§ 45-2-3.1. Powers of certain towns.
(a) The towns of Hopkinton, West Greenwich, Richmond, and Charlestown may, at any legal
meeting, grant and vote sums of money that they judge necessary:
(1) For the purchase of sites for, and for the erection and repair of, town houses and
other public buildings;
(2) For the support of schools, and purchase of sites for and the building and repair
of schoolhouses; and for the establishing and maintaining of school libraries;
(3) For the use of hospitals, to be expended and paid under limitations and conditions
prescribed from time to time by the town council;
(4) For the support and maintenance of the poor, and the purchase, erection, and repair
of proper buildings for the accommodation of the poor, as well as for the purchase
of proper sites for these buildings, and, if they judge expedient, of farms or farm
lands, for the employment and support of paupers and others chargeable to them;
(5) For the purchase of proper sites for houses of correction and reform schools for juvenile
offenders, and the purchase, erection, and repair of proper buildings, fixtures, and
apparatus for these sites, and the purchase of lands for the employment and support
of the inmates of these sites;
(6) For the laying out, making, repairing, and amending of highways;
(7) For the building, repairing, and amending of bridges;
(8) For the improvement, in any manner they may deem fit, of any property belonging to
the town;
(9) For the public health, welfare, recreation, sanitation and landfill, public safety,
fire protection, awards and ceremonies, transportation for any of its citizens, university
of Rhode Island cooperative extension, mental health, child services, job development
and training programs, energy conservation programs, medical and health clinics and
services, athletics, and parks and libraries, including the granting and voting of
sums to be paid to profit and non-profit corporations which may, in the opinion of
those voting, provide any of these services to the town or towns;
(10) For any other services, expenses, or charges deemed to be in the best interests of
the town or towns by a majority of those voting; the grant and vote by a majority
of those voting is prima facie evidence that the expenditure and appropriation is
permitted under this section; and
(11) For all necessary charges and expenses arising within the town, whether incidental
or not to the items enumerated in this section.
(b) It shall be the duty of the appropriate elected and appointed officials of any town
to carry into effect any and all authorized appropriations.
(c) Any grant, vote, or appropriation of sums already made for any of the above charges,
expenses, and services by any of the towns are hereby ratified in every respect.