North Smithfield council ratifies school support‑staff contract, advances FY2025–26 budget and approves 3.25% nonunion raise

North Smithfield — The Town Council on June 24 ratified a three‑year tentative agreement between the North Smithfield Association of Support Staff Personnel and the North Smithfield School Committee and moved forward numerous departmental budgets for fiscal 2025–26, including a council vote to apply a 3.25% pay increase to nonunion positions.

Douglas Oja, chairman of the Budget Committee, told the council its review of the contract and the school department’s fiscal impact statement found no material budgetary impact overall, while flagging several sick‑leave changes the committee said could raise future separation payouts. “Our review included analysis of school department financial data… the only piece we added was changes to the sick time policy,” Oja said. The council then voted by roll call to ratify the contract for a three‑year term beginning July 1, 2025.

Council members reopened a public hearing on the FY2025–26 proposed budget so members of the public could comment on both the overall budget and the school contract; no members of the public spoke and the hearing was closed by motion and roll‑call vote.

The council approved the town appropriation figure for the school budget after a brief discussion of state aid and a $50,000 change tied to CTE tuition. The council adopted the town council column total for the school budget at $32,365,189 by roll call.

On personnel and wages, councilors approved a motion to apply a 3.25% increase to all nonunion positions. Town Administrator Tony said the administration could accept the higher percentage and would defer some proposed catch‑up increases in certain departmental positions pending a workforce study by human resources. The council voted unanimously on the change.

Councilors also voted on individual department budgets, advancing them in the operating budget process. Among the departmental totals recorded during the meeting were: municipal court — $54,295.98; town clerk — $337,310.40; planning — $210,860.22; finance — $692,418.87; tax assessor — $252,036.92; information technology — $143,205.02; dispatch — $343,590.85; police (including capital) — $4,659,831.34; North Smithfield Fire Department (including capital) — $4,679,841.88; DPW (including newly created professional services line) — $270,803.29; water operating — $784,818.09; sewer operating — $2,908,864.66.

Several capital items and reserves were discussed and adjusted. The council reduced a proposed DPW heavy‑equipment capital request from $75,000 to $50,000 and agreed to revisit Parks & Recreation capital requests (including a major playground replacement at Pacheco Park and irrigation work at the NSCS soccer fields) at a future meeting. Emergency Management asked the council to fund radio purchases and CERT training that would be largely reimbursed by grants; the council approved adjustments to EMA’s education/training and capital lines so the department can pursue the reimbursement grants.

Police overtime was a point of debate: the department requested $450,000 for overtime; the council increased the administrator’s recommended overtime line by $25,000 after discussion and a roll‑call vote, citing staffing volatility and training schedules that affect overtime needs.

Several council members and department leads stressed the town’s stretched capital needs — including water and sewer projects — and the council discussed staged approaches to capital contributions while pursuing grant and loan funding. The council reduced the water capital contribution to $90,000 to limit near‑term rate impacts while continuing to pursue federal and state grants connected to the Saint Paul Street waterline extension.

The council set a follow‑up session for Thursday to finalize outstanding revenue items, reconcile payroll projections tied to the nonunion increase and to complete remaining capital decisions.

What’s next: The council will reconvene Thursday evening to reconcile revenue estimates and finalize the levy/rate presentation, consider remaining capital items (including parks projects), and to confirm the final adopted FY2025–26 levy and departmental totals.