Responsibility & Respect
Responsibility to make change.
Zero. That’s the number of legal ordinances passed in the last two years by our Town Council. Yes, they’ve passed non-binding resolutions. Yes, they’ve approved the payment of bills and the passing of budgets. Yes, they held an election in February to approve a new bond to shoulder us with for the next 30 years.
Zero new laws. Zero actionable efforts to address the real issues we face as a town - not just now, but in the future. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
What have we put on the books to block future damages to our roads, to disruptions of peace and quiet with blastings, to further and future pollution of our land and water by companies that care more about profit than people?
Town Council is our legislative body. We have a responsibility, if elected to Town Council, to legislate. To fight in every way we can, for the people of North Smithfield. Our town continues to get taken advantage of by companies that refuse to put people over profits. But the solution is not to roll over and mediate the past and hope for better futures. The solution is to pass laws. Pass laws that demand better - from everyone. It’s time for a North Smithfield whose laws reflect and protect its people, and a Town Council that is willing to make changes.
Respect for our citizens.
There are five Town Councilors. There are about 12,000 citizens of North Smithfield. We, through a democratic election process, choose those five people to represent all of us. It is an honor to serve; to be chosen as a representative for a group of people - for all people. We elect these five to be our leaders. And, as our leaders, they should be held to a higher standard. Their behavior sets the tone for the town. They should reflect the best in our town, not the worst.
Respect for our
volunteers.
North Smithfield is a small town. We don’t have the budget like North Kingston or Lincoln. And we don’t have the population of Johnston or Smithfield either.
But what we do have are deeply passionate citizens who volunteer their time to inform our town council. They are experts, advisors, concerned citizens, and our fellow neighbors. It should trouble all of us when our volunteers resign and feel that their work is not valued. We need to respect the time that our fellow neighbors are giving to the town. Hear and empower our committees' work. Town Council may be made up of five people, but there are 20 boards and committees that govern our town. It’s time to bring them into the conversation and ensure they not only feel heard but are rewarded for their service.
It was wonderful that the Town Council and Administrator honored my great-uncle, Peter Branconnier, for his 42 years of service to the Town upon his retirement this past December, or that the Red Sox honored local citizen Mark Fasano for his incredible efforts in our local sport leagues and girls’ softball. But it shouldn’t take 42 years of service, or almost 20 years of dedication, to be recognized for what our town does. I would push to have a yearly award bestowed upon a member of our Boards & Commissions to recognize their hard work for this town.