2023 -- S 0596
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- KENT COUNTY WATER
DISTRICT
Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Rogers, E Morgan, Burke, LaMountain, McKenney,
Valverde, DiMario, and DeLuca
Date Introduced: March 07, 2023
Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 39-16-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-16 entitled "Kent County 1
Water District" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
39-16-4. Composition of board. 3
(a) The board shall consist of seven (7) members, one member to be appointed by the town 4
council of East Greenwich and two (2) members by the city council of the city of Warwick, and 5
two (2) members each appointed by the town councils of the towns of Coventry and West Warwick; 6
provided, however that on and after September 1, 2023 the board shall consist of eight (8) members 7
with the addition of a member appointed by the town council of West Greenwich. The successors 8
of members shall be appointed by their respective city and town councils. A majority of the 9
governing body appointing a member may remove the member for willful misconduct. 10
(b) The members of the board shall appoint a member to serve as chair of the board, and 11
the appointment shall be made at the board’s first meeting after the effective date of this section. 12
The chair appointed shall serve for a seven-year (7) term, at which time the board shall appoint a 13
new chair. If a chair is unable to complete their term, a new chair shall be appointed to serve a 14
seven-year (7) term. 15
(c) Each member shall serve for a term of seven (7) years, except that all vacancies 16
occurring during a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. A member shall hold office until his 17
or her successor has been duly appointed and has qualified. Each member of the authority shall 18
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take an oath to administer the duties of his or her office faithfully and impartially, and the oath shall 1
be filed in the office of the secretary of state. 2
(d) Four (4) members of the authority shall constitute a quorum and the vote of four (4) 3
members shall be necessary for any action taken by the authority; provided, however that on and 4
after September 1, 2023 five (5) members of the authority shall constitute a quorum and the vote 5
of five (5) members shall be necessary for any action taken by the authority. No vacancy in the 6
membership of the authority shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform 7
all the duties of the authority. 8
(e) In the event of a vacancy occurring in the board by reason of the death, resignation, or 9
removal for willful misconduct of a member, the governing body of the town or city that appointed 10
the member shall appoint a new member for the unexpired term. 11
(f) In the month of January, the board shall make an annual report to the town councils of 12
East Greenwich, West Warwick, and Coventry, and to the city council of Warwick, of its activities 13
for the preceding fiscal year. Each report shall set forth a complete operating and financial statement 14
covering its operations during the year. The authority shall cause an annual audit of the books, 15
records, and accounts of the authority to be made. 16
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on September 1, 2023. 17
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- KENT COUNTY WATER
DISTRICT
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This act would add an eighth member from the town of West Greenwich to the Kent County 1
Water Board. The act would also raise the number required for a quorum from four (4) to five (5), 2
and five (5) members would be required to take action. 3
This act would take effect on September 1, 2023. 4
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