North Smithfield Town Council - April 6, 2026
Meeting — April 6, 2026
Meeting overview
Agenda at a glance
| Agenda item | Summary | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Open Forum | Public comment period; three residents spoke (see Public Comments). | 3 speakers |
| Eagle Scout Citation | Recipient not in attendance; citation to be signed by the Council President rather than presented live. | Deferred |
| Board of Licensing — Keystone Fireworks | Peddler/hawker sales license, seasonal renewal, 900 Victory Highway. | Approved |
| Payment of Bills ($376,197.69) | Routine. | Approved |
| FY2025 Audit Presentation | Independent auditors presented the June 30, 2025 audit; unmodified opinion; two financial-statement findings and one federal single-audit finding. | Presented; no vote |
| Old Business: Police Station Renovation — Status | Special Council meeting to be scheduled April 27 to review the GMP; elevator confirmed not required; ADA compliance review requested out of caution. | Update |
| Pound Hill Realty Zoning Petition / Mediation | Public hearing continuation and related mediation items continued to April 20 due to ongoing mediation. Councilwoman DeCristofaro recused. | Continued |
| Grants Status Update | Police dispatch grant ($500,000, received); congressional appropriation requests; USDA grant; planned CDBG reapplication. | Update |
| Axon Taser Contract / IT Support | Five-year contract with Axon Enterprises to upgrade from Taser 7 to Taser 10, including a budget-contingent appropriation clause. | Approved |
Key issues and discussion
FY2025 Audit Presentation
The town's independent auditors presented the audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, with an unmodified (clean) opinion. Governmental activities ended the year with a net position of $43.3 million and increased net position by $7.4 million during the year; the general fund ended with a $13.4 million total fund balance ($7.9 million unassigned) and a $2 million budgetary surplus. Two financial-statement findings were reported — one on capital asset reconciliation and one related to the police detail billing account — plus one federal single-audit finding on suspension and debarment.
The Finance Director confirmed the capital-assets finding is a recurring, prior-year item the town is working to resolve. The Town Administrator noted the town's current auditing firm is exiting the auditing business and a new auditor must be selected for next fiscal year.
Police Station Renovation — Status and Next Steps
The Town Administrator reported that a special Council meeting will be scheduled for April 27 to review the project's final Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) and other outstanding issues. The state has confirmed an elevator is not required for the renovated building; even so, the Council requested a full ADA compliance review out of caution, which the Administrator said will not delay the project's first phase. Work is also underway to connect the police dispatch system to a nonprofit fiber network funded by a previously awarded $500,000 grant.
A proposal was made to hold a future Council meeting at the police station itself, both to let the public see the building's current condition firsthand and to allow an informal tour; the Town Solicitor confirmed this is permissible.
Grants Status
The Town Administrator provided an update on active grant applications: a $500,000 police dispatch infrastructure grant has been received; an $824,000 congressional appropriation request has been split into two project elements tied to the police station project; a roughly $930,000 infrastructure request covering stormwater management, road reconstruction, parking, and period lighting near Scouters Hall and Main Street has been submitted; and a roughly $470,000 USDA grant tied to a Pacheco Park-area vision has also been pursued. The town's grant writer will begin appearing before the Council on a quarterly basis, starting at the first meeting in May.
Axon Taser Contract
The Police Chief requested authorization to enter a five-year contract with Axon Enterprises to transition the department from Taser 7 to Taser 10 devices, driven by the current fleet's five-year warranty/support window expiring before the new fiscal year's budget would be approved. The contract includes a budget-contingent appropriation clause. Council members questioned an apparent discrepancy in contract term lengths listed on different pages of the proposal; after discussion, the discrepancy was resolved as a software-support bridge period tied to original delivery timing. The Council approved the contract and authorized the Town Administrator to sign it.
Public comments
| Speaker | Summary |
|---|---|
| Kevin Carriere Opening Forum |
Presented voter-registration data for North Smithfield (roughly 500 eligible adults not registered to vote) and noted that down-ticket turnout consistently trails presidential-ticket turnout. Proposed low-cost, nonpartisan steps to make voting easier, including adding election dates to the town website calendar and coordinating with the high school to register graduating seniors. |
| Lou Macaron Opening Forum |
Invited the Council to the Little League and Girls' Softball opening day parade and games on Saturday, April 18, marking the league's 74th opening day. |
| Mike Clifford Opening Forum |
Asked whether the public would be able to question the auditors directly, then submitted questions for the Council to relay regarding audit hours, police detail billing, and the town's financial advisor's fees. |
| Kevin Carriere Second appearance |
Clarified that a town-budget visualization website he built was primarily his own analysis of public budget documents, with limited AI assistance used for web design rather than the underlying numbers. Offered to correct any specific inaccuracies identified. |