Erie historic preservation staff begin drafting MOA with Erie Public Schools after unanimous school-board support
Loading...
Summary
Historic preservation staff told the Historic Review Commission that Erie Public Schools unanimously voted in December to enter a formal partnership to implement parts of the city’s historic preservation plan; staff said they will draft a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for legal review and city-council ratification, and discussed options for school representation and a youth seat on the commission.
Historic preservation staff reported to the City of Erie Historic Review Commission on Jan. 5 that Erie Public Schools voted unanimously in December to enter into a formal partnership to carry out parts of the city’s historic preservation plan.
The preservation planner, speaking to the commission, said staff and school leaders have identified opportunities to collaborate on facilities projects, classroom education and archival work. “They were very happy to see that Erie's focus on public education was included in the historic preservation plan,” the planner said, adding that the district is “very enthusiastic about moving forward.”
Staff said the next step is to draft a memorandum of agreement that both the city’s and the school district’s legal counsel will review, then present the MOA to city council for ratification. The planner described the MOA as intended to define how preservation staff will advise and lead projects related to educational facilities, and how schools and the city might share resources and programming.
Commissioners discussed possible representation of the school district on the Historic Review Commission, including whether a school-district seat would be voting or ex officio, and the prospect of creating a youth seat to allow a student representative to participate. The planner said those specifics will be part of the MOA negotiations and that the commission will likely review the draft MOA at its February session before it goes to council.
The planner said staff have reviewed other examples and contacted the State Historic Preservation Office, but found no directly comparable precedent within the commonwealth. The planner also noted the partnership could help the commission and district pursue new grant opportunities tied to preservation and education.
No formal action was taken at the Jan. 5 meeting; staff will return with a draft MOA for the commission’s review and then route it to the city council for consideration.
