[Adopted by Ord. No. 825 (§ 2-20 of the 1987 Code)]
There is a need to foster appreciation of the history and culture of the Borough of Highland Park; and the Mayor and Borough Council deem it in the public interest to establish a commission for the purpose of furthering this goal.
There is hereby established a Commission to be known as the Highland Park Historical Commission, which Body shall be an agency of the Borough.
[Amended by Ord. No. 871; 4-17-2018 by Ord. No. 18-1957]
The Commission shall consist of 12 members, including the Superintendent of the Highland Park School System or designee, and as an ex officio, nonvoting member, the Borough Clerk or designee. The remaining 10 members shall be residents of the Borough appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of Council. Two of the 10 mayoral appointees provided by this section shall each serve initial terms of one year; two of the 10 mayoral appointees provided by this section shall each serve initial terms of two years; and, two of the 10 mayoral appointees provided by this section shall each serve initial terms of three years. At the expiration of each individual term of mayoral appointees, such members may be reappointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council. All members shall serve without compensation. In addition to the foregoing, two student members may be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council for one-year terms, said members to have a nonvoting status. A quorum for the purpose of conducting business of the Commission shall consist of six voting members.
[Amended 4-17-2018 by Ord. No. 18-1957]
The powers and duties of the Commission shall include all actions necessary and reasonable to further public appreciation of the history and culture of the Borough. The powers and duties shall include, but not be limited to:
A. 
Providing educational history programming and events focusing on, but not limited to, local history.
B. 
Maintaining and caring for the Commission’s collection of historic artifacts and documents, and making the collection accessible to the public.
C. 
Identifying, researching and documenting important events and sites relating to the Borough’s history, including conducting oral histories of current and former Borough residents and making them accessible to the public.
D. 
Acting as a resource for information regarding Borough history.
E. 
Providing guidance on how to preserve and protect historic resources.
F. 
Placing appropriate signage and markers at historic sites and encouraging visitation of sites.
G. 
Documenting through photographs and written description historic sites in the Borough that have been approved for demolition or significant interior or exterior alteration. For the purposes of this section, "historic sites" shall be defined as any site that is 50 years or older; listed or determined eligible for listing on the New Jersey or National Register of Historic Places; or identified in the Historic Preservation Element of the Highland Park Master Plan or in cultural and historic resource surveys of the Borough. The Mayor and Council, the Borough Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and the Redevelopment Agency will notify the Historical Commission of potentially affected buildings. Upon notification, the Historical Commission will determine within five business days if documentation is necessary. If it is determined the site should be documented, the Historical Commission will communicate with the owner to determine a start date and will then have 14 business days to complete the documentation. In the case of privately owned sites, interior documentation will take place only with permission of the owner.
H. 
Cooperating with other historical and cultural agencies throughout Middlesex County and the State of New Jersey such as institutions of higher education, regional and state organization, and Borough commissions and departments.
[Amended 4-17-2018 by Ord. No. 18-1957]
The Commission shall prepare a report for the Mayor annually, setting forth its activities and recommendations concerning activities of the Commission.
[Amended 4-17-2018 by Ord. No. 18-1957]
The Commission shall vote to appoint a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson to serve as officers of the Commission. The Vice Chairperson will take meeting minutes and provide them to the Borough Clerk.
[Amended 4-17-2018 by Ord. No. 18-1957]
The temporary headquarters of the Commission shall be the Main Street Highland Park office at 212 Raritan Avenue, in the Borough of Highland Park. The Mayor and Council will identify a permanent headquarters and collection storage location within six months of the Commission’s establishment.
[Amended 4-17-2018 by Ord. No. 18-1957]
The Arts and Recreation Committee of the Borough shall serve as a liaison between the Commission and the Mayor and Council.