Friday, April 12, 2013
The House Municipal Affairs Committee heard testimony on the takeover legislation Wednesday.
The fat lady hasn't sung yet, but Town Manager Bill Sequino is beginning to prepare for the town's acquisition of the East Greenwich Fire District. The House Municipal Affairs Committee took up the legislation Wednesday, a week after the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony on their bill. Neither panel has voted on the bills yet, which is necessary before they can reach the floor of their respective houses for full votes. Still, Sequino said he is confident the bills will pass. "What issues do the legislators have?" he said Thursday. "They only heard from two Fire Commissioners, testifying as individuals," who were against the bill. "Seems to me, on a local bill where almost everyone's in agreement, why wouldn't they pass it?" The "…
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
If legislation to merge the EG Fire District into the town passes – as expected – town departments will bear the burden.
As legislation that would transform the East Greenwich Fire District into a town fire department wends its way through the General Assembly – with a House hearing Wednesday – Town Manager Bill Sequino acknowledged some of his department heads are less than happy with the prospect of the additional work the merger will bring. "Some of my people may not want to take on more work," he said late last week. The East Greenwich Fire District and the Town of East Greenwich are two distinct municipalities, each with its own taxing authority. In November, voters approved a referendum calling for the abolition of the Fire District and the establishment of a town fire department. Such a change can only be accomplished at the state legislative level…
Thursday, April 4, 2013
No vote is taken; the House hearing takes place April 10.
All the players were there, but the venue was changed. Instead of Town Hall or Swift Community Center, members of the East Greenwich Town Council, EG Fire District, and a few other interested parties were crammed into Room 211 at the State House Wednesday afternoon for the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Senate Bill 739, which if passed would abolish the East Greenwich Fire District, paving the way for creation of a town fire department. The legislation was introduced in February, following passage of a referendum in November asking voters if they favored merging the fire district into the town. Almost everyone who testified at the hearing Wednesday had been heard before voicing similar arguments, but one new voice in favor of the …
Monday, March 25, 2013
Hearings on the Fire District legislation before the General Assembly may take place in late April.
Fire District Commission Chair Bill Daly said last week he has no plans to seek a vote from the commissioners on bills now pending before the General Assembly that seek to abolish the EGFD and replace it with a municipal fire department. Instead, Daly said, he will make his case directly to the legislators at state Senate and House committee hearings. Those hearings may take place in late April. Fire Lieutenant Bill Perry, president of EGFFA Local 3328, said his union does plan to vote on whether or not they support the legislation before the hearings take place. The district and the firefighters union are in contract negotiations right now. The firefighters contract expires at the end of the fiscal year, June 30. The East Greenwich Fire…
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
But they will hold off submitting it until after they meet again with Fire District commissioners on Feb. 4.
The Town Council will review a draft of legislation calling for the East Greenwich Fire District to be merged with the Town of East Greenwich at their next meeting, on Jan. 28. In November, voters approved by a two-to-one margin a nonbinding referendum question that asked if the Fire District should be merged with the town. The Fire District was against the merger and remains a reluctant party to the discussion. According to Town Council President Michael Isaacs, Fire Commissioner Chairman Bill Daly told him the Fire District has "some ideas they want to put on the table." He did not specify what those ideas might entail. Town Solicitor Peter Clarkin said the Fire District's solicitor, Scott Spear, indicated he thought a binding …
Thursday, June 14, 2012
The bill, which has passed the General Assembly, was opposed by local legislators Rep. Robert Watson and Sen. Dawson Hodgson, argued that the bill would increase costs for R.I. car owners, who are legally required to carry insurance on their vehicles.
In the now-traditional flurry of activity to end the 2011-12 General Assembly session, a bill was passed by both chambers of the legislature that allows auto body shops to sue insurance companies over the cost of repairs. The bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Stephen R. Ucci (D-Johnston), now goes to Gov. Lincoln Chafee for his signature. Ucci told the House on June 11 that the bill would "level the playing field" in allowing local shops a legal recourse for disputing repair estimates, the Journal reported. Other legislators, including Rep. Robert Watson (R-East Greenwich) and Sen. Dawson Hodgson (R-North Kingstown), argued that the bill would increase costs for Rhode Island car owners, who are legally required to carry insurance on …
James R
6:42 pm on Saturday, April 13, 2013
You too Gene, thanks. more ›