A. 
This Charter may be amended at any time or a new Charter adopted at any time in the manner provided by the Constitution of the state. Should two or more amendments adopted at the same time have conflicting provisions, the one receiving the largest affirmative vote shall prevail.
B. 
The sections of any amendment added to this Charter shall be appropriately numbered by the Town Clerk and inserted in their appropriate places.
C. 
It shall not be necessary for the full text of the Charter or of amendments to the Charter to be printed on the ballot. Any digest or description of amendments or any question or statement which substantially expresses the purpose or identifies the subject matter to be voted upon shall be sufficient. When any question is to be submitted to the electors, the Town Council shall approve the statement of the question as it shall appear on the ballot. A copy of the full text of the Charter or amendments shall be posted in each polling place and any other places designated by the Board of Canvassers.
[Amended 11-7-2000]
The provisions of this Charter shall be liberally construed in favor of the Town. The powers of local self-government shall include not only those granted in express terms but also those not inconsistent with or prohibited by the Constitution of the state.
If any section or part of a section of this Charter is found invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, that holding shall not affect the remainder of this Charter nor the context in which the section or part of the section found invalid appears, except to the extent that an entire section or part of a section is inseparably connected in meaning and effect with the section or part of a section found invalid. If any section or part of a section pertaining to election procedures is held invalid by a court, the pertinent election procedures set forth in the laws of the state shall apply.
To the extent that any specific provision contained in this Charter shall conflict with any provision expressed in general terms, the specific provision shall prevail.
[Amended 11-7-2000; 11-4-2014]
The Council may provide for the printing, publication and distribution of the Charter and, at its discretion, may require that a reasonable charge be made for copies. The Council shall provide a copy of the Charter to every Town officer and department head without charge or provide electronic access to it, and a printed copy or electronic access to the Charter will be made available upon request to employees within a reasonable amount of time.
Any powers, duties or functions which are required by law to be exercised, performed or administered by a particular officer or officers of the Town shall be carried out by the officer or officers who by this Charter or by ordinance or by law are responsible for the same, regardless of the title or designation of the office.
Every officer of the Town shall, before entering upon the duties of his or her office, take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation, to be filed and kept in the office of the Town Clerk: "I solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United States of America and of the State of Rhode Island; that I will, in all respects, observe the provisions of the Charter and ordinances of the Town of East Greenwich, and will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of . . . ."
[Amended 11-7-2000]
The Town Council shall require a bond, in such amount and with such surety as this Charter or the Town Council may specify, from all persons entrusted with the collection, custody or disbursement of any of the Town money, and may likewise require such a bond from other officials and employees as the Council may deem advisable or as required by law. The premiums on such bonds, except for auctioneers, shall be paid for by the Town unless provided otherwise.
[Amended 11-7-2000]
The term of office of all officers, members of boards, commissions and committees of the Town appointed with the approval of or appointed or elected by the Council shall be concurrent with the term of the Council and until their successor has been qualified unless otherwise stated in the Charter or by ordinance.
[Amended 11-2-2004]
All elected officers of the Town shall be qualified electors of the Town and shall be qualified as provided for by this Charter; and if any elected officer of the Town ceases to be a resident of the Town, the office held by that person shall become vacant. An elected officer of the Town can only serve 12 consecutive years as an East Greenwich elected official, after which the elected official cannot seek elected office for two years. This shall apply to all elected officials in office as of January 1, 2005, and will take into account their past service as an elected official, but will permit them to finish their current term if they have as of that date served 12 or more consecutive years.
[Amended 11-7-2000; 11-2-2004]
At least annually, every appointed board, commission and committee of the Town shall adopt rules not in conflict with state law or this Charter with regard to conduct of meetings, attendance and election of officers. Every board or commission shall have rules providing for the election of a chair, vice chair and a secretary, and each election will occur at the commencement of the Town fiscal year.
No person shall be appointed to any board, commission or committee of the Town unless he or she is a qualified elector of the Town and a resident actually living in the Town, except as otherwise provided by the state law and by this Charter, and if any appointed member of any board, commission or committee ceases to meet such qualifications, the position held shall become vacant.
[Added 11-2-2004]
A person may serve on any board or commission for a total of three terms or 10 years, whichever is less, even if the person serves on two or more different boards or commissions. After three terms or 10 years, whichever is less, the board or commission member cannot serve on any board or commission for two years. However, effective January 1, 2005, every current member of a board or commission may be reappointed to one term, at the expiration of their current term, regardless of their years of service. Upcoming openings, vacancies and/or reappointments shall be advertised. If no one applies for the position, the term limit of the member whose term is expiring does not apply for one additional term and that person can be reappointed. Every board or commission shall have a defined term of service that is not less than three years, unless otherwise stated in the Charter, by ordinance, or by state law. These provisions do not apply to alternates or to ad hoc boards or commissions.
[Amended 11-3-1992; 11-7-2000]
A. 
No elected or appointed member of the Town government shall hold more than one elective or appointive position in the Town government, with the exception of ad hoc or study commissions, at the same time. No elected member of the Town government shall, at the same time, hold any position by virtue of an appointment by the Town Council or the Town Manager.
B. 
No employee of the Town shall hold an elective office in the Town government while he or she is employed by the Town.
A. 
Contracts.
(1) 
No member of the Town Council, School Committee, nor the Town Manager, nor any officer or employee of the Town shall (a) make a contract with the Town (with the exception of his or her own contract of employment), or (b) receive any commission, discount, bonus, gift, contribution, or award from, or any share in, the profits of any person making or performing such contract unless:
(a) 
The person concerned is a member of the Council or the Town Manager, then he or she shall immediately, upon learning of the existence of such contract or that such contract is proposed, notify the Council in writing of the nature of his or her interest in such contract;
(b) 
The person is a member of the School Committee or an officer or employee of the School Department, then he or she shall immediately, upon learning of the existence of such contract or that such contract is proposed, notify the School Committee in writing of the nature of his or her interest in such contract; and
(c) 
The person is some other officer or employee of the Town, then he or she shall immediately, upon learning of the existence of such contract or that such contract is proposed, notify the Town Manager in writing of the nature of his or her interest in such contract; and
(2) 
In each case listed above, he or she shall also abstain from doing any official act on behalf of the Town or of the other contracting party with reference thereto; provided, however, that when a contractor with the Town is a corporation or a voluntary stock association, the ownership of less than 5% of the stock or shares actually issued shall not be considered as involving an interest in the contract within the meaning of this section, and ownership of under 5% shall not affect the validity of the contract unless the owner of the stock or agent of the corporation or association solicits or takes part in making the contract.
B. 
No Town officer or employee shall accept any gratuity or thing of value from any person who has business with the Town or whose intent is to influence that officer or employee in the performance of his or her official duties. No Town officer or employee of the Town shall sell, give or loan equipment, property or supplies belonging to the Town, or allow any such equipment, property or supplies to be sold, given or loaned, to any person or organization without authorization in writing from the Town Manager.
C. 
Every Town officer or employee who willfully violates the requirements of this section shall be guilty of malfeasance in office or position, shall forfeit his or her office or position, and he or she shall, in addition, be guilty of a misdemeanor and, further, to the extent that the Town suffers financial loss thereby, be required to make restitution to the Town to the full extent of the financial loss.
[Amended 11-4-2014]
D. 
Any resident of the Town or other interested citizen may instigate an inquiry into a possible conflict of interest violation. An investigation may be instigated by presenting a written statement of an alleged violation to the Town Manager, Town Solicitor, or any member of the Town Council.
E. 
The Town Council shall provide by ordinance appropriate procedures for the implementation of the provisions of this section which shall adequately protect the rights of the Town and the rights to a fair hearing of any person accused hereunder.
[Amended 11-4-2014]
[Amended 11-7-2000]
Any elected officer of the Town convicted of a crime which is a felony or involving malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance in office shall be required to vacate his/her office.
All paid personnel holding office or employment in Town government, other than elected office, shall be required to engage in the actual work of their employment during regular business hours to the extent that their services may be necessary for the complete discharge of their duties. The Town Council, upon recommendation of the Town Manager, shall determine which employees of the Town shall not be required to devote their full time to their duties, except as provided by the Charter.
[Amended 11-7-2000]
At the end of every fiscal year, each department and agency head of the Town shall prepare an inventory of all equipment and supplies under his or her jurisdiction to be submitted to the Town Manager for transmission to the Town Council. The inventories shall be public records with copies available for public inspection at the Town Hall.
[Amended 11-7-2000; 11-4-2014]
Unless and as otherwise provided by the Charter or by the laws of the state, all records and accounts of every office, department or agency of the Town, including the School Department, shall be open to any person at all reasonable times and under reasonable regulations established by the Town Council, except records and documents the disclosure of which would tend to defeat the lawful purpose which they are intended to accomplish and except as otherwise provided by this Charter. Any person inspecting public records shall be permitted to make copies and abstracts thereof.