2020 -- H 7160 | |
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LC003204 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO THE OAKLAND - MAPLEVILLE NUMBER 4 FIRE DISTRICT | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Place, and Newberry | |
Date Introduced: January 16, 2020 | |
Referred To: House Municipal Government | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 11 of an act entitled "An Act to Incorporate the |
2 | Oakland – Mapleville Number 4 Fire District" passed at the January session of the general |
3 | assembly A.D. 1934, as amended by P.L. 2009, Chapter 178, are hereby further amended to read |
4 | as follows: |
5 | Sec. 2 The taxable inhabitants of said district qualified to vote in town of Burrillville |
6 | affairs on propositions to impose a tax or for the expenditure of money (thereafter called |
7 | "Voters") shall be eligible to vote and act at all meetings of the corporations. |
8 | Sec. 3 The annual meeting of said district shall be held on the second third Wednesday in |
9 | September in each year. The clerk of said District shall, at least seven (7) days before said |
10 | meeting, give notice of the same by posting conspicuously in public places within the limits of |
11 | said District, not less than three (3) written or printed notices setting forth the time and place of |
12 | such meeting. The first meeting shall be held on the sixth (6th) Wednesday after the enactment of |
13 | this act in the town of Burrillville within the limits of the fire district, and A special meeting may |
14 | be called by twelve (12) or more of the voters of said district. Such call shall consist of posting in |
15 | the same manner and for the same time before such meetings as are the annual meetings. at least |
16 | five (5) public places within the said district of written or printed notices of such meeting setting |
17 | forth the time and place within said district where such meeting will be held, and shall be given at |
18 | lease seven (7) days before the time of such meeting. The notice shall also be published not less |
19 | than one week before the meeting in a public newspaper published daily and which has a |
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1 | circulation within the town of Burrillville. No vote except upon an adjournment or on the election |
2 | of officers pro tempore shall be taken at any meeting of the district unless at least twelve (12) |
3 | voters are present at such meeting. All persons possessing the qualifications set forth in section 2 |
4 | of this act shall be entitled to vote by ballot or otherwise as they determine, at said first meeting |
5 | upon the proposition: "Shall the Oakland-Mapleville Number 4 Fire District be established |
6 | according to the act of incorporation passed by the general assembly of the State of Rhode Island" |
7 | if a majority of the persons so qualified shall vote in the affirmative, said fire district shall be |
8 | established according to the provision of this act. If a majority of the persons so voting shall vote |
9 | in the negative, then this act shall become null and void. |
10 | Sec. 4. The voters of the district at each annual meeting, may elect officers to serve one |
11 | year staggered terms according to Article II, Section B of the Bylaws of the District, until the next |
12 | annual meeting and until others may be chosen in their stead; which officers shall consist of a |
13 | moderator, clerk, treasurer, three (3) assessors and a collector of taxes, whose duties and powers |
14 | within said district shall be such as like officers of town in this state have in their respective |
15 | towns. Such officers shall constitute the operating committee and any vacancy that may occur in |
16 | any of the aforenamed offices between annual meetings shall be filled by some person to be |
17 | chosen by the other members of the operating committee to hold office until the next annual |
18 | meeting. The moderator shall be the chief executive officer of the district and shall be the official |
19 | spokesman for the district. The moderator shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees |
20 | and subcommittees of the operating committee but shall vote only when necessary to break a tie. |
21 | The operating committee shall have full power to manage the affairs and interests of the fire |
22 | district. The operating committee shall appoint three (3) fire commissioners. The terms of office |
23 | of the fire commissioner shall be for three (3) years. It shall be the duty of the board of fire |
24 | commissioner to elect a fire chief. The fire commissioners shall have responsibility for |
25 | maintaining, repairing and insuring all property, real and personal owned by the district. |
26 | The terms of office of the fire chief shall be for the period of one year. There shall be no |
27 | limitation on the number of terms a fire chief may serve. The fire chief shall have general |
28 | supervision and control of the fire companies and shall serve as liaison between the operating |
29 | committee and the fire companies. |
30 | The three (3) assessors shall elect one of their members chairman of the board of |
31 | assessors. Their appointment shall be made in such manner that one member of the board shall be |
32 | appointed each year. The chairman shall be the official spokesman for the assessors. |
33 | All officers, fire warden, commissioners and the fire chief shall be residents and voters of |
34 | the district. |
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1 | Sec. 5. The voters of the district at any of their legal meetings, shall have power to order |
2 | such taxes, and provide for assessing and collecting the same on the taxable inhabitants and |
3 | property in said district, as they shall deem necessary for purchasing, hiring and otherwise |
4 | procuring real estate, buildings, implements and apparatus and a supply of water for the |
5 | extinguishing of fires; for the purpose of acquiring, furnishing and distributing water and |
6 | electricity throughout the district and for operating and maintaining the same purchasing, hiring |
7 | and otherwise procuring equipment for the providing of emergency medical services; for the |
8 | payment of the operating expenses of the district; for the preservation of the public peace; and for |
9 | the payment of any indebtedness incurred by the district; and such taxes so ordered shall be |
10 | assessed by the assessors of the said district on the taxable inhabitants and the property therein |
11 | according to the last valuation made by the assessors of the town next previous to said |
12 | assessment, adding, however, any taxable property which have been omitted by said town |
13 | assessors or after acquired, and in all cases where the town assessors have included property |
14 | within the district and property without the district in one valuation, the assessors of the district |
15 | shall make an equitable valuation of the portion of the same lying within the district; and in the |
16 | assessing and collecting of said taxes such proceeding shall be had by the officers of said district, |
17 | as near as may be, as are required to be had by the corresponding officers of towns in assessing |
18 | and collection of taxes; and the collector of taxes for the said district shall, for the purpose of |
19 | collecting taxes assessed by said district, have the same powers and authority as are now or may |
20 | hereafter be by law conferred on collectors of taxes for towns in this state. Said district may |
21 | provide for such deductions from the tax assessed against any person if paid by an appointed time |
22 | or for such penalty by way of percentage on the tax if not paid at the appointed time not to exceed |
23 | eighteen percent (18%) per annum, as they shall deem necessary to insure punctual payment. In |
24 | addition to any other sums to which it may be entitled in accordance with this charter and |
25 | applicable laws, in any action or proceeding to collect taxes, the district shall be entitled to collect |
26 | the reasonable costs of collection including attorney fees. |
27 | The voters of said district at any of their legal meetings shall have power to order the sale |
28 | of real property and personal property owned by the district. |
29 | Sec. 8. The operating committee of said district at any legal meeting shall have the power |
30 | to appoint so many men/women as they think needful to be formed into a hose company or hose |
31 | companies, and also a ladder company, or ladder companies fire company, and to make all such |
32 | laws and regulations for organizing, establishing and maintaining the same and the equipment |
33 | thereof as they shall see fit, and the members of such company shall be exempt from jury and |
34 | militia duty. |
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1 | Sec. 11. Said district is hereby authorized, in such manner as may seem necessary and |
2 | proper, to contract for and procure electricity and water for the purpose specified in this act. All |
3 | the powers and privileges given to said district by this act shall only be exercised subject to an in |
4 | accordance with the existing franchise contract between the town of Burrillville and the Pascoag |
5 | water Company Utility District. |
6 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and all acts and parts of acts |
7 | inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. |
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LC003204 | |
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