Chapter 2.99
MOUNT VERNON HISTORICAL COMMISSION1
Sections:
2.99.030 The Mount Vernon historical commission.
2.99.040 Selecting historical artifacts and works of historical significance.
2.99.060 Authority to accept donations.
2.99.070 Cooperation with other commissions and boards.
2.99.080 Effective date and termination.
2.99.090 Disposition of property and assets.
2.99.010 Purpose.
The city has a long and rich historical heritage. This historical heritage is an asset to the city and is in jeopardy because there has not been established any means of recognizing and preserving the city’s history, its artifacts and works of historical significance. Thus, the city seeks to create a Mount Vernon historical commission and lend initial assistance and support to promote the historical commission with the goal in mind that the historical commission society will reorganize into a nonprofit corporation which the city may contract with in the future. While the historical commission remains a subagency for the city, the city seeks to begin compiling a historical collection and to pursue funds and a means to establish a historical program, not to exclude a museum, in order to preserve and display to the public the city’s collection. (Ord. 3437 § 2, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 1, 2006).
2.99.020 Definitions.
A. “City” means the city of Mount Vernon.
B. “Commission” means the Mount Vernon historical commission.
C. “Member” means an individual appointed to serve on the board of the Mount Vernon historical commission.
D. “Mayor” means the Mount Vernon mayor.
E. “Historical fund” means the fund that is allocated by the council to implement the programs and policies described in this chapter.
F. “Board” shall mean the Mount Vernon historical commission board consisting of at least nine voting members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. Five voting members shall constitute a quorum. (Ord. 3437 § 3, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 2, 2006).
2.99.030 The Mount Vernon historical commission.
There is hereby created a historical commission for the city of Mount Vernon.
A. Commission Structure – Membership. The historical commission is an advisory body with a nine appointed voting member board. Six voting members must reside or own real property within the city of Mount Vernon at the time of appointment and throughout their term of office. The board shall elect officers, which shall include a chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary, who shall serve for at least one year.
B. Appointment. The mayor shall appoint nine voting members, which appointments shall be subject to confirmation by the council. All members shall be conversant with the historical heritage of the city of Mount Vernon and the Skagit region and be experienced with community issues and concerns. Chapter 42.23 RCW, the Code of Ethics for Municipal Officers, shall apply to all commission members. Prior to appointing members, public notice of available positions shall be provided at least two weeks in advance of appointment.
C. Member Term. All members will be appointed to three-year terms effective at the time of appointment until January 31, 2012. If the city extends the ordinance codified in this chapter beyond January 31, 2012, then the Mount Vernon historical commission members may be re-appointed for additional three-year consecutive terms.
D. Historical Commission’s Responsibilities. The board shall be responsible for:
1. Advising the mayor and the council.
2. Developing policies for the acquisition and display of historical artifacts and works.
3. Identifying projects that will recognize, preserve and celebrate the city’s rich historical heritage.
4. Establishment of a nonprofit Mount Vernon historical commission before the expiration of the ordinance codified in this chapter.
5. Providing oversight for the maintenance of historical artifacts, documents and all other intangible property after the objects have been acquired.
6. Developing plans and programs that may include fundraising and pursuing grants for the development and acquisition of a Mount Vernon historical museum or other facility.
7. Undertaking and presenting education projects, commemorative events and/or historical exhibits.
The historical commission shall make a report to the council at least annually. Members shall serve without salary or other compensation; provided, however, they may be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in performing their official duties.
E. Meetings. All board meetings shall be open to the public and notice of the meetings shall comply with the Washington Open Meetings Act and documents will be deemed subject to Chapter 42.17 RCW. The board shall hold regular meetings at least monthly. The board shall keep minutes of its regular public meetings and records of all official actions shall be made available to the public upon approval of the minutes by the board. A majority of all voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum at a regular or special meeting of the board.
F. Staff Services. The city’s library director, and/or a person of the director’s designation, shall be responsible for providing administrative and staff services for the historical commission.
G. Procedures. The historical commission shall establish its own procedures and rules for the transaction of its business. The procedures shall address the receipt and processing of citizen proposals and requests. The rules of the historical commission provide that the board may appoint subcommittees in order to meet those functions and responsibilities of the historical commission. Any subcommittee appointed by the board shall be advisory to the board only.
H. Removal from the Board. The council may remove any member of the board from office for incompetency, or the dereliction of duty, or malfeasance in office, or other good cause. A member of the board may not absent himself or herself for three consecutive regular meetings. At the end of the third such meeting, the council may entertain a motion to excuse the member from any such meeting or meetings as there may be shown to have been good cause for the absence, or if three such meetings be missed without good cause, declare the office vacant. The mayor shall appoint a new member subject to confirmation by the council to complete the remainder of the term of the removed member. (Ord. 3437 § 4, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 3, 2006).
2.99.040 Selecting historical artifacts and works of historical significance.
Artifacts and works of historical significance shall be selected to be included in the city’s historical collection by the historical commission board. The historical commission may solicit submittals for artifacts or works of historical significance in the following manner:
A. Open Competition. The historical commission or a designated selection panel may solicit, through public advertisement, requests for artifacts or works of historical significance. The historical commission will review submittals and recommend those artifacts that meet the historical commission’s requirements. (Ord. 3437 § 5, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 4, 2006).
2.99.050 Budget.
A separate fund named the historical fund shall be created to support the Mount Vernon historical commission. The historical commission’s programs and operating expenses shall be funded from this fund. The city’s library director or staff member assigned shall be responsible for submitting the annual operating budget to the mayor. (Ord. 3437 § 6, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 5, 2006).
2.99.060 Authority to accept donations.
The city may receive offers of donations of artifacts for inclusion within the city’s historical collection, or donations of funds to be used for the acquisition of artifacts, to further the establishment of a historical museum, or for historical preservation purposes. Potential donors will be referred to the historical commission to discuss the nature of the gift and for review and approval. After review, the board will recommend consideration or rejection of the offer and make a site recommendation if applicable. All financial gifts, bequests and donations accepted by the board are subject to approval by council. Donated funds will be accounted for individually and may be administered by the finance director or designee, without further appropriation, consistent with the donor’s restrictions and direction from the board. (Ord. 3437 § 7, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 6, 2006).
2.99.070 Cooperation with other commissions and boards.
In carrying out the historical commission’s functions and responsibilities, the historical commission may cooperate with other municipal, county or nonprofit art/cultural commissions and historical societies or boards. However, in no event shall any appropriation be made from the historical fund nor shall any work effort be made by the historical commission towards projects which do not directly concern or affect the city. (Ord. 3437 § 8, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 7, 2006).
2.99.080 Effective date and termination.
This chapter shall take effect and be in full force five days after publication of a summary of the ordinance codified in this chapter. This chapter establishing the Mount Vernon historical commission shall be effective for a three-year period ending January 31, 2012. In the event that the Mount Vernon historical commission reorganizes into a nonprofit corporation of the state of Washington, which has, as a principal purpose, the promotion and preservation of the historical heritage of the city, this chapter shall hereby be repealed in its entirety. (Ord. 3437 § 9, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 8, 2006).
2.99.090 Disposition of property and assets.
At the time this chapter shall no longer be in effect, either by expiration of the effective date, repealer or reorganization of the Mount Vernon historical commission into a nonprofit agency, the Mount Vernon historical commission shall no longer remain an agency or subagency of the city of Mount Vernon. Any real or personal property acquired through the historical commission and all assets and funds within the historical fund at the time this chapter no longer is in effect shall be and become the property of the city and remain on city premises upon the expiration of this chapter or earlier termination of the Mount Vernon historical commission. (Ord. 3437 § 10, 2008; Ord. 3319 § 9, 2006).
2.99.100 Severability.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, chapter, provision, or phrase of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is found to be unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the chapter or the application or the provisions to other persons or circumstances. (Ord. 3319 § 10, 2006).
Code reviser’s note: Ordinance 3319 adds these provisions as Chapter 2.98 MVMC. The chapter has been editorially renumbered to avoid duplication of numbering.