[Adopted 1-16-2000 by Ord. No. 1-2000; amended in its entirety 2-6-2020 by Ord. No. 2-2020]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "City of Auburn Historic and Cultural Sites Commission Ordinance."
In the event of conflict of any provisions in this article and Articles 31, 33, 35 and 37 of the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law, the provisions of the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law shall control. It is intended by the enactment of this article that the procedures sat forth herein shall be in addition to and complementary to the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See McKinney's PRHPL § 1.01 et seq.
The City of Auburn is rich in place-specific arts, cultural, and heritage offerings. These resources offer educational, inspirational and recreational benefits for present and future generations. It is hereby declared the policy of the City of Auburn to preserve and promote these resources through their identification, interpretation, development and use. Following the findings of a Historic Sites Task Force in 1999 the City Council initially created the Historic Sites Commission by Ordinance 1 of 2000 and revised the commission membership by Ordinance 6 of 2011. In 2018 the City of Auburn established the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center which fulfilled a goal of the initial commission, to establish a central visitor information center for the City.
There shall be a Historic and Cultural Sites Commission with members both designated within this Code and at large members appointed by the Mayor with approval of the majority of City Council.
To sustain and increase the economic vitality of tourism in the City of Auburn, the Historic and Cultural Sites Commission shall have as its purpose and goals, including but not limited to, the following: development and oversight of a tourism strategy for the City of Auburn; development of a plan to link all historic and cultural sites in the City of Auburn for marketing and promotional purposes, including review and revision of all promotional literature and signage; development of special programming and events among its partner sites; and, maintaining a central visitor information center that serves as its headquarters.
A. 
Membership. The members of the Commission shall be comprised as follows:
(1) 
The director or a designated representative from: the Willard Memorial Chapel; the Seward House Museum; the Harriet Tubman Home; the Cayuga Museum of History and Art, Case Research Lab and Carriage House Theater; the Auburn Public Theater; the Schweinfurth Art Center; the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park; Fort Hill Cemetery; and the Seymour Public Library.
(2) 
A designated representative from the Auburn Downtown Business Improvement District; the Cayuga County Office of Tourism; the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce; and, the Auburn Enlarged City School District.
(3) 
A designated representative of the City Council of the City of Auburn.
(4) 
Up to three appointments at large, to be appointed by the Mayor with approval of the majority of City Council.
(5) 
The City Historian, Cayuga County Historian and Auburn City Clerk shall serve as ex officio members.
B. 
Terms. The respective terms of the members shall be as follows:
(1) 
The Directors or designated representatives set forth herein at Subsection A(1) shall serve without term.
(2) 
The designated representatives set forth herein at Subsection A(2) shall serve for three-year periods.
(3) 
The term of the one representative from the City Council of the City of Auburn shall be upon appointment for that Councilor's term of office.
(4) 
All terms of at large members shall be for three-year periods.
(5) 
Each Commission member shall continue to serve until a successor is appointed.
C. 
Vacancies. If a vacancy shall occur other than by expiration of term, it shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term. Any member may be removed by the appointing authority.
D. 
Compensation. The individual members of the Historic and Cultural Sites Commission shall receive no personal compensation for their services as members thereof. Resources allocated by the City to member organizations shall not be considered compensation.
The municipal officials on the Historic and Cultural Sites Commission shall not, by reason of membership thereon, forfeit their right to exercise the powers, perform the duties or receive the compensation of the municipal office held by them during such membership.
At a meeting at the beginning of each calendar year, the Commission membership shall elect a Chairperson of the Historic and Cultural Sites Commission by a vote of a simple majority of the membership for a one-year term. Upon the failure of the Commission to so elect a Chairperson, said Chairperson shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the majority of City Council.
An appropriation may be made for the Historic and Cultural Sites Commission annually by the City Council and such appropriation will be administered by the Office of the City Clerk. The Commission shall coordinate and maintain its office within the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center located at 25 South Street which shall serve as the central visitor information center of the City.
The Historic and Cultural Sites Commission may adopt rules and regulations in respect to procedures before the Commission and in respect to any subject matter over which it has jurisdiction under this article or any other statute, ordinance or law.