Town of North Smithfield
August 10th, 2018 Edition
Message from Town Administrator
Gary Ezovski

Did you read yesterday's Valley Breeze? Did you see the ad encouraging students from nearby towns to consider North Smithfield High School’s Pre-Engineering, Music, and Business Management programs? I sure did and must note the encouragement that it provided. 

Expectations in education are changing in so many very unexpected ways for countless reasons. One very important element is the need to help students apply their study to a field of interest that encourages engagement in learning. Every community is being challenged to assess the strengths within its education system and then to find ways to leverage those strengths to challenge students within its own district and to draw students from other towns in ways that will create and elevate programs to ultimately provide and sustain the absolute best pathways that any school in the region can offer. Failing to respond to that challenge can mean students leave for programs in other districts, and few, if any, choose to come to ours despite the quality of the education being offered. The ad in yesterday’s Valley Breeze informs the region about something that many of us already knew. We have outstanding programs in our high school that ambitious students should consider. 

Congratulations to the school committee, the administration, the faculty, and the students who have shown it can be done and that they are ready for outside interest! We discussed the need to promote our programs in the budget process this year. A single ad in the Valley Breeze won’t result in immediate receipt of a blizzard of applications (sorry, no offense intended Tom Ward), but it is so good to see that our school department is actively responding to the competitive environment that has developed in Rhode Island education.  


TOWN HALL OFFICES
WILL BE CLOSED ON
MONDAY, AUGUST 13th, 2018
IN HONOR OF
VICTORY DAY.

No trash collection will take place on Monday, August 13th. Tuesday through Friday collections will be postponed one day for the rest of the week.

A Reminder to Rhode Island voters to make sure their voter registration information is up-to-date. Go to vote.ri.gov to register to vote or update your voter registration information online. The deadline is August 13 to be able to vote in the Wednesday, September 12 primaries.
North Smithfield Residents Food Pantry
Slatersville Congregational Church
25 Green Street
North Smithfield, RI 02896

The flavor of the month for August is
APPLE SAUCE
Any donations or monetary gifts for the food pantry can be dropped off at the Slatersville Congregational Church between 9:00 am and noon. An additional drop box is available at the Town Hall during regular business hours. 
time_for_taxes.jpg
2018 Tax Bill Due Dates

Dear North Smithfield Taxpayer:

ALL 2018 Real estate, motor vehicle and tangible personal property bills were mailed on July 13 th .
Please be aware ALL bills are due on the date listed on the bill stubs. Because there are no complications with auto taxes or budget timing this year, we are back to our regular billing cycle and due dates.
The dates are also listed below.
 
Real Estate, Motor Vehicle and Tangible Personal Property
1 st  payment due 08-15-18
2 nd  payment due 10-15-18
3 rd  payment due 01-15-19
4 th  payment due 04-15-19

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Tax Assessor’s Office at 401-767-2200 ext: 323 or the Tax Collector’s Office at 401-767-2200 ext: 511

Senior Services
Senior Services, Inc. has provided services to seniors and adults with disabilities residing in Northern Rhode Island since 1975, in accordance with the Congregate Meal Program financed through a grant with R.I. Department of Elderly Affairs. Senior Services, Inc. provides nutritionally balanced lunches five days a week at our meal sites throughout Northern R.I.
Senior Services, Inc. offers activities, entertainment, computer classes, and Wellness programs, which include a weekly blood pressure clinic and exercise classes.

Senior Services, Inc. also offers an Adult Day Care Program ("A Home for the Day"), and a Community Information Specialist who can provide information on eligibility for all state and local programs, including RIPAE.
We offer activities, entertainment, computer classes, and Alzheimer's Disease Support Groups.



Senior exercise classes at Scouter's Hall, 32 Main Street, North Smithfield include:
  • Zumba Gold Mondays at 10:00 AM
  • Chair Exercises, Mondays at 11:00 AM
  • Zumba Gold Thursdays at 10:00 AM
TOUR OUR TOWN'S 60 HISTORIC CEMETERIES

Our next NS Historic Cemeteries Tour will occur at 9:00 AM on Saturday, August 18.  We will tour two cemeteries located on Old Smithfield Rd, two cemeteries on Sayles Hill Rd and the John Mowry cemetery on Iron Mine Hill Rd. John Mowry and his wife Mary's graves are the oldest known graves in North Smithfield. They both died of Small Pox on July 7, 1690. We will meet in the Union Cemetery on Smithfield Rd at the gate nearest Greenville Rd. People can contact me if they have any questions.

A copy of the upcoming tours can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.


Rich Keene
President, NSHA
401-447-6394
rfkeene6@gmail.com
Summer Concert Series on the Common
Sunday, August 12th
5:00 pm- 6:30 pm
Slatersville Congregational Church 


 

STARRING
WHISKEY RHODE
Rhode Island's own Rock & Roll dance band will mix it up with your favorite Classic Rock, along with some Contemporary Rock, Rhythm & Blues and even some Country. 



Generously Sponsored by 
Navigant Bank 
 

**Bring blankets, lawn chairs, and join family and friends under the summer skies. **The church kitchen will be serving great food and ice cream sundaes to top off the night. **The North Smithfield Food Pantry will be holding a 50/50 raffle to benefit the pantry and get ready for winter needs. 
12th Annual 
North Smithfield 
Great Pumpkin Festival
Saturday - September 15, 2018
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
North Smithfield High School Grounds

The 12 th Annual North Smithfield Great Pumpkin Festival will be held on Saturday, September 15, from 11am to 5pm on the joint grounds of North Smithfield High School and Middle School. The annual NS PumpkinFest will be held rain or shine.
As always, the event will host a small retail area where local small business retail vendors will be featuring their products. Non-profit organizations can host a booth as well. Some will be presenting their best foods, lots of free games, inflatables, crafts and activities to raise money for their organizations. The little ones can be entertained by the Mr. Rowland Music Man, Bubble Guy, and BoBo the Clown will be returning. We will also have the REMAX hot air balloon for rides.
There are still a few vendor spots available and applications are available at www.greatpumpkinfestival.org .

This year, PumpkinFest will feature a Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Contest, Pie Eating Contests and a Pumpkin Pie Bake Off. Prizes will be presented at the NS High School Boys Soccer game to be held that evening September 15 th at 5pm & 7pm against Cranston West.

Family friendly acts on the main stage include: the Iguana Guy; "Charlie Marie", a Country solo artist; the local band Niteflies and Dennis The Magician. For the first time this year, the festival will host the Southwick Zoo, the hands-on ZooMobile Program called EARTH from 11am – 2pm.

Admission buttons can be purchased in advance starting on August 15 th for $1 per person, at the following locations: NS Town Hall, NS ‘Lil General, R & D Seafood, Wright’s Dairy, Goodwin Bros. and NS Walgreens. Admission purchased at the gate on September 15 th is $2 per person.

For more information contact the PumpkinFest Committee at ns.pumpkinfest@gmail.com or visit www.greatpumpkinfestival.org .


The next committee meeting will be  Wednesday, August 15th at 6:00  at R&R Machine Industries, Inc. 147 Industrial Drive, North Smithfield

Click Here  for more information on the event and a list of the upcoming Committee Meetings.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Agendas can be found on the Secretary of State Website by