Message from Town Administrator
Gary Ezovski

In the past few days, I have been asked if I would announce special procedures for the town in reaction to our Coronavirus challenge. Being that I am not a doctor (I haven’t even played one on TV), my response is to recommend following the guidelines put forth by the RI Department of Health where health professionals are regularly providing advice that I have found sensible. I continue to encourage the basics that are offered at the DOH website https://health.ri.gov/diseases/ncov2019/ which include:

  • If you don’t feel well, stay home and call your doctor for advice before traveling to any healthcare facility.
  • Practice good hygiene everywhere by covering coughs or sneezes, washing hands frequently and keeping hands away from your face.
  • Practice social distancing by avoiding handshakes and maintaining six feet separation wherever feasible.
  • Clean high touch surfaces regularly.
  • Our senior population should be most careful about their potential exposures.

Beyond that, I want all to know that based on my conversations with our Chiefs Chartier and Lafferty, I am confident that we are following RIDOH and CDC protocols to both protect our EMS personnel and to serve those in need. All that said, most of the response to this matter will be up to each of us, so please be mindful of the RIDOH recommendations listed above. We will get through this by doing our best to live normally while also just being very careful.

On another note, as has been stated in media, our conversation at Halliwell went quite well last Saturday.    It went quite well last Saturday. In fact, we became so involved in conversation about Halliwell that we failed to talk about the future of the Town Memorial Building (aka our current town hall) that will be vacant when we relocate to 83 Green Street. Please know that we haven’t forgotten, and we will look for opportunity to discuss that soon. As to the Halliwell property, while many good suggestions were offered, the highlights for me were three that clearly were among the thought leaders. They are, don’t sell the property, it could be a great community center site and a professional land use study of the property should be accomplished.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Agendas can be found on the Secretary of State Website by
(Agendas in PDF form will be posted next to the corresponding meeting, if available, before this newsletter is published.)

Town Council Meeting ( Agenda )
Monday, March 16, 2020, at 6:45 pm
North Smithfield Middle School
1850 Providence Pike
North Smithfield, RI 02896

Asset Management Meeting ( Agenda )
Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at 6:30 pm
Memorial Town Hall
1 Main Street
Slatersville, RI 02876

Conservation Commission Meeting ( Agenda )
Rescheduled from March 11th
Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at 6:30 pm
Memorial Town Hall
1 Main Street
Slatersville, RI 02876

Sewer Commission Meeting ( Agenda )
Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at 7:00 pm
Primrose Fire Station
1470 Providence Pike
North Smithfield, RI 02896

Budget Committee Meeting ( Agenda )
Thursday, March 19, 2020, at 6:00 pm
Memorial Town Hall
1 Main Street
Slatersville, RI 02876
The North Smithfield Heritage Association


Please note that the Native American and Colonial Stone Features Research Team meets every Friday at 3:30 PM at Heritage Hall. Help is welcomed!

For more information about upcoming events, historic cemetery tours, restoration projects, genealogy, hall rentals and membership, visit  www.nsheritageassn.org  or on Facebook. 
Please note that all programs and activities for NS Seniors at Scouters Hall will be suspended as of Monday, March 16 th . This suspension will last at least two weeks, when public health concerns and all schedules will be reevaluated. Please contact NS Parks & Rec Coordinator, Kate Pasquariello, with any questions. Kate can be reached at kpasquariello@nsmithfieldri.org
(401) 767-2200, Ext. 345. We will follow up with further details when they become available – please stay tuned.

TOWN OF NORTH SMITHFIELD

NOTICE OF VOTER REGISTRATION

The Town Clerk’s office, located at 575 Smithfield Road, is open the following hours to receive new voter registrations and to correct names and addresses of registered voters:

  • Mon. thru Wed. - 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
  • Thurs.                  - 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.
  • Fri.                        - 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.

For those residents who are not already registered to vote, the last date to register to be eligible to vote in the Presidential Preference Primary Election scheduled for
April 28, 2020 is:

SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020, FROM 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Voter registration forms will be made available in the lobby of the North Smithfield Police Station, 575 Smithfield Road.

Mail Ballot Applications are available and must be returned to the Town Clerk’s office no later than 4:00 P.M. on April 7, 2020. PLEASE NOTE: The state’s Board of Elections is encouraging all cities/towns to push for more people to vote using the mail-in ballot method this year due to the Coronavirus. 
2020 PumpkinFest
  
Mark your calendars for our:
  
14th Annual 
North Smithfield 
Great Pumpkin Festival
Saturday, September 19, 2020
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
North Smithfield High School Grounds

The next committee meeting will be held via email on March 18th at 6:00 PM. If anyone has any comments, suggestions, ideas or input, please email ns.pumpkinfest@gmail.com .

The  2020 Scholarship Application   is now available and
must be submitted by May 1st
to be considered for this year's scholarship.


UNFORTUNATELY, PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT BELOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED. IT WILL BE RESCHEDULED AT A LATER DATE.


Department of Public Works
will begin street sweeping
in the Slatersville Area on
Monday, March 16, 2020,
weather permitting. 
 
For additional information, contact 767-2200, X348.
Seed Starting Workshop

Learn tips and techniques to successfully
start your own vegetables and flowers from
seed. Meet your fellow gardeners!

Saturday, March 14th, 10 am at
Scouter's Hall, Pacheco Park.

FREE

North Smithfield Parks and Recreation


National Grid Aerial Transmission Inspections
Winter 2020
Please note that National Grid will be conducting a series aerial inspections of sub transmission electric lines in Rhode Island starting Friday, February 14th, and are expected to go through to the end of March (weather dependent).
 
The inspections require the helicopter to hover over transmission structures as high-resolution photos are taken. The inspections/photos will support engineering analysis of the transmission line structures. These aerial inspections complement the regularly-conducted, ground-level inspections by quickly and efficiently covering National Grid’s sub transmission system, even across rugged and isolated terrain.

The helicopter inspections are conducted by experienced trained personnel using high-powered gyroscopic binoculars and infrared technology. They are particularly interested in signs of wear- on power line conductors and lightning protection devices; damaged or leaning structures; loose or broken guy wires; broken, chipped or cracked insulator equipment and trees leaning toward the lines or into the transmission corridors.
 
Thank you in advance for your cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your National Grid Community Manager.
The annual Clean & Green Day will be on
April 25th this year. Please mark your calendars! 

The committee could use one or two additional members. 
Please email nscleanandgreen@gmail.com if you are interested.
for the North Smithfield/
Lincoln/Cumberland
Prevention Coalition
February Newsletter

Filled with lots of great information for parents!!
North Smithfield Residents Food Pantry
Slatersville Congregational Church
25 Green Street
Slatersville, RI 02876


We currently need volunteers to: 
  -  Help with pickup and delivery of donated food. A regular vehicle will do.  
  - Help on Wednesday and Friday mornings 9:30-10:15 to sort food,
and we need supervisors for those two times.  
   - Help when the food pantry is open the last two Tuesdays of the month 5:30 - 7 pm and the last two Saturdays 10 - 11 am to help with clients and carry bags to clients' cars.  
    - Coordinate the food rescue and distribution program, requires 4-5 hours a week. 
 
Are any of these interesting to you? Please contact Rev Eileen at 769-2773.

The flavor of the month for MARCH is BAKED BEANS !

Any donations or monetary gifts for the food pantry can be dropped off at the Slatersville Congregational Church between 9:00 am and noon. You can also mail monetary gifts to
P.O. Box 1128, Slatersville, RI 02876.

An additional drop box for food items is available at the Town Hall during regular business hours.
Please note that the Rabies Clinic, scheduled for March 28th at the Primrose Fire Station, has been cancelled. A new date has not been rescheduled at this time.
Our North Smithfield Animal Shelter is in
Need of Volunteers

 We are ALWAYS looking for good volunteers! We require a minimum of one shift per month (hours are usually in the morning and about 2-3 hours long). We need people who love cats and/or dogs. Duties include cleaning, feeding and giving general loving! We work with your schedule (mornings) and provide full training.
18+ applicants only. 

If you are interested in volunteering, please call us at (401) 766-0377.

This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.