North Smithfield Town Council Meeting - December 01, 2025
Meeting — December 1, 2025
Meeting overview
Agenda at a glance
| Agenda item | Summary | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Session | Two litigation matters: Tomasetti v. Town (federal case) and statewide pension litigation. | No reportable action |
| Leo’s Auto Junkyard License — First Public Hearing | License expired this date. Attorney hired day-of, requested continuance; declined. Testimony from fire marshal, zoning officer, police chief, and 12+ neighbors. Council allowed 14-day window for crushing/removal only. | Continued to Dec 15 (5-0); abatement-only |
| Public Safety Complex Bond Ordinance ($9M) | Second reading. Amended to add Feb 3, 2026 voter referendum date. Voter approval required. $1.5M from existing balance may reduce amount needed. | Approved 5-0 |
| Annual Board & Committee Reappointments | Lengthy block. Ryan Hammond to Budget Committee and Planning Board Alternate. DeCristofaro proposed exit survey for resignations. Conservation Commission: 3-4 open seats. | All approved 5-0 |
| Payment of Bills | Routine. | Approved 5-0 |
Key issues and discussion
Leo’s Auto Junkyard License — First Public Hearing
The junkyard license for HT Auto LLC (Leo’s Auto) at 955 Iron Mine Hill Road expired on December 1. The owner’s attorney (Zangieri), hired the same day, emailed at 12:58 PM requesting a continuance. The council declined and proceeded with the hearing.
Fire Marshal Captain LeBarre testified to a pattern of violations: a May 6 violation for blocked fire access was cleared by end of May, but a November 20 inspection found the access aisle blocked for approximately 500 of 700 feet with cars stacked three-high. A follow-up on November 24 showed little to no improvement. By December 1, improvement was visible but the 20-foot NFPA standard was not yet met throughout.
Zoning Officer Cody identified two violations: (1) expansion past property boundaries (non-conforming use) and (2) inadequate screening/fencing. He noted the operation had shifted to bulk/wholesale scale — trailer-truck volumes, not the flatbed-scale of prior owners — and that in the past month more had come in than left. A crusher arrived the prior week (supposed to arrive by October per municipal court order).
Police Chief Lafferty testified the department had responded multiple times for after-hours work, trucks blocking the roadway, and holiday operations. Workers told to stop would leave and return. He noted the department has no ticket authority for after-hours violations — only summons — and enforcement ultimately defers to zoning and license renewal.
Over a dozen neighbors testified, documenting a four-year pattern of chronic violations: operations at 2:42 AM, Saturday operations past the 2 PM close, shipping containers arriving monthly with cars shipped internationally, encroachment on neighboring properties, trees cut onto power lines, a school bus unable to drop off a child safely, confrontations with workers in neighbors’ yards, and an inability to name a hazardous waste hauler. Stan Zuba cited specific DBR denial grounds including the active consent order for no record-keeping.
The council voted 5-0 (Punchak’s motion) to allow HT Auto LLC to operate December 1–15 solely to crush and remove vehicles — no new deliveries, no new product received. The license decision was continued to December 15. DeCristofaro stated on record: if she hears the business operates outside this scope before December 15, she will vote to not renew.
Public Safety Complex Bond Ordinance ($9M)
Second reading of the general obligation bond ordinance authorizing up to $9M for police station construction and rehabilitation. Bond counsel Ellen Corneau (Savage Law Partners) was present and explained typographical corrections from the first reading. The ordinance was amended to add a February 3, 2026 voter referendum date and the property address. Voter approval is required before bonds can be issued.
The town can expend general treasury funds before the vote and reimburse itself from bond proceeds under IRS Section 150 reimbursement rules. DeCristofaro clarified for the public that passing this ordinance does not commit the town to $9M in bonds — it only authorizes the ability to issue them pending voter approval. There was also discussion of $1.5M from an existing bond balance that could reduce the amount needed. Passed 5-0.
Annual Board & Committee Reappointments
A lengthy block of annual appointments, all passed 5-0. Key appointments included Ryan Hammond to the Budget Committee (3-year term) and Planning Board Alternate 1 (1-year). DeCristofaro raised concern about multiple committee resignations during the year with no explanation and proposed creating an exit survey for departing members; the clerk agreed to collaborate. The Conservation Commission had 3-4 open seats after resignations and non-responses, flagged as a board in need of new volunteers.
Public comments
| Speaker | Summary |
|---|---|
| CJ Roy (“Carrie”) 957 Iron Mine Hill Road, (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Extensive slide presentation. Shipping containers arriving monthly (3-4 current month) — cars shipped internationally. Operations documented at 2:42 AM. Saturday operations past 2 PM close. Cars parked on her property repeatedly. |
| Stan Zuba 910 Iron Mine Hill Road, (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Cited DBR denial grounds: bad faith/dishonesty/incompetency (active consent order for no record-keeping, July 2025), jeopardizing public health/safety. Asked owner directly who his hazardous waste hauler was — owner could not name one. |
| Tim Coulombe 1050 Iron Mine Hill Road, (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Property in Woonsocket Reservoir aquifer zone. ‘Where is all the oil going when they crush cars?’ Crusher noise during holidays. |
| Karen Jones 950 Iron Mine Hill Road, (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Directly across street. Trucks back up using her driveway, headlights into house. Trees cut fell onto power lines. Daughter’s school bus cannot drop her at driveway — child walks on narrow dark road at 6:30 AM. |
| Maddie Zuba 910 Iron Mine Hill Road, (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Woken by screaming — confrontation in neighbor’s yard on a day cars were lined up for delivery. She intervened to de-escalate. |
| Zach Colom 1050 Iron Mine Hill Road, (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Nov 18: police shut down after-hours operation at 5:30 PM. At 6 PM, tow truck tried to use his front yard as turnaround, then blocked road 30 minutes to unload. |
| Ralph Ferrer 971 Iron Mine Hill Road, (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Lifelong neighbor, supportive. Says it’s cleaner and quieter now than under prior owners. |
| Ismail Jouf Woonsocket (customer), (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Buys engines from owner. Agrees owner needs to comply. Says owner is a decent man. |
| Brian Hammond Iron Mine Hill Road, (Leo’s Auto hearing) |
Conditional support: ‘trust but verify.’ Town should conduct unannounced spot checks. Cited DBR denial grounds based on consent order. |