Bill Text: NJ S2919 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Increases membership of board of trustees of Washington Association of New Jersey.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-13 - Substituted by A4370 [S2919 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2018-S2919-Introduced.html

SENATE, No. 2919

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  ANTHONY R. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Somerset)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Increases membership of board of trustees of Washington Association of New Jersey.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 


An Act concerning the board of trustees of the Washington Association of New Jersey and amending R.S.28:2-8.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

1.      R.S.28:2-8 is amended to read as follows:

     28:2-8.    The "Washington Association of New Jersey," created and incorporated by the act entitled "An act to incorporate the Washington Association of New Jersey," approved March 20, 1874 (L.1874, c.309, p.1147), is continued. Such association shall have a board of trustees of not less than [9] 12 nor more than [12] 18 members, [1/3] one-third of which number of trustees shall be elected by the stockholders of the association in each year. Each trustee shall hold office for a term of [3] three years and until [his] the trustee's successor is elected, and any vacancy occurring for any cause shall be filled by election for the unexpired term.

     The board of trustees shall elect from its number, a president and a treasurer, one or more vice-presidents, and a secretary, whose duties, together with those of such other officers as the board may deem proper to appoint, shall be stated in the by-laws of the association, which by-laws shall be made by the board of trustees of the association.

     The association may adopt and use a seal.

(cf: P.L.1964, c.151, s.1)

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill would increase the membership of the board of trustees of the Washington Association of New Jersey (WANJ) from its current limit of 12 members to 18 members. The bill also increases the minimum number of members on the board of trustees from nine members to 12 members.

     The WANJ, one of the oldest historic preservation organizations in the United States, was founded to acquire and preserve George Washington's military headquarters at the Jacob Ford Mansion in Morristown, NJ. Chartered by the NJ Legislature in 1874, the WANJ is the not-for-profit advisory and fundraising body for the Morristown National Historical Park. The Morristown National Historical Park is the United States' first national historical park and includes historical sites such as the Jacob Ford Mansion, Fort Nonsense, the NJ Brigade and Cross Estate Gardens, and the Jockey Hollow Encampment. The WANJ partners with the National Park Service to be co-stewards of these historical sites.

     It is the view of the sponsor that expanding the size of the WANJ's board of trustees would be beneficial for several reasons. For one, many of the board members are dedicated to promoting George Washington and the history of the American Revolution in NJ. As such, there is little turnover amongst board members. With the completion of a children's museum within the existing Washington's Headquarters Museum in Morristown, the WANJ is expanding its focus on education initiatives, including efforts geared to NJ urban schools.

     Increasing the number of trustees will allow for more opportunities to train and involve younger people to be part of the next generation of the organization's leadership. Additionally, the WANJ's role as a co-steward of its historical sites has increased, thereby requiring more management and assistance on the part of board members.

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