Town of Smithfield
news & updates
|
|
|
September 1, 2020 | Issue 10 |
|
Town of Smithfield PawSox Scholarship Recipients Honored at McCoy Stadium |
|
On Friday, August 15th the PawSox welcomed Hannah Hardy and Caitlin Bessette to McCoy Stadium for a ceremonial presentation of their $1,000 Town of Smithfield PawSox college scholarships. Hannah and Caitlin were joined by their families and were treated to dinner during one of the PawSox “Diamond Dining” nights in the outfield at McCoy. |
|
The Restore Rhode Island Grant Program allocates $50 million of CARES Act
funding to support our state’s small businesses effected by the COVID-19
crisis. Twenty percent of the funding is designated for minority-owned
business enterprises.
This is one element in a $100 million+ package of emergency financial
support for Rhode Island’s small businesses that have been impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
|
|
How much money can you receive?
Grants of up to $15,000 are available for eligible Rhode Island businesses impacted by COVID-19. Grant amounts will be calculated based on the number of employees and the degree of revenue loss.
Is your business eligible?
Program eligibility includes the following:
-
Limited to COVID-19 impacted businesses that demonstrate a greater than 30% or 50% revenue loss depending on industry (with the highest award amounts reserved for severely-impacted businesses experiencing greater than 50% revenue loss).
- Small businesses with at least one W-2 employee in addition to the owner and up to 20 FTEs. The employee cap does not apply to restaurants/caterers.
- Must have a physical presence in Rhode Island.
- Must be open or have a plan to reopen within the next 60 days.
Additional industry eligibility rules & company specific rules apply. Visit CommerceRI.com for more information.
|
|
Smithfield Public Schools - Reopening Plan Update |
Smithfield Public Schools are continuing to provide a weekly Return to School Committee Report. Within the report they will provide updates concerning their reopening plan as it continues to evolve with new guidance coming from RIDE and RI Department of Health, members of the community can keep up to date with fall planning through the district's COVID Reopening Page
|
|
In a continued effort to provide the Smithfield community and others with information on police department activities and promote positive aspects of the police department, we have set up an Instagram account. We invite you to follow us at smithfield_police.
|
|
So far this year the tropics have been very active with named tropical storms and hurricanes. Planning for hurricanes and other potential disasters can be stressful, and because the 2020 hurricane season comes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it may be especially so.
Here are some tips to help you and your family stay safe during the remaining hurricane season.
Prepare for a hurricane
- Understand that your planning may be different this year because of the need to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
-
Give yourself more time than usual to prepare your emergency food, water, and medicine supplies. Home delivery is the safest choice for buying disaster supplies; however, that may not be an option for everyone. If in-person shopping is your only choice, take steps to protect your and others’ health when running essential errands.
-
Protect yourself and others when filling prescriptions by limiting in-person visits to the pharmacy. Sign up for mail order delivery or call in your prescription ahead of time and use drive-through windows or curbside pickup, if available.
-
Pay attention to local guidance about updated plans for evacuations and shelters, including shelters for your pets.
-
When you check on neighbors and friends, be sure to follow social distancing recommendations (staying at least 6 feet from others) and other CDC recommendations to protect yourself and others.
Staying with friends or family
If you will be staying with friends or family outside your household to evacuate from the storm:
- Talk to the people you plan to stay with about how you can all best protect yourselves from COVID-19.
-
Consider if either of your households has someone who is at higher risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19, including older adults or people of any age who have underlying medical conditions. Make sure everyone knows what they can do to keep them safe from COVID-19.
-
Follow everyday preventive actions, including covering coughs and sneezes, washing your hands often, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Consider taking extra precautions for people living in close quarters.
-
Know what to do if someone in your family or in the household you are staying with becomes sick with COVID-19. Take steps to keep your pets safe.
Stay safe after a hurricane
In addition to following guidance for staying safe and healthy after a hurricane, note that:
-
You should continue to follow preventive actions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, like washing your hands and wearing a mask during cleanup or when returning home.
-
It may take longer than usual to restore power and water if they are out. Take steps to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning if you use a generator. Portable generators should be run outdoors, away from the house and well ventilated.
- If you are injured or ill, contact your medical provider for treatment recommendations. Call 9-1-1 for all acute illnesses and significant injuries.
-
Dealing with disasters can cause stress and strong emotions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is natural to feel anxiety, grief, and worry. Coping with these feelings and getting help when you need it will help you, your family, and your community recover.
- If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.
- Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed-out bridges. If you must go out, watch for fallen objects in the road, downed electrical wires, and weakened walls, bridges, roads, and sidewalks that might collapse.
- Walk carefully around the outside of your home to check for loose power lines, gas leaks, and structural damage.
- Stay out of any building if you smell gas, if floodwaters remain around the building, if the building or home was damaged by fire, or if the authorities have not declared it safe.
- Use battery-powered flashlights. Do NOT use candles.
|
|
 |
Elementary Reconfiguration Project Update |
As we prepare to come back to school, construction continues to advance at McCabe, LaPerche and Old County Road Elementary Schools. Much of the work completed over the summer was related to sitework and utilities. As we head into the fall, the focus will be on constructing the new additions.
Students arriving at McCabe will notice a new north parking lot and a much-improved loop drive at the front of the school. Some interior painting has been completed, the administration area has seen some upgrades and toilet rooms have been renovated. There is also a crane onsite to support the new addition.
At LaPerche, paving and sidewalks are being placed to accommodate buses and teacher parking, windows have been replaced giving classrooms a light and airy feeling, and some painting and interior upgrades are complete. Improvements were also made to toilet rooms. Looking ahead, the foundation is already in place for the new addition.
At Old County Road, work is underway on the new addition that will ultimately house the new administration area, media center, maker space, and art and music rooms. For the fall, students will find a new temporary main entrance at the north side of the school and new toilet rooms.
The construction team welcomes everyone back to school!
|
|
|
|
Agendas, minutes, and presentations are posted on the school construction update page. |
|
Smithfield COVID-19
Support Fund
|
|
The Town of Smithfield has partnered up with John J. Tassoni,Jr. to create a COVID-19 Support Fund to help Smithfield residents who are in need of assistance. |
|
Gift Cards or Donations can be delivered or mailed to:
Smithfield Town Hall
c/o Town Manager, Randy Rossi
64 Farnum Pike
Smithfield, RI 02917
|
|
- Accepting Applications for the Smithfield Youth Council
-
The Town Manager is still accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Smithfield Youth Council.
-
The primary function of the Youth Council is to serve as a communications link between young residents of the Town and Town Government. Through the creation of this youth council the Smithfield Town Council and the Town of Smithfield have sent the message that our youth represent not only our future, but our present.
- Vacancies for Town Boards and Commissions
- The Town is currently seeking volunteers to serve on various boards and commissions. These boards and commissions act as advisory committees to the Town Council. Town residents with an interest in serving on any of these boards or commissions are encouraged to apply.
-
Interested parties should submit a letter of interest to the Town Manager’s Office, 64 Farnum Pike, Smithfield, RI 02917 along with an application form. A letter of interest may contain your interest or experience in the field of each particular board or commission that you are applying for and, optionally, resume information.
-
Check online for board & commission vacancies at Onboard click the “Run Report” button on the left of that page.
- The Smithfield Town Council has an initiative program called “Smithfield Samaritans,” and encourages anyone in the community to self-nominate or submit a name to the Town Manager, of a Smithfield resident or business in town who is doing or has performed an act of kindness or a good deed that is notable or charitable.
- The Town Council will review all nominations that are submitted and will each month select one individual or business to be recognized with a citation and the opportunity to speak at the council meeting explaining their good deeds “on the record.”
-
The nomination form is available online here as well as printed copies available in Town Hall.
|
|
It is our hope that the number of subscribers will continue to grow over time in an effort to reach most households and businesses in Town. If you have friends or family that may be interested in receiving our electronic newsletter, please forward them a copy. Subscribing to the electronic newsletter is easy and painless. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
