R.I. Gen. Laws § 32-3-12: Expenses and appropriations for commissions.

The members of any town forest and park commission shall serve without compensation. They shall have no authority to spend any money or to contract any indebtedness for, or on account of, the town, other than such moneys as shall be appropriated and placed at their disposal for the purposes aforesaid, or such indebtedness as they may be especially authorized to incur by the town at some regularly called meeting of the electors thereof who are entitled to vote upon any proposition to impose a tax.