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Council schedules study and ordinance amendment steps for proposed Smithfield municipal court
Summary
The council voted to move forward with an ordinance amendment to enable a municipal court to hear traffic tribunal cases, and agreed to study whether creating a municipal court would be advantageous to the town.
The Town Council voted to schedule a public hearing and to move an amendment forward that would give Smithfield the authority to create a municipal court capable of handling traffic tribunal cases.
Council members said two steps are needed: (1) enabling legislation at the state level to authorize towns to create municipal courts for traffic and related violations, and (2) a local study to determine whether such a court would be economically and operationally advantageous for Smithfield. A council member sponsoring the amendment said she had spoken with colleagues in Cranston and other municipalities and emphasized that legislation to grant authority should precede a study of feasibility.
The council moved the matter to a future meeting (noted as July 15 in the meeting) and instructed that, if advanced, a study and additional conversations be undertaken before any final decision. One council member requested that the Budget and Financial Review Board review potential cost and benefit figures, noting that a prior financial review commission had once considered local collection of traffic fines but concluded the financial advantage was unclear.
No formal court was established during the meeting; the council’s action was procedural to advance the ordinance amendment and allow for further study and public hearings.
