Chapter 492
2006 -- H 8285
Enacted 07/06/06
A N A C T
IN
AMENDMENT OF THE INCORPORATION OF THE CENTRAL COVENTRY FIRE
DISTRICT
IN FURTHERANCE OF THE "CONSOLIDATION PLAN" OF THE CENTRAL COVENTRY FIRE
DISTRICT, THE WASHINGTON LIGHTING DISTRICT, THE HARRIS FIRE & LIGHTING
DISTRICT AND THE TIOGUE FIRE DISTRICT, AS APPROVED BY THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF
SAID DISTRICTS, AT DULY CALLED MEETINGS HELD ON MARCH 28, 2006
Introduced By:
Representatives Landroche, Gorham, Moffitt, Williamson, and Sullivan
Date
Introduced: June 21, 2006
It is enacted by the General Assembly as
follows:
Section 1.
BOUNDARIES OF CONSOLIDATED DISTRICT
All that part of
the town of Coventry lying and being within the following lines and
bounds: Beginning at a point on the
Coventry-West Greenwich town line six hundred (600) feet
easterly from the intersection of said town line
with Weaver Hill road, so called; thence
continuing in a general northerly direction in a
line which is at all times six hundred (600) feet
from and paralled with said Weaver Hill road to
Harkney Hill road, so called; thence continuing
in a general northerly direction in a line which
at all times is six hundred (600) feet from and
parallel with an old highway (formerly known as
the Williams Crossing road) which leads from
the intersection of said Weaver Hill road and
said Harkney Hill road to Rhode Island state
highway route 117 to a point six hundred (600)
feet southerly from said route 117; thence turning
and running in general northeasterly and
easterly direction in a line which at all times is six
hundred (600) feet southerly from and parallel
with said route 117 to a point six hundred (600)
feet easterly from the point where County road
or Hammit road, whichever called, if extended
would intersect this boundary line; thence
turning and running northerly in a line which at all
times is six hundred (600) feet easterly from and
parallel with said County or Hammit road so
extended; and said County or Hammit road to a
point on the PottervilIe or Maple Valley road, so
called which point is 900 feet more or less,
easterly from the Potterville or Maple Valley school
so called thence continuing in a general
northerly direction in a line which at all times is six
hundred (600) feet easterly from and parallel
with the Nipmuc trail so called, to the Scituate-
Coventry town line; (the above line is the
eastern boundary of the Western Coventry fire district
and was taken from their act of incorporation of
1942), thence turning and running easterly on
said Scituate-Coventry town line to the
northwest corner of lot 116 on AP-30 of the town of
Coventry records; thence turning and running
southerly on a line 300 feet east of and parallel to
the east line of Read School House road until it
comes to the intersection of said Read School
House road with said Rhode Island state highway
117; thence crossing said route 117 and
continuing in a straight line to the north end
of the dam on Flat River reservoir thence running
across said dam to the south end of said dam;
thence running southerly in a straight line to a point
on Rhode Island state highway, route 3, three
hundred feet west of the intersection of Airport road
with said route 3; thence continuing southerly
in a straight line to the intersection of Mishnock
river with the West Greenwich-Coventry town
line; thence turning and running westerly along
said town line to the point of beginning.
In addition,
all those parts of the Town of Coventry within the following boundaries of
the entities known as the Harris Fire &
Lighting District and the Tiogue Fire District, and the
Washington Lighting District, all as further
described as follows:
And, all that
land beginning at a stone bound in the dividing line between the Towns of
Coventry and West Warwick, on the south side of
the Woodside Avenue (said point being the
northeast corner of the Coventry fire district);
thence running northerly on said town line to the
Cranston city line; thence turning and running
westerly along the dividing line of the Town of
Coventry and the City of Cranston and continuing
westerly along the dividing line of the Town of
Coventry and Scituate to the old New York, New
Haven and Hartford Railroad right-of-way;
thence turning and running in a southerly and
easterly direction along said railroad to a point 250
feet west of the west line of Hill Street;
thence running southerly on a line 250 feet west of and
parallel to the west side of said Hill Street
until it comes to a point on the south line of lot 367 on
Coventry assessors plat 2, 250 feet west of the
west line of said Hill Street; thence southerly in a
straight line to the northeast corner of lot 369
assessors plat 2, thence southerly on the east line of
said lot 369, to the southeast corner of said
lot 369; thence turning and running westerly along the
south line of said lot 369 to the corner of lot
372 plat 2; thence turning and running southerly
along the west line of said lot 372 and
continuing southerly on the west line of lot 265 of
assessors plat 3; to the northwest corner of lot
268 plat 3; from now on to the place of beginning
is the boundary line of the Coventry fire
district; thence turning and running easterly along the
north line of said lot 268 to the west side of
Blackrock Road; thence turning and running
southerly along the west side of said Blackrock Road
to the so-called black rock; thence turning
and running in a northeasterly direction to the
southwest corner of Greenwood Cemetery; thence
turning and running easterly along the southerly
line of said Greenwood Cemetery to Fairview
Avenue; thence turning and running northeasterly
to a point on said Fairview Avenue opposite
the south side of said Woodside Avenue; thence
turning and running easterly along the south side
of said Woodside Avenue to the place of
beginning, all such land formerly known as the Harris
Fire and Lighting District.
And, all that
land beginning at a point in the boundary line between the Towns of
Coventry and West Warwick, 800 feet south of the
southerly line of Tiogue Avenue (Route 3
state highway); thence turning and running
westerly, bounded northerly by the Coventry fire
district, to the southeast corner of land now or
formerly of George E. and Olive T. Bockstael,
(shown on assessors plat 7, lot 420 of the Town
of Coventry records); thence turning and running
in a northwesterly direction to the Gate House
at the outlet of Tiogue Reservoir, and continuing
along the westerly and southerly banks of the
Pawtuxet River, until it comes to the eastern
boundary line of the Washington lighting
district; thence turning and running southerly, bounded
westerly by said Washington lighting district,
until it comes to the intersection of the center line
of Route 3, state highway and the west line of
Arnold Road (Arnold Road is referred to in the
Washington lighting district charter as Balm of
Gilead Road); thence turning and running
westerly, bounded northerly by said Washington
lighting district, along the center line of Route 3,
until it comes to a point 100 feet east of the
northeast corner of land now or formerly of Douglas
Jackson; thence turning and running in a
southerly direction in a direct line to the northwest
corner of Tiogue Twin Lakes no. 2 plat; thence
running to the southeast corner of Lake George
Plat; thence following along the eastern boundaries
of properties now or formerly of Jerry
Johnson, et ux, Linwood Lace Works and William
J. Beattie; thence in a direct line to a stone
bound in the boundary line between the Towns of
Coventry and West Greenwich, this being the
northwest corner of the Town of East Greenwich;
thence turning and running easterly on said
town line, bounded southerly by the Town of East
Greenwich, until it comes to a point 300 feet
east of the southeasterly line of the New London
Turnpike; thence turning and running in a
northeasterly direction, in a line parallel with
and 300 feet east of the southeasterly line of said
New London Turnpike, until it comes to the
boundary line between the Towns of West Warwick
and Coventry; thence turning and running
northerly on said town line until it comes to a point 800
feet south of the southerly side of Tiogue
Avenue and the point of beginning, all such land being
previously known as Tiogue Fire District.
And all that
land beginning at the northeast abutment of the railroad bridge, called the
Knotty Oak Bridge, and running northerly to the
southeast corner of the Rathbun Cemetery and
continuing in the same straight line until it
comes to the seven and ten line, so called, thence
turning and running westerly following the seven
and ten line until it comes to a point 500 feet
east of the east line of Station Street; thence
turning and running northerly on a line 500 feet east
of and parallel to the east line of Station
Street; thence turning and running northerly on a line 500
feet east of and parallel to the east line of
Station Street, until it comes to a point at the southwest
corner of lot 4 as depicted on the Town of
Coventry 1972 Assessor’s Plat 21, said point being on
the southerly line of Record Lot 8 (AP 69, Lot
49) as shown on that plat entitled
“SUBDIVISION PLAN OF HIGHWOOD SECTION NO. 4
SITUATED IN COVENTRY, R.I.
SCALE: 1” = 50’ MAY 31, 1978.” which is recorded
in the Town of Coventry Land Evidence
Plat Book 7 at Page 22; thence westerly, bounded
northerly by a portion of Record Lot 8 (AP 69,
Lot 49) and Record Lot 6 (AP 69, Lot 48) as
shown on said plat, to a point at the southwesterly
corner of Record Lot 4 (AP 69, Lot 47) as shown
on said plat; thence northwesterly, bounded
northeasterly by Record Lot 4 (AP 69, Lot 47) as
shown on said plat, to a point at the
southwesterly corner of Record Lot 4 (AP 69, Lot
47) as shown on said plat; thence
northwesterly, bounded northeasterly by Record
Lot 4 (AP 69, Lot 47) as shown on said plat, to a
point on the southerly line of Highwood Drive at
the northwesterly corner of Record Lot 4 (AP
69, Lot 47) as shown on said plat; thence
northwesterly and crossing Highwood Drive to a point
at the southwesterly corner of Record Lot 3 (AP
69, Lot 25) as shown on said plat; thence
northwesterly, bounded northeasterly by Record
Lot 3 as shown on said plat, to a point at the
northwesterly corner of Record Lot 3 (AP 69, Lot
25) as shown on said plat;
Thence
northeasterly, bounded southeasterly in part by Record Lot 3 (AP 69, Lot 25)
and
in part by Record Lot 5 (AP 69, Lot 24) as shown
on said plat, to a point at the southwesterly
corner of Record Lot 50 (AP 69, Lot 90) as shown
on that plat entitled “RECORD PLAN PHASE
3 Highwood Subdivision A RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION
LOCATED IN COVENTRY, R.I.
PREPARED BY DiPrete Engineering Associates, Inc.
ENGINEERING, SURVEYING AND
PLANNING CONSULTANTS 75 SOCKANOSSET CROSSROAD,
SUITE 300 CRANSTON,
R.I. 02920 (401) 943-1000 FAX: (401) 464-6006
JULY, 1995 Scale: 1” = 60’.” which plan is
recorded in the Town of Coventry Land Evidence
Plat Book 14 at Page 66;
Thence
northeasterly, bounded southeasterly by Record Lot 50 (AP 59, Lot 90) as shown
on said plat, to a point on the southerly line
of Ginger Trail at the northwesterly corner of Record
Lot 50 (AP 69, Lot 90) as shown on said plat;
Thence
northwesterly, crossing Ginger Trail, to a point at the southwesterly corner of
Record Lot 20 (AP 69, Lot 104) as shown on said
plat;
Thence
northwesterly, bounded northeasterly in part by Record Lot 20 (AP 69, Lot 104)
and crossing Record Lot 68 (AP 69, Lot 3.11), to
a point at the southerly corner of Record Lot 11
(AP 69, Lot 116) as shown on that plat entitled
“RECORD PLAN PHASE 4 Highwood
Subdivision A RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION LOCATED IN
COVENTRY, R.I. PREPARED
BY DiPrete Engineering Associates, Inc.
ENGINEERING, SURVEYING AND PLANNING
CONSULTANTS 75 SOCKANOSSET CROSSROAD, SUITE 300
CRANSTON, R.I. 02920
(401) 943-1000 FAX: (401) 464-6006 JULY, 1995
Scale: 1” = 60’.” which plan is recorded in
the Town of Coventry Land Evidence Plat Book 15
at Page 72;
Thence
northeasterly, bounded northwesterly by Record Lot 11 (AP 69, Lot 116) as
shown on said plat, to a point at the
northeasterly corner of Record Lot 11 (AP 69, Lot 116) as
shown on said plat;
Thence
southeasterly, bounded northeasterly by AP 69 Lot 35, to a point at the
southeasterly corner of AP 69 Lot 35, said point
also being on the existing charter line;
Thence northerly,
bounded westerly by AP 69 Lots 35, 36, 37, 38, 39.01 and 39.02, and
running on the existing charter line to the
northeasterly corner of AP 69 Lot 39.02;
Thence
easterly, bounded northerly by AP 77 Lots 90 and 89, and running on the existing
charter line to the southwesterly corner of AP
70 Lot 35;
Thence
northerly, bounded westerly by AP 77 Lot 89, and running on the existing
charter
line to the northwesterly corner of AP 70 Lot
35;
Thence
northwesterly, crossing OPEN SPACE D (AP 77, Lot 89) as shown on that plat
entitled “FINAL SUBDIVISION PLAN PHASE 2 A
HUNTERS CROSSING COVENTRY, R.I.
Scale: 1” = 80’ Date: December 21, 1995 Revision
A.” which plat is recorded in the Town of
Coventry Land Evidence Plat Book 13 at Pages 29-31,
to the southeasterly corner of Record Lot
42 (AP 77, Lot 81) as shown on said plat;
Thence
northwesterly, bounded northeasterly by Record Lot 41 (AP 77, Lot 82) as shown
on said plat, to a point on the southerly line
of Hunters Crossing at the northwesterly corner of
said Record Lot 41 (AP 77, Lot 82);
Thence
northwesterly and crossing Hunters Crossing to a point at the southwesterly
corner of Record Lot 77 (AP 77, Lot 46) as shown
on said plat;
Thence
northwesterly, bounded northeasterly by said Record Lot 77 (AP 77, Lot 46), to
a
point at the northwesterly corner of said Record
Lot 77 (AP 77, Lot 46);
Thence
northwesterly, bounded northeasterly by a portion of Record Lot 121, Record
Lots 119, 117 and crossing a portion of OPEN
SPACE lot (a portion of AP 77, Lot 117, AP 77,
Lots 116, 115 and crossing a portion of AP 77,
Lot 174) as shown on that plat entitled “FINAL
SUBDIVISION PLAN PHASE 3 B HUNTERS CROSSING
COVENTRY, R.I. Scale: 1” = 80’
Date: December 29, 1995 Revision A.” which plat
is recorded in the Town of Coventry Land
Evidence Plat Book 13 at Pages 104-105, to a
point at the southwesterly corner of Record Lot 116
(AP 77, Lot 114) as shown on said plat;
Thence
northerly, bounded easterly by Record Lot 116, 114, 112 and 110 (AP 77, Lots
114, 113, 112 and 111) as shown on said plat, to
a point at the northwesterly corner of Record Lot
110 (AP 77, Lot 111) as shown on said plat;
Thence easterly,
bounded southerly by said Record Lot 110 (AP 77, Lot 111), to a point
at the southwesterly corner of Record Lot 108
(AP 77, Lot 110) as shown on said plat;
Thence
northerly, bounded easterly by said Record Lot 108 (AP 77, Lot 110), to a point
on the southerly line of Remington Farm Drive at
the northwesterly corner of said Record Lot
108 (AP 77, Lot 110);
Thence
northeasterly and crossing Remington Farm Drive to the southwesterly corner of
Record Lot 106 as shown on said plat (AP 77, Lot
109);
Thence
northerly, bounded easterly by said Record Lot 106 (AP 77, Lot 109), to a point
at the northwesterly corner of said Record Lot
106 (AP 77, Lot 109);
Thence
easterly, bounded southerly by Record Lots 106, 105 and 103 (AP 77, Lots 109,
108 and 107), to a point at the northeasterly
corner of said Record Lot 103 (AP 77, Lot 107);
Thence
easterly, bounded southerly by Record Lots 101, 99 and 98 (AP 77, Lots 106, 105
and 104), to a point at the northeasterly corner
of said Record Lot 98 (AP 77, Lot 104) as shown
on that plat entitled “FINAL SUBDIVISION PLAN
PHASE 3 A HUNTERS CROSSING
COVENTRY, R.I. Scale: 1” = 80’ Date: December
29, 1995 Revision A.” which is recorded in
the Town of Coventry Plat Book 13 at Page 103;
Thence
northwesterly, crossing Record Lot OPEN SPACE L(a) (AP 78, Lot 6.7) as
shown on said plat, to a point at the
southeasterly corner of land now or formerly of Everett and
Susie Kingsborough shown as Lot 12.1 on the Town
of Coventry Assessor’s Plat 85;
Thence
northeasterly to the existing charter line between the Coventry fire District
and
the Washington Lighting District at the
northeasterly corner of Lot 28 as depicted on the 1972
Assessor’s Plat 20;
Thence
northerly along Lot 6 Plat 20 to the corner of Lots 6 and 3 Plat 20, thence in
a
straight line to the northeast corner of Lot 36
Plat 20 and the southwest corner of Lot 13 Plat 19;
northerly along the east line of Lot 1 Plat 19
to the northwest corner of Lot 25 Plat 19 at Scituate
town line; turning westerly along said Scituate
town line to a point 300 feet east of Read School
House Road; turning southerly along a line 300
feet east of and parallel to Read School House
Road, crossing Route 117 and continuing to the north
end of the dam of the Flat River Reservoir,
Thence running
southerly across the dam to the south end of said dam; thence running
southerly in a straight line to a point on state
highway, Route 3, 300 feet west of the intersection
of Reservoir Road and said Route 3;
Thence crossing
said Route 3 and running southerly in a straight line to a point 500 feet
south of the south line of said Route 3;
Thence turning
and running easterly on a line 500 feet south of and parallel to the south
line of said Route 3 until it comes to the
westerly boundary of the former Tiogue Lighting
District;
Thence
northerly along the western boundary line of said former Tiogue Lighting
District until it comes to the southern line of
Route 3;
Thence turning
and running in a northeasterly direction, crossing Route 3, to the
northeast corner of said Route 3 and Hopkins
Hill Road; thence easterly in a straight line to the
intersection of said Route 3 and Arnold Road;
thence turning and running northerly in a straight
line, across the Pawtuxet River, to the
northeast abutment of the railroad bridge and the point of
beginning, all such land being previously known
as the Washington Lighting District is hereby
incorporated into a consolidated district
to be called the “Central Coventry fFire dDistrict.”
Said district may
have a common seal, sue and be sued, and enjoy the other powers
generally incident to a corporation.
Sec 2. QUALIFIED
VOTERS
The inhabitants of
said district who are qualified voters in the town of Coventry shall be
eligible to vote and act in meetings of the
corporation.
Sec. 3. FIRST
CONSOLIDATED DISTRICT MEETING AND ANNUAL MEETINGS
OF THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE DISTRICT.
The first
meeting of said fire district shall be holden on the third Monday in June next
ensuing, at a place in said district to be named
in the notice of said meeting.
(a) 2006 -
First consolidated meeting:
Commencing in
the year 2006, a special meeting of the consolidated district shall be held
within thirty (30) days of the amendment of this
Charter by and among the Boards of Directors of
Central Coventry Fire District, the Washington
Lighting District, the Harris Fire & Lighting
District and the Tiogue Fire District for the
purposes of constituting the first Board of Directors of
the consolidated district, in accordance with
Section 5 herein and for adopting the initial by-laws
for the Consolidated District.
(b) Annual Meetings
& Quorum:
Annual meetings of
said fire district for the election of officers and the transaction of any
other business of the fire district shall be
held. Commencing in the year 1991 and annually
thereafter said annual meeting shall be held on
the second Wednesday in April. Fifteen (15)
Twenty five (25) qualified voters shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any
meeting of the corporation.
Commencing in
2007 and continuing annually thereafter, the district shall hold an annual
meeting in a public place on the second Monday
in September, at 7:00 P.M. at such place within
the District as the Board shall determine, for
the purposes of: (1) electing a Board of Directors;
(2) authorizing the assessment of all the taxable
personal and real property of the District; (3)
authorizing the collection of taxes, as further
set forth in Section 6 hereunder; (4) authorizing an
annual budget to provide for the purchase and
maintenance of equipment, apparatus, real and
personal property, the payment of wages and
salaries, and for such other expenditures deemed
necessary by the qualified voters of the
District; and (5) For such other lawful purposes deemed
necessary and proper by either the Board of
Directors or qualified voters of the district.
(c) Call of the
Meeting:
Seven (7) days
notice of said meeting, stating the time, place, and purpose thereof and
signed by five (5) or more of the qualified
voters of said district, shall be given by posting the
same in three (3) or more public places in said
district, at least one (l) week before said meeting,
and by publishing the same for at least one (1)
week prior to said meeting, and by publishing the
same for at least one (1) week prior to said
meeting in some newspaper published in the county of
Kent.
At said meeting
the question "Shall the Central Coventry fire district be established
according to the act of incorporation passed by
the general assembly of the state?" shall be
submitted. All persons possessing the
qualifications set forth in section 2 of this act shall be
entitled to vote on said question. If a majority
of the persons so voting shall vote "yes", then. said
Central Coventry fire district shall be established,
according to the provisions of this act;
otherwise this act shall become null and void.
The Clerk of
the District shall give notice of the annual meetings by causing a copy
thereof to be posted at least twice in some
newspaper distributed in Kent County, and posted in
each fire station of the District not less than
sixty (60) days prior to the meeting date.
The annual
meeting and all other meetings of the District shall be held in a public place,
which shall be accessible to the handicapped,
pursuant to the requirements of the Rhode Island
Constitution, Article 1 & 2 and applicable
federal and state non-discrimination laws.
Sec. 4. SPECIAL
MEETINGS
(a) Special
meetings may be called upon written request of not less than twenty-five (25)
qualified voters, or may be called by a majority
vote of the board of Directors. Said qualified
voters may hold special meetings which, as well
as the annual meetings, shall be called and notice
given in such a manner as the qualified voters
may prescribe.
It shall be the duty of the clerk to
call a special meeting upon written application
signed by twelve (12) or more qualified voters.
Written application for a special meeting as
well as the notice thereof, shall mention the reason
for such special meeting. Notice of the
special meeting shall be given in the same manner as the
annual meeting not less than thirty (30) days
prior to the date of the meeting. The purpose of the
meeting shall be stated in the notice and call
for meeting and no other business shall be
transacted.
(b) Any special
meeting called for the purpose of filling a vacancy among district officers
shall be advertised in the same manner as the
annual meeting, as set forth in Section 3 (c) of this
Charter.
Sec. 5. DIRECTORS
& OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION –MODERATOR -
QUALIFICATIONS
(a) The
consolidated district board shall be comprised of seven (7) directors, none of
whom shall be then serving as a Treasurer or Tax
Collector of any individual district, appointed
by the respective Boards of each individual fire
district and shall be constituted as follows: Two
(2) members shall be appointed by the Central
Coventry Fire District; Two (2) members shall be
appointed by the Central Washington Fire District;
One (1) member shall be appointed by the
Harris Fire District; One (1) member shall be
appointed by the Tiogue Fire District; the final
member shall be appointed by the preceding six
(6) members and may be from any of the
individual fire districts. The consolidated
district Board of Directors shall elect a President and
Vice President, and all seven Directors shall be
qualified to serve in office until at least the next
annual meeting. At the first meeting of the
consolidated district, the Board shall determine by
some acceptable means, the order in which the
members’ seats shall come up for election.
(b) Thereafter,
three (3) Directors will be elected to a three (3) year term at the 2007
annual meeting and every third year thereafter.
Two (2) directors shall be elected at the 2008
annual meeting and every third year thereafter.
Two (2) Directors shall be elected at the 2009
annual meeting and every third year thereafter.
Said qualified
voters, at each annual meeting, and at any other meetings when vacancies
occur, may elect such officers as are deemed
necessary for the efficient operation of said fire
district. The duties of these officers shall be
specified in the by-laws of the Fire District.
(c) Any
inhabitant qualified to vote at any District meeting may be a candidate for
District office, provided such candidate submits
to the District clerk the title of the elective office
sought, together with a petition signed by
twenty (20) inhabitants qualified to vote at any District
meeting, at least sixty (60) days prior to the
date of the meeting, This list of signatures is to be
certified by the clerk no later than thirty (30)
days prior to an annual or special meeting of the
District.
(d) The clerk
of the District shall post in a conspicuous place a list of all persons
certified
to stand for election and the office to which
each person seeks election in at least eight (8) public
places within the district, including all
actively used District stations, at least twenty (20) days
prior to the annual meeting or any other special
meeting called for the election of officers.
(e) The Board
of Directors shall have the power to declare an office vacant if the person
filling that office fails to attend three (3)
consecutive monthly meetings of the Board.
(f) In the
event that a vacancy in any elective office of the District occurs, the
president or
clerk shall call a meeting of the Board of
Directors of the district within ten (10) working days
after such vacancy occurs. The Board of
Directors shall select a qualified elector of the District to
fill the vacancy for a period of up to sixty
(60) days.
(g) Upon the
occurrence of any vacancy in any elective office of the District, the
president shall call a special meeting of the
District for the purpose of electing a qualified elector
to fill the office vacated for the remainder of
the original term of office. Said special meeting
shall be held within sixty-five (65) days from
the date such original vacancy occurs.
Sec. 6 DUTIES
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(a) The Board
of Directors shall hold monthly public meetings to conduct the business of
the District. The Board of Directors shall be
empowered and responsible to: (1) Fix the amount
of the bond of the Treasurer and the Tax
Collector; (2) Order payment of the district’s bills and
indebtedness; (3) Be in charge of and supervise
the care of the district’s properties; (4) Cause
district property to be insured; (5) Purchase
equipment, property and apparatus as required by the
District’s needs and budget; (6) Appoint an
Administrative Fire Chief, Tax Collector and
Treasurer and other employees. No less than one
half (1/2) of the members of the Board of
Directors shall constitute a quorum at any
meeting of the Board.
(b) The
foregoing list of duties shall not be deemed to be limiting and the directors
shall
have all necessary authority to operate and
conduct the business of the District as necessary, all
within the bounds of the laws of the State of
Rhode Island. The Board of Directors shall have the
power to appoint and/or employ a tax assessor,
tax collector, treasurer, clerk, and other
committees and/or positions deemed necessary for
the efficient operation of the District.
(c) The members
of the Board of Directors and any official appointed by said Board of
Directors shall be subject to the Rhode Island
Code of Ethics in Government, Chapter 14 of Title
36 of the Rhode Island General Laws.
(d) The
president of said District shall preside at all annual and special meetings as
moderator; in his/her absence the vice president
shall serve as moderator; in the absence of both,
a temporary moderator may be elected by a
majority of voters present and voting.
(e) The administrative
duties of these Directors shall be specified in the by-laws of the
fire district.
Sec. 6. 7.
TAXING AUTHORITY - TAX ASSESSOR
(a) Said
qualified voters at any of their legal meetings shall have the power to order
such
taxes and provide for the assessing and
collecting of the same on the taxable inhabitants and
property in said district as they shall deem
necessary for purchasing fire engines, and all other
implements and apparatus for the extinguishing of
fire; for the purchase of land and buildings for
keeping same; for the purchasing, installation,
operation and maintenance of a suitable alarm
system; for making cisterns and reservoirs; for
paying the salaries of district officers and
employees, firemen. as well as the
members of the rescue unit known as Central Coventry
Rescue. And such taxes, so ordered, shall be assessed
by the assessors of said district on the
taxable inhabitants and property therein
according to the last valuation made by the assessors of
the town of Coventry next previous to said
assessment, adding, however, any taxable property
which may have been omitted by said town
assessors or afterwards acquired; and in assessing and
collecting said taxes such proceedings shall be
had by the officers of said district, as near as may
be, as are required to be had by the
corresponding officers of towns in assessing and collecting
taxes.; provided, however, that the tax
assessed and payable in any one year under the provisions
of this section shall not exceed six (6) mills
an each dollar of valuation.
(b) The qualified
voters of the Central Coventry Ffire Ddistrict are
also authorized to
raise money through taxes to purchase the
necessary vehicles and equipment to operate and
maintain a rescue unit to be known as the
Central Coventry Rescue.
(c) TAX
ASSESSOR
There shall be
at least one District Tax Assessor, who may also serve as District Clerk,
who shall be appointed or employed by the
District. The tax assessor shall levy and assess taxes
at such rate as the district shall vote, on all
taxable real and personal property in the district and
shall prepare and deposit the tax list with the
tax collector and treasurer of the district; said board
shall assess property on the basis of the last
valuation made by the assessors of the Town of
Coventry next previous to said assessment.
Sec. 7. Entire
section deleted 1992
See. 8. Entire
section 8 deleted 1992
Sec. 8 DISTRICT
CLERK
There shall be
a District Clerk who shall be appointed or employed by the District. The
clerk shall keep full, fair and accurate records
and minutes of the meetings of the Board of
Directors and district meetings and shall make
said minutes available to members of the public, in
accordance with the Rhode Island Public Records
Act, Chapter 2 of Title 38 of the Rhode Island
General Laws. The Clerk shall be responsible to
give notice of District meetings as set forth
under the provisions of this Charter and
pursuant to the Rhode Island Open Meetings Laws,
Chapter 46 of Title 42 of the Rhode Island
General Laws. The clerk shall maintain a current copy
of the District Charter and by–laws.
Sec . 9
DISTRICT TREASURER
There shall be
a District Treasurer who shall be appointed or employed by the District.
The Treasurer shall receive all money paid to
the District and deposit the same in such federally
insured bank or banking system as shall be
designated by the Board of Directors to the credit of
the District, provided that in the event of a
surplus of funds, the Board of Directors may direct
deposits to be made in a savings account in some
federally insured banking institution. The
Treasurer shall sign all duly authorized
distinct notes and bonds and shall be bonded in an amount
to be determined by the Board of Directors. The
Treasurer shall pay all District obligations by
check, as approved by the Board of Directors and
shall close the books as of the last day of each
fiscal year. The Treasurer shall submit a report
to the Board of Directors monthly. The Treasurer
shall at every annual meeting, fully report the
condition of the treasury of the District, showing
receipts and expenditures of the preceding year.
Sec. 10 TAX
COLLECTOR
There shall be
a District Tax Collector who shall be appointed or employed by the
District. The tax collector shall collect and
pay to the District treasurer all taxes and interest
collected by him/her as and when received and
shall be bonded in a sum fixed by the Board of
Directors; shall close his or her books as of
the last day of each fiscal year and shall prepare and
present a written report to the annual meeting;
shall submit a written report to the treasurer
monthly; shall consult an attorney approved by
the Board when legal action is necessary for the
collection of unpaid taxes; shall be responsible
for the preparation of the tax roll.
Sec. 9. 11
BY-LAWS
The qualified
voters of said district may enact all by-laws by them adjudged necessary
and expedient for carrying the provisions of
this act into effect, provided the same be not in
violation of or repugnant to the laws of this
state.
The qualified
voters may change any provision of the by-laws at any annual or special
meeting, provided the proposed change has been
noticed in the call of the meeting.
Sec. 10. 12
AUTHORIZATION TO BORROW FUNDS
_____________________________________________
The Central
Coventry fire district is hereby authorized and empowered to borrow from
time to time such sums of money as may be
necessary, not however, to exceed the sum of three
hundred thousand ($300,000) dollars one-half (1/2) of
the annual operating budget, for the
purpose of procuring real and personal estate,
the erection and maintenance of buildings, the
procuring of fire and water apparatus, for the
payment of any legal indebtedness of said district,
or for the purpose of purchasing or procuring
any other property, real or personal, that may be
legally acquired and held by said district.
Sec. 10A. 13
The Central Coventry fire district is authorized to install lighting on the
streets and highways of the district.
Sec. 14.
PRESERVATION OF RIGHTS UNDER EXISTING LABOR CONTRACTS
In accordance
with the provision of Section 19.1 of Chapter 7, Title 28 of the Rhode
Island General Laws, this act of consolidation
shall not impair the provisions of any existing labor
contracts for persons employed by any of the
individual fire districts. Notwithstanding this
consolidation, the labor contracts shall
continue in full force and effect until their termination
dates or until otherwise agreed by the parties
or their legal successors.
Sec. 11 15.
This act shall take effect no later than sixty days after its enactment and all
acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith or
repugnant thereto, are hereby repealed.
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LC03514
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