Town of North Smithfield

November 6, 2020

 

 

 

 

Message from Town Administrator

Gary Ezovski

 

Two or three factors may have been the driver for the record voter turnout across the country. I am proud to say the people of North Smithfield certainly were contributors to that success. It could just be interest in the presidential election, but it also may be the multiple ways that were available for casting a ballot. A presidential election customarily requires focus and extra effort by the folks in our Town Clerk’s office and their cadre of voting day volunteers. The multiple means for submission of ballots had a particularly strong impact on the effort required by our Town Clerk, Lillian Silva Scott, and her staff. I am proud to say that everything I have seen to date says that our staff and volunteers did an outstanding job of meeting every need. This election period has been stressful for many reasons, but our system here in North Smithfield did a fine job of managing the process to minimize stress and disappointment. In addition to the fine work of our Town Clerk’s office, I want to recognize Beverly & David Munyon who did an outstanding job managing the process on every day of our early voting period. Those who cast early voting ballots may recognize Beverly and David (unmasked) in the photo below! What a pleasure it is to realize the talent and dedication of staff and volunteers that we are so fortunate to have in North Smithfield.

 

 

Finally, we need to address COVID 19 again. The rising number of cases must be a concern to everyone. Per yesterday’s press conference, the Governor and RI DOH are issuing new guidance in reaction to those rising numbers. I ask that every individual and business adhere to those requirements. In addition to those, please remember that we are also encouraged to keep our individual contacts below ten. Keeping our individual contact numbers small is critical to our ability to push these numbers back down. Reducing this spread is in our hands as individuals. Our weekly case counts from week ending 9/26 to 10/31 have been 8, 6, 9, 18, 21 and 13. Let’s be determined to get them back to a count of less than five!

 

 

There will be no trash/recycling pick-up on Wednesday, November 11th, the remainder of the week will be delayed 1 day.

The recycle center will also be closed on Wednesday, November 11th to observe Veterans Day,

the Saturday hours will be extended 9am-3pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stamina Mill Office Demolition by EPA

 

 

Click here for the latest update

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Smithfield's own 2x Grammy Award Nominee

David Rawlings along with his partner Gillian Welch have been featured in

The New York Times Magazine.

 

Click here to read the article

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have received many phone calls inquiring about the car tax bills. To answer the main question, no they have not been sent out.  We are waiting for answers from the State regarding the car tax phase-out & the FY21 budget.

Here is an article that ran in the Providence Journal

https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20200822/delayed-car-tax-bills-may-be-first-ripple-of-state-budget-tsunami

 

*Please know that ultimately these bills will go out, please budget accordingly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November dates are:

Tuesday, November 17th & 24th @5:30-6:00pm

Saturday, November 21st & 28th @10:00-10:30am

 

 

 

The Food Pantry is a drive through at the Slatersville Congregational Church, UCC at 25 Greene St on the Common. Please line up on Greene St and you will be directed into the parking lot and food will be delivered into your car. You must wear a mask to receive food. You can come to all four of our pantries. Questions call 401-678-0356

 

 

Thank you to our good friends at Wright’s Dairy for their generous donation of milk! We so appreciate your kindness, and our clients say thank you as well!!!!

 

Additionally, thank you but we cannot use additional volunteer help at this time. If you would like to donate money, please mail to P.O. Box 283, Slatersville, RI 02876. If you would like to donate food, please call (401) 678-0356 to arrange a time for drop off. We need soups, canned tuna and chicken, canned fruit and juice, toilet paper and paper towels.

 

November Flavors of the Month are:

Canned Tuna & Chicken, Dry Cereal & Canned Vegetables

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Antoine Resident Walking Path Project

 

 

Saint Antoine Community is excited to announced that they have officially broken ground on their long-awaited "Resident Walking Path Project"!

 

Special Thanks to our North Smithfield friends & project contributors: Paul D. Carlson [Principal, InSite Engineering Services, LLC], Andrew F. Crowshaw [Superintendent, Narragansett Improvement Co.], & Arthur J. Eddy, [Principal, Traverse Landscape Architects] who have each donated a tremendous amount of time, expertise, and technical talent/resources to this amazing project!

 

Saint Antoine Community is incredibly blessed that Paul, Art, and Andy were able to come together, conceptualize our vision, and bring it to life! These next few weeks are going to be very exciting...be sure to follow Saint Antoine Community Facebook page for updated photos on this project!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curbside yard waste collection has started. Yard waste is collected on the same day as your trash and recycling.  Residents can have reasonable amount of leaf bags or cans, clearly marked, of yard waste out at the curb for weekly collection. The fall collection season runs through Friday, December 4, 2020. 

 

Drop off hours at our Highway Garage, 281 Quaker Highway will continue Saturdays from 10 am - 2 pm and Wednesdays from 3:00 PM-6PM ONLY. Residents are welcome to bring yard waste or accepted recyclables. The town offers free drop off for rigid plastic and scrap metal items as well as used motor oil. Please do not leave items outside the gate after business hours, we will take notice. 

 

 

For additional information contact 767-2200 x 348 

 

 

 

Safety tips from North Smithfield Fire & Rescue

Change your clocks = Change the batteries in your smoke & Carbon Monoxide detectors!

Change your clocks = Change the batteries in your smoke & Carbon Monoxide detectors!

 

We can’t say it enough! 

It is so important to check the batteries in your smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms. This inexpensive item can SAVE A LIFE! 

Some smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms come with a ten year sealed battery. If you have this type of alarm, we ask that you test them periodically. Information about testing can be found in the manufactures instructions. Replace smoke detectors every ten years and carbon monoxide detectors every five years.

 

Alert - During home inspections, our fire prevention division has found non-certified smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. In most cases, these alarms were purchased through the internet. Please make sure, when buying smoke and Carbon monoxide detectors, they have the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) stamp or the Factory Mutual (FM) stamp. UL and FM certified products are accepted under the Rhode Island State Fire Code.     

Heating appliances require maintenance to guarantee efficiency. Failure to maintain this equipment adds great risk for fire and/or carbon monoxide exposure.    

·           Chimney’s should be cleaned and inspected regularly.

·         Boilers should be serviced to include testing and inspection.

·           Fireplaces should be cleaned regularly.

 

Also, remember to use all heating units to the manufactures specification. Space heaters are safe when used correctly.

 NEVER use any heating appliance against manufactures recommendations.  



As always, feel free to contact the North Smithfield Fire Prevention office at (401) 762-1135 Monday through Thursday between the hours of 07:00 a.m. and 05:00 p.m. for any fire safety questions you may have. There is no fee for us to come to your home, for a fire safety inspection to make sure your home is safe.

Stay Healthy & Safe!

 

 

ATTENTION NORTH SMITHFIELD RESIDENTS WHO ARE BLACKSTONE, MASS WATER CUSTOMERS

 

(St Paul St / Elizabeth Ave / West St / Middle St / Colerick St / Fountain St)

 

PLEASE READ THE ATTACHED NOTICE REGARDING A WATER BAN

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Agendas can be found on the Secretary of State Website by

CLICKING HERE

 

Conservation Commission Meeting

Zoom Meeting

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Agenda

 

Former President Trump is complaining that he can't be on the campaign trail because of what he calls a ridiculous trial in New York City. Speaking right after the 12 jurors were selected on Thursday, Trump said the "whole world is watching this scam" and went on to read news articles criticizing the case. The judge hopes to have the six alternates selected by Friday.        House Speaker Mike Johnson needs the help of Democrats to get his foreign aid package across the finish line. Johnson is moving forward with a plan to vote on separate bills to send military assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, as well as a bill that includes border security measures. However, several conservatives quickly came out against the plan, arguing border policy changes should be directly tied to any additional funding for Ukraine.        The United States plans to veto a Palestinian bid to be recognized as a full member of the United Nations. The State Department calls the Palestinian Authority's effort to gain member status premature. The department said the Security Council's 15 members do not fully agree that the Palestinian Authority met the membership criteria, including standing questions about who governs the Gaza Strip.       The FBI is concerned about threats to Jewish communities in the U.S. as Passover approaches. FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke during an event on Wednesday hosted by a Jewish community nonprofit safety and training organization called Secure Community Network. Wray told the group of security officials the FBI looks for "lone actors" who might target high profile events or religious locations for violence.        Attorneys for Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger filed their client's alibi defense just ahead of the deadline. The 29-year-old Kohberger is accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students in November of 2022, and has pleaded not guilty. Late Wednesday, Kohberger's lawyers submitted a ten-page filing that claimed he was out driving in the early morning hours of November 13th, "as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars."        Allman Brothers Band singer-guitarist Dickey Betts has died at the age of 80. They said Betts passed away peacefully Thursday at his home in Osprey, Florida surrounded by his family. Betts wrote and sung on the Allman Brothers Band hit "Ramblin' Man" which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.