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Council clears obsolete boards from code, delays new tree ordinance for full membership
Summary
Council voted to repeal several dormant code chapters and deferred a proposed town trees ordinance until full council attendance; a local board repeal was withdrawn after solicitor advice because statutory requirements apply.
The East Greenwich Town Council voted on a set of code housekeeping items and took up a proposed trees ordinance.
On second reading the council approved repeal of a defunct IT Governance Council chapter of the town code and approved repeal of a finance advisory board chapter; both votes were recorded 3–0. A proposed repeal of a Board of Tenants Affairs was withdrawn after the solicitor advised the enabling legislation for housing authorities requires a tenants affairs board; the council voted 3–0 to withdraw that amendment.
The council also decided to continue discussion of a proposed new chapter establishing a town trees ordinance to a later meeting when more councilors can attend. Councilors said they preferred to have a full council present for the public hearing and deliberation; the motion to continue carried 3–0.
Why it matters: The actions remove obsolete or inactive boards from the municipal code, clarifying which bodies are operational. The solicitor’s note on the tenants affairs board highlights that some local code sections are tied to statutory requirements and cannot be removed through housekeeping alone.
Details: The IT Governance Council repeal was described as removing an entity created in 2017 that never met. The finance advisory board chapter was described as nonoperational; the solicitor recommended repeal. For the tenants affairs board, the solicitor advised the council to withdraw the repeal proposal because state enabling language for municipal housing authorities requires a tenants affairs board; the council complied and withdrew the item.
Ending: Staff will schedule the trees ordinance public hearing when the council is at full membership; other repeals will proceed to third reading where required by council rules.
