2016 -- S 2417

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LC003907

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE COVENTRY FIRE DISTRICT AND THE CENTRAL COVENTRY FIRE

DISTRICT

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, and Kettle

     Date Introduced: February 11, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 2 of Chapter 806 of the 1889 Public Laws entitled "An Act To

Incorporate the Coventry Fire District," as subsequently amended, is hereby further amended to

read as follows:

     Sec. 2. The inhabitants of said district qualified to vote in town affairs, on propositions to

impose taxes, or for the expenditure of money, shall be eligible to vote and act in all meetings of

the corporation; provided, that no vote shall have effect unless at the time of the vote not less than

two percent (2%) of those eligible to vote shall be present and voting.

     SECTION 2. Section 3 of Chapter 405 of the Public Laws, 2006 ENTITLED "AN ACT

IN AMENDMENT OF THE INCORPORATION OF THE CENTRAL COVENTRY FIRE

DISTRICT IN FURTHERANCE OF THE "CONSOLIDATION PLAN" OF THE CENTRAL

COVENTRY FIRE DISTRICT, THE WASHINGTON LIGHTING DISTRICT, THE HARRIS

FIRE AND LIGHTING DISTRICT AND THE TIOGUE FIRE DISTRICT, AS APPROVED BY

THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF SAID DISTRICTS, AT DULY CALLED MEETINGS HELD

ON MARCH 28, 2006", as amended by Section 1 of Chapter 208 of the Public Laws, 2012,

entitled "AN ACT RELATING TO THE CENTRAL COVENTRY FIRE DISTRICT", is hereby

further amended to read as follows:

     Sec. 3. FIRST CONSOLIDATED DISTRICT MEETING AND ANNUAL MEETINGS

OF THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE DISTRICT.

     (a) 2006 - First consolidated meeting: Commencing in the year 2006, a special meeting of

the consolidated district shall be held within thirty (30) days of the amendment of this Charter by

and among the Boards of Directors of Central Coventry Fire District, the Washington Lighting

District, the Harris Fire & Lighting District and the Tiogue Fire District for the purposes of

constituting the first Board of Directors of the consolidated district, in accordance with Section 5

herein and for adopting the initial by-laws for the Consolidated District.

     (b) Annual Meetings and Quorum: Annual meetings of said fire district for the election of

officers and the transaction of any other business of the fire district shall be held. Twenty five

(25) qualified voters shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of

the corporation. Commencing in 2007 and continuing annually thereafter, the district shall hold

an annual meeting in a public place on the first Monday in October, at 7:00 P.M. at such place

within the District as the Board shall determine, for the purposes of:

     (1) electing a Board of Directors;

     (2) authoring the assessment of all the taxable personal and real property of the District;

     (3) authorizing the collection of taxes, as further set forth in Section 6 hereunder;

     (4) authorizing an annual budget to provide for the purchase and maintenance of

equipment, apparatus, real and personal property, the payment of wages and salaries, and for such

other expenditures deemed necessary by the qualified voters of the District; and

     (5) For such other lawful purposes deemed necessary and proper by either the Board of

Directors or qualified voters of the district.

     At any meeting of the corporation, no vote shall have effect unless at the time of the vote

not less than two percent (2%) of those eligible to vote shall be present and voting.

     (c) Call of the Meeting: The Clerk of the District shall give notice of the annual meetings

by causing a copy thereof to be posted at least twice in some newspaper distributed in Kent

County, and posted in each fire station of the District not less than sixty (60) days prior to the

meeting date. The annual meeting and all other meetings of the District shall be held in a public

place, which shall be accessible to the handicapped, pursuant to the requirements of the Rhode

Island Constitution, Article 1 and 2 and applicable federal and state non-discrimination laws.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE COVENTRY FIRE DISTRICT AND THE CENTRAL COVENTRY FIRE

DISTRICT

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     This act would amend the charters of the Coventry Fire District and the Central Coventry

Fire District to provide that no vote at a meeting of either district would have effect unless at the

time of the vote not less than two percent (2%) of those eligible to vote are present and voting.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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