[Amended 9-23-1965 by Ch. 1061; Ref. of 11-6-1990, Sec. 1]
Any qualified elector of the city may file a sworn statement in the office of the city clerk charging that any elected or appointed official or member of any board or commission of the city has ceased to possess the qualifications specified in Section 8-102 of this Charter, or has been convicted of a crime as set forth in said section, or that there has been a violation of any of the other sections of Chapter 1 of this article, which said statement shall set out the particulars as to the charges made. The city clerk shall present such charges to the council at its next regular meeting occurring not less than three days after the filing of said charges and the council shall consider said charges. The council may hold public hearings on said charges, and the council or a committee thereof shall hold a public hearing on said charges within thirty days after the presentation to it of the charges by the city clerk as aforesaid if requested so to do by the petition of not less than fifty qualified electors of the city or upon the written request of the accused filed with the city clerk within fourteen days after the presentation of such charges to the council. In every case when charges have been presented as aforesaid the council shall by majority vote within sixty days after the presentation of said charges to the council make a finding of the truth or falsity of such charges which finding shall be entered in the records of the council.
(1)
A violation of any of the prohibitions of Chapter 1 of this article shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than ninety days, or both, and if the violator is an officer or employee of the city, by removal from office or immediate dismissal.
(2)
Every expenditure or obligation incurred in violation of the
provisions of Subdivision 11 of Section 4-606 of this Charter shall
be deemed illegal, and in addition to any other penalties provided
by law for such violations, every official authorizing such payment
or any part thereof, knowing the same to be in violation of said Subdivisions
11, shall be jointly and severally liable to the city for the full
amount so paid or received. If any appointed official or employee
of the city shall knowingly incur any obligation, or authorize or
make any expenditure in violation of the provisions of this Charter,
it shall be grounds for his removal.
[Added Ref. of 11-3-1992]
The relationship of all officials of this city, elected and
appointed, and of the members of all city boards and commissions,
to the government of Pawtucket and to the citizens and residents of
the city, shall be deemed to be a fiduciary relationship. For this
purpose, fiduciary relationship shall be defined and understood as
a relationship of trust, in which the people of the city can with
confidence repose their trust in those who have been chosen to fill
the positions of responsibility in their city government, to act at
all times in good faith with due regard to their interests. Any breach
of this fiduciary responsibility by city officials in the discharge
of their duties or exercise of their discretion shall be grounds for
the bringing of private citizen actions.
