NORTH SMITHFIELD – School officials are clarifying the status of a proposal to expand parking by the high school athletic fields, noting that recent discussion of costs and progress have not been accurate.
The discussion this week follows reports that utilized an initial diagram that was sent out with a request for design/build proposals for the project and is expected to change, and cost estimates that did not reflect the current potential price tag.
“It was an illustration of what was yet to come,” said Supt. Michael St. Jean of a diagram displayed briefly during last month’s School Committee meeting. “That’s what design/build is. All of the surveying and permitting – they are part of the design/build. They will be done. Any approved parking expansion plans will follow all code and Department of Health requirements.”
St. Jean’s statements follow reports stating that the proposal could violate Rhode Island Department of Health regulations for public drinking water and compound contamination issues with the high school’s water. The draft diagram showed pavement in an area close to one of two wells that feed the high school and middle school.
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances – or PFAS – were discovered in a well located in a different area of the school grounds last year, but the district has since entered a consent agreement with RIDOH to remediate the problem with the help of federal funding.
Joey Sevigny, a member of the town Budget Committee who is running for Town Council, noted recent media reports on the issue were vague.
“Some residents have reached out to me concerned about their wells,” said Sevigny. “Are there any studies going on? What’s going to happen with that?”
Resident and abutter Leona Zuba said she also had concerns after reading an article published last week about the project.
“Our neighbors have concerns regarding the effects of any contamination if there is a possibility of it contaminating our wells,” Zuba said.
“This School Committee has not voted on it, has not taken a position on it, or anything like that,” responded School Committee Chairman James Lombardi. “We are obviously going to go through the Department of Health.”
“Obviously, social media has taken over, but we haven’t even addressed anything yet,” said Lombardi. “We will do that in public, and have a discussion about it.”
“I don’t respond,” Lombardi said of posts he said showed inaccurate information. “I don’t govern by social media.”
“Everything is going to be reviewed and surveyed,” added St. Jean.
Officials said a price recently quoted in reports regarding the project – $396,000 – was also inaccurate, noting the cost should be closer to $209,000, and the proposed expenditure would be eligible for a 35 percent reimbursement from the Rhode Island Department of Education.
“That was an itemized list of everything in the RFP,” said St. Jean. “That’s not the actual price.”
St. Jean noted that anyone concerned about PFAS should know the the school district is now working closely with RIDOH.
“I just wanted to clarify some of the concerns that were out there,” he said.
I watched the meeting on YouTube and found the laughter on the subject of PFAS between Jim Lombardi and Bob St. Jean, callous and disturbing as it related to the children’s playground ground cover. The last thing we need in this town is PFAS deniers elected to our Town Council and School Committee. Lastly, Bob St. Jean is incapable of the position to which he was hired…he distracts with shiny objects as opposed to educational advancement. When his contract is up, he should be let go.
Who’s Bob St. Jean?
The Superintendent of Schools..
I always call him Bob for some reason, but it’s Michael.
Mea culpa, Michael.
For some inexplicable reason there appears to be a belief that I am an elected official and/or have decision making abilities. My “role within the process” is to identify, inform, and promote. And that’s it, the extent of my powers.
Tell me how that specific process is any different from what Michael Clifford typically does? And Mary, do you take any issue with his actions?
Conspiracy theories are for those unacquainted with facts and reality. Fact is, I am just trying to help, and will continue to do so.
Tony Guertin
Helping with alternate facts is not helping. Promoting those alternate facts is not helping. You’ve been proven wrong a lot. Please stick to actual facts, that is actually helping. Why you stay with your conspiracy theories, is beyond me, but you do you.
BM – You must have mastered Kamala’s word salad online zoom program!!
If that’s a salad, maybe you should digest it. It just might help you learn a thing or two.
Thank you Tony, for the clarification that you have been involved in assisting the Superintendent. This is the equivalent of too many “cooks in the kitchen.” The next Town Administrator needs to make it perfectly clear: no more “unelected help.” You and John have demonstrated that you “act on your own.” We need an individual TA that takes us into the next century and provides us with a vision that does more than increase parking lot size, invest in solar development and acquire more artificial turf. I hope that the individual elected will make informed decisions that benefit all taxpayers, young and older. North Smithfield needs “change,” and not a gaggle of you, John, Claire and Joey.
Are you familiar with NSMS Mary? Nearly 20 years ago, I sat on the committee that pushed for passage of the construction bond (and thank goodness we have it). How about Veterans Memorial Stadium? I chaired the committee that spearheaded the drive to name VMS and purchase/install the monument. The concession stand and bathrooms at VMS? I helped to drive that initiative (and I have disagreed with the manner in which it and the complex is managed, but again, my superpowers are limited). And I chaired the P&R Commission when we advocated for the purchase of the property adjacent to the Pacheco Park entrance (sadly, purchased but still unimproved). All volunteer positions that I firmly believe have helped to improve NS.
“The next Town Administrator needs to make it perfectly clear: no more “unelected help.”” That’s chilling. Suppression of free speech is quite simply un-American.
I agree, when someone calls someone’s job trying to use a scare tactic/bully/suppress their freedom of speech, it is quite un-American. However, what we have here is just the opposite. The fact that you don’t know what that is, means you shouldn’t be in charge. Yikes.
Tony, I am well familiar with the NSMS and the VMS. In fact, many times I attempted to go there to run and have had the gates locked. As far as the concession stand, we know what you and John had to push through to have that realized, which has now resulted in flooding to many areas in town. Congratulations, should we name something after you?
Your actions, as well as your friend have resulted in much chaos and lack of transparency in every endeavor that you both undertake. You go behind everyone’s back without regard for process. I would love to know your involvement in this process as to who contacted you: Jim, Bob, Alan Sepe? This is my concern. You do not even sit on any committee relative to the solicitation of bids. If you do, please advise….and yes, the next TA has to evaluate those rogue actors who act as elected officials.
So the concession stand at the field has caused flooding in many areas of town?
I mean, if that’s what you want to say about something you supported, by all means go for it. You might want to tell Tony to stop calling you un-American first though, but your list of priorities is wonky.
No John, I believe I was referencing the various solar developments that involved the clear cutting of hundreds of acres of trees. I am sure that your awareness of this issue has escaped your mind, but many have appeared before the TC talking about flooding and foundational issues. But yes, thank you so much for the concession stand, run for the most part by WWIS.
Not for the most part Mary it’s 100% run by WWIS/ATM/MACH-1 or whatever shell company these thieves use. That flat fee of $35k is a joke compared to what these guys make and HOW they make it.
NSSD needs to take back oversight and control of that field as well as concession stand. PERIOD! All rental
proceeds, concession revenues and gate fees should be given back to the schools and our kids. Just because the facility has a kitchen, doesn’t mean we NEED to sell crap food. We can get by with chips, fruit and some drinks. That would eliminate the RIDOH concerns.
This is pure laziness at its finest by our school facilities department.
Where there is a will, there is a way!
The main differences between what I do and what you do Tony, is that I address all the issues in a public forum by using my Cliff Notes FB page and by speaking at Town Council meetings. Your style is to promote your ideas privately using the backroom deal making closed door method. After you’ve secured your votes then you advocate publicly. Most importantly, I always consider the long term effects of any initiatives before jumping onboard, while you never give any consideration to the tax rate or the impact of debt service on operating budgets.
A perfect example is the Middle School project. You promoted the most expensive option and after the first vote was defeated you pushed for the $30 million construction project in a “special election”. Soon after the school opened student course offering were cut because carrying the burden of a $30 million bond payment crippled all town and school operating budgets. The industrial arts classrooms, foreign language labs and Home Economics classrooms with all that expensive equipment were dismantled and staff were eliminated which severely limited elective course offering for students. The bond payments also caused the inability to properly maintain town infrastructure.
Given the problems that have come to light recently, I certainly wouldn’t brag about your efforts regarding the concession stand and turf field if I were you. I’m also not buying your claim of being in the dark about the lease agreement with WWIS. Actually, I seem to remember you and others suggested hiring a firm to manage the facilities once the new turf field, concession stand and restrooms were completed stating it would be a great idea. Wasn’t the claim made that a professional company managing the facilities would bring in much more revenue from rentals when you were promoting those “improvements”? Did you speak up at the School Committee meeting to protest the first lease agreement? Did you attend and speak against extending the contract at the School Committee meeting when they voted to take that action?
Recently, you promoted the most expensive option for the police station by advocating for the $18 million new construction after you and your friends deep sixed the renovation project in 2016. All of this illustrates you are NOT a person of vision Tony; you are simply the town’s big spender.
Mr. Clifford – please cite a specific example of any “backroom deals” I personally have made. Any and all messages I send advocating for any improvements are sent to the TC, the SC and local media. There is nothing I do that could be considered hidden. And my (recent) reluctance to attend TC meetings is in direct correlation to the current TC President enabling you to become a 6th TC representative. I really don’t want to be in your presence – just you, and at all.
Your unfounded accusations and self-serving commentary are exactly why. Why don’t you ever mention that NS’s long-term debt is rapidly declining? I believe it’s quite simply because you really want to hold us back. Just like when you wanted to move the 8th grade back to NSHS. You have no concern for education or improvements, but only in diminishing expenses, and nothing more.
Say what you will about the Dr. Paul F. Joyce and Veterans Memorial Stadium’s concession stand. I advocated for a NSHS Pathways program to manage the facility, but SD officials determined otherwise. Apparently I don’t make final decisions after all.
And I stand by my opposition to putting good taxpayer dollars into a bad old school building. Per voter approval, we should now spend only a minimal amount as is required on a building Tecton Architects has said cannot be made code compliant.
Your blatherings will no doubt continue, and I’m sure the attacks will ramp up. Regardless, the bottom line is my hope that the Town of NS can move forward and improve despite your negativity – and whether or not I am elected to the NS Town Council, I intend to continue to try to help.
Thankfully, as expected, Tony has continued to talk and bury himself further in a hole that he seems to not be able to recover from. Should a member running for council really speak to residents this way? Should these insults continue from members running? After all, he’s even called a “friend” of their’s, un-American, for their suppression of the 1st amendment right people are entitled to. Does the this really represent the will of the people? If he’s willingly doing in public, can only imagine how he really acts behind closed doors.
Thankfully no one listens to you as you have morphed into Clifford’s parrot or circus monkey!
Mr. Clifford – you should distance yourself from this person as he and his incoherent rants tarnish whatever credibility you have or think you have. If he is part of the Clifford poodle pack, lord help you!
BM – find a hobby, play with your kids, take your wife out on a date instead of arguing with anyone and everyone online. You’ve claimed you can’t run or serve officially due to your responsibilities yet you are online 24/7 just spewing nonsense and instigating trouble.
I spew factual information, that you disagree with, is what you’re trying to say. I have many hobbies, some I had to break from (priorities of hobbies mainly), thank you for caring. Still very active in my other hobbies that I’m engaged in. What makes you think I’m not able to do everything while still finding time for healthy debates? So if you say I am a parrot of Mike, what does that make Tony and the other pitbulls (their term).
As usual Tony, you didn’t answer the questions I asked of you and you made false claims. You do send some emails to the press, but not all. I’ve got many where you cc’d just other town officials. I can understand why you wouldn’t share some because they reveal your bullying and threatening nature. Your actions demonstrate a propensity to hide your true agenda and plot and plan in private small group meetings.
I didn’t mention “diminishing long term debt” service in this post but
I have cautioned the Town Council that savings from retired debt payments will not be a miracle cure, like you seem to suggest. Income from tangibles is diminishing and large increases in operating budgets are coming down the road like the new teacher contract and the operating budget for a senior center to name a few. What you proposed is to bury the town in debt once again just as you have done in the past without forecasting future expenses and revenues.
With regard to the WWIS lease to manage the fields, you didn’t provide information of how you argued against the deal. You provided no meeting dates where you spoke against it. Furthermore, when people criticized the deal on social media you mocked and ridiculed them.
You’ve just acknowledged you have no intention to support a full renovation of the police station and its’s clear that you and John plan to put a proposal on the ballot once again for the Taj Mahal station. You have never respected the voters wishes as evidenced by your involvement in overturning several votes because you didn’t like the first results.
I’ll gladly cite a specific example of a “backroom deal” issue which you were participated in as soon as you answer my questions and provide evidence that you publicly argued against the lease “deal”.
Interestingly, the communications also mention solar canopies. I also read names within the emails to include Anthony and Tony, so it would seem to me that Mr. Guertin did have some involvement in this project. Tony, please feel free to clarify your role within the process. Thanking you in advance for the clarification.
Who are the 2 people ? And what personal agenda do they have Dave T.?
This very informational article shows Michael St Jean lacks the appropriate administrative skills to assess the school department needs, create a cost benefit analysis, produce a complete RFP, critically think, and properly comminate a complete well thought out executable plan. Anyone who votes to spend $396,000 or $209,000 on a parking lot that is not even needed and creates very little value is not someone who has the best interest of the taxpayers of North Smithfield. Second the Superintendent should be creating multiple options that help solve a problem instead of one high cost idea suggested by 2 people.
Lombardi comments are also a bit frightening as you should have a discussion well before you issue an RFP. What should have happened is the school committee should have approved a study which would include multiple options to be done to determine the feasibility of a parking lot and other options and a rough estimate of the cost of a parking lot and other options and then if you think you can build a parking and the approximate cost is affordable and reasonable then issue an RFP or approve option B,C, or D. You could have also issued an RFI if you needed additional information to make an informed decision. Again this was an idea by 2 people with zero research and concern for cost to execute a personal agenda.