Note: The below is an open letter to the residents of North Smithfield.
On February 3rd, you will have the opportunity to finally address the problem of a severely deteriorated police headquarters. The existing building is a retrofitted school building constructed in 1929, which has not been renovated since its conversion to a police station in 1982. The current facility requires substantial attention and does not meet current policing standards. A special election will be held on February 3rd to vote on a bond referendum, which will authorize the Town of North Smithfield to borrow up to $9 million to fund the complete renovation of the police facility at 575 Smithfield Road.
In 2023, North Smithfield voters rejected a bond referendum to expend $18 million to build a new police headquarters. The Town Council heard residents’ concerns on committing such a large sum of money to construct a new facility in response to this problem. With this in mind, the Town Council has prepared an alternative, fiscally prudent approach to completely renovate the existing police facility while allowing the continued operations of the police department. The cost for this alternative approach is $9 million, half of what was originally proposed.
The North Smithfield Police Headquarters is decrepit. Not only has the building significantly deteriorated, but it is also functionally obsolete and fails to accommodate the needs and operations of a modern police department. The planned new investment will result in a newly renovated police headquarters, which will meet current standards and which the residents of North Smithfield will be proud to call their own.
The time is now to address this problem. The building continues to decline, and without swift action deterioration will worsen, and costs will continue to escalate. The timing of this action is optimum as the town will be significantly reducing its debt costs in Fiscal Year 2027, thereby allowing the town to incur the costs of the proposed bond without increasing current debt allocation in the town’s annual operating budget. On January 22nd, the Town Council will vote on final project funding. The bond referendum will authorize the town to borrow up to $9 million, although the Town Council has the option of funding a portion of the project cost from the town’s unrestricted reserves. Assuming approval from the residents, renovations will commence this April.
Now is the time to move forward and demonstrate that North Smithfield has the ability and desire to make necessary investments in our police department. Your support and leadership are needed and appreciated.
Scott Gibbs
Town Administrator
So, my question is: If voted down, would it mean no repairs to the police station as it sits? Is there money to fix major repairs while the town decides what to do? The building is worthless unless $9 million is spent to upgrade it? Find another building.
Why not make a deal with Mr. Black, lease the NMC building, change zoning? Find another building.
I know I couldn’t ask for a lot of money without a plan to back up the expenditures. I didn’t even see a budget for that money.
As Pat says, be prepared for many “NO” votes.
With just under one month until the election, but only 7 days until the beginning of early voting, the question really should be why is it jammed into a February 3rd special election. We owe it to our citizens to get them informed and encourage their vote regardless of their position. This reeks of another thief in the night operation. I would plead with all North Smithfield citizens to share this article on your private social media pages and encourage your friends and neighbors to make the effort to actually cast their vote.
It is double it frustrating to me as we are caught in the middle of 18 other issues as this vote approaches. I have been focusing on other things but it’s time to get the word out!
By the way I believe Mr Glibbs is not the best source of information.
Time for the voters to stand up to the old boy network and VOTE NO on the taj mahal police station. Sorry Mr. Gibbs you have proven not to be a trust worthy person related to the taxpayers wishes, needs, and spending of taxpayer funds. You have not provided a detailed budget for the renovations, and are looking for taxpayers to trust you with taxpayer money. You are also perusing a ridiculous 146 water expansion of $50 plus millions by using a tif to avoid a bond referendum on disastrous assumption that the town will generate additional tax revenue to fund. Also it would be nice if the town debt was to be reduced in 2027 and taxpayers saw a tax reduction or no tax increase instead of the fiscally irresponsible annual 4% cap increase in spending. Second the police department is poorly run and does not respond to violations of the law related to unregistered and abandoned vehicles, parking and traffic issues, and personal fraudulent activity. Citizens also have zero access to the police chief who is never available to speak with town residents and never returns any emails or voice messages. I urge everyone to get out and VOTE NO. This is another off election referendum to defraud taxpayers.
This isn’t Mayberry, and it doesn’t take a genius to know what is meant by “functionally obsolete”. That building does not support the proper detainment of suspects in a safe and secure manner, does not meet current building, fire, electrical code for what it’s being currently used as. In today’s terms 9 million while a lot of money is just a drop in terms of modern public safety building costs. In the end I’d prefer to see a true public safety complex with police and fire combined under the same roof, but alas that won’t happen due to shortsighted visions in this town.
I am not a genius. Explain to me what “functionally obsolete” means. Why was it acceptable for “detaining suspects” 25 years ago, but not now?
Speaking of that, just how many suspects are regularly needing “detention” in the NSPD anyways?
Once again, more hand waving without actually being specific as to the issues.
It was acceptable 25 years ago because 25 years ago the floors didn’t have holes in them, the mold hadn’t started to grow yet, the walls and ceilings didn’t leak in heavy rain.
“Functionally obsolete”= it’s a dump. It’s not a healthy working environment. It’s embarrassing.
Clear enough for the non geniuses?
This is embarrassing.
It’s embarrassing that the town didn’t use the money it was given 10 years ago to fix it up.
Mr. Gibbs, I sure do hope you and the council are preparing for many “NO” votes for this bond. This renovation should have been accomplished years ago when it was originally approved. But too many elected officials kept putting off the renovations while back room planning for a new police station. The monies originally approved from that bond were never implemented as voted upon and then squandered on other projects. The word around town is that you’re hoping for a small turnout, well I’m hearing differently, and my vote along with many of my neighbors is a “NO”.
The problem is you’re just asking the town for a blank check, without providing a scope of what actually needs to be fixed or improved. It’s not very confidence inspiring when the projected cost ranges from as low as $5 million to nearly $9 Million. I think we all know that means “this project is going to be really expensive and we don’t want to admit it”
How about you stop using vague terms and actually define what “functionally obsolete” and “needs of a modern police department” are? Because, from my perspective, the North Smithfield Police Department is not doing anything different than they were 25 years ago. They sit on the side road, tailgate slow drivers, and make arrests all day at Walmart. What about the current police station cannot support that mission?