ARTICLE 10. - BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

Footnotes:

--- (12) --- Editor's note— An amendment of 11-6-2012(4), in effect repealed and replaced former Article 10. Former Article 10, §§ 10-1-1—10-1-4, 10-2-1, pertained to planning and zoning, and derived from the referendum of November 3, 1998.

CHAPTER 1. - STRUCTURE OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS#

Sec. 10-1-1. - Appointment and term of office/vacancies.#

Boards and commission members, all qualified electors of the Town of Narragansett, shall be appointed by the Town Council and shall serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms of three (3) years each, unless otherwise specified by general law or ordinance. Terms are to be staggered. A member who reaches the end of two (2) consecutive terms may apply for re-appointment after a one (1) term hiatus. If at the end of a board member's term, a replacement cannot be found, the Town Council may appoint the board member for a single term. Any vacancy during the unexpired term of a member shall be filled by the Town Council for the remainder of the term. The Town Council may appoint alternates to any board or commission.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

Sec. 10-1-2. - Powers and duties.#

All boards and commissions shall have such powers and perform such functions as are granted or assigned to it by the general laws and by ordinance.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

Sec. 10-1-3. - Organization.#

All boards and commissions shall have rules for proper governance including the election of a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

Sec. 10-1-4. - Reporting requirements.#

All boards and commissions shall keep an accurate record of their proceedings which shall be available for public inspection. To ensure proper oversight, the Town Council must meet with each board and commission at least once per year. Each board and commission will provide quarterly reports to the Town Council summarizing their activities and updating the council on any anticipated expirations or terms or vacancies in the next quarter.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

CHAPTER 2. - PERMANENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS#

Sec. 10-2-1. - Board of canvassers.#

a.

Membership—The town council shall appoint a board of canvassers of three (3) qualified electors of the town, not more than one (1) of whom shall belong to the same political party, and may appoint two (2) alternate members, not more than one of whom shall belong to the same political party. At any meeting of the canvassing authority at which a member is to be absent, the member may request that an alternate replace him or her for that meeting; provided, that the alternate member must be of the same political party as the member. It is the intent of the town that the board of canvassers be a board on which all qualified electors of the town, regardless of their political affiliation or the lack thereof, will be eligible to serve. The town council, in making the appointments, shall strive to select a board whose membership shall be representative of all citizens of the town and of their diverse points of view. The board of canvassers shall be vested with all the powers and duties now or hereafter vested by law in the board of canvassers of the town. All members of said board now in office shall continue in said positions as members thereof until the expiration of the terms for which respectively they were chosen.

b.

Powers and duties—The board of canvassers shall be vested with all the powers and duties now or hereafter vested by law in the board of canvassers of the town.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4); Amd. of 11-6-2012(10); Amd. of 11-6-2012(11))

Editor's note— At the direction of the town, section 10-2-1 was reorganized and divided into subsections.

Sec. 10-2-2. - Board of assessment review.#

a.

Membership—There shall be a board of assessment review consisting of three (3) members.

b.

Powers and duties—The board of assessment review shall hear and consider the appeal of any property owner concerning the amount of assessed valuation as determined by the assessor. The board shall keep an accurate record of its proceedings which shall be available for public inspection.

c.

Correction in Assessment—If it shall appear that the valuation of any property has been erroneously or incorrectly assessed, the board shall have the authority to order a correction. Such determination shall be certified by the board to the assessor whose duty it shall be to make such corrections in the valuation as the board may determine. If the tax roll has been certified by the assessor, he shall transmit the findings of the board to the council, which may cancel in whole or part the tax based on such valuation in order to effect a correction.

d.

Procedure—The council shall provide by ordinance for the organization and procedure of the board of assessment review and for the manner of receiving, considering, and disposing of appeals.

e.

Right of Appeal—The taking of an appeal to the board of assessment review or any action thereon shall not be construed to limit or restrict the right of any taxpayer to apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for relief from any assessed valuation or tax originality determined by the assessor.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

Note— Formerly §§ 6-4-2—6-4-6.

Sec. 10-2-3. - Planning board.#

a.

Membership—There shall be a town planning board which shall consist of 5 members. The town manager or his designee(s) shall serve as ex-officio member(s) of the board.

b.

Powers and duties—Consistent with all applicable federal and state laws with respect to land use, development, and environmental protection, the town council shall designate an agency or agencies to carry out the planning function and such decision-making responsibilities as may be specified by state law and ordinance.

Without exclusion of other powers and duties stated in the general laws and town ordinances, it shall be responsible for:

1.

The preparation and extension to the comprehensive general plan for the improvement and physical development of the town; and

2.

The regulation of, and the approval or disapproval of platting and subdivision of land within the town.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

Note— Formerly §§ 10-1-1—10-1-4.

Sec. 10-2-4. - Zoning and platting board of review.#

a.

Membership—The town council shall by ordinance, in accordance with statutes now or hereafter in effect, provide for the selection and organization of a board of review.

b.

Powers and duties—The zoning and platting board of review shall perform the duties of such a board under the laws and ordinances relating to zoning now or hereafter in effect.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

Note— Formerly § 10-2-1.

Sec. 10-2-5. - Personnel appeal board.#

a.

Membership—There shall be a personnel appeal board which shall consist of five (5) members, one of whom shall be a council member appointed at the organizational meeting of each newly elected council to serve for the duration of that term. Other members shall serve five (5) year terms.

b.

Powers and duties—The personnel appeal board shall be the highest appeal authority at the municipal level for all permanent, full time municipal employees' grievances except the town manager and department heads. The board shall conduct an administrative hearing upon the request of any such employee described above.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

Note— Formerly § 14-1-11.

Sec. 10-2-6. - Conservation commission.#

The council by ordinance shall establish a conservation commission which shall act in an advisory capacity to the council. State Law reference— Conservation commission, G.L. 1956, § 45-35-1 et seq.

Note— Formerly § 14-1-12.

Sec. 10-2-7. - Recreation advisory board.#

a.

Membership—The council by ordinance shall establish a recreation advisory board.

b.

Powers and duties—The recreation advisory board shall act in an advisory capacity to the council.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(4))

Note— Formerly § 14-1-13.