AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF TIVERTON TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, EQUIPPING AND FURNISHING OF THE TIVERTON MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOCKER REPLACEMENT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ATHLETIC FIELD IMPROVEMENTS, AN AUXILIARY GYM, TENNIS COURTS, MUSIC ROOM ADDITIONS, SCIENCE LABS AND A GUIDANCE SUITE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND TO ISSUE NOT MORE THAN $3,735,000 THEREFOR
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Introduced
By: Representatives Amaral, and Quick |
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Date
Introduced: May 22, 2002 |
It is enacted
by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION
1. The town of Tiverton is hereby empowered, in
addition to authority previously granted, to issue bonds to an amount not
exceeding three million seven hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($3,735,000)
from time to time under its corporate name and seal. The bonds of each issue may be issued in the form of serial bonds
or term bonds or a combination thereof and shall be payable either by maturity
of principal in the case of serial bonds or by mandatory serial redemption in
the case of term bonds, in annual installments of principal, the first
installment to be not later than five (5) years and the last installment not
later than thirty (30) years after the date of the bonds. All such bonds of a
particular issue may be issued in the form of zero coupon bonds, capital appreciation
bonds, serial bonds or term bonds or a combination thereof. Annual installments
of principal may be provided for by maturity of principal in the case of serial
bonds or by mandatory serial redemption in the case of term bonds. The amount of principal appreciation each
year on any bonds, after the date of original issuance, shall not be considered
to be principal indebtedness for the purposes of any constitutional or
statutory debt limit or any other limitation.
The appreciation of principal after the date of original issue shall be
considered interest. Only the original
principal amount shall be counted in determining the principal amount so issued
and any interest component shall be disregarded.
SECTION
2. The bonds shall be signed by the manual or
facsimile signatures of the town treasurer and the president of the town
council and shall be issued and sold in such amounts as the town council may
authorize by resolution. The manner of sale, denominations, maturities,
interest rates and other terms, conditions and details of any bonds or notes
issued under this act may be fixed by the proceedings of the town council
authorizing the issue or by separate resolution of the town council or, to the
extent provisions for these matters are not so made, they may be fixed by the
officers authorized to sign the bonds or notes. Interest coupons (if any) shall
bear the manual or facsimile signature of the town treasurer. The proceeds
derived from the sale of the bonds shall be delivered to the town treasurer, and
such proceeds, exclusive of premiums and accrued interest, shall be expended
(a) to finance the construction, renovation, equipping and furnishing of the
Tiverton Middle and High Schools, including, but not limited to, locker
replacement at the Middle School and athletic field improvements, an auxiliary
gym, tennis courts, music room additions, science labs and guidance suite at
the High School, and all attendant expenses, including but not limited to,
engineering and architectural costs (all of which shall be hereinafter referred
to as the "project"), (b) payment of the principal of or interest on
temporary notes issued under section three, (c) in repayment of advances under
section four, (d) in payments of
related costs of issuance of any bonds or notes, and/or (e) to finance capitalized interest on the
project. No purchaser of any bonds or
notes under this act shall be in any way responsible for the proper application
of the proceeds derived from the sale thereof. The project shall be carried out
and all contracts made therefore on behalf of the town by the town council or
as otherwise may be directed by the town council. The proceeds of bonds or
notes issued under this act, any applicable federal or state assistance and the
other moneys referred to in sections six and nine shall be deemed appropriated
for the purposes of this act without further action than that required by this
act. The bond issue authorized by this act may be consolidated for the purposes
of issuance and sale with any other bond issue of the town heretofore or
hereafter authorized, provided that notwithstanding any such consolidation, the
proceeds from the sale of the bonds authorized by this act shall be expended
for the purposes set forth above. The
town treasurer and president of the town council, on behalf of the town are
hereby authorized to execute such instruments, documents or other papers as
either of them deem necessary or desirable to carry out the intent of this act
and are also authorized to take all actions and execute all documents or
agreements necessary to comply with federal tax and securities laws which
documents or agreements may have a term coextensive with the maturity of the
bonds authorized hereby, including Rule 15c2-12 of the Securities and Exchange
Commission and to execute and deliver a continuing disclosure agreement or
certificate in connection with the bonds or notes.
SECTION
3. The town council may by resolution authorize the
issuance from time to time of interest bearing or discounted notes in
anticipation of the issuance of the bonds or in anticipation of the receipt of
federal or state aid for the purposes of this act. The amount of original notes
issued in anticipation of bonds may not exceed the amount of the bonds which
may be issued under this act and the amount of original notes issued in
anticipation of federal or state aid may not exceed the amount of available
federal or state aid as estimated by the town treasurer. Temporary notes issued
hereunder shall be signed by the manual or facsimile signatures of the town
treasurer and the president of the town council and shall be payable within
five (5) years from their respective dates, but the principal of and interest
on notes issued for a shorter period may be renewed or paid from time to time
by the issuance of other notes hereunder, provided the period from the date of
an original note to the maturity of any note issued to renew or pay the same
debt or the interest thereon shall not exceed five (5) years. Any temporary notes in anticipation of bonds
issued under this section may be refunded prior to the maturity of the notes by
the issuance of additional temporary notes, provided that no such refunding
shall result in any amount of such temporary notes outstanding at any one time
in excess of two hundred percent (200%) of the amount of bonds which may be
issued under this act, and provided further that if the issuance of any such
refunding notes results in any amount of such temporary notes outstanding at
any one time in excess of the amount of bonds which may be issued under this
act, the proceeds of such refunding notes shall be deposited in a separate fund
established with the bank which is paying agent for the notes being
refunded. Pending their use to pay the
notes being refunded, moneys in the fund shall be invested for the benefit of
the town by the paying agent at the direction of the town treasurer in any
investment permitted under section five.
The moneys in the fund and any investments held as a part of the fund
shall be held in trust and shall be applied by the paying agent solely to the
payments or prepayment of the principal of and interest on the notes being
refunded. Upon payment of all principal
of and interest on the notes, any excess moneys in the fund shall be
distributed to the town. The town may
pay the principal of and interest on notes in full from other than the issuance
of refunding notes prior to the issuance of bonds pursuant to section 1
hereof. In such case, the town's
authority to issue bonds or notes in anticipation of bonds under this act shall
continue provided that (1) the town council passes a resolution evidencing the
town's intent to pay off the notes without extinguishing the authority to issue
bonds or notes and (2) that the period from the date of an original note to the
maturity date of any other note shall not exceed five (5) years.
SECTION
4. Pending any authorization or issue of bonds
hereunder, or pending or in lieu of any authorization or issue of notes
hereunder, the town treasurer, with the approval of the town council, may, to
the extent that bonds or notes may be issued hereunder, apply funds in the
treasury of the town to the purposes specified in section two, such advances to
be repaid without interest from the proceeds of bonds or notes subsequently issued
or from the proceeds of applicable federal or state assistance or from other
available funds.
SECTION
5. Any proceeds of bonds or notes issued hereunder or
of any applicable federal or state assistance, pending their expenditure, may
be deposited or invested by the town treasurer in demand deposits, time
deposits or savings deposits in banks which are members of the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation or in obligations issued or guaranteed by the United
States of America or by any agency or instrumentality thereof or as may be
provided in any other applicable law of the State of Rhode Island or resolution
of the town council or pursuant to an investment policy of the town.
SECTION
6. Any accrued interest received upon the sale of
bonds or notes hereunder shall be applied to the payment of the first interest
due thereon. Any premium arising from the sale of bonds or notes hereunder
shall, in the discretion of the town treasurer, be applied to the cost of
preparing, issuing and marketing bonds or notes hereunder to the extent not
otherwise provided, to the payment of project costs, to the payment of the
principal of or interest on bonds or notes issued hereunder or to any one (1)
or more of the foregoing. The cost of preparing, issuing and marketing bonds or
notes hereunder may also, in the discretion of the town treasurer, be met from
bond or note proceeds exclusive of premium and accrued interest or from other
moneys available therefor. Any balance of bond or note proceeds remaining after
payment of the cost of the project and the cost of preparing, issuing and
marketing bonds or notes hereunder shall be applied to the payment of the
principal of or interest on bonds or notes issued hereunder. To the extent
permitted by applicable federal laws, any earnings or net profit realized from
the deposit or investment of funds hereunder may, upon receipt, be added to and
dealt with as part of the revenues of the town from property taxes. In exercising any discretion under this
section, the town treasurer shall be governed by any instructions adopted by
resolution of the town council.
SECTION
7. All bonds and notes issued under this act and the
debt evidence thereby shall be obligatory on the town in the same manner and to
the same extent as other debts lawfully contracted by it and shall be excepted
from the operation of section 45-12-2 of the general laws and any provision of
the town charter. No such obligation shall at any time be included in the debt
of the town for the purpose of ascertaining its borrowing capacity. The town
shall annually appropriate a sum sufficient to pay the principal and interest
coming due within the year on bonds and notes issued hereunder to the extent
that moneys therefor are not otherwise provided. If such sum is not
appropriated, it shall nevertheless be added to the annual tax levy. In order
to provide such sum in each year and notwithstanding any provision of law to
the contrary, all taxable property in the town shall be subject to ad
valorem taxation by the town with limitation as to rate or amount.
SECTION
8. Any bonds or notes issued under the provisions of
this act, and coupons, if any, if properly executed by officers of the town in
office on the date of execution, shall be valid and binding according to their
terms notwithstanding that before the delivery thereof and payment therefor any
or all of such officers shall for any reason have ceased to hold office.
SECTION
9. The town, acting by resolution of its town
council, is authorized to apply for, contract for and expend any federal or
state advances or other grants of assistance which may be available for the
purposes of this act, and any such expenditures may be in addition to the
moneys provided in this act. To the extent of any inconsistency between any law
of this state and any applicable federal law or regulation, the latter shall
prevail. Federal and state advances, with interest where applicable, whether
contracted for prior to or after the effective date of this act, may be repaid
as project costs under section two.
SECTION
10. Bonds and notes may be issued under this act
without obtaining approval of any governmental agency or the taking of any
proceedings or the happening of any conditions except as specifically required
by this act for such issue. In carrying out any project financed in whole or in
part under this act, including where applicable the condemnation of any land or
interest in land, and in the levy and collection of assessments or other
charges permitted by law on account of any such project, all action shall be
taken which is necessary to meet constitutional requirements whether or not
such action is otherwise required by statute, but the validity of bonds and
notes issued hereunder shall in no way depend upon the validity or occurrence
of such action.
SECTION
11. All or any portion of the authorized but unissued
authority to issue bonds and notes under this act may be extinguished by
ordinance of the town council, without further action by the general assembly.
SECTION
12. The question of the approval of this act shall be submitted to the electors
of the town at a general election to be held on a date as shall be designated
by the town council. The question shall
be submitted in substantially the following form: "Shall an act, passed at the
2002 session of the General Assembly, entitled 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF
TIVERTON TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, EQUIPPING AND FURNISHING OF
THE TIVERTON MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOCKER
REPLACEMENT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ATHLETIC FIELD IMPROVEMENTS, AN AUXILIARY
GYM, TENNIS COURTS, MUSIC ROOM ADDITIONS, SCIENCE LABS, AND A GUIDANCE SUITE AT
THE HIGH SCHOOL AND TO ISSUE NOT MORE THAN $3,735,000 THEREFOR' be approved?" The warning for the election shall contain the question to be
submitted. From the time the election is warned and until it is held, it shall
be the duty of the town clerk to keep a copy of this act available for public
inspection, but the validity of the election shall not be affected by this
requirement. To the extent of any
inconsistency between this act and the town charter, this act shall
prevail.
SECTION
13. This section and the foregoing section shall take
effect upon the passage of this act. The remainder of this act shall take
effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on the
question at the election prescribed by the foregoing section.