operation of the park, will help the operation and growth of the park.
"This is really important to Keweenaw's enabling legislation," Baker said.
The legislation, which was introduced by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, and which Congress approved March 30 as part of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, changed the matching requirement for federal funds from the park from a four-to-one ratio to a one-to-one ratio, eliminated the one-to-one requirement for the KNHP Advisory Commission to receive funding, increased the authorized level of non-operational funds to be appropriated for the park and removed the restriction on the KNHP purchasing currently or formerly contaminated property.
The elimination of the four-to-one funding match will help owners of historic property do renovations and repairs to their properties, Baker said.
"That makes preservation efforts much more feasible within the (Calumet and Quincy) units of the park," he said.
The removal on the restriction on buying or being involved with contaminated or formerly contaminated property will also help with the growth of the park, Baker said.
"It really gives a lot more flexibility with acquisition," he said.
Baker said he wrote the original proposal for removing the restriction on purchasing contaminated property in 2004, so he's glad to see it's finally happened.
"It's been a long, long road to get to this point," he said.
On a related issue, Baker said Franklin Township recently received $250,000 for stabilization of buildings at the Quincy Smelting Works site, and because of the removal of the restriction on the park getting involved with contaminated sites, park employees will be advising township officials about the stabilization.
Baker said the second KNHP Keweenaw Heritage Grants program, which again will have $30,000 available to owners of historic properties, has been approved.
To inform people who may be interested in the program, Baker said he'll be conducting workshops on the process.
"There's a lot of bureaucracy that goes along with any federal money," he said.
Baker said the replacement of windows at the KNHP-owned Union Building in Calumet and the former C&H Mining Company library building, across Red Jacket Road from the park headquarters building, will begin soon, but the project won't be completed until 2010.
"It's a long-term project," he said. "Window replacement is never a quick thing."
During reports from board members, Commissioner Stephen Albee said the personnel committee has been working with Heritage Site partners to develop a marketing process for the sites, and they came up with an idea for a pamphlet explaining all the sites.
"There was a consensus the (Heritage Sites) marketing committee should go on and develop this," Albee said. "We're happy we're making some progress."
Advisory Commission Chairwoman Kim Hoagland said with its increase in funding, the commission can now hire an executive director at $45,000 per year for at least two years.
"We're happy to announce we're opening that position," she said.
Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie @mininggazette.com.
