NORTH SMITHFIELD – Town Council candidate Michael Plante says he’s running for office because he wants to put a lifetime of local knowledge and practical business experience to work for the community he and his family call home.
“My approach is straightforward: listen to residents, prepare carefully, protect taxpayers, and follow through,” he said in a release. “I would rather have a plan that avoids problems than spend time and money solving a problem we should have prevented.”
North Smithfield, Plante said, has been his home for nearly his entire life. He graduated from North Smithfield High School in 1983, his wife of 39 years and he have two children and four grandchildren, and two of their granddaughters now attend North Smithfield schools.
“The decisions made at Town Hall affect my family, just as they affect yours,” he said.
Plante added that his business experience includes more than 43 years as a licensed Rhode Island real estate broker, and as a broker, he has “done it all,” including building homes, developing land, and representing clients. He said he has also managed two real estate sales centers for a Fortune 500 company, with responsibility for as many as 150 associates and staff and a $150 million sales budget.
“That experience has taught me how to manage resources, understand development, bring people together, and see difficult projects through to completion,” he said. “My work as a fiduciary has required me to put my clients’ interests first.”
On the council, he said, “I. will bring that same commitment to serving the town.
A council that listens and plans
The council has important tools available, said Plante: ordinances to establish local rules, resolutions to express policy and direct appropriate action, and public workshops to work through complicated issues.
“I believe we should use these tools more deliberately and consistently,” he stated. “Residents should not have to appear at a council meeting before their concerns receive attention. When only a handful of people attend, we still have a responsibility to understand what the rest of the community is experiencing. I will seek information through conversations with residents and businesses, watch what neighboring towns are doing, and monitor community discussions on social media.”
Those discussions can identify concerns that deserve investigation, added Plante. Facts and public deliberation must guide the decisions that follow.
A budget built around a atronger tax base
“We cannot keep treating increases in existing residents’ tax bills as our primary answer to rising costs,” he said. “We need a long-term plan to broaden the tax base through responsible housing growth and renewed commercial and industrial investment.”
He said his priority is thoughtfully planned rooftops and productive businesses.
“Large solar developments should not become our default strategy for economic growth,” he said. “I also support applying zero-based budgeting principles. That means asking departments to justify spending based on current needs and results, rather than assuming last year’s allocation should automatically continue with an increase.”
Existing contracts and legal obligations must be honored, but every discretionary expense deserves scrutiny, he added.
“I will compare our spending of 58 percent of our total budget on schools with neighboring communities, including Burrillville, Smithfield, Lincoln and the Foster/Glocester communities whose percentage of school budget to town budget is as low as 30 percent,” he said. “More public budget workshops would give us time to understand those differences, identify efficiencies, and plan for future expenses before they become urgent.”
Economic development that welcomes investment
Vacant and underused industrial buildings should be an economic development priority, as Plante sees it.
“We need to work with property owners to understand what prevents those buildings from attracting new businesses and what the town can reasonably do to help,” he said. “We should also evaluate opportunities along Industrial Drive and review whether our zoning provides suitable locations for the businesses we want to attract. Any business considering North Smithfield should receive a clear welcome, understandable requirements, and a timely review.”
The town can maintain strong standards while making the process predictable and fair, added Plante.
“My experience in real estate, construction, and business development gives me a practical understanding of what investors need to make decisions,” he said. I want to use that experience to help bring productive properties back onto the tax rolls and create a stronger commercial base.”
Growth that preserves rural character
“We should review our zoning to determine whether it serves today’s needs and the future we want for North Smithfield,” said Plante. “One option worth examining is conservation or cluster development. Instead of spreading homes evenly across a property, a subdivision can group homes on smaller lots while protecting meaningful open space. For example, where appropriate, a plan might allow three-quarter-acre house lots while preserving a corresponding amount of shared open space across the development.”
Shorter frontage requirements may also reduce road construction costs, he added.
“Such a proposal would need careful review of density, wetlands, septic suitability, access, and permanent protection of the open space,” he said. “We also need timely planning and zoning decisions. Applicants and neighbors deserve clear requirements and a process that moves toward a decision. Preserving rural character requires judgment about land purchases, too. I value our trails, community gardens, and conservation areas. Before buying additional land, however, the town should explain its purpose, public benefit, acquisition cost, and ongoing maintenance obligations. Housing, industry, conservation, and infrastructure belong in one coordinated long-term plan.”
Clear rules for Flock cameras
“I would have proposed a resolution seeking a 6-month pause on additional Flock camera installations within the town’s lawful authority, paired with a defined legal and policy review,” he said. “I would ask the town solicitor to seek guidance from the attorney general and relevant state agencies on road jurisdiction, state installations, and the town’s authority concerning cameras on private property.”
The town should get clear answers rather than assume either the town or a property owner has unlimited authority, added Plante.
“I would also request a review of police policies governing access, retention, sharing, and auditing of camera data,” he said. “My preference is a documented two-person authorization process for searches, with the technical and operational details worked out with the chief.”
Camera information should assist an investigation and be checked against other evidence, he added.
“Residents deserve to know how the technology is used and what safeguards protect them,” he said.
Finish the Halliwell project
The council must respect the will of voters and explain how its decisions carry that direction forward, said Plante.
“My position on the Halliwell multigenerational center is clear: I will do everything within my authority to help get this project across the finish line,” he said. “Residents deserve a public explanation on what is the current plan. If a phased approach is being considered, it should be presented openly, with costs and deadlines for each phase. The public should know what will be delivered first, what will follow, and how the entire project will be completed.”
Address data centers before an application arrives
The data center proposal in neighboring Smithfield is a reason for North Smithfield to examine this issue now, said Plante.
“I will seek a public workshop and a legal review of how our zoning treats data centers,” he said. “We should examine potential locations, electricity and water demands, noise, emergency response needs, infrastructure costs, and the actual fiscal benefit to taxpayers. The solicitor should explain what authority the town retains if an application complies with existing rules, and what changes we can lawfully make before an application is filed. We should establish our expectations while we still have time to plan carefully.”
He said he will work respectfully with every town department while asking difficult questions and expecting clear answers.
“Cooperation and accountability belong together. I am asking for your vote because I believe North Smithfield needs practical leadership that listens beyond the meeting room, plans beyond the next budget, and follows through on commitments,” he said. “Please vote Michael R. Plante for North Smithfield Town Council on Nov. 3, 2026. You can call or text me at 401-487-7600, or email . I welcome the opportunity to hear your concerns and discuss our town’s future.”
