R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-59-8: The authority.

The district management authority thus created will be a body corporate and politic and an instrumentality and agency of the municipality within which the management district is located but having a distinct legal existence from the municipality. It is hereby declared that in exercising the powers granted to it by this chapter, the district management authority will exercise public and essential governmental functions of the municipality. No part of the net earnings of the district management authority will be distributable to, or inure to the benefit of, any private person.