| Chapter 060 |
| 2021 -- H 6139 Enacted 06/18/2021 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO THE OAKLAND - MAPLEVILLE NUMBER 4 FIRE DISTRICT |
Introduced By: Representatives Place, and Newberry |
| Date Introduced: March 17, 2021 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 11 of an act entitled "An Act to Incorporate the |
| Oakland – Mapleville Number 4 Fire District" passed at the January session of the general assembly |
| A.D. 1934, as amended by P.L. 2009, Chapter 178, are hereby further amended to read as follows: |
| Sec. 2 The taxable inhabitants of said the district qualified to vote in town of Burrillville |
| affairs on propositions to impose a tax or for the expenditure of money (thereafter called "Voters") |
| shall be eligible to vote and act at all meetings of the corporations. |
| Sec. 3 The annual meeting of said the district shall be held on the second third Wednesday |
| in September in each year. The clerk of said the district shall, at least seven (7) days before said |
| the meeting, give notice of the same by posting conspicuously in public places within the limits of |
| said the district, not less than three (3) written or printed notices setting forth the time and place of |
| such the meeting. The first meeting shall be held on the sixth (6th) Wednesday after the enactment |
| of this act in the town of Burrillville within the limits of the fire district, and A special meeting may |
| be called by twelve (12) or more of the voters of said the district. Such The call shall consist of |
| posting in the same manner and for the same time before such the meetings as are the annual |
| meetings. at least five (5) public places within the said district of written or printed notices of such |
| meeting setting forth the time and place within said district where such meeting will be held, and |
| shall be given at lease seven (7) days before the time of such meeting. The notice shall also be |
| published not less than one week before the meeting in a public newspaper published daily and |
| which has a circulation within the town of Burrillville. No vote except upon an adjournment or on |
| the election of officers pro tempore shall be taken at any meeting of the district unless at least |
| twelve (12) voters are present at such the meeting. All persons possessing the qualifications set |
| forth in section 2 of this act shall be entitled to vote by ballot or otherwise as they determine, at |
| said the first meeting upon the proposition: "Shall the Oakland-Mapleville Number 4 Fire District |
| be established according to the act of incorporation passed by the general assembly of the State of |
| Rhode Island" if a majority of the persons so qualified shall vote in the affirmative, said the fire |
| district shall be established according to the provision of this act. If a majority of the persons so |
| voting shall vote in the negative, then this act shall become null and void. |
| Sec. 4. The voters of the district at each annual meeting, may elect officers to serve one |
| year staggered terms according to article II, section B of the bylaws of the district, until the next |
| annual meeting and until others may be chosen in their stead; which officers shall consist of a |
| moderator, clerk, treasurer, three (3) assessors, and a collector of taxes, whose duties and powers |
| within said the district shall be such as like officers of town in this state have in their respective |
| towns. Such The officers shall constitute the operating committee and any vacancy that may occur |
| in any of the aforenamed offices between annual meetings shall be filled by some person to be |
| chosen by the other members of the operating committee to hold office until the next annual |
| meeting. The moderator shall be the chief executive officer of the district and shall be the official |
| spokesman for the district. The moderator shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees |
| and subcommittees of the operating committee but shall vote only when necessary to break a tie. |
| The operating committee shall have full power to manage the affairs and interests of the fire district. |
| The operating committee shall appoint three (3) fire commissioners. The terms of office of the fire |
| commissioner shall be for three (3) years. It shall be the duty of the board of fire commissioner to |
| elect a fire chief. The fire commissioners shall have responsibility for maintaining, repairing and |
| insuring all property, real and personal owned by the district. |
| The terms of office of the fire chief shall be for the period of one year. There shall be no |
| limitation on the number of terms a fire chief may serve. The fire chief shall have general |
| supervision and control of the fire companies and shall serve as liaison between the operating |
| committee and the fire companies. |
| The three (3) assessors shall elect one of their members chairman of the board of assessors. |
| Their appointment shall be made in such manner that one member of the board shall be appointed |
| each year. The chairman shall be the official spokesman for the assessors. |
| All officers, fire warden, commissioners, and the fire chief shall be residents and voters of |
| the district. |
| Sec. 5. The voters of the district at any of their legal meetings, shall have power to order |
| such taxes, and provide for assessing and collecting the same on the taxable inhabitants and |
| property in said the district, as they shall deem necessary for purchasing, hiring, and otherwise |
| procuring real estate, buildings, implements and apparatus and a supply of water for the |
| extinguishing of fires; for the purpose of acquiring, furnishing and distributing water and electricity |
| throughout the district and for operating and maintaining the same purchasing, hiring, and |
| otherwise procuring equipment for the providing of emergency medical services; for the payment |
| of the operating expenses of the district; for the preservation of the public peace; and for the |
| payment of any indebtedness incurred by the district; and such taxes so ordered shall be assessed |
| by the assessors of the said the district on the taxable inhabitants and the property therein according |
| to the last valuation made by the assessors of the town next previous to said the assessment, adding, |
| however, any taxable property which that have has been omitted by said the town assessors or |
| after acquired, and in all cases where the town assessors have included property within the district |
| and property without the district in one valuation, the assessors of the district shall make an |
| equitable valuation of the portion of the same lying within the district; and in the assessing and |
| collecting of said the taxes, such the proceeding shall be had by the officers of said the district, as |
| near as may be, as are required to be had by the corresponding officers of towns in assessing and |
| collection of taxes; and the collector of taxes for the said district shall, for the purpose of collecting |
| taxes assessed by said the district, have the same powers and authority as are now or may hereafter |
| be by law conferred on collectors of taxes for towns in this state. Said The district may provide for |
| such the deductions from the tax assessed against any person if paid by an appointed time or for |
| such the penalty by way of percentage on the tax if not paid at the appointed time not to exceed |
| eighteen percent (18%) per annum, as they shall deem necessary to insure ensure punctual |
| payment. In addition to any other sums to which it may be entitled in accordance with this charter |
| and applicable laws, in any action or proceeding to collect taxes, the district shall be entitled to |
| collect the reasonable costs of collection including attorney fees. |
| The voters of said the district at any of their legal meetings shall have power to order the |
| sale of real property and personal property owned by the district. |
| Sec. 8. The operating committee of said the district at any legal meeting shall have the |
| power to appoint so many men/women people as they think needful to be formed into a hose |
| company or hose companies, and also a ladder company, or ladder companies fire company, and |
| to make all such laws and regulations for organizing, establishing and maintaining the same and |
| the equipment thereof as they shall see fit, and the members of such the company shall be exempt |
| from jury and militia duty. |
| Sec. 11. Said The district is hereby authorized, in such manner as may seem necessary and |
| proper, to contract for and procure electricity and water for the purpose specified in this act. All the |
| powers and privileges given to said the district by this act shall only be exercised subject to an in |
| accordance with the existing franchise contract between the town of Burrillville and the Pascoag |
| water Company utility district. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and all acts and parts of acts |
| inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. |
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| LC002450 |
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