2015 -- H 5961

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE CUMBERLAND FIRE DISTRICT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, MacBeth, McLaughlin, and Phillips

     Date Introduced: March 20, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 3 of Chapter 505 of the 2013 Public Laws entitled "An Act Relating

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To The Consolidation Of The Cumberland, North Cumberland, Cumberland Hill, And Valley

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Falls Fire Districts Into The Cumberland Fire District" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     Section 3. Governing Body

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     The initial governing body of the consolidated Cumberland Fire District shall be a Fire

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Committee. Membership on said committee shall be a public office. Members shall hold no other

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public office. If any member shall hold any other public office, his or her office as a member of

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said committee shall immediately become vacant. Provided, that any individual elected to said

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committee prior to November 5, 2014, shall be eligible to serve on both said committee and the

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local town council until the next succeeding election.

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     Beginning no later than November of 2014, with the regularly scheduled general election,

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seven (7) members of the Cumberland Fire Committee shall be elected. Each of the five (5)

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council districts shall elect one member, with two (2) members being elected from the town at

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large. It shall be a non-partisan election for a two (2) year term. The winning candidates shall be

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sworn in immediately after the election results are certified. Any vacancy in the membership of

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the Committee shall be filled by written ballot of a majority of all the members of the Town

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Council for the remainder of the term of office, provided that the person selected to fill said

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vacancy shall be a qualified elector from that district. A vacancy in said membership of the

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Committee shall occur if a member dies, resigns from office, ceases to be a resident and/or elector

 

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of the district in which elected, or shall be absent for four (4) consecutive regular meetings or six

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(6) regular meetings within a twelve (12) month period unless said absence(s) are excused by a

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majority vote of the whole Committee. Any and all elections, provided for under this act, shall be

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governed by, and subject to, the provisions of title 17 and shall be administered by the state board

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of elections and the town of Cumberland board of canvassers.

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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

RELATING TO THE CUMBERLAND FIRE DISTRICT

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     This act would establish that membership on the Cumberland Fire District Fire

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Committee constitutes holding a public office and that the elections of the Fire Committee are

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governed by state election laws. Members would not be allowed to hold other public office,

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except that members elected prior to November 5, 2014, would be eligible to serve on the

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committee and the local town council until the next succeeding election.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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