Town Government & Officials

Smithfield Town Council Rules of Procedure

Since 1994, the Town of Smithfield has been administered under the Council/Manager form of government. Partisan elections are held every two years to elect five Town Council members who select a Council President. The Town Manager is appointed by the Smithfield Town Council to serve as the administrative head of the Town Government. The Manager appoints all Department Directors, except the Town Clerk (Clerk of the Council) and the Town Solicitor.

The general administration of the Town’s School system is the responsibility of the School Committee within the provisions of powers and duties delegated in the Rhode Island General Laws. The five member School Committee is elected at-large at regular Town Elections and serves four-year terms. They also appoint the School Superintendent, who currently is Dr. Dawn Bartz.

The Town provides most traditional municipal services including police, fire, emergency rescue, planning, zoning, street maintenance, solid waste collection, recycling and recreation. The Town also operates a water system serving about a third of the town in addition to two private water systems. In addition, the Town maintains all sewer lines and pumping stations within the Town in accordance with the State of Rhode Island base plan, through its’ Wastewater Treatment Plant. Smithfield is evolving into a major recreation provider with its 65-acre active park (Deerfield Park) which houses our very active Senior Center and Veterans Memorial Park. Additional recreation is available through the town-operated Smithfield Ice Rink and numerous other recreational parks and ponds. It also operates two widely-used libraries and a Town Hall.

The Town employs approximately 490 full-time equivalent employees, including school department personnel.

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