Official Research onSmithfield's Assets
Official Website
History of Smithfield
Barn Photos of N Smithfield & Smithfield
Villages of North Smithfield and Smithfield, R.I. - Allendale,
Branch Village, Esmond, Field Station, Fosterdale, Greenville, LAke Bel
Air, Primrose, Spragueville, Mountaindale, Georgiaville, Slatersville, Union
Station, and Stillwater
are the villages that make up the Town of Smithfield with a combined population
of over 20,000 residents. This community is home to Bryant
University. RI
National Register Properties ll Save the
Reservoir, Etc.
ASSETS
SMITH-APPLEBY HOUSE
MUSEUM
Historical Society of Smithfield 220 Stillwater Road, Smithfield, RI 02917 401-231-7363
Contact: John English Email address: john_english@cox.net
Built in 1696, this is a delicately restored
and furnished farm house. Revolutionary War Encampment each year.
POWDER MILL LEDGES
REFUGE
Audubon Society of Rhode Island, Providence Pike (Rte 5), North Smithfield (near
the
Primrose Fire Station) 401-949-5454, pre-register fax:
401-949-5788
Contact: Kim Calcagno Email address: kcalcagno@asri.org
Website: www.asri.org
JASWELL’S FARM
50 Swan Road, Smithfield, RI 02917 401-231-9043
fax: 401-231-9587
Contact: Allison Email address: info@jaswellsfarm.com
Website: www.jaswellsfarm.com
Discover a farm located in the heart of
“apple valley” in the beautiful and historic town of Smithfield. Owned and
operated by the fourth generation of the family. Enjoy picking your own apples
& pumpkins, hayrides, concession tent, farmstand, bakery and much more...
Union Village's most famous citizen was Peleg Arnold,
the patriot grandson of Richard Arnold, one of the founders of Woonsocket. Peleg
led the activity in the Revolutionary War as soona s he heard of the April 1775
alarm emanating fromt he battle at Concord and Lexington. His home, built in
1690 and enlarged by Peleg's father Thomas in 1739 had become a stopover tavern
for weary folks traveling along Great Road. Peleg made it into the headquarters
for the Revolution, storing arms, recruiting and training soldiers. Peleg became
a lieutenant Colonel in the Contiental Army and then became a delegate to the
Continental Congress before becoming chief justice of R.I.'s Supreme Court
and the first president of North Smithfield's bank. The house located at the
corner of Rte 146 and Woonsocket Hill Road, has been substantially altered,
however, throughout the years.
Slatersville, along Rte 102, was developed as
America's first planned village by Samuel Slater's brother, John, who had
emigrated from England in 1803, ten years after brother Samuel established the
first cotton mill in Pawtucket to use industrial mechanization. In 1806, a mill
was built (replaced in 1826 when first mill burned down) with a second stone
mill being added in 1843. Planned commercial blocks, houses, a school and a
church were all built by the mill owners initiating a pattern of great
paternalism (and control) for the workers. In the early 1900s, Henry Kendall
bought the village and preserved and renovated a great deal of it. He added a
great deal of Greek revival architectural trim on the mill houses to make them
less distinct as mill housing as he did not believe in class distinctions. The
Congregational Church, erected in 1836 on the town common, shows what a
principal part in daily life it took.
The Elisha Bartlett home, 2 Greene Street, clearly shows
the class distinctions that began to become more prominent as the 19th century
evlved. Its Doric columns and long colonnaded porch present a facade of
grandeur.
John Slater is buried at the Slatersville Cemetery
although his more famous brother, Samuel, is buried in Webster, MA's Mount Zion
Cemetery.
A Covenant
September 2, 2003, the Town of Smithfield, Rhode Island's Town Council
adopted the Smithfield Covenant between the local government and the
citizens of Smithfield to preserve the community's quality of life, maintain its
financial stability and plan for the future. The covenant responds to the
declining Federal and State Budget deficits and the current economic downturn
which has made it difficult in Smithfield to maintain its level of services.
Under Rhode Island's Override Provision which allows a maximum increase of
property taxes by only 5.5%, the reality has been that much, if not all of that
revenue, has been essentially to replace lost state aid. This declining level of
aid has left no money to cover the increased costs of operating services for the
Town.
The covenant passed by the Town Council expressed the need to rely on the
Town "redefining its future and determining its own destiny". No
longer can the Town expect State or Federal aid to fund annual operating
programs. Instead, the focus will be placed on developing new local revenues
with the intent that if State and Federal aid increases, then the tax rate will
be lowered rather than new programs being created.
This concept of "Positive Sustainability" has been included in the
Town's 5 year financial forecast along with the need to make decisive moves to
maintain the Town's current level of services ina ll departments. If, in the
future, new programs are instituted, corresponding reductions in other areas
must be made. Sixteen goals are then laid out including, personnel and program
review, consolidation consideration regarding certain municipal tasks and school
department functions, update of the Comprehensive Plan, focus on attracting
"environmentally friendly" businesses" to town as well as many
others.
"A covenant is a compact and an agreement of trust." This covenant
requires a major commitment of local government and all taxpayers as well. All
officials and Boards, including but not limited to Town Council, School
Committee, Town Administrator, Library Board and all other Boards and taxpayers
need to be thinking and working in the same direction, the covenant states. The
official document also states that this is not just about MONEY...it is also
about credibility and rethinking the way that local government does business and
responds to needs while being accountable and holding the trust of the citizens.
Town of Smithfield
64 Farnum Pike
Smithfield, R.I. 02917-3203
Telephone: 401-233-1010 Fax 401-233-1080
email: manager@smithfieldri.com
Town Manager: Russell R. Marcoux
FY 2005 Budget (July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005): $49,226,672.
Growth: $20,000,000 mostly residential in FY2004
Net Increase of Budget: 2.3% or $1,126,271 (Requested: $6,839,540)
Re-Evaluation Underway in Smithfield
Real Estate Tax Rate: 22.58
Total Assessed Valuation: 1,382,515,900
