The City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 20, authorized city staff to develop anon-profit historical society for Paramount.
” Initially, the development of a non-profit Paramount Historical Society will give us the basis to begin marketing the effort to our community and to provide an organization to which historical items can be donated for” a planned Paramount Historical Museum, according to the staff report by Recreation Director David Johnson and Recreation Supervisor Marlene Ramirez.
” All of the local area museums operate under 501(c)3 non-profit status with a board of directors. Involvement by their respective cities is minimal and range from administrative assistance, use of property, or financial support,” said the Johnson and Ramirez report.
“The Board of Directors will need to be formed prior to application for the 501(c)3 to allow the Chair of the Board to be the signatory to the application and not a City official,” the report said.
“The Paramount Heritage Parade Committee that formed last year to operate an annual parade, to be held in conjunction with the City’s Heritage Festival, would be a natural place for us to recruit for board members and volunteers for the proposed Paramount Historical Society. However, the recruitment to be a part of the Paramount Historical Society would be open to all community members with equal consideration given to all interested parties. It is very possible that, if most members of the Heritage Parade Committee become members of the Paramount Historical Society, the parade could become part of the duties of the Historical Society,” the report said.
“Once the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws [for a non-profit] are developed, they will be reviewed by the City Attorney and we will return to the City Council for approval,” the report said.
