Introduced By:Senators Walsh, Algiere, and Breene
Date Introduced : February 3, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 4, 5, and 6 of "An Act Passed at the 1974 January Session of the General Assembly entitled "An Act To Incorporate The Charlestown Fire District" are hereby amended to read as follows:
Section 4. The qualified taxable inhabitants of said Charlestown
Fire District at each annual meeting and at any other meeting
when vacancies occur, shall elect {DEL a district fire chief
and DEL} a board consisting of five (5) engineers. Four (4)
of the engineers shall serve two (2) year staggered terms and
the non-fire department affiliated engineer shall serve a one-year
term. {DEL The fire chief shall be elected for a two (2) year
term. DEL} The board of engineers shall be responsible for
the care, management, and control of all property and equipment
owned and/or maintained by the fire district which is used for
the prevention {DEL of DEL} {ADD or ADD} extinguishment of
fire. The board of engineers shall appoint a {ADD district fire
chief, ADD} moderator, clerk, treasurer, a three (3) member board
of canvassers, {ADD a three (3) member board of assessors, ADD} and
a tax collector for {ADD a ADD} one {DEL (10 DEL} {ADD (1) ADD}
{DEL years DEL} {ADD year ADD} term {DEL s DEL} whose duties and powers
within said district shall be such as like officers in this state
have in their respective towns. The board of engineers shall
have the right to terminate any appointment for just cause.
Section 5. Said taxable inhabitants of said Charlestown fire
district qualified to vote as aforesaid, shall have power at any
annual meeting of said district to make annual appropriations
for purchasing fire apparatus and other equipment used to fight
fires, land and buildings for keeping the same, making cisterns
and reservoirs and other arrangements for water supply, and such
other appropriations of money for such purpose as may be necessary
to adequately protect the inhabitants and property in said district
from the hazards of fire, said appropriations not to exceed a
total for any one (1) year of one-fifth of one percent (1/5%)
of the ratable assessed property within said Charlestown fire
district. And said taxable inhabitants of said Charlestown fire
district qualified to vote as aforesaid at each annual meeting
of said district shall order the assessment and levy and collection
of taxes on all persons and corporations and their property, real
and tangible personal, within said district and the collection
of said taxes and said taxes so ordered, shall constitute a lien
on said {ADD person's real ADD} property for a period of three (3)
years from the time of assessment of the same by the assessors
of said district {ADD and, if the real property be not alienated,
then until the taxes are collected ADD}; and said taxes so ordered
shall be assessed by said assessors according to the last valuation
made by the assessor of taxes of the town of Charlestown previous
to the assessment of said district adding however any taxable
property which may have been omitted by said town assessors or
afterwards acquired; and in assessing and collecting said taxes
ordered by said district, such proceedings shall be had by the
{ADD officers of said district, as near as may be, as are required
to be had by the ADD} corresponding officers of towns in this state
in assessing and collecting town taxes; and every vote of any
said district meetings ordering a tax shall prescribe the date
when said assessment shall be made and when said taxes are due
and payable and the rate of any of said taxes shall not exceed
twenty cents ($.20) for each one hundred dollars ($100.00) of
assessed valuation of the property so assessed, but may provide
a penalty of not exceeding twelve percent (12%) per annum on all
taxes not paid when due; provided, however that {DEL no bill
shall be sent which is under DEL} {ADD each tax payer shall
be required to pay at least ADD} a minimum charge of five dollars
($5.00).
Section 6. Said Charlestown fire district shall have power to
borrow money and issue its promissory notes for the same but said
borrowings or debt outstanding at any one time shall not exceed
the sum of {DEL two hundred thousand ($200,000.00) DEL}
{ADD Five hundred thousand ($500,000.00) ADD}dollars; and said borrowings
shall be authorized at any annual or special meeting of said district
and shall provide the maturities of any borrowing and the officer
or officers of said district who shall issue and sign any promissory
note or notes of said district and the rate of interest on any
such note or notes.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
