§ 45-25-10. Appointment and terms of commissioners — Compensation, organization, and personnel.
(a) An authority consists of five (5) commissioners appointed by the mayor and he or she
shall designate the first chairperson; provided, that the housing authority of the
city of Providence consists of eleven (11) commissioners who are residents of the
city of Providence, and the housing authority of the city of Woonsocket shall consist
of seven (7) members, two (2) of whom shall be occupants of public housing. At all
times, three (3) of the commissioners must be occupants of public housing, which commissioners
shall be appointed from a list of nominees chosen yearly by the occupants of public
housing in open elections, each housing project choosing three (3) nominees from among
its occupants. Upon the determination of the appointing authority that any commissioner
has not been an occupant of public housing or not a resident of the city of Providence
for a period of six (6) consecutive months, the appointing authority shall remove
the commissioner and designate a person to fill the resultant vacancy; provided, that
the mayor choose the replacement from the list of nominees chosen yearly by the occupants
of public housing when appropriate. No commissioner may be a city or state official;
provided, that members of the housing authority of the city of Providence may serve
on the city council.
(b) The commissioners who are first appointed shall be designated by the mayor to serve
for terms of one, two (2), three (3), four (4), and five (5) years, respectively,
from the date of their appointment. Four (4) additional commissioners for the housing
authority for the city of Providence shall be designated by the mayor to serve terms
of one, two (2), three (3), and four (4) years, respectively, from the date of their
appointment. The two (2) additional commissioners for the city of Woonsocket shall
be designated by the mayor to serve terms of one and two (2) years respectively. Thereafter,
the term of office shall be five (5) years. Two (2) additional commissioners for the
housing authority of the city of Providence shall be members of the city council elected
by the city council from its councilmanic members to serve for a term ending the first
Monday in January, 1975, and, thereafter, elected for a term of four (4) years. A
commissioner shall hold office until his or her successor has been appointed, or elected,
and has qualified. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term. Three (3) commissioners
constitute a quorum except that six (6) commissioners of the housing authority of
the city of Providence constitute a quorum and four (4) commissioners of the housing
authority of the city of Woonsocket shall constitute a quorum.
(c) The mayor shall file with the city clerk a certificate of the appointment or reappointment
of any commissioner, and the certificate is conclusive evidence of the due and proper
appointment of the commissioner. A commissioner of the city of Providence shall only
receive twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per meeting, but not in excess of twelve hundred
dollars ($1,200) per year as compensation for his or her services, and the commissioner
is entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the
discharge of his or her duties, the compensation and expenses to be paid by the municipality
of Providence; provided, that a commissioner of the city of Pawtucket receives one
thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) per year and is entitled to the necessary expenses,
including traveling expenses, incurred in the discharge of his or her duties, to be
paid by the city of Pawtucket; provided, that a commissioner of the city of Central
Falls receives twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per meeting, but not in excess of five
hundred dollars ($500) per year, as compensation for his or her services, and the
commissioner is entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses,
incurred in the discharge of his or her duties, to be paid by the city of Central
Falls.
(d) Effective January 1, 1988, and thereafter, a commissioner of the city of Warwick receives
one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per year, and the chairperson of the Warwick
housing authority receives one thousand seven hundred dollars ($1,700) per year for
their services to be paid by the city of Warwick.
(e) When the office of the first chairperson of the authority becomes vacant, the authority
shall select a chairperson from among its members. An authority shall select from
its members a vice chairperson, and it may employ a secretary (who shall be executive
director), technical experts, and other officers, agents, and employees, permanent
and temporary, that it may require, and shall determine their qualifications, duties,
and compensation. An authority may call upon the city solicitor or chief law officer
of the city for legal services, as it may require, or it may employ its own counsel
and legal staff. An authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees
the powers or duties that it deems proper.