2024 -- S 3030

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LC006030

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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

AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF GLOCESTER TO FINANCE THE RENOVATION AND/OR

EXPANSION AT THE EXISTING GLOCESTER POLICE STATION AND INCIDENTAL

FURNISHINGS AND EQUIPMENT AND TO ISSUE NOT MORE THAN $10,700,000

BONDS AND NOTES THEREFOR

     

     Introduced By: Senator Jessica de la Cruz

     Date Introduced: May 02, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. The Town of Glocester is hereby empowered, in addition to authority

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previously granted, to issue general obligation bonds and notes to an amount not exceeding ten

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million seven hundred thousand dollars ($10,700,000), from time to time, under its corporate name

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and seal. The bonds of each issue may be issued in the form of serial bonds or term bonds or a

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combination thereof and shall be payable either by maturity of principal in the case of serial bonds

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or by mandatory serial redemption in the case of term bonds, in annual installments of principal,

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the first installment to be not later than five (5) years and the last installment not later than thirty

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(30) years after the date of the bonds. All such bonds of a particular issue may be issued in the form

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of zero coupon bonds, capital appreciation bonds, serial bonds or term bonds or a combination

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thereof. Annual installments of principal may be provided for by maturity of principal in the case

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of serial bonds or by mandatory serial redemption in the case of term bonds. The amount of

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principal appreciation each year on any bonds, after the date of original issuance, shall not be

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considered to be principal indebtedness for the purposes of any constitutional or statutory debt limit

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or any other limitation. The appreciation of principal after the date of original issue shall be

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considered interest. Only the original principal amount shall be counted in determining the principal

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amount so issued and any interest component shall be disregarded.

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     SECTION 2. The bonds shall be signed by the director of finance and the president or vice-

 

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president of the town council and shall be issued and sold in such amounts as the town council may

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authorize. The manner of sale, denominations, maturities, interest rates and other terms, conditions

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and details of any bonds or notes issued under this act may be fixed by the proceedings of the town

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council authorizing the issue or by separate resolution of the town council or, to the extent

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provisions for these matters are not so made, they may be fixed by the officers authorized to sign

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the bonds or notes. The proceeds derived from the sale of the bonds shall be delivered to the director

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of finance, and such proceeds, exclusive of premiums and accrued interest, shall be expended: (1)

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To finance the renovation and/or expansion or other construction at its police station on Chopmist

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Hill Road and incidental equipment and/or furnishings (the ”project”); (2) In payment of the

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principal of and/or interest on temporary notes issued under section 3, (3) In repayment of advances

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made pursuant to section 4; and/or (4) In payment of costs of issuance associated with the issuance

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of bonds or notes hereunder. No purchaser of any bonds or notes under this act shall be in any way

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responsible for the proper application of the proceeds derived from the sale thereof. The project

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shall be carried out and all contracts made therefor on behalf of the town by the town council. The

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proceeds of bonds or notes issued under this act, any applicable federal or state assistance and the

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other monies referred to in section 6 and 9, shall be deemed appropriated for the purpose of this act

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without further action than that required by this act. The bonds authorized by this act may be

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consolidated for the purpose of issuance and sale with any other bonds of the town heretofore or

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hereafter authorized; provided that, notwithstanding any such consolidation, the proceeds from the

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sale of the bonds authorized by this act shall be expended for the purposes set forth above. The

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director of finance and the president or vice-president of the town council, on behalf of the town,

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are hereby authorized to execute such instruments, documents or other papers as either of them

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deem necessary or desirable to carry out the intent of this act and are also authorized to take all

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actions and execute all documents or agreements necessary to comply with federal tax and

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securities laws, which documents or agreements may have a term coextensive with the maturity of

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the bonds authorized hereby, including Rule 15c2-12 of the Securities and Exchange Commission

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and to execute and deliver a continuing disclosure agreement or certificate in connection with the

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bonds or notes.

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     SECTION 3. The town council may by resolution authorize the issue from time to time of

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interest bearing or discounted notes in anticipation of the issue of bonds or in anticipation of the

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receipt of federal or state aid for the purposes of this act. The amount of original notes issued in

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anticipation of bonds may not exceed the amount of bonds which may be issued under this act and

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the amount of original notes issued in anticipation of federal or state aid may not exceed the amount

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of available federal or state aid as estimated by the director of finance. Temporary notes issued

 

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hereunder shall be signed by the director of finance and the president or vice-president of the town

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council and shall be payable within five (5) years from their respective dates, but the principal of

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and interest on notes issued for a shorter period may be renewed or paid from time to time by the

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issue of other notes hereunder, provided the period from the date of an original note to the maturity

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of any note issued to renew or pay the same debt or the interest thereon shall not exceed five (5)

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years. Any temporary notes in anticipation of bonds issued under this section may be refunded prior

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to the maturity of the notes by the issuance of additional temporary notes; provided that, no such

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refunding shall result in any amount of such temporary notes outstanding at any one time in excess

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of two hundred percent (200%) of the amount of bonds which may be issued under this act; and

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provided, further, that if the issuance of any such refunding notes results in any amount of such

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temporary notes outstanding at any one time in excess of the amount of bonds which may be issued

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under this act, the proceeds of such refunding notes shall be deposited in a separate fund established

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with the bank which is paying agent for the notes being refunded. Pending their use to pay the notes

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being refunded, monies in the fund shall be invested for the benefit of the town by the paying agent

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at the direction of the director of finance in any investment permitted under section 5. The monies

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in the fund and any investments held as a part of the fund shall be held in trust and shall be applied

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by the paying agent solely to the payment or prepayment of the principal of and interest on the

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notes being refunded. Upon payment of all principal of and interest on the notes, any excess monies

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in the fund shall be distributed to the town. The town may pay the principal of and interest on notes

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in full from other than the issuance of refunding notes prior to the issuance of bonds pursuant to

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Section 1 hereof. In such case, the town’s authority to issue bonds or notes in anticipation of bonds

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under this act shall continue, provided that; (1) The town council passes a resolution evidencing

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the town’s intent to pay off the notes without extinguishing the authority to issue bonds or notes;

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and (2) That the period from the date of an original note to the maturity date of any other note shall

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not exceed five (5) years.

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     SECTION 4. Pending any authorization or issue of bonds hereunder or pending or in lieu

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of any authorization or issue of notes hereunder, the director of finance, with the approval of the

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town council, may, to the extent that bonds or notes may be issued hereunder, apply funds in the

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treasury of the town to the purposes specified in section 2, such advances to be repaid without

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interest from the proceeds of bonds or notes subsequently issued or from the proceeds of applicable

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federal or state assistance or from other available funds.

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     SECTION 5. Any proceeds of bonds or notes issued hereunder or of any applicable federal

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or state assistance, pending their expenditure, may be deposited or invested by the director of

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finance in demand deposits, time deposits or savings deposits in banks which are members of the

 

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Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or in obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States

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of America or by any agency or instrumentality thereof or as may be provided in any other

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applicable law of the State of Rhode Island or resolution of the town council or pursuant to an

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investment policy of the town.

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     SECTION 6. Any accrued interest received upon the sale of bonds or notes hereunder shall

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be applied to the payment of the first interest due thereon. Any premiums arising from the sale of

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bonds or notes hereunder shall, in the discretion of the director of finance, be applied to the cost of

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preparing, issuing and marketing bonds or notes hereunder to the extent not otherwise provided, to

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the payment of the cost of the project, to the payment of the principal of or interest on bonds or

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notes issued hereunder or to any one or more of the foregoing. The cost of preparing, issuing and

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marketing bonds or notes issued hereunder may also, in the discretion of the director of finance, be

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met from bond or note proceeds exclusive of accrued interest or from other monies available

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therefor. Any balance of bond or note proceeds remaining after payment of the cost of the project

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and the cost of preparing, issuing and marketing bonds or notes hereunder shall be applied to the

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payment of the principal of or interest on bonds or notes issued hereunder. To the extent permitted

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by applicable federal laws, any earnings or net profit realized from the deposit or investment of

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funds hereunder may, upon receipt, be added to and dealt with as part of the revenues of the town

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from property taxes. In exercising any discretion under this section, the director of finance shall be

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governed by any instructions adopted by resolution of the town council.

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     SECTION 7. All bonds and notes issued under this act and the debts evidenced thereby

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shall be obligatory on the town in the same manner and to the same extent as other debts lawfully

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contracted by it and shall be excepted from the operation of § 45-12-2. No such obligation shall at

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any time be included in the debt of the town for the purpose of ascertaining its borrowing capacity.

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The town shall annually appropriate a sum sufficient to pay the principal and interest coming due

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within the year on bonds and notes issued hereunder to the extent that monies therefor are not

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otherwise provided. If such sum is not appropriated, it shall nevertheless be added to the annual tax

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levy. In order to provide such sum in each year and notwithstanding any provision of law to the

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contrary, all taxable property in the town shall be subject to ad valorem taxation by the town without

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limitation as to rate or amount.

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     SECTION 8. Any bonds or notes issued under the provisions of this act, if properly

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executed by officers of the town in office on the date of execution, shall be valid and binding

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according to their terms notwithstanding that before the delivery thereof and payment therefor any

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or all of such officers shall for any reason have ceased to hold office.

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     SECTION 9. The town, acting by resolution of its town council, is authorized to apply for,

 

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contract for and expend any federal or state advances or other grants or assistance which may be

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available for the purposes of this act, and any such expenditures may be in addition to other monies

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provided in this act. To the extent of any inconsistency between any law of this state and any

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applicable federal law or regulation, the later shall prevail. Federal and state advances, with interest

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where applicable, whether contracted for prior to or after the effective date of this act, may be

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repaid as project costs under section 2.

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     SECTION 10. Bonds and notes may be issued under this act without obtaining the approval

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of any governmental agency or the taking of any proceedings or the happening of any conditions

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except as specifically required by this act for such issue. In carrying out any project financed in

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whole or in part under this act, including where applicable the condemnation of any land or interest

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in land, and in the levy and collection of assessments or other charges permitted by law on account

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of any such project, all action shall be taken which is necessary to meet constitutional requirements

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whether or not such action is otherwise required by statute; but the validity of bonds and notes

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issued hereunder shall in no way depend upon the validity or occurrence of such action.

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     SECTION 11. All or any portion of the authorized but unissued authority to issue bonds

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and notes under this act may be extinguished by ordinance of the town council, without further

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action by the general assembly, seven (7) years after the effective date of this act.

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     SECTION 12. The question of the approval of this act shall be submitted to the electors of

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the town at the November 5, 2024 general election or at a special election (other than a primary

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election) held prior thereto on a date as shall be designated by the town council. The question shall

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be submitted in substantially the following form: “Shall an act, passed at the 2024 session of the

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general assembly, entitled ‘AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF GLOCESTER TO

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FINANCE THE RENOVATION AND/OR EXPANSION AT THE EXISTING GLOCESTER

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POLICE STATION AND INCIDENTAL FURNISHINGS AND EQUIPMENT BY THE

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ISSUANCE OF NOT MORE THAN $10,700,000 BONDS AND NOTES THEREFOR’ be

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approved?” The warning for the election shall contain the question to be submitted. From the time

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the election is warned and until it is held, it shall be the duty of the town clerk to keep a copy of the

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act available at their office for public inspection, but the validity of the election shall not be affected

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by this requirement. To the extent of any inconsistency between this act and the town charter, this

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act shall prevail.

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     SECTION 13. Sections 12 and 13 shall take effect upon the passage of this act. The

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remainder of this act shall take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on

 

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the question at the election prescribed by the foregoing section.

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EXPLANATION

OF

A N   A C T

AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF GLOCESTER TO FINANCE THE RENOVATION AND/OR

EXPANSION AT THE EXISTING GLOCESTER POLICE STATION AND INCIDENTAL

FURNISHINGS AND EQUIPMENT AND TO ISSUE NOT MORE THAN $10,700,000

BONDS AND NOTES THEREFOR

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     This act would authorize the Town of Glocester to finance the renovation and/or expansion

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at the existing Glocester police station and incidental furnishings and equipment and to issue not

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more than ten million seven hundred thousand dollars ($10,700.000) bonds and notes therefor.

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     Sections 12 and 13 would take effect upon the passage of this act. The remainder of this

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act would take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on the question at

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the election prescribed by the foregoing section.

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