The North Smithfield Town Council took up a mix of zoning, budget and infrastructure business at its meeting Monday, continuing a settlement vote in a long-running zoning case and reversing course on a ballot question about town facilities management.
Zoning lawsuit and property withdrawal The council met in executive session to discuss a settlement in litigation involving a roughly 89-acre property and a related request to amend the town's zoning ordinance. Coming out of that closed session, the council voted by voice to accept the applicant's withdrawal of the zoning amendment petition, with the understanding that under town ordinance the same request for the same property cannot be refiled for 12 months unless a court orders it or the applicant shows a substantial change in circumstances. The council then voted to delay a decision on the underlying settlement agreement itself, continuing that item to its next meeting, scheduled for August 3.
Ballot question on a facilities department revived The council reconsidered a proposed 2026 ballot question that failed at an earlier meeting: a charter amendment that would create a town department of facilities and capital assets, headed by a director, to manage the town's buildings and capital assets. One council member, who had cast the lone vote in favor previously, asked to bring it back, arguing the town needs closer oversight of its spending given tight budgets and rising maintenance needs, including road and tree-trimming costs the town has deferred. After procedural discussion about the rules for reconsidering a failed vote, the council voted 3-1 to reconsider and then voted 3-1 to place the question on the ballot for voters to decide this fall.
Police station renovation on budget, so far A project manager overseeing the renovation of the North Smithfield Police Station told the council that demolition and abatement work on the first phase is complete and that police operations have fully moved into temporary space within the building. The project remains within its approved budget, she said, with about 50 to 60 percent of subcontractor work already bought out and the project tracking to be finished by next summer. The council authorized a payment of $296,861.52 covering construction and related costs, after a brief exchange over how the invoice reflected money the town is holding back as retainage — a standard practice of withholding a percentage of payment until work is verified complete. The town's finance director said the town is still pursuing about $1 million in additional grant funding for the project, including a federal dispatch-equipment grant that must be finalized before a contract can be signed.
Grants update: about $1.77 million secured The town's grant-writing consultant told the council that North Smithfield has secured roughly $1.77 million in grants over the past 11 months, including money for a senior center kitchen ventilation system and a state parks grant. Additional funding, including money for the police station project, has advanced through congressional committees but won't be finalized until Congress passes a final funding bill, expected around November. The town administrator said the town has not been turned down for any grant it has pursued and is also watching for state open-space funding that could apply to the former Hallowell property, now planned for passive recreation instead of a senior center.
Road paving and a culvert repair The council voted to award a contract of $898,975.76 to a paving contractor for road work on four streets, including Tanglewood and Winchester, after the town's engineering firm reviewed seven bids and recommended the lowest responsive bidder. A council member asked that the contractor keep its work sites tidy, citing complaints about a messy job site elsewhere in town. Separately, the council awarded a $135,000 contract to Diggers Landscaping of Cumberland to replace an aging culvert pipe with a larger one designed to handle a 100-year storm event. Public works said the work will require a temporary road closure, with residents notified in advance, and suggested detours are available nearby.
IT contract for Fire and Rescue The council approved a three-year information-technology services contract for North Smithfield Fire and Rescue, with payments starting at $15,829 in the first year and rising 3 percent in each of the following two years.
Resident raises truck complaint During the meeting's open-forum period, a resident described repeated problems with large trucks turning off School Street into a nearby parking lot and then onto Green Street, at times driving onto sidewalks and damaging his mailbox. He asked the town to consider posting a sign restricting truck traffic. Town officials said the administration would look into the issue.
What's next The council is scheduled to take up the continued zoning settlement agreement at its August 3 meeting. The facilities-department charter amendment will appear as a ballot question for North Smithfield voters this fall.