ARTICLE 14. - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Footnotes:

--- (15) --- Editor's note— At the direction of the town, the numbering style of Article 14 was made to conform with the style of the Charter.

Sec. 14-0-1. - Town sergeant.#

a.

Title—There may be a town sergeant who shall be appointed by the town council to serve at the pleasure of the council.

b.

Powers and duties—The town sergeant shall have all the powers, privileges and immunities of his office, and shall perform all the duties as prescribed by the general laws and applicable special laws and ordinances.

c.

Compensation—The compensation of the town sergeant shall be set by the town council.

(Amd. of 11-6-2012(8))

Editor's note— At the direction of the town, section 14-0-1 was reorganized and divided into subsections.

Sec. 14-0-2. - Town physician.#

a.

Title—The town council shall appoint a town physician who shall serve at the pleasure of the town council and may at any time be removed by the town council.

b.

Powers and qualifications—The council may provide by ordinance for the duties of such town physician and for his/her qualifications.

c.

Compensation—The town physician shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the council subject to appropriations currently available for the purpose.

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

Editor's note— At the direction of the town, former § 8-2-4 was renumbered as § 14-0-2 and reorganized and divided into subsections.

Sec. 14-0-3. - Revision of ordinances.#

The council, within two (2) years following the effective date of this Charter and not less than every tenth year thereafter, shall cause to be prepared a revision and codification of the ordinances of the town which are appropriate for continuation as special laws of the town. Such revision and codification shall be prepared under the supervision of the town solicitor, but the council may authorize the solicitor to contract for the services of persons or organizations experienced in the revision and codification of ordinances and statutes. After such revision and codification of ordinances, the council shall cause all existing ordinances to be printed, and copies of said ordinances shall be made available to the public at nominal cost, said costs to be set by the council. Note— Former § 14-0-2.

Sec. 14-0-4. - Public records.#

All records and accounts of every office, department or agency of the town shall be open to any citizen, any representative of a citizen's organization or any representative of the press at all reasonable times and under reasonable regulations established by the town manager or by the superintendent of schools, except those records and documents which are protected by law. Any person inspecting public records shall be permitted to make copies and abstracts thereof. Note— Former § 14-0-3.

State Law reference— Public records access, G.L. 1956, § 38-2-1 et seq.

Sec. 14-0-5. - Fees, tuitions, penalties, payments.#

All fees, tuitions, penalties, payments, not otherwise referred to in this Charter and received by any employee, shall belong to the town and shall be paid to the finance department within seventy-two (72) hours or receipt of same. Note— Former § 14-0-4.

Sec. 14-0-6. - Bonding.#

Such employees of the town as the council may designate shall give bond for the faithful performance of their duties in such amount and with such corporate surety as may be prescribed by the council. The premiums on these bonds shall be paid by the town. Note— Former § 14-0-5.

Sec. 14-0-7. - Dual office holding.#

a.

No elected or appointed member of the town government shall hold more than one (1) position, elective or appointive, at the same time, except that the town solicitor and the probate judge may be the same person, and as otherwise provided in this Charter. This provision shall not apply to members of advisory boards who, by their very nature, do not have binding, decision-making powers.

b.

No employee of the town shall hold an elective office in the town government.

c.

For the purposes of this article, call firefighters, town constables, notaries public and members of the police reserve shall be considered neither elected nor appointed officials of town government, nor as town employees.

Note— Former § 14-0-6.

Sec. 14-0-8. - Personal financial interest.#

No employee of the town government shall be financially interested directly or indirectly in the profits of any contract, job, work or service to be performed for the town or in the sale to the town of any land, property, materials, supplies or equipment, other than as the beneficiary of a patent or copyright or as a minority stockholder with ownership of not exceeding five (5) percentum of such stock outstanding. Any contract, agreement or obligation entered into contrary to the provisions of this section shall be void, and no person shall have any claim or demand whatever against the town thereunder. Any town employee found guilty of a willful violation of said provisions shall forfeit his/her office or position. Note— Former § 14-0-7.

Sec. 14-0-9. - Residence of officers.#

If any elected officer of the town shall cease to be a resident thereof, the office held by such officer shall thereupon become vacant except as provided by this Charter. Note— Former § 14-0-8.

Sec. 14-0-10. - Printing Charter.#

The council may provide for the printing, publication and distribution of the Charter and may, at its discretion, require that a reasonable charge be made for copies thereof. Note— Former § 14-0-9.

Sec. 14-0-11. - Open meeting provisions.#

All boards, commissions, and committees provided for in the Charter or established by the council, shall publicly announce the time and place of their meetings, including work sessions. All such meetings and work sessions shall be open to the public except those involving matters permitted to be closed by the state open meeting law, in accordance with said law. State Law reference— Open meetings, G.L. 1956, § 42-46-1 et seq.

Note— Former § 14-0-10.