It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Chapter 75 of the 1997 Public Laws, entitled "An Act Relating to Land Trust For the Town of Richmond" is hereby amended to read as follows:

The trust shall be administered by five (5) trustees who shall be appointed by the town council of the town of Richmond. The trustees who are first appointed shall be designated to serve for terms of one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4), and five (5) years respectively, terms to expire on December 31^st annually. Thereafter, trustees shall be appointed as aforesaid for a term of office of five (5) years, except that all vacancies occurring during a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. In addition to the five (5) trustees appointed by the town council, the current chairperson, or member designee of the Richmond planning board and the town planner shall serve as ex-officio members to the trust.

In addition to the aforementioned trustees and ex-officio members, the town council shall also appoint two (2) alternate trustees, who shall be eligible to serve in the place and stead of any trustee during those instances when a trustee is unavailable or unable to participate in the administration of the trust, including, but not limited to attendance at meetings of the trustees.

Trustees shall be resident electors of the town of Richmond, shall serve without compensation and shall hold office until their successors have been appointed. No trustee may be an elected officer or salaried employee of the town of Richmond.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.