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‘High risk” status of HPO’s grant program lifted
The National Park Service has lifted the “high-risk status” of the Historic Preservation Fund Grant program under the CNMI Historic Preservation Office, the Office of the Governor announced on Tuesday.
Federal Grants Program analyst Paula Falk Creech wrote to HPO director Mertie Kanie of the news.
“The National Park Service hereby rescinds the high risk status for the Historic Preservation Fund grant program,” Creech said in an email. “The lifting of this high-risk status is because of the improvements in grant, program, and project management. We appreciate your efforts to establish procedures to submit grant applications, project notifications, final project reports, end-of-year reports, and other grant products and documents to the NPS in a timely, complete, and accurate manner.”
Creech said their observation of the HPF grant documents submitted to their office reflect HPO’s “consistent compliance, and exceptional work products” that reflects how the federal Historic Preservation Fund grant program benefits both the citizens of the CNMI and the CNMI HPO by identifying and assisting to preserve CNMI’s irreplaceable historic and prehistoric resources.
“We appreciate the work that your office is accomplishing in the identification, preservation, and protection of your rich cultural heritage,” Creech said.
“I am extremely pleased with the lifting of the high-risk status, and I commend Mertie and her staff’s continued efforts toward program excellence,” said Department of Community and Cultural Affairs outgoing secretary Laura Ogumoro in a statement Tuesday.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres also expressed his appreciation to the grantor, Creech, and the HPO team for working collaboratively to resolve the outstanding issues with the Historic Preservation Fund Grant Program. “I have instructed all government agencies administering federal grants to work with their grantors to resolve any outstanding issues that may prevent program outcomes from being realized. I was made aware of this good news, and I commend Mertie, Secretary Ogumoro, and all their staff for their hard work. I continue to encourage other agencies to follow suit.”
