House Vote Moves EGFD One Step Closer To Town Ownership

The Rhode Island House Municipal Government Committee approved a bill Thursday that would dissolve the East Greenwich Fire District, making way for the Town of East Greenwich to establish a fire department. It was the first legislative hurdle toward a takeover following passage of a referendum last November in which voters said a town fire department was preferable to a separate fire district.

"We're very pleased," said Town Council President Michael Isaacs simply.

The House bill now goes before the full House on Wednesday. Meanwhile, on the Senate side, the Senate Finance Committee will vote on the bill on Tuesday. If passed there, it will then go to the full Senate. 

Since both bills are identical, it would seem there would be no need for "reconciling" of bills, as often must take place. Regardless, the final step would be to place the bill on the governor's desk. Once the bill passes the General Assembly, the governor has 10 days to either pass or veto it. If no action is taken, the bill becomes law after the 10 days.

At a meeting of the EGFD commissioners Thursday night, however, there were reminders that the governor's signature really only means the end of Act One. The second act would involve bringing the district into the town, complete with ongoing labor negotiations with fire fighters, major structural problems at Station One, and the possible purchase, with an eye toward a future station, of land at Cedar Avenue and Post Road. 

Fire Chief Peter Henrikson told commissioners the department had been meeting with town counterparts to discussion the probable transition. 

EG Public Works Director Joe Duarte has taken a tour of both Fire District stations, Henrikson said. According to the chief, Duarte was pleased with the overall status of the buildings and equipment, save the floor at Station One. Duarte was already aware of the structural problems at Station One, to the extent his department recently helped the EGFD draw up a "request for proposal" to solicit bids to fix the problem.

Chief Henrikson, meanwhile, met with Town Planner Lisa Bourbonnais to review the intricacies of the district's impact fee program, and with Finance Director Kathy Raposa to review the 2013 budget.

In addition, EGFD lawyer Scott Spear said he'd given Town Manager Bill Sequino his “critical hit list” of legal issues facing the district. 

The EGFD meets Thursday for a public hearing on the 2014 budget, which has not yet been released.