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Council approves agreement with Responsible Energy Council to inventory and archive city’s oil-museum collection
Summary
The council approved an outgoing loan agreement that lets the Responsible Energy Council (REC) inventory, archive and care for artifacts from the city’s oil museum under specified care standards. REC said the work will proceed in phases and the collection will be public online once catalogued.
The Santa Paula City Council voted to approve an outgoing loan agreement that formalizes a multi-phase transition of the city’s oil-museum collection to the Responsible Energy Council (REC) for inventorying, archiving and preservation work.
City Attorney Monica Castillo told the council the loan sits under a license and memorandum of understanding previously approved; the loan agreement establishes care standards, requires REC to avoid destructive analysis without prior city consent, and restricts off-site storage or long-term sub-loans without municipal approval. The agreement also gives REC intellectual-property rights for any derivative work they create while preserving the city’s ownership of the physical objects.
Olivia Simonson, REC’s president, described the initial 90-day phase of consolidation that will allow REC to move items into its archiving team and then complete a full inventory within two years. "Once we get through those 90 days, we're able to move things around and get things organized," she said.
Representatives of the former California Oil Museum foundation and the foundation president, Justin Campbell, expressed support for the transition and said the foundation intends to step back while providing background assistance to REC. Tim True, board member of the former foundation, urged council approval so REC can clear the first floor, prepare the building and start the inventory.
The loan agreement includes termination provisions if REC ceases operations or fails to cure violations; it also requires REC to provide copies of publications that use collection items and to credit the City of Santa Paula on public displays.
Councilmembers praised staff work and the community partnerships that produced the agreement and voted to authorize the city manager to execute it.
