2017 -- H 5966

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LC002135

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

IN AMENDMENT TO AN ACT ENTITLED "AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE WEST

GLOCESTER FIRE DISTRICT"

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, Keable, and Winfield

     Date Introduced: March 22, 2017

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 4, 5, 7 and 8 of an act entitled "An Act to Incorporate the West

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Glocester Fire District", passed at the January Session, A.D., 1959, as amended, are hereby

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amended to read as follows:

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     Section 4. Those persons of the district qualified to vote under section 2 of this charter at

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each annual meeting, and at any other meeting when vacancies occur, may elect officers to serve

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one year, or until the next annual meeting and until others may be chosen in their stead; which

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offices shall consist of a moderator, clerk, treasurer, 3 assessors and a collector of taxes, and three

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(3) members of an executive board whose duties and powers within said district shall be such as

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like officers of town in this state have in their respective towns. They may also elect fire wardens

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and any other needed officers.

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     Section 5. Those persons of the district qualified to vote under section 2 of this charter, at

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any of their legal meetings, shall have power to order such taxes and provide for assessing and

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collecting the same, on any or all, as they shall determine, of the following classes if taxable

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property in said district: (1) land, (2) buildings and improvements, and (3) tangible personal

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property, as they shall deem necessary for purchasing and procuring real estate, buildings,

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implements and apparatus, and a supply of water for the extinguishment of fire; for the payment

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of the current expenses of the district; also for the payment of any indebtedness that has been or

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may be incurred by the district; and such taxes so ordered shall be assessed by the assessors of

 

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said district according to the last valuation made by the assessors of the town next previous to

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said assessment, adding, however, any taxable property which may have been omitted by said

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town assessors or after acquired; and in all cases where the town assessors have included property

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within the district and property without the district in one valuation, the assessors of the district

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shall make an equitable valuation of that portion of the same lying within the district; and in the

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assessing and collecting of said taxes such proceedings shall be had by the officers of the said

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district, as near as may be, as are required to be had by the corresponding officers of towns in

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assessing and collecting town taxes; and the collector of taxes or other employee hired or

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appointed by the executive board of for the said district shall, for the purposes of collecting taxes

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assessed by said district, have the same powers and authority as are now or may hereafter be by

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law conferred on collectors of taxes for towns in this state. Said district may provide for such

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deduction from the tax assessed against this state. Said district may provide for such deduction

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from the tax assessed against any person if paid by an appointed time, or for such penalty by way

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of percentage on the tax if not paid by an appointed time, or for such penalty by way of

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percentage on the tax if not paid at the appointed time, not exceeding twelve percent (12%) per

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annum, as they shall deem necessary to insure punctual payment.

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     Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, the West Glocester fire district shall have

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the power to adopt and implement a system of property tax classification in accordance with

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section 44-5-11.8 of the general laws.

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     Section 7. Said district at any legal meeting shall have the power to enact by-laws

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prescribing the duties of elected officers of the district, fire wardens, and of the inhabitants of said

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district in time of conflagration and for the purpose of enforcing the commands of the fire

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wardens, or the executive board, for suppressing disorder and tumult, guarding or removing

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property or rendering other service in time of fire, and for breach of any such by-laws may

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provide a penalty not exceeding a fine of $20.00, to be recovered for the use of said district, or

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imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days, which penalty may be enforced by prosecution

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on complaint of any member of said board of fire wardens or the executive board before any

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court of competent jurisdiction.

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     Section 8. The fire wardens appointed by said district or the executive board may order in

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time of fire such buildings to be pulled down or blown up as they may judge necessary to stop the

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progress of the fire; and if it shall happen that the pulling down or blowing up of any such

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buildings, by direction aforesaid, shall be the cause of stopping the progress of such fire, or if the

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fire stop before it comes to the same, the owners shall be reasonably paid therefor by a tax on said

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district, the amount of which tax will be adjudged by the superior court for counties of

 

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Providence and Bristol, which court is hereby authorized and empowered, on application to them

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made by the owners of property so destroyed, to adjudge as to the amount necessary and cause

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the same to be certified to the district, and such tax shall be assessed and collected in said district,

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but no building in which any fire shall break out or begin shall be paid for under this provision.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

IN AMENDMENT TO AN ACT ENTITLED "AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE WEST

GLOCESTER FIRE DISTRICT"

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     This act would amend the charter of the West Glocester Fire District.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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