Four declare candidacy for No. Smithfield’s top office

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Top, left to right are Councilor Paul Zwolenski, Councilor Douglas Osier and bottom, Committee member Paul Jones and Jason Allard.

NORTH SMITHFIELD – North Smithfield is on track to have a contest for the town’s top office, with four candidates declaring their intent to run for the position of town administrator during declarations this week.

Longtime Council member Paul Zwolenski submitted papers for the position on Wednesday afternoon, along with first-term councilor Douglas Osier.

If all four candidates submit signed nomination papers for the non-partisan contest, the two are on track to compete against School Committee member Paul Jones and political newcomer Jason Allard, in a September primary. Current Administrator Gary Ezovski announced earlier this year that he would not seek a third term.

Zwolenski, a 67-year-old who has served on the board since 2004, works as an assistant professor at Johnson and Wales University College of Business and is a former town planner for town of North Smithfield. Osier is manager of business intelligence for a nonprofit healthcare provider who moved to town in 2016.

Jones, the owner of Providence-based The Care Concierge of New England, was first appointed to the committee in 2016, and secured an elected seat in the 2018 elections. Allard, a 54-year-old lifelong resident of the town and North Smithfield High School graduate, is the owner of J.C.A. Enterprises.

Thanks to changes passed in 2018 slated to take effect this year, the victor will served in the administrator’s office for four years rather than two.

And the $90,000 a year position was not the only one in North Smithfield to attract new contenders in 2020.

Twelve residents have declared their intent to run for five seats on the North Smithfield Town Council.

They include incumbent Council President Paul Vadenais and members Teresa Bartomioli and Claire O’Hara.

John Beauregard hopes to return to a seat on the board after losing his spot in 2018, and former Councilor Kimberly Alves has also thrown her name in the ring.

The list, released by the Secretary of State’s office late Wednesday afternoon, also includes Planning Board member Megan Staples, along with Ana Parsons; Cheryl Marandola; Christopher Simpkins; Christopher Chamberland; Claudinne Finnegan and Stephen Corriveau.

There will be no contest, meanwhile for the three seats open on the School Committee, where incumbent members Margaret Votta, Jean Meo and James Lombardi intend to seek reelection, and no challengers submitted declaration papers this week.

A second charter change passed in 2018 will decrease the number of committee members from 7 to 5, eliminating the two appointed positions currently held by Christine Charest and Francesca Johannis.

NRI NOW is offering all local candidates the opportunity to discuss their background and platform. Those interest should send biographic information to sandy@nrinow.news

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