2024 -- S 2633

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LC005260

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO IN AMENDMENT OF AND IN ADDITION TO THE ACT, PASSED AT THE

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 1883, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE UNION

FIRE DISTRICT OF SOUTH KINGSTOWN", AS AMENDED

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Valverde, and Gu

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. An act passed at the January Session, A.D. 1883, entitled "An Act to

Incorporate the Union Fire District of South Kingstown", as amended by chapter 1417 of the Public

Laws of 1906, by chapter 650 of the Public Laws of the August Session 1910, by other acts passed

at the January Session 1938, the January Session 1944, the January Session 1946, the January

Session 1948, the January Session 1950, the January Session 1954, the January Session 1958, the

January Session 1964, the January Session 1974, the January Session 1976, the January Session

1977, the January Session 1980, the January Session 1982, the January Session 1994, and the

January Session 1997, and the January Session 2009 is hereby further amended to read as follows:

     Sec. 1. Jurisdiction. Commencing at the southeasterly corner of said district at the point of

intersection of the South Kingstown-Narragansett town line with the mean high water line of the

Atlantic Ocean; thence running in a general westerly direction, following the mean high water line

of the Atlantic Ocean until it intersects the South Kingstown-Charlestown town line; thence running

in a general northerly direction, following said South Kingstown-Charlestown town line to the

center of the Pawcatuck or Charles River; thence running in a general northwesterly direction,

following the South Kingstown-Charlestown town line along the center of said Pawcatuck or

Charles River to its confluence with the Queen's River; thence running in a general northeasterly

and northerly direction following the South Kingstown-Richmond town line along the center of

said Queen's River to the village of Usquepaug; thence continuing in a general northerly direction,

following the South Kingstown-Richmond town line until it intersects the South Kingstown-Exeter

town line; thence running in a general easterly direction, following said South Kingstown-Exeter

town line to the intersection of Old North Road and Wolf Rocks Road; thence running in a general

southwesterly direction to a point on the center line of Plains Road five hundred(500) feet

northeasterly from the intersection of the center line of Plains Road with the center line of

Kingstown Road; thence running in a general southwesterly direction, following the centerline of

Plains Road, to the center line of Kingstown Road; thence running in a general southerly direction,

following the centerline of Ministerial Road, a distance of two thousand (2,000) feet; thence

running due east (true) three thousand (3,000) feet, more or less, to a point on the existing Kingston

Fire District boundary, said point being two thousand two hundred (2,200) feet, more or less, south

of the center line of Kingstown Road; thence running due south (true) to a point five hundred (500)

feet south of a southerly boundary of a Narragansett Electric Company power line easement; thence

running in a general direction, parallel to and five hundred (500) feet southerly from the southerly

boundary of said power line easement, to a point one thousand (1,000) feet southwesterly from the

center line of Kingstown Road; thence running due north (true) five hundred (500) feet to the

southerly boundary of said power line easement; thence running in a general easterly direction

along the southerly boundary of said power line easement approximately eight hundred (800) feet

to the center line of Kingstown Road; thence running in a general northwesterly direction along the

center line of said Kingstown Road approximately seven hundred (700) feet to a point on the

westerly extension of the southerly boundary of the University of Rhode Island "East Farm"; thence

running in a general easterly direction along the southerly boundary of said "East Farm" to a point

one thousand(1,000) feet northeasterly from Kingstown Road; thence running in a general

northeasterly direction to the intersection of Mitchell's Brook with the center line of Mooresfield

Road; thence running in a general northwesterly direction to the intersection of North Road and

Wolf Rocks Road at the South Kingstown-Exeter town line; thence running in a general easterly

direction, following the South Kingstown-North Kingstown town line to its intersection with the

South Kingstown-Narragansett town line in the center of the Pettaquamscutt River; thence running

in a general southerly, southwesterly and southerly direction, following the South Kingstown-

Narragansett town line to the first mentioned point or place of beginning.

     Excepting here from that area known as the Indian Lake Fire District, bounded and

described as follows:

     Commencing at a point in the westerly line of Tower Hill Road at the southeasterly corner

of "Section No. 2 Indian Lake Shores"; thence running in a general westerly direction to the easterly

line of land formerly of Elisha R.P. Chappell at the southwesterly corner of "Section No. 1 Indian

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Lake Shores"; thence running in a general northerly direction, bounded westerly by land formerly

of Elisha R.P. Chappell, to the shore line of Indian Lake; thence running in a general northeasterly

and northerly direction, following the shore line of Indian Lake, to the northwesterly corner of

"Section No. 4 Indian Lake Shores"; thence running in a general easterly direction, following the

northerly line of "Section No. 4 Indian Lake Shores"; to the westerly line of Tower Hill Road;

thence running in a general southerly direction, following the westerly line of Tower Hill Road to

the point of beginning.

     Sec. 2. Rights and Qualifications for Voters. Every citizen of the United States of the age

of eighteen (18) years who resides in the district and is eligible to vote in a general or special

election in the town of South Kingstown shall have the right to vote at any annual or special meeting

of said district, or any adjournment thereof.

     Sec. 3. Canvassing Voters and Preparation of Voters' List. There shall be a board of

canvassers consisting of the tax assessors and the collector of taxes said district.

     Sec. 4. Board of Canvassers -- Meeting. The tax assessors shall also serve in the capacity

as the board of canvassers. The board of canvassers shall meet and canvass the voting list of said

district on the first Monday in April of each year and shall make out a correct alphabetic list of the

qualified voters of the district, indicating those, if any, who are disqualified, and shall certify the

correctness thereof and file it with the district clerk.

     Sec. 5. Government and Conduct of District Meetings. No less than twenty-five (25)

qualified voters shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any annual or special

meeting of the district. If at any annual or special meeting less than a quorum shall be present, a

majority of the voters present at the meeting or any adjournment thereof may vote to adjourn the

meeting, but may take no other action.

     Sec. 6. Moderator. The voters in the district at each annual meeting shall choose and elect

a moderator to serve for one year. The moderator shall preside at all meetings of the district at

which he shall be present and in case of his absence the clerk shall preside or in the absence of the

clerk, a moderator and clerk pro tempore shall be chosen. In the absence of both, the moderator and

the clerk, the treasurer shall preside until such moderator and clerk pro tempore be chosen. Every

moderator shall have power to manage and regulate the business of each meeting conforming to

law and to preserve peace and good order therein; and shall upon motion, made and seconded,

relative to any business regularly before such meeting, after hearing all voters entitled to vote

thereon who desire to be heard, cause the vote of the voters present entitled to vote to be taken by

acclamation, by hand ballot, by rising, by division, or by written ballot and shall announce the

result; provided, however, that whenever at any district meeting action shall have been taken

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authorizing the expenditure of money, the incurring of any liability, or the disposition of property,

not less than one-fifth (1/5) of the voters present may by their affirmative votes require

reconsideration of the question at an adjourned meeting of which special notice has been given by

posting printed notices in seven (7) or more conspicuous public places therein, for five (5) calendar

days in advance of the meeting and when time shall permit by publishing such notice in some

newspaper distributed in said district, stating the hour and place thereof and the action taken which

is to be considered.

     Sec. 7. Evidence. A stenographic copy of the record of the proceedings of any district

meeting, duly certified by the clerk, shall be evidence of any act or vote of the district in district

meeting assembled recited in such copy, and the certification of the district clerk that no district

meeting has been held to consider any subject in such certification mentioned, or that no vote of

the district has been taken on such subject, shall be evidence of the fact therein stated.

     Sec. 8. Election of district wardens.

     (a) There shall be five (5) district wardens and they shall be elected by the voters in the

district. Current district wardens shall continue until their terms expire and there after wardens shall

be elected to serve for three (3) year terms. Three (3) wardens shall constitute a quorum for

conducting any district business. All of the foregoing officers shall be qualified voters living within

the district.

     (b) Commencing in 2010, any qualified voter may be a candidate for the position of

warden, provided such candidate submits nomination papers to the district clerk which have been

signed by twenty-five (25) other qualified voters at least sixty (60) days prior to the date of the

annual meeting. This list of signatures is to be certified by the board of canvassers no later than

thirty (30) days prior to the district's annual meeting.

     (c) The board of canvassers shall provide the clerk of the district with a list of qualified

nominees. The clerk of the district shall then post a list of all qualified nominees in at least nine (9)

public places within the district, including all actively used district stations and the administration

building, at least twenty (20) days prior to the annual meeting or any other special meeting called

for the election of officers.

     (d) Voters at the meeting shall be provided a paper ballot with the names of all qualified

nominees listed by last name in alphabetical order. The candidates receiving the highest number of

votes shall be elected. In the event of a tie vote, the moderator shall call for additional paper ballots

until the tie vote is broken.

     (e) The board of wardens shall have the discretionary power to declare a position of warden

vacant if the person filing that position fails to attend six (6) consecutive meetings of the board.

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     (f) In the event that a vacancy on the board of wardens occurs, the district clerk shall call a

meeting of the board of wardens within ten (10) business days after such vacancy occurs. The board

of wardens shall select a qualified elector of the district to fill the vacancy until the district's next

annual meeting.

     (g) No district warden shall be an active member of any district fire company; provided,

however, that any person having attained a designation of life member or honorary member of a

district fire company shall not be precluded from holding the office of warden. All of the foregoing

officers shall hold their offices until the expiration of their terms, and until their successors have

been elected and/or appointed and qualified.

     Sec 9. Duties of district warden. (a) The wardens elected by said district shall have

complete and exclusive control of the expenditures of all moneys appropriated by the district, the

acquisition and disposal of district property, all within the limits. The wardens shall purchase all

supplies and repairs for the maintenance of the apparatus, buildings, and all property of said district,

and shall investigate all bills and claims presented to them against the district and if found correct,

approve them to the treasurer for payment. The wardens shall have the care management and

control of all property and equipment owned by the district and shall make rules and regulations

governing the use of same. It shall be the duty of the wardens to: (1) Supervise and coordinate the

activities of all the officers, commissions and committees of the district; (2) To prepare, or have

prepared, ordinances relative to the district and its activities, and present same to either the annual

or special meeting of the district for action thereon; (3) To develop for, and present to, the annual

or special meeting, plans for the development and improvement of the district; (4) To prepare a

budget for the consideration and approval of the voters at each annual district meeting; and (5) To

abate such taxes as may be recommended therefor by the board of assessors. The wardens shall

prepare contracts or agreements with a water company for the rental or use of fire hydrants in the

district, the same to be included in the annual budget that is presented to the voters for approval at

the annual district meeting each year.

     Sec. 10. Vacancies. Whenever a vacancy shall occur in any office by death, removal out of

the district, resignation, or by neglect or refusal to qualify, or for any other cause, the board of

wardens shall appoint a qualified voter living within the district to fill the vacancy until the next

annual meeting. The appointee shall exercise all the powers of the office until the next annual

meeting.

     Sec. 11. Appointment and duties of tax assessor. Current tax assessors shall continue until

their terms expire. Board The board of wardens shall thereafter employ one assessor of taxes who

shall serve at the pleasure of the board of wardens. The board may also employ one or more deputy

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tax assessors from time to time, who shall serve at the pleasure of the board of wardens. The tax

assessor shall prepare and certify the tax roll each year.

     The clerk shall keep full, fair and accurate records and minutes of the district's meetings

and shall make said minute 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. The clerk shall perform

other duties as assigned by the board of wardens.

     Sec. 12 Appointment and duties of district clerk. The board of wardens shall annually

appoint a qualified voter to serve as district clerk for a one-year term. In the event of a death,

resignation or vacancy in the office of district clerk for any reason, the board of wardens shall

appoint a new district clerk for the remainder of the clerk's unexpired term. At the pleasure of the

board of wardens, the district clerk may also be employed by the district as district administrator

or in any other position. The clerk of the district shall act as the clerk of the wardens.

     The clerk shall keep full, fair and accurate records and minutes of the district's 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. The clerk shall perform

other duties as assigned by the board of wardens.

     Section 13. Appointment and duties of tax collector. (a) Appointment: The board of

wardens shall employ a collector of taxes who shall serve at the pleasure of the board of wardens.

The board of wardens may require the tax collector to give bond in an amount to be determined by

the board, the cost of said bond, if any, to be borne by the district. The positions of tax assessor and

tax collector may be filled by the same person. The collector of taxes, before he or she shall proceed

to discharge the duties of his or her office, shall give bond to the district in such sum and with such

surety as the wardens may determine, conditioned for the faithful discharge of his or her duties,

and shall deposit same with the district clerk.

     (b) Duties. The collector of taxes shall pay over and deliver to the district treasurer on the

first day of each month the total taxes collected by him or her during the previous month and at the

end of each fiscal year and on the first day of February of each year deliver to the district treasurer

a statement continuing of taxes for the said district shall for the purpose of collecting taxes assessed

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by said district shall, have the same powers and authority as are now by law conferred on collectors

of taxes for towns in this state. The tax collector shall also perform the duties of clerk for the board

of tax assessors. The tax collector shall perform other duties as assigned by the board of wardens.

     (c) Collection. All real estate and tangible personal property in the district shall be taxed to

the owners thereof whether individuals, co-partnerships, or corporations, according to the last

valuation made by the assessors of taxes of the town of South Kingstown, next previous to the

assessment, adding however, any taxable real estate or tangible personal property which may have

been omitted by said assessors of taxes of the town of South Kingstown or afterwards acquired;

and in the assessing and collecting of said taxes such proceedings shall be had by the officers of

the district as near as may be, as are required to be had by the corresponding officers of towns in

assessing and collecting town taxes, and the collector. The district shall employ the same tax credits

and exemptions as are employed by the assessor of taxes for the town of South Kingstown the

names of delinquent taxpayers and the amount of tax unpaid. The district may provide a penalty by

way of a percentage of the tax, consistent with the penalties assessed by the collector of taxes for

the town of South Kingstown, if not paid at the appointed time.

     Sec. 14. Appointment and duties of the district treasurer.

     (a) Appointment. The board of wardens shall employ a district treasurer who shall serve at

the pleasure of the board of wardens.

     (b) Qualification. The district treasurer shall give bond to the district in such sum and with

such surety as the wardens may determine conditioned for the faithful discharge of the duties of

said office. Said bond shall be deposited with the district clerk. The treasurer shall pay out no

moneys other than those moneys authorized to be expended by vote of the district through the board

of wardens or district administrator, pursuant to the district's purchasing policies.

     (c) Duties. The treasurer shall, at the annual meeting, make a report containing a balance

sheet showing the financial standing of the district at the close of the fiscal year. The treasurer shall

assist the board of wardens in preparing an annual budget and shall pay all obligations of the district

in a timely manner. The treasurer shall perform other duties as assigned by the board of wardens.

     Section 15. Call and warning of district meetings.

     The annual meeting of said fire district shall be held on the first Monday of June in each

year, at 7:00 p.m. daylight savings time, for the election of moderator and district wardens and the

transaction of all other business that may legally come before said meeting. Special meetings shall

be called by the clerk, upon request of the wardens or by a petition signed by at least fifty (50) of

the legally qualified voters of the district. The signatures on the petitions shall be certified by the

board of canvassers within five (5) business days after filing said petition with the office of the

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district clerk. After the board of canvassers has certified the signatures, the district clerk shall notify

the qualified voter of the district of the time and place of holding all meetings thereof, by posting

printed notices in nine (9) or more conspicuous public places therein, for seven (7) days in advance

of the meeting, and when the time shall permit, by publishing such notices in some newspaper

distributed in said district. The notice for all meetings shall state the purpose for which the same

are to be held, and at special meetings no other business shall be transacted, than is set forth in the

request for and notice calling the same, unless approved by unanimous vote. No tax shall be ordered

at any meeting, nor any agreement or contract involving the expenditure of money entered into

unless mention thereof be made in the notice thereof.

     Sec. 16. Fiscal year. The fiscal year for said district shall be for the period of July 1st to

June 30th.

     Section 17. Audit. The accounts of the district treasurer and of the collector of taxes shall

be audited each year prior to the annual meeting by an independent certified public accountant

appointed by the wardens and said auditor shall submit his or her report to the voters at the annual

district meeting. Said report shall consist of an annual financial statement balance sheet and other

such reports as deemed necessary by the wardens and/or the auditor to ensure the financial integrity

of the district's finances.

     Sec. 18. Wardens meetings. The wardens shall meet at least once a month in public meeting

at some predetermined place and time and shall keep an accurate record of all their transactions

and meetings. The clerk of the district shall act as the clerk of the wardens. All meetings of the

wardens shall conform to the requirements of the Rhode Island "Open Meetings" act, RIGL section

42-46-1 et seq.

     Sec. 19. Real and personal estate. The district may take, purchase and hold real estate and

personal estate and alienate and convey the same and subject to limitation herein contained may

borrow money and incur indebtedness. All real and personal estate held by the district and not used

for commercial purposes shall be exempt from all taxation.

     Sec. 20. Taxes. Upon the acceptance of an annual budget, the wardens shall direct the

treasurer to prepare and introduce the necessary tax resolutions to be presented to the voters at the

annual meeting. As part of said tax resolutions the voters at each annual meeting, may set a

minimum tax on each property to be assessed.

     Sec. 21. Appropriations. The district may at any legal meeting grant and vote such sums of

money as it shall judge necessary.

     (A) for the renewal, replacement, purchasing and procuring of implements and apparatus

for the extinguishment of fire;

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     (B) for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants of said district with water for fire purposes;

     (C) for the purpose of improving the property of said district and purchasing additional

property;

     (D) for the improvement in any manner it may deem fit of any property belonging to the

district;

     (E) for the purpose of creating a reserve fund for the extinguishment of debts or for the

future replacement of apparatus and property;

     (F) for the education and training of district personnel and for the maintenance and repair

of district apparatus, equipment and property; and

     (G) for all necessary charges and expenses whatsoever arising within the district, incidental

or not to the above. District voters at any of their legal meetings may authorize and empower the

treasurer of said district to borrow money for the operation and transaction of district business, to

give the note or notes of said district for the money so borrowed, and to give renewals thereof;

provided, however, that at no time shall the note or notes and renewal of notes outstanding in

pursuance of such authority exceed in the aggregate sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000). Once

the voters have voted to place funds in the reserve for capital expenditures Capital Projects Fund,

thereafter said funds shall not be removed for the purpose of reducing the amount to be raised by

taxes for any succeeding budget. Provided, however, that funding of the account entitled “Reserve

for Capital Expenditures" "Capital Projects Fund" in any budget that is to be submitted for voter

approval at an annual or special meeting of said district shall not exceed two hundred fifty thousand

dollars ($250,000) or twenty-five percent (25%) of the total budget of the district, whichever

amount is greater, in any one fiscal year. No bond or note shall be issued by the district in an amount

exceeding five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) unless the question of the approval of the Act

by the general assembly authorizing the issuance of said bonds or notes be submitted to the voters

of the district at an annual or special meeting of the district, at an all-day referendum to be held at

a date not later than seventy(70) days following the passage of any such act. The question that is

submitted shall include the amount of the bonds or notes to be issued and the purpose(s) for which

the bonds or notes are to be issued. The warning for said referendum shall contain the question to

be submitted and once warned, a copy of the act shall be made available for inspection at the district

offices by the clerk, however, the failure of the clerk to comply with this provision shall not affect

the validity of the outcome. Voting at any such special referendum shall comply with the following

provisions:

     The question shall be warned a minimum of twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of the

referendum and shall be publicized by advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation that is

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distributed within the district at least one (1) day per week for the three (3) consecutive weeks prior

to the referendum. In addition, the warning shall be publicly posted at the district offices, the South

Kingstown Town Hall, all district fire stations and at least three (3) other conspicuous public

locations.

     Voting shall take place at the district offices and shall be held on a weekday between the

hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

     The only persons who will be eligible to vote at any special referendum are those qualified

voters of the town of South Kingstown who reside within the district, having been qualified at least

thirty (30) days prior to the date of the referendum. Any voter who has registered to vote in the

town of South Kingstown during the ninety (90) days prior to the date of the referendum must

obtain a certified letter from the South Kingstown Clerk's Office verifying that he or she is a

qualified voter and must present such letter at the referendum in order to be eligible to vote.

     Voters of the district, having been qualified by a district tax assessor, shall be provided a

ballot containing the question to be approved and a provision for indicating either "approve" or

"reject". Approve shall mean that the question passes and reject shall mean that the question fails.

     The district tax assessors shall certify to the wardens the total number of voters registering

and receiving ballots, the number of ballots marked "approve", the number of ballots marked

"reject" and the number of ballots not marked or missing. In the event that the total number of

ballots collected exceeds the total number of voters registered, the referendum shall be declared

void and a second vote taken.

     Sec. 22 Powers of and suits by and against said district. The district may have common

seal, in its corporate name, may sue and be sued, prosecuted and defend, in any court and elsewhere,

and enjoy all the other powers generally incident to corporations. Every suit whether in law or in

equity, brought by the district shall be brought in the name of the district unless otherwise directed

specially by law.

     Sec. 23. Ordinances. The district may from time to time make and ordain ordinances,

bylaws and regulations for the district that shall not be in conflict with or in violation of other

provisions of this act and not repugnant to law.

     Notwithstanding any contrary provision set forth in Sec. 13 (c) of this charter regarding

exemptions and abatements, the board of wardens is authorized to adopt an ordinance which grants

either a property tax exemption or property tax abatement to qualified volunteer firefighters, retired

volunteer firefighters, and their surviving spouses. When defining “qualified” under any such

ordinance, the board may, but is not required to, consider the firefighter’s years of service,

participation in drills and other firefighting activities.

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     Sec. 24. Penalties. The district may impose penalties for the violation of such ordinances,

bylaws, and regulations, not exceeding the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00), or imprisonment not

exceeding ten (10) days in the adult correctional institution for any offense, unless other penalties

thereof, or penalties within other limits, are especially prescribed by the statutes of the state of

Rhode Island, to be prosecuted before the district court, of the fourth judicial district by some officer

appointed for that purpose, and such moneys to be received to the use of the district.

     Sec. 25. Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender.

     Sec. 26. Fire service appointments. The wardens shall appoint a fire chief and as many

deputy chiefs or other officials as they shall deem appropriate for the operation of the fire service.

All appointments shall serve at the pleasure of the board of wardens, and shall be made at the June

meeting of the wardens, said terms to be effective July 1st and shall end no later than the following

June 30th. The chief and deputy chiefs, under the supervision of the wardens, shall have command

of and supervise the handling of all fire and rescue apparatus. The wardens may appoint all

necessary fire service officers for the execution of the ordinances, bylaws and regulations of the

district and may define their duties and fix their compensation, and may relieve any such officers

at pleasure. The wardens shall have the power to remove or suspend from office the fire chief or

any or all deputy chiefs or any fire service appointments for just cause, for any misuse of the

property belonging to said district or conduct unbecoming an officer. The wardens shall also have

the power to forbid, any member of any fire company or any citizen from using any property

belonging to the district. For the purpose of disciplinary action of the fire chief or any deputy chief,

a majority vote of the five (5) elected wardens shall be necessary for any disciplinary action. Any

person aggrieved by a disciplinary action taken pursuant to this section may request a hearing

before the full board of wardens wherein all five (5) members are present. Said hearing shall be

conducted in executive session pursuant to RIGL section 46-6-5, except that the grievant may

request that said hearing be conducted at a regularly scheduled meeting in open session.

     Sec. 27. Publishing of proposed budget and modifications. The board of wardens shall, in

conjunction with its treasurer, prepare and file by May 1 with the district clerks' office by May 1st

of each year, a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Said budget shall be posted in nine

(9) or more conspicuous public places within the district, including all stations and the

administration building. The clerk shall also cause a copy of the budget to be advertised in a

newspaper of local circulation at least once on or before May 15th. Qualified voters may seek to

increase proposed line items in the budget only by filing a petition no later than May 20th, signed

by fifty (50) qualified voters. The board of canvassers shall certify the signatures on the petition

within three (3) business days of the filing. Once the board of canvassers has certified the petition

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as containing sufficient certified signatures, it shall so notify the district clerk who will then post

the petition in nine (9) or more conspicuous public places within the district, including all stations

and the administration building.

     The moderator shall determine whether any such petitions will be entertained first or

whether they will be considered when the affected line item of the budget is reached during the

annual meeting.

     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 IN AMENDMENT OF AND IN ADDITION TO THE ACT, PASSED AT THE

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 1883, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE UNION

FIRE DISTRICT OF SOUTH KINGSTOWN", AS AMENDED

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     This act would amend the charter of the Union Fire District of South Kingstown by

renaming "Reserve for Capital Expenditures" to "Capital Projects Fund" and would allow the board

of wardens to grant tax exemptions to current and retired volunteer firefighters and their spouses.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005260

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LC005260 - Page 13 of 13