The text
Sec. 901. - Open Records.#
The public shall be entitled to access to all records and proceedings of all agencies of the Town government of the Town of Exeter, including but not limited to the Town Council, boards and commissions, departments and offices, as the same are defined and set forth in state law pertaining to open records, G.L. 1956, § 38-2-1 et seq. The types of records to which the public is entitled to access, and the times, places and conditions under which such access shall be made available shall be as provided in said G.L. 1956, § 38-2-1 et seq., and as the same may be amended from time to time.
Sec. 902. - Open Meetings.#
The Town Council and all Exeter town departments, agencies, commissions, committees, boards and councils, and all subdivisions thereof, shall conduct all business in accordance with the provisions of the open meetings legislation of the State, G.L. 1956, § 42-46-1 et seq., and as the same may be amended from time to time. Pursuant to said legislation, the public shall have the right to attend all meetings of such Town public bodies, subject only to the limitations specifically allowed by law.
Sec. 903. - Ethics.#
All elected and appointed officials of the Town, as the same are defined in State law, shall be subject to and comply with the Code of Ethics legislation of the State as set forth in G.L. 1956, § 36-14-1 et seq., and the regulations, rules and opinions promulgated by the Rhode Island Ethics Commission from time to time, as the same may be amended from time to time.
Sec. 904. - Amendments of Charter.#
(a)
The procedures for amending or revising this Charter shall be as prescribed in Article XIII of the Constitution of the State; provided, however, that the Council shall schedule at least one public hearing on any amendment or group of amendments or upon any proposed revision of the Charter, to be held no less than one week prior to the date of the election at which said amendment, group of amendments or revision are to be voted upon by the electors of the Town. The Town Clerk shall cause a summary of the text or texts of all proposed amendments or revisions to be published no less than thirty days before the date of the election at which said amendments or revisions are to be voted upon. The Town Clerk shall publish notice of the hearing or hearings scheduled by the Council thereon no less than one week in advance of the hearing.
(b)
No less often than every ten years, the Council shall appoint a Charter Review Commission, the members of which shall be qualified electors of the Town, of such number of members as the Council shall deem appropriate (but not less than five members), whose duty it shall be to review the Charter and recommend to the Council any amendments or revisions which it feels the Council should consider for presentation to the electors of the Town.
Sec. 905. - Construction of Charter.#
The powers of the Town under this Charter shall be construed liberally in favor of the Town, and the specific mention of particular powers in the Charter shall not be construed as limiting in any way the general power otherwise conferred upon towns generally, or upon the Town of Exeter particularly.
Sec. 906. - Severability.#
If any article, section or provision of this Charter is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the Charter shall not be affected thereby.
Sec. 907. - Appointments, Qualifications and Vacancies.#
All appointments to Town boards and commissions shall be made from among persons who are electors and residents of the Town, and all such appointees shall remain electors and residents throughout their terms of service in the positions to which they have been appointed. Appointments to Town offices as noted in Article VI may be made from among persons who are not at the time electors and residents of the Town, but any person so appointed while a nonresident shall within a reasonable time following appointment (not to exceed twelve months) become an elector and resident of the Town; provided, however, that the Council may by affirmative vote of four (4) of its members grant an exception to this residence requirement of a particular appointee on the grounds that no appropriately qualified Town resident could be found for such appointment, and the residence requirement would work a special hardship on the person appointed. Any vacancy on a board or commission shall be filled by the Council for the balance of the unexpired term.
Sec. 908. - Suspension and Disqualification from Office.#
(a)
Any person holding elective or appointive office in the Town, or member of any Town board or commission, who is indicted for any offense which is a felony under federal or state law, while holding any such office, shall be deemed to have been suspended from his or her office and shall cease to exercise the powers or perform the duties thereof, until completion of all legal procedures resulting from that indictment.
(b)
Any elector shall be disqualified as a candidate for elective or appointive office in the Town, or from holding such office, if such elector has been convicted of or plead nolo contendere to a felony or if such elector has been convicted of or plead nolo contendere to a misdemeanor resulting in a jail sentence of six months or more, either suspended or to be served. Such elector shall not, once so convicted, attain or return to any office until three years after the date of completion of such sentence and of probation or parole.
Sec. 909. - Meaning of Publication.#
When in this Charter the Town Clerk or other official is required to publish the text or summary of a proposal, document or public notice, publication shall mean to cause the same to be printed in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town, to post it in the Town Clerk's office and to have copies available for distribution to interested citizens.
Sec. 910. - Forfeiture of Office for Violation of Charter.#
(a)
Any elected or appointed official of the Town, or any employee, or member of any Town board or commission, who willfully violates any material provision of this Charter shall be deemed to have forfeited his or her office, subject to the confirmation of such forfeiture by the vote of a majority of the members of the Council.
(b)
Any citizen who alleges that there has been such a Charter violation shall file a complaint citing the person responsible and the circumstances thereof with the Town Clerk. Any such complaint shall bear the notarized signature of the complaining party and his or her certification as to the truth of the allegations. The Town Clerk shall place the complaint on the Council agenda for consideration and confirmation or dismissal. The Council shall grant to the person against whom the complaint is made a public hearing pursuant to the provisions of Section 407 of this Charter.