Yard waste, tax study: Five things to know in North Smithfield this week

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North Smithfield Elementary School counselor Diana Comtois will be receiving WJAR's Golden Apple Award.

Camp Phoenix survey

The staff at Camp Phoenix are looking to get feedback to determine if there is enough interest in attending the camp for it to feasibly open this year with the new COVID-19 guidelines.

“Camp will look very different this year, as we will need to follow guidelines put in place by the state,” noted a release. “These guidelines will be made available once it is decided if we can in fact open. It will involve social distancing, limited activities, strict stable groupings, daily temperature checks, etc.”

Those with interest in sending kids to the camp this summer are asked to fill out the survey, found here, by Monday, June 1.

Yard waste collection resumes

Curbside yard waste collection will resume in North Smithfield on Monday, June 1. 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 Spring collection season runs from Monday, June 1 through Friday, July 24.

Drop-off hours at the Highway Garage at 281 Quaker Highway, will continue on Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 – 6 p.m. 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. Do not leave items outside the gate after business hours.

For additional information, contact 767-2200, Ext. 348.

Golden Apple

North Smithfield Elementary School’s Diana Comtois has been named the district’s newest Golden Apple Award recipient.

“As the school counselor for North Smithfield Elementary School, Comtois is exceptional at connecting with families,” noted an announcement on the award. “She is always willing to help out and go above and beyond to ensure that our students’ needs, whether they are emotional, physical or academic, are yet. Throughout this pandemic, she, with our social services team, has worked tirelessly to connect with our families as a variety of needs have surfaced. She is running lunch groups, individual and group counseling sessions and providing families with support as they work to establish a consistent routine in this ‘new normal.'”

NBC 10 WJAR’s Patrice Wood held a virtual meeting with Comtois to celebrate the recognition last week. The segment is scheduled to air Thursday, June 11 on the 6 p.m. news and again the following morning during the Sunrise show. It will also be posted to WJAR’s website.

Property tax study

The nonprofit research organization Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council recently performed a property tax study for the town of North Smithfield. The non-partisan group’s stated goal is to ensure Rhode Island government is run effectively, efficiently, and equitably.

The 64-page study compares the town’s tax system with the state as a whole, suggesting alternative approaches for how the burden could be divided. The full document can be found here.

Town meetings

The North Smithfield Budget Committee will hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday, May 26 starting at 6 p.m. The agenda and instructions to join can be found here.

The North Smithfield Zoning Board will hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday, May 26 starting at 7 p.m. The agenda and instructions to join can be found here. 

The North Smithfield Planning Board will hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday, May 26 starting at 7:05 p.m. for an agenda that includes final plan application for the solar development on Iron Mine Hill Road. Instructions to join can be found here.

The North Smithfield School Committee will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, May 27 starting at 6:30 p.m. An agenda and instructions to join can be found here.

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