TRANSPARENCY IN NORTH SMITHFIELD GOVERNMENT OR POLITICAL GAMES BEING PLAYED?

At the April 23, 2018 meeting when the solar array project was first discussed I requested that Town Council members and the #Administrator publicly assert that they had no personal interest in the proposed project and would refrain from doing business of any kind with the developer. Council President John Beauregard dismissed my request by stating “We’re not going to put anyone on the spot”.

At last Monday night’s (5/21/2018) Town Council meeting, Council President #Beauregard introduced a new solar overlay zone map that he said he drafted with the assistance of the Town #Planner, Tom #Kravitz. The new map was provided to members of the Council days before the meeting but the public saw it for the first time at Monday night’s meeting. The public expected to address the May 11th map posted on the town’s website which identified 7 specific lots in the #Whortleberry Hill area (Iron Mine and #Sayles Hill) and 3 lots in the #Woonsocket Hill Road area within the overlay district that were identified as suitable lots for solar projects. Mr. Beauregard’s 5/21 map now identifies 17 specific lots (or portions thereof), all in the Whortleberry Hill area, including one lot in which Town Administrator #Ezovski has an ownership interest. In a transparent government, I believe that would have been disclosed when the new map was introduced.

Kudo’s to Councilor #McGee for voting against the overlay ordinance. Uncomfortable with the process of approving an overlay district, he proposed that the town should follow its established procedures by denying the #overlay zone request and have the developer submit a request for a special use permit from the #Zoning Board. Unfortunately Mr. McGee stood alone and the ordinance, reflecting the new map, was approved by the Council.

Click this link https://bit.ly/2GVNRp6 to see the May 11th map and the final map. The first map is the May 11th and the second one is the map drafted by Council President Beauregard. The lot which the administrator has an ownership interest in is identified as 012-156-A on the Council President’s map.

Do you stand with Mr. McGee on this issue or does Tom McGee still stand alone?

#northsmithfield #towncouncil #townadministrator #solar #solaroverlay #overlaydistrict #solaroverlaydistrict #zb #zbr #zoningboard #zoningboardofreview #ironmine #ironminehill #ironminehillrd #sayleshill #woonsockethill #woonsockethillrd