§ 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.

History of Section. (P.L. 1935, ch. 2255, § 5; G.L. 1938, ch. 344, § 5; G.L. 1956, § 45-25-10; P.L. 1970, ch. 253, § 1; P.L. 1972, ch. 218, § 1; P.L. 1975, ch. 108, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 39, § 1; P.L. 1979, ch. 67, § 1; P.L. 1983, ch. 311, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 44, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 594, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 23, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 247, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 264, § 1.)