[Adopted 8-21-1978 by Ord. No. 20-1978 (Ch. 13 of the 1980 City Code)]
There is hereby established in the office of the Mayor a commission which shall be known as the "Arts and Cultural Commission of the City of East Orange," hereafter referred to as the "Commission."
A. 
The Commission will consist of 11 persons, all of whom must be residents of the City of East Orange. Six will be appointed by the Mayor and five by the City Council. The Council will ensure through its appointments that there is always one resident of each of the City's five wards serving on the Commission.
B. 
In addition, there shall be a liaison member appointed annually by the City Council, which liaison member must be a member of the City Council and shall serve without vote.
C. 
The Commission members will serve without compensation.
A. 
Initial appointments to the Commission will be for terms as follows:
(1) 
Three members for a period of one year.
(2) 
Four members for a period of two years.
(3) 
Four members for a period of three years, one of whom shall be designated Chairman by the Mayor, and who shall serve as Chairman at the pleasure of the Mayor.
(4) 
Liaison member on an annual basis, designated by the Council Committee on Appointments.
B. 
The term of each of the members first appointed will be designated by the Mayor.
C. 
After the initial appointments, all members will be appointed for terms of three years. Appointments to fill vacancies will be for the unexpired term of the member to be replaced. Each member will serve for the duration of his term and until his successor has been duly appointed and qualified.
A. 
The Commission will, as soon as possible after the first day of each year, select such officers, other than a Chairman, from among its members as it deems necessary and will adopt bylaws to govern its procedural operation. If the Mayor shall appoint some other officer as Chairman during the duration of said officer's tenure in said other office, the Commission will reorganize.
B. 
The Commission will have no power or authority to hire any employees, and it may make expenditures from any financial resources available to it in excess of $50 only with the express written approval of the Mayor.
The duties of the Commission shall be:
A. 
To take such steps as may be deemed necessary and appropriate to stimulate and encourage the study and presentation of the performing and creative arts and to foster public interest in and public support of the arts in our City.
B. 
To make such surveys, as may be deemed advisable, of public and private institutions, wherever situate, engaged in the performing and creative arts and to recommend to the Mayor appropriate action to enlarge the City's financial and physical resources in and for the performing and creative arts.
C. 
To encourage and assist freedom of expression in the performing and creative arts and to recommend to the Mayor methods and events to encourage the performing and creative arts.
For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PERFORMING AND CREATIVE ARTS
Includes, but is not limited to, music, theater, dance, literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, film, art, handicrafts, graphic arts and design.
The Commission shall be authorized and empowered to hold public and private hearings and, within the limit of funds available to it and with the expressed written approval of the Mayor, enter into contracts with individuals, organizations and institutions for services or endeavors furthering the objectives of the Commission's programs; with the expressed written approval of the Mayor, to accept gifts, grants and bequests of funds from individuals, foundations, corporations, governmental agencies and other organizations or institutions; with the expressed written approval of the Mayor, to make and sign any agreements and to do and perform any acts that may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this article. The Commission may request and will receive from any department or agency of the City government such assistance, information and advice as will enable it to carry out its power and duties, but will not usurp any of the rights, powers, duties or obligations of any other department or agency of the City government.
The Commission shall make an annual report to the Mayor and the City Council concerning the status of the performing and cultural arts in East Orange and such other matters as the Commission deems desirable.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 13-9, Appropriation, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 2-2-2015 by Ord. No. 4-2015.