There shall be a Town Clerk who shall be the Clerk of the Council
employed by the Town Manager with the advice and consent of the Town
Council, and who shall have all the duties and responsibilities of
Town Clerks as provided by state law, and such other duties and responsibilities
as may be prescribed by the Town Council not in conflict with state
law. The office of the Town Clerk shall have such personnel, equipment
and facilities as may be provided by the Town Manager subject to the
approval of the Town Council. The Town Clerk may, by and with the
approbation of the Town Council, appoint the Deputy Town Clerk, who
shall, in the absence of the Town Clerk, discharge all of the duties
and responsibilities of the Town Clerk.
There shall be a Town Sergeant who shall be elected by the qualified
electors of the Town, at each general election, to serve for a term
of two years, or until his or her successor is elected and qualified.
The Town Sergeant shall have the duties prescribed for the office
of Town Sergeant by state law, and such additional duties as the Town
Council may prescribe not inconsistent with state law.
There shall be a Town Solicitor appointed by the Town Council
to serve at the pleasure of the Council, who shall be an attorney
at law in good standing who has been admitted to the practice of law
in Rhode Island. The Town Council may, in its discretion, provide
for the services of Town Solicitor by retaining a law firm. The Town
Solicitor shall be the legal advisor of, and attorney and counsel
for, the Town and all departments, officers, boards and commissions
thereof unless otherwise provided by law, provided however, that nothing
herein shall be deemed to prohibit the School Committee from retaining
independent counsel. The Town Council may retain or authorize the
retention of special counsel for the Town or for any department, officer,
board or commission for extra or unusual services.
The Town of New Shoreham shall have the following courts which
shall have the powers and jurisdictions which they have had heretofore,
until the same are altered, replaced or abolished by state law, or
by action of the Town Council pursuant to state law:
A.
Probate
Court. The Town Council shall act as the probate court within the
Town; the major part of the members elected to be a quorum for doing
business, and the major part of those present at any legal meeting
to decide upon any matter before them, subject to the limitations
and exceptions set forth in state law. The Town Council may, in its
discretion, and pursuant to state law, appoint a judge to be available
to sit as judge of the probate court, or may establish a probate court
separate from the Council and appoint a judge for said court to serve
for a term of two years.
B.
Wardens
Court. The Wardens Court of the Town of New Shoreham shall continue
to have the jurisdiction and powers which it has had and exercised
heretofore under state law, or which shall be conferred or altered
in the future by state law.
There shall be a Director of Public Welfare appointed by the
Town Council to serve at the pleasure of the Council to perform the
duties and discharge the responsibilities conferred upon Directors
of Public Welfare by state law, and to perform other duties as directed
by the Town Council.
The Town Council shall have the authority to provide for such
engineering services, professional planning services, or other services
and functions which may from time to time be required by the Town,
in such manner as it may deem most appropriate, in consultation with
the Town Manager.
