Rules of Appointment

1. Selection Process of Members
1. As authorized by the Town Council, the Town Clerk shall advertise twice in a local newspaper the commissions, committees, and boards that will have upcoming appointments using the following schedule:
   

   Appointment Period	Advertising Period	Filing Deadline
   January through March	October	November 15
   April through June	January	February 15
   July through September	April	May 15
   October through December	July	August 15

2. The Town Clerk shall notify individuals whose terms are about to expire, by letter, to determine if that individual wishes to be considered for reappointment.
3. Upon receipt of an application the Town Clerk shall retain the original and distribute a copy of each application received to the Town Manager who will forward a copy to the Town Council. The Town Clerk will also acknowledge in writing to the applicant receipt of each application.
4. The application shall remain on file for a period of one year from the date received and may be considered should vacancies for that particular committee, commission or board occur during that time.
5. All applications received shall be available for public review in the office of the Town Clerk.
6. The charge for each board, commission or committee shall be available in the office of the Town Clerk.
2. Requirement for Membership
1. Applications for the various commissions, committees, and boards shall be available in the Town Clerk's office.
2. Applications shall be completed and submitted to the Town Clerk no later than the advertised filing date.
3. Individuals wishing to be considered for reappointment shall notify the Town Clerk prior to the expiration of the filing date.
4. The chairperson of each commission, committee or board shall submit an attendance record, to the Town Clerk, for those individuals wishing to be considered for reappointment.
5. No person shall be appointed to serve concurrently on more than one paid commission, committee, or board created by the Town Council with the exception of interim commissions, committees or boards.
6. Any appointee who is absent without cause for 3 consecutive meetings may be subject to removal by the Town Council.
7. When any member of a Commission, Committee or Board is absent for 3 consecutive meetings, the Chairperson shall notify the Town Clerk, who shall in turn notify the Town Council for direction. Should the Chairperson recognize any other attendance deficiencies, the Town Clerk shall be notified, who shall in turn notify the Town Council for direction.
8. The applicant shall comply with all State Laws and Regulations as well as Ethics Commission requirements for appointees.
3. Appointment Review Process
1. The Town Council shall review each application and may invite specific candidates to an interview with the Council prior to a regularly scheduled meeting or work session. Candidates interviewed by the Town Council will be sent a letter of appreciation by the Town Clerk.
2. When making a nomination, the Council member making recommendation will verbally outline reasons for nomination.

Application for Appointment Form

In accordance with the Town Charter, an applicant must be both a resident and a voter in the Town of South Kingstown. Further information about the charges can be obtained in the Town Clerk's Office. Download the Application Form (PDF) to get started.

Recusal Policy Form

Recusal (re·cus·al - noun) (Merriam-Webster Online) - "to remove (oneself) from participation to avoid a conflict of interest." To review the policy and form go to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission's website.
 

RI Ethics Commission

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission is a constitutionally mandated body empowered to adopt, enforce and administer the Code of Ethics. The Code sets forth standards of conduct for all public officials and employees. The Commission educates and advises public officials and employees about the standards of conduct set out in the Code of Ethics. Additionally, the Ethics Commission oversees the financial disclosure program which requires all elected officials, all candidates for public office and certain categories of persons appointed to serve as officers or members of state or municipal agencies to file statements annually. The Rhode Island Code of Ethics can be viewed online.