Rhode Island General Laws Title 45. Towns and Cities § 45-24.1-3. Creation of commission authorized--Membership appointment--Term of office

(a) In order to carry out the purposes of this chapter any city or town council shall have the authority to create a commission called the historic district commission. The membership of a commission in a city shall consist of seven (7) qualified members, and in a town shall consist of not less than three (3) nor more than seven (7) qualified members, whose residence is located in the city or town; and provided, that the historic district commission of the city of Providence shall consist of eleven (11) qualified members, two (2) of whom shall be members of the city council elected by the city council from its councilmanic members to serve for a term of four (4) years. In a city the members shall be appointed by the mayor, except as provided in the case of the historic district commission of the city of Providence, and in a town, by the president of the town council. Members of an historic district commission shall be residents of the city or town.

(b) The appointed members of the commission shall be appointed for three-year (3) terms, except the initial appointments of some of the members shall be for less than three (3) years so that the initial appointments are staggered and so that subsequent appointments do not reoccur at the same time.

(c) Any city or town has the right to name an auxiliary member of the commission appointed in addition to the regular members of the commission; provided, that the city of Newport and the town of Bristol shall have the right to appoint two (2) auxiliary members to their historic district commissions. An auxiliary member shall sit as an active member, upon the request of the chair, when and if a regular member of the commission is unable to serve at any meeting of the commission.

(d) Appointed members of the commission are eligible for reappointment, and, upon the expiration of their term, shall continue to serve until replaced unless otherwise provided for in local law.

(e) In the event of a vacancy on the commission, interim appointments of appointed members may be made by the appointing authority to complete the unexpired term of the position.

(f) Organized and existing preservation societies may present to the appointing authority of a city or town a list of qualified citizens, from which list the appointing authority may select members of the commission for his or her respective city or town.

(g) Members of a commission shall serve without compensation.

(h) Members of a commission shall be required to participate in continuing education courses promulgated pursuant to chapter 70 of this title.