(A) Established. There is hereby established a non-charter commission to be known as the “Cultural and Historical Commission”.
(Prior Code, § 2-112)
(B) Members.
(1) The Cultural and Historical Commission shall consist of 11 members approved by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Council. No person shall be eligible to appointment who is not an elector of the city. The term of office of members shall, subject to the provisions hereof relative to removal, be four years, and until their successors are duly appointed and qualified. Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation.
(2) Members of the Commission shall be subject to removal from office by the Mayor without cause assigned. Any vacancy in office shall be filled by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Council, for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(Prior Code, § 2-113)
(C) Officers and employees. The Cultural and Historical Commission shall select a President and a Vice-President. It may appoint a Director and prescribe the duties thereof. The compensation, if any, of the Director shall be fixed by the Commission subject to the approval of the Council.
(Prior Code, § 2-114)
(D) Meetings and records. The Cultural and Historical Commission shall hold meetings regularly, at least once in each month, and shall designate the time and place thereof. It shall adopt its own rules of procedure and shall keep a record of its proceedings. Proper accounts of the receipt and expenditures of money shall be kept. All meetings, records and accounts of the Commission shall be public. Five members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(Prior Code, § 2-115)
(E) Functions. The functions of the Cultural and Historical Commission shall be to further the interest of the people in all matters relating to the history of the city and its environs; to that end, it may acquire and maintain appropriate exhibits, and cooperate in educational programs, and issue bulletins and other publications.
(Prior Code, § 2-116)
(F) General powers and duties. The powers and duties of the Cultural and Historical Commission shall be as follows:
(1) To operate and maintain suitable buildings to be used for appropriate exhibits of historical interest and for auditorium purposes, to be known as the “Wyandotte Historical Museum”, and to which, under proper rules and regulations, the public may have access. The Commission, in its discretion, shall have the authority to make reasonable charges for general admission to the Wyandotte Historical Museum, subject to the approval of the Council. On occasions when special exhibitions, public lectures or other entertainments are held in any of said buildings, the commission may in its discretion make an additional reasonable charge for admittance. It shall have the right to lend or rent to other organizations or individuals any of the buildings or space for special exhibits or occasions, whenever required by the interest of the city, subject to the approval of the Council;
(2) It shall manage and direct the several buildings, premises and property of the city under its control, and shall make reasonable rules and regulations concerning them if provided however that the foregoing shall not prevent the city from selling such property as the city deems in its best interests;
(3) It may, with the approval of the Council and in the name of the city, acquire, take and hold, by purchase, gift, devise, bequest or otherwise, such real and personal property as may be proper for carrying out the objects and functions for which it is established; and any property, real or personal, received in trust, shall be held in the name of the city, but in conformity with the terms of the trust;
(4) It shall acquire, collect, own and exhibit, in the name of the city, articles of historical interest and other objects such as are usually incorporated in historical museums, but any such articles received on loan or in trust shall be held in conformity with such loan or trust agreement; and
(5) It may make, with the approval of the Council, all contracts to carry out its purposes and objectives, as herein provided.
(Prior Code, § 2-117)
(G) Monthly financial reports. The Cultural and Historical Commission shall, on the last day of each month, file with the Finance Officer and City Treasurer a report giving the date of collection or receipt of all money collected or received by the Commission, and shall pay daily into the city treasury all moneys so collected.
(Prior Code, § 2-118)
(H) Application of funds; annual estimate. All moneys paid into the city treasury by the Cultural and Historical Commission shall apply exclusively on the payment of expenses incurred by it. On or before the second Monday in May of each year, the Commission shall transmit to the City Clerk its estimate of the amount of money required for its purposes for the next succeeding fiscal year. Such estimate shall be used in preparing the annual appropriation bill of the city.
(Prior Code, § 2-119)
(I) Reports. The Cultural and Historical Commission shall, on or before January 15 in each year, make a written report to the Council of the work of the department during the preceding year and the condition of the property under the control of the Commission. The report shall be certified by the Commission, entered of record by the City Clerk and published in such manner as the Council may direct. The Commission shall also make such other reports as the Council may from time to time require.
(Prior Code, § 2-120)
(Ord. 734, passed 6-14-1982; Ord. 746, passed 3-28-1983)