It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10 of Chapter 218 of the Public Laws of 1995 are hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 1. Composition. -- The town council of the town of Exeter shall appoint a bipartisan board of assessment review of three (3) qualified electors of said town, {ADD members and one (1) alternate, all qualified electors of Exeter. ADD} not more than two (2) of whom shall belong to the same political party. The president of the town council shall nominate the member (or members in the case of the initial appointment) of said board of assessment review submitted by the respective chairpersons of the town political committees. If the town council shall refuse to approve the nomination of any person to said board of assessment review, the said president shall submit to the town council another person named by the chair of the political committee, and so on until a person shall be appointed; provided, however, if the chairperson of the town committee of a political party entitled to an appointment shall fail or refuse to submit the name of a person as aforesaid, said president shall nominate any person known by him/her to be a member of the political party entitled to said appointment.

SECTION 2. Appointment by town council. -- Forthwith upon the passage of this act, the town council shall appoint one (1) member to serve until the first day of September, 1996, one (1) member to serve until the first day of September, 1997, and one (1) member to serve until the first day of September, 1998, and until their respective successors shall be duly appointed and qualified. {ADD The one (1) alternate shall be appointed for a three (3) year term upon passage of this act. ADD} During the month of August, 1996, and during the month of August in each succeeding year thereafter, the town council shall appoint a successor to the member {ADD or alternate ADD} whose term will then next expire. Such successor shall serve for the term of three (3) years until his/her successor shall be duly appointed and qualified, but any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired term. Any member of the board shall be eligible for reappointment.

Any member {ADD or alternate ADD} may be removed from office by the town council for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.

Any member of the board may, for cause, disqualify himself or herself from hearing any appeal that may come before the board.

A majority of the members of said board shall constitute a quorum. The members of said board at their first meeting {ADD following the appointment of a member by the town council ADD} shall elect one (1) of their number as chairperson and another as secretary; the members so elected shall serve in such capacities until the expiration of their term of office, or until vacancies occur. {ADD All meetings held by the board shall be subject to the requirements of chapter 42-46 of the general laws, the open meetings act. ADD}

SECTION 4. Powers of the board. -- The board of assessment review shall receive and consider appeals from property owners regarding the amount of assessments, provided such appeals are properly filed with it in writing within sixty (60) {ADD ninety (90) ADD} days of the last day appointed payment without penalty of property tax. Said board shall have authority to adopt {ADD adhere to ADD} rules and regulations as to {ADD provided by the Exeter town council which outlines ADD} the procedure in presenting, considering, and disposing of appeals{ADD . ADD} and {ADD The board ADD} may hold hearings, administer oaths and receive testimony and exhibits. The board may hire such clerical assistance as may be needed in the performance of its duties. It shall have power to correct any assessments so appealed and received, but only after the board of assessors has been given an opportunity to appear before it or otherwise present its case.

SECTION 10. Annual report. -- The board of assessment review shall annually, {ADD by March 1, ADD} after considering all appeals for assessment relief, file with the town council a report stating: the number of appeals filed, the number of appeals denied, the number of appeals granted relief, the total amount, valuation in dollars of said tax relief, and the total amount of taxes abated.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.