North Smithfield Public Comment

Elizabeth Hammond and Sarah LaFontaine

Between school drop-offs and running businesses, who has three hours for a Town Council meeting? Stop sifting through social media rumors and dense agendas. Public Comment is the go-to podcast for North Smithfield news that actually impacts your life.

Hosts Sarah and Elizabeth—moms and local business owners—do the heavy lifting for you. We track school funding, tax spending, zoning, and the environment, delivering clear facts for your morning commute. Stop guessing and start knowing. Local news, made for neighbors, by neighbors.

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10 episodes
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Avg 55 min
English

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Thursday · 1 hr 3 min
Episode Ten: Candidate Chat with Michael Plante
Michael Plante, candidate for North Smithfield Town Council,joins Elizabeth and Sarah to talk about why he's trading a 43-year real estate career for local government. From contaminated school water that's gone unfixed for years, to budget waste hiding in plain sight, to his fiduciary-firstphilosophy — Michael makes the case that local politics needs more business sense and fewer cheerleaders. Plus: the quarry dispute, flock cameras, solar farms, zoning reform, and the teachers and Boy Scout leaders who shaped him. Find us at nspubliccomment.com or email nspubliccomment@gmail.com. Follow Public Comment North Smithfield on Facebook and Instagram (@NSPublicComment). Contact Michael at 401-487-7600.
August 12 · 1 hr 4 min
Episode Nine: Candidate Chat with Sue AnderBois
Elizabeth and Sarah sit down with Sue AnderBois — candidatefor Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor and current Providence City Council member — for a wide-ranging conversation about energy policy, road safety, governmenttransparency, and surveillance. Sue breaks down what a lieutenant governor actually does inRhode Island, previews her upcoming energy plan, and explains how Rhode Island's regulated utility model keeps your bills climbing. She shares the story behind her "What are you gonna do about it?" tattoo and how it drives her approach to public service. We also dig into Sue's work transforming North Main Streetin Providence — bringing more safety improvements to the dangerous corridor in two years than the previous 30 combined — and her advice for citizens serving on local boards and commissions who feel like they're being ignored. Then we get into Flock cameras: the privacy concerns, datasharing with out-of-state agencies and potentially ICE, what Providence has done to put guardrails in place, and whether a statewide ban is possible. Plus a very important Parks and Rec endorsement question. Find Sue at sueanderbois.com. Find us atnspubliccomment.com. A full transcript and show notes are available on our website. Resources & Links: • RISE Energy Audit (free energy audit through Rhode Island Energy): riseengineering.com • Providence Special Committee on the Environment & Resiliency (Flock camera research presentation): available on the Providence City Council website • Vision Zero: visionzeronetwork.org • RI Infrastructure Bank (climate resilience programs): riinfrastructurebank.com
July 30 · 50 min
Episode Eight: Candidate Chat with Gabriella Stelle
Gabby Stelle is running for North Smithfield SchoolCommittee — and she's not a politician. She's a born-and-raised North Smithfield mom, PTO treasurer, soccer commissioner, softball coach, and the person who helped bring the Hoops program back to town. In this episode,Elizabeth sits down with Gabby to talk about what she'd protect in the school system, why she believes every school needs a mandatory SRO, and how she'd approach the budget without sacrificing the teachers and programs that makeNorth Smithfield special. Plus: her actual answer to "what question do you wish someone would ask you?" is worth the listen. Connect with Gabby Stelle: 📧 gabbystelle@gmail.com 📘Facebook: Gabby for School Committee Connect with Public Comment: 🌐nspubliccomment.com 📧 nspubliccomment@gmail.com 📘 Public Comment NorthSmithfield (Facebook Group)
July 16 · 52 min
Episode 7: Candidate Chat with Ann Lilley
Ann Lilley has been quietly doing the work in NorthSmithfield for years — community garden, Parks & Rec Commission, Groundwater Protection Commission — and now she's running for Town Council. In this episode, she joins Elizabeth and Sarah to talk about why she's taking that step, and what she thinks is broken in how our town communicates, spends money, and plans for the future. From the town website's glaring gaps to the million-dollar Halliwell question to the 2029 Comprehensive Plan, this conversation is packed with practical ideas and a genuine love for this community. Plus: campaign bingo update, a candidate forum announcement, and a sneak peek at something exciting coming soon. You can get in touch with Ann at her email - jslilley@yahoo.com and get in touch with us at our website - nspubliccomment.com or our facebook page -facebook.com/PublicCommentNorthSmithfield
July 2 · 59 min
Episode Six: Material Sand and Stone and HT Auto
Sarah and Elizabeth are back with a deep dive into two of North Smithfield's most contentious local issues. First up: the quarry. Known officially as Material Sand & Stone (or Pound Hill Quarry), this operation has been battling the town over grandfathered mining rights, noise ordinances, silica dust, and well contamination since at least 2022 — though the legal saga stretches back to the 1950s. Then: HT Auto Junkyard, where a change in ownership turned a once-harmonious neighborhood business into a recurring public nuisance complaint — and a lesson in how hard it can be for residents to actually get heard. But the real thread running through both stories? Citizen advocacy. Not politicians, not agencies — neighbors showing up, speaking out, and refusing to let things slide. With election season heating up, Sarah and Elizabeth break down exactly what you can do right now to make your voice count. Public Comment: news by the neighbors, for the neighbors. Visit our website at nspubliccomment.com or follow us on facebook @ PublicCommentNorthSmithfield
June 19 · 49 min
Episode Five: Candidate Chat with Paul Jones
Sarah and Elizabeth sit down with Paul Jones — small business owner, community advocate, and candidate for North Smithfield Town Council — for a wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to govern a town well.Follow Paul's campaign at his website, electpauljones.com and get in touch at paul@electpauljones.comFollow Public Comment at facebook.com / publiccommentnorthsmithfield In this episode, Sarah and Elizabeth Cover:Paul's background running The Care Concierge and his decades of community serviceWhy North Smithfield is stuck in a cycle of reactive governance — and what proactive leadership looks likeThe Woonsocket Hill Road collapse and what deferred infrastructure maintenance really costsThe long-delayed senior center and why North Smithfield is one of the only communities in Rhode Island without oneBusinesses flouting town ordinances while individual residents get hit with $500 finesThe rooster debate — and why backyard chickens are actually a small business issuePaul's "Day One" priority: a digital town hall for transparent municipal trackingThe nonprofit Elves for Elders, and why it's Paul's proudest achievementElection Bingo — download your card at nspubliccomment.com!Full transcript and show notes are available at nspubliccomment.com
June 4 · 44 min
Candidate Chat with Kevin Carriere
In this episode of Public Comment North Smithfield, hosts Sarah and Elizabeth interview Kevin Carrier, a candidate for North Smithfield Town Council and professor of social and political psychology at Stonehill College. Kevin discusses his three core campaign priorities: government transparency, environmental protection, and housing affordability in North Smithfield, Rhode Island. The conversation covers the town's communication gaps, the controversy around the police station bond vote, the quarry and junkyard issues affecting residents, and the challenge of keeping North Smithfield affordable for young families and retirees alike. Kevin also shares why he began attending North Smithfield Town Council meetings, what frustrated him about the public comment process, and what he would prioritize if elected — including making the town budget publicly visible and easy to understand. Full show notes and transcripts are available on our website, https://www.nspubliccomment.com/ Kevin’s campaign website is https://www.kevinforns.com/
May 20 · 52 min
The Police Station Renovation
The North Smithfield police station has been a problem since 2014. In this episode, Elizabeth Hammond and Sarah LaFontaine break down the full history — from the original $5.4 million bond that wasn't enough, to a failed $20 million ballot measure, to the $9 million bond that finally passed in early 2026. They dig into what "minimum standards" actually means for the officers and residents who use the building, why crumbling brick, exposed wiring, and asbestos have been left unaddressed for decades, and what the difference between a "police station" and a "public safety complex" really signals. Plus: why the town's communication failures may have cost them voters — and what you can do right now to make your voice heard before the renovation begins. Public Comment is your neighbor-to-neighbor guide to what's actually happening in North Smithfield, Rhode Island.
April 23 · 50 min
The Halliwell Property
What do you do with an empty lot where a school used to be? If you're North Smithfield, RI — apparently you think about it for seven years. Elizabeth and Sarah dig into the full Halliwell Elementary saga: the closed school, the demolished building, the $5M in federal grants, the multi-generational center that never quite came to be, and the latest pivot back to Scouters Hall. They break down why this keeps stalling, what's at stake with the grant deadlines, and how residents can actually make a difference before the next election. Honest, local, and just a little chaotic — because they forgot to hit record the first time. A transcript and show notes are available at www.nspubliccomment.com/podcast-north-smithfield-public-comment/episode-two-the-halliwell-property
March 23 · 1 hr 5 min
Welcome to North Smithfield
Follow us on social media @NSpublic comment North Smithfield residents can join the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/groups/northsmithfieldpubliccomment Transcripts are available at our website nspubliccomment.com Correction: Elizabeth mentions volunteering at CPAC in 2010. The conference she mentioned took place in 2011.Sarah and Elizabeth introduce themselves and their podcast — a monthly deep-dive intolocal politics and community issues in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, toldfrom the perspective of two neighbors, small business owners, and moms who aredoing the research so you don't have to. Meet Your Hosts Sarah is a lifelong Rhode Islanderwhose husband's family has called North Smithfield home for four generations.Elizabeth is a transplant who fell in love with the town's community andcharacter after moving from the suburbs. Both are therapists, both are on theNorth Smithfield Democratic Committee — and both make clear this podcast isentirely independent of that affiliation. A Little Town History North Smithfield broke off fromSmithfield in 1871 and is made up of five mill villages along the Branch andBlackstone Rivers. Its population hovered around 3,000 in its early days,dipped as mills closed, then grew steadily after WWII — reaching roughly 12,500residents in the 2020 census. Today the town is a mix of multigenerationalfamilies and newer arrivals drawn by open space, good schools, and proximity toProvidence, Worcester, and Boston. How Local Government Works North Smithfield has five at-largetown councilors (elected by ranked choice vote to two-year terms) and afull-time town administrator (four-year terms). Boards and committees — staffedentirely by volunteers — do the deep research and bring recommendations to thecouncil. Sarah and Elizabeth highlight both the generosity of those who serveand the challenge of keeping seats filled. The Budget The FY2026 town budget isapproximately $55.3 million. Funding comes from property taxes ($11.49 per$1,000 assessed value), ~$16 million in state aid (including ~$9 million forschools), fees, and grants. North Smithfield carries about $10 million in anemergency reserve fund and tends to be skeptical of taking on debt via bonds. The Recurring Theme Delay, delay, delay — then a rushed,expensive fix when the problem becomes a crisis. Sarah and Elizabeth argue thispattern shows up across nearly every major issue in town, and they're here toshine a light on it before things reach that point.

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