City of Atlantic City, City Council Records
Title: City of Atlantic City, City Council Records
Date: 2009 - present
Collection Number: H085
Extent: 3.0 cubic feet
Repository: Atlantic City Heritage Collections, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269.
Preferred Citation: City of Atlantic City, City Council Records, Atlantic City Heritage Collections, Atlantic City Free Public Library.
Creator: City of Atlantic City
IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Historical Note:
The City of Atlantic City was incorporated on March 3, 1854 and held the first city election in May of that same year. The first City Hall building was occupied on November 8, 1875, with there being no city buildings for the first 21 years within the city. The first meeting of City Council was held in the United States Hotel. The first book of minutes from City Council, containing minutes from years 1854-1867 was lost a few years later and was never found. From its incorporation until 1912, Atlantic City was governed by a Council.
On May 14, 1912 the city adopted a commission form of government in compliance with the Walsh Act of 1911. The Walsh Act permitted municipalities to adopt a non-partisan commission form of government. In 1950 the Faulkner Commission concluded that the commission government was a failure in the state of New Jersey, and soon the Faulkner law was passed, which gave cities an alternative to the commission rule.
Currently the City of Atlantic City has a Mayor-Council form of government with the City Council as the legislative branch of the city. Members of Council are elected to serve a term of four years, with a total of nine council members, one from each of Atlantic City’s six wards and three Council members-at-large. Some responsibilities of Council members include: reviewing budgets submitted by the Mayor, providing for an annual audit of the City’s accounts and financial transactions, organizing standing committees and holding public hearings.
Scope and Content:
This collection contains two boxes of records. The most recent year of City Council meeting agendas are located in the Local History Subject Folder for easy access. These will be added to the collection and boxed at the end of each year.
The meeting agendas for this collection begin in 2007. Beginning in 2010, in the meeting agendas packets, resolutions were included. These were not included with the agendas from 2007-2009. Most of the records were downloaded by the staff of the Atlantic City Heritage Collections as they were available online through the City of Atlantic City’s website.
The digital files for the collection begin in 2012. For some meetings, they contain transcriptions of meetings, and for others, they contain the packet of agenda items with the passed, signed resolutions and the list of public comment speakers. For 2012, most of the files are transcriptions of the meetings, as well as the packet of agenda items. The 2013 files are the digitized versions of the meeting agendas also found in Box 2 of the collection. These files were downloaded by the Atlantic City Heritage Collections staff as they were made available online at the City of Atlantic City’s website.
System of Arrangement:
This collection has two distinct series – physical records and digital records. The physical records are arranged by year, beginning with the earliest year – 2007 – and continuing until the current year. Most of the years are divided into multiple folders. The records are divided into two boxes, with the records from 2011 divided between the two boxes.The current year of City Council meeting agendas are located in the Local History Subject Folder for easy access. These will be added to the collection and boxed at the end of each year.
The digital files are also arranged chronologically. As more digital files are added to the collection, they will continue to be arranged chronologically by year.
Preservation and Access Note:
This physical condition of these records is in good condition. For access to the digital files, please contact the archivist if you are interested in viewing the digital file. These files are in PDF format.
OTHER INFORMATION FOR USERS OF THE COLLECTION
Access Points:
Atlantic City (N.J.) – Politics and government.
Atlantic City (N.J.). – Mayor.
Municipal government – New Jersey – Atlantic City.
City Council members – New Jersey – Atlantic City.
Related Materials:
City of Atlantic City Records
Atlantic City City Ordinances, 1854-1929, 1936-1940, 1974
Local History Subject File – City Council
Local History Subject File – City Council - Corruption and Scandal
Book of the Boardwalk by Frank Butler
A city on the brink of survival: the report of the Atlantic City Charter Study Commission, Sept. 3, 1976
Processing Note: The collection is processed. Finding aid written by archivist Pam Richter in July 2013. The collection is an ongoing collection with meeting agendas and digital files continually added to the collection.
Copyright Notice: While the Atlantic City Free Public Library owns the collection, the Library may not own the copyright for items within the collection. Researchers wishing to reproduce materials are responsible for obtaining the proper permission.
BOX LIST:
Series I - Meeting Agendas
Box 1 - Meeting Agendas: 2007-2011
Box 2 - Meeting Agendas: 2011-2013
Box 3 - Meeting Agendas: 2013-2014
Series II - Digital Files
2012 City Council Meeting Agendas, Minutes
2013 City Council Meeting Agendas, Minutes
2014 City Council Meeting Agendas, Minutes
2015 City Council Meeting Agendas, Minutes