MANAGEMENT ENTITY.

SEC. 504. MANAGEMENT ENTITY. (a) In General.—The management entity for the National Heritage Area shall be an entity which is selected by the Essex Heritage Ad Hoc Commission or its designee, reflects a broad cross-section of interests within the Area, and includes— (1) at least 1 representative of one or more units of government in each State in which the National Heritage Area is located; and (2) private property owners who reside within the National Heritage Area. (b) Duties.—The management entity for the Area shall fulfill each of the following requirements: (1) Heritage plan.—Not later than 3 years after the date of the designation of the Area as a National Heritage Area, the management entity shall develop and forward to the Secretary, and to the Governor of Massachusetts, a heritage plan for the Area. 110 STAT. 4259 (2) Priorities.—The management entity shall give priority to the implementation of action, goals, and policies set forth in the compact and heritage plan for the Area, including assisting units of government and others in— (A) carrying out programs which recognize important resource values within the Area; (B) encouraging economic viability in the affected communities; (C) establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits in the Area; (D) developing recreational and educational opportunities in the Area; (E) increasing public awareness of and appreciation for the natural, historical, and cultural resources of the Area; (F) restoring historic buildings that are located within the boundaries of the Area and relate to the theme of the Area; and (G) ensuring that clear, consistent, and appropriate signs identifying public access points and sites of interest are put in place throughout the Area. (3) Consideration of interests of local groups.—The management entity shall, in developing and implementing the heritage plan for the Area, consider the interests of diverse units of government, businesses, private property owners, and nonprofit groups within the geographic area. (4) Public meetings.—The management entity shall conduct public meetings at least annually regarding the implementation of the heritage plan for the Area. The management entity shall place a notice of each such meeting in a newspaper of general circulation in the Area and shall make the minutes of the meeting available to the public.