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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF CULTURAL & HISTORIC AFFAIRS TO INITIATE THE PROCESS TO LEGALLY CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF UNCLAIMED ARTIFACTS FROM DR. WILLIAM RAUCHFUSS, RACHEL RAUCHFUSS, AND RAYMOND DEY AT THE DEY MANSION WASHINGTON’S HEADQUARTERS IN THE TOWNSHIP OF WAYNE, PURSUANT TO N.J.S.A. 46:30D-1 ET SEQ.
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WHEREAS, the County of Passaic (hereafter “County”) is a body politic and corporate pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:18-1 and vested with all rights contained therein; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:20-1 the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Passaic (hereafter “Board”) is vested with managing the property, finances, and affairs of the County; and
WHEREAS, the Unclaimed Loan Act, N.J.S.A. 46:30D-1, et seq., governs the standards and procedures for the disposition of unclaimed property on loan to museums; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 46:30D-4, if a museum intends to terminate a loan of property, the museum shall give notice to the lender of its intention at the last known address of the lender. The museum shall undertake a reasonable search in good faith to identify the lender and the lender’s last known address from the museum records and other records reasonably available to the museum; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Cultural & Historic Affairs is seeking authorization to terminate the loans and commence the process of obtaining legal ownership of the following items currently deposited at Dey Mansion Washington’s Headquarters:
1. A churn, a dough bowl, a door lock, and two hinges loaned to the County by Dr. William Rauchfuss on March 29, 1938, December 13, 1939, and June 24, 1942.
2. A scabbard loaned to the County by Rachel Rauchfuss on December 29, 1948.
3. A spinning wheel loaned to the County by Raymond Dey on September 30, 1960; and
WHEREAS, this matter was discussed at the June 12, 2024, meeting of the Public Works Committee and is being recommended to the Board for approval; and
NOW, THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 46:30D-1 et seq., that the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Passaic hereby authorized the Director of Cultural & Historic Affairs to proceed with terminating the loan and obtaining ownership of the following items:
1. A churn, a dough bowl, a door lock, and two hinges loaned to the County by Dr. William Rauchfuss on March 29, 1938, December 13, 1939, and June 24, 1942.
2. A scabbard loaned to the County by Rachel Rauchfuss on December 29, 1948.
3. A spinning wheel loaned to the County by Raymond Dey on September 30, 1960.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Director of Cultural & Historic Affairs shall comply with the standards and procedures set forth in the Unclaimed Loan Act, N.J.S.A. 46:30D-1 et seq.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Director, Clerk to the Board, and County Counsel and the Director of Cultural & Historic Affairs are hereby authorized to execute all documentation necessary to effectuate the purposes of this resolution.
KJB June 25, 2024