2015 -- S 1018

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LC000140

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE CREATION AND

ESTABLISHMENT OF ONE INDEPENDENT OR MUNICIPAL FIRE DISTRICT IN

COVENTRY

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, and Kettle

     Date Introduced: June 24, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of twenty-three (23) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House who

represent the Town of Coventry, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; two (2) of whom

shall be members of the Senate who represent the Town of Coventry, to be appointed by the

President of the Senate; four (4) of whom shall be the Fire Chiefs from each of the current fire

districts, or designees; one of whom shall be the Coventry Town Manager, or designee; two (2) of

whom shall be members of the Coventry Town Council, not more than one from the same

political party, to be appointed by the Council President; one of whom shall be a representative of

a Coventry Firefighters Union, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall

be a volunteer or call fireman, from the Western Coventry fire district, to be appointed by the

district board; and one of whom shall be a representative of the Hopkins Hill firefighters union, to

be appointed by the President of the Senate; four (4) of whom shall be representatives of the four

(4) Coventry fire district boards, one member from each, to be appointed by their respective

boards; and four (4) of whom shall be members of the general public, one each to be appointed by

the four (4) Coventry fire district boards.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the Town of

Coventry’s fire districts and make recommendations for the creation and establishment of one

independent or municipal fire district including, but not limited to, establishing one tax rate and

one union contract.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House and organize.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and results to the General

Assembly on or before March 1, 2016, and said commission shall expire on June 1, 2016.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE CREATION AND

ESTABLISHMENT OF ONE INDEPENDENT OR MUNICIPAL FIRE DISTRICT IN

COVENTRY

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     This resolution would create a twenty-three (23) member special legislative study

commission whose purpose it would be to make a comprehensive study of creating and

establishing one independent or municipal fire district in Coventry, and who would report back to

the General Assembly no later than March 1, 2016, and whose life would expire on June 1, 2016.

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LC000140

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