A new eight-member Canyon County Historic Preservation Commission aims to update the county’s preservation plan and tackle other projects.

Created by Canyon County commissioners last month, the commission held its first meeting Tuesday and elected officers: Chairman Bob Gwyn, a history teacher at Nampa’s South Middle School; Vice-chair Nikki Gorrell, chair of the anthropology department at the College of Western Idaho; and Secretary George DeFord, a Nampa attorney. County Parks, Recreation & Waterways Director Tom Bicak will serve as the historic preservation officer and Bicak’s assistant director, Kathy Kershner, will be deputy historic preservation officer.

Other members of the new commission are Boise State University anthropology Professor Mark Plew, county Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Zach Wesley and architectural designer Bonnie Ford-LeCompte.

Projects planned for this year include working with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe at Fort Hall to develop a historic preservation plan for the 34-acre Map Rock property, an ancient petroglyph site the county recently acquired.

The commission also will look into the possibility of nominating elements of Swayne’s Museum at Walter’s Ferry to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Historic Preservation Commission’s next meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 12 at at the Canyon County Courthouse, 1115 Albany St. in Caldwell. Interested members of the public are welcome to attend.