History enthusiast and Ridgefield State Rep. John Frey has been sworn in as a member of the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Frey took the oath of office Thursday, July 23, at the state capitol in Hartford. His appointment to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) was announced by President Donald J. Trump on June 26.
“It is truly an honor to have been asked to serve, combining my deep appreciation of history and love of public service,” Frey said at the time.
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is an independent federal agency that promotes the economic, educational, environmental and cultural values of historic preservation as well as its sustainability. The council advises the president and congress on national historic preservation policy, and influences federal activities, programs, and policies that affect historic and cultural properties.
Frey took the oath of office for a term ending June 10, 2024.
Frey announced earlier this year that he would retire from the state legislature after two decades of service, stepping down after finishing out his current term. He is a real estate broker and lifelong resident of Ridgefield.
Frey is a former trustee of the Ridgefield Historical Society, and was a member of the State Capitol Preservation and Restoration Commission. Frey was first elected as a state representative in 1999.
“As a dedicated public servant, Rep. Frey’s state and local experiences as well as background in the real estate industry will only enhance the ACHP’s engagement we would like to pursue with state legislature networks and the national preservation program,” said council chairwoman Aimee Jorjani.
Representing Ridgefield’s 111th district in the legislature, Frey helped secure $5 million in funding in 2002 for the preservation of the 460-acre Bennett’s Pond State Park — a state-owned public recreation area.
Legislation he sponsored in 2019 passed both houses in Hartford and has been signed into law, allowing for the creation of municipal “Cultural Districts” in walkable areas with numerous arts, historic and cultural institutions and destinations.
On the historic preservation council Frey replaces Leonard Forsman, chairman of the Suquamish Tribe in Washington, whose term at the ACHP ended in June. Forsman was first appointed to the ACHP in 2013 as its Indian tribe member and was designated as a general public member and ACHP vice chairman by then-President Barack Obama in 2016. He was the first Native American to serve in that role.