The city is preparing two National Park Service "Network to Freedom" nominations related to local Underground Railroad history, staff and a consultant told the commission.

The nominations cover the Mount Pleasant church and cemetery site and a Missouri River escape story associated with Archer Alexander, the consultant said. Doris Keevan Franke, a local historian and consultant on German heritage, told commissioners she has prepared a draft nomination (draft 3) and asked commissioners to review the packet and submit comments via email because staff will need to enter the nomination into the system by July 15.

"The deadline that Robin will have to input it into her computer is July 15," Doris Keevan Franke said, and she asked commissioners to email her comments if they see anything to add. She noted the draft nomination runs about 15 pages with an extensive bibliography and that the submission format is prescribed.

Next steps: staff will accept comments from commissioners and the public in the coming week and will proceed to submit the nomination to the Network to Freedom program pending internal review.