Smithfield council hears community presentations, selects mayor pro tempore and reviews staff priorities

At the Jan. 14 council meeting Smithfield youth-council members Jace Tueller and Carly Grunig outlined upcoming volunteer and event support including a Jan. 31 triathlon, Feb. 21 America250 art activities, and an April scavenger/Easter event.

Dion Hunsaker of the Lions Club described a local Trex recycling effort that produced a donated bench for the city and donated a braille children’s copy of the Constitution to the Smithfield Library; he recommended placing the bench at Forrester Acres and urged additional tree planting along the trail.

Resident Troy McLean asked the council how to apply for a conditional-use permit to operate an e-commerce, home-based federal firearms license (FFL) limited to transfers and paperwork; staff directed him to request and complete a conditional-use application and advised on code restrictions for residential locations.

The council selected Todd as mayor pro tempore for calendar year 2026 under applicable state code; staff explained the role (preside over meetings and perform mayoral duties if the mayor is absent). City manager staff reported work on a legal update to the personnel manual (contracted to Manning Curtis Bradshaw & Bednar), and noted three major capital projects moving forward: a 3,000,000-gallon water tank (construction starting in spring), the spring-line pipeline project (phase 1 to be bid), and a stormwater/retention-pond project on 10th South targeted for bid this fiscal year. The budget schedule was also reviewed; the first departmental budget presentation will occur March 25.

The meeting closed after council reports on committees and community events.