By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

NORTH SMITHFIELD — When all is said and done, it will be North Smithfield voters who ultimately decide whether or not the town should borrow $2 million to buy the 18-acre former Homestead Gardens property on Industrial Drive for municipal use.

At a Town Council meeting Monday, several residents questioned the wisdom of the town taking on even more debt now that the General Assembly has approved enabling legislation that will allow the town to propose a bond to buy the property.
But members of the council were quick to point out Monday that not everyone on the panel supports purchasing the Homestead Gardens property and that the ultimate decision rests with voters in the fall.
A bond referendum will ask voters to borrow up to $2.5 million to buy the property for municipal use such as a senior or community center or a centralized building for public safety.
The Homestead Gardens was once a farm and petting zoo and then became the leased home to Woonsocket-based Homestead Group, formerly known as the ARC of Northern Rhode Island. The not-for-profit human service agency, which provides support and services for people with developmental disabilities, closed the doors of its Homestead Garden facility in North Smithfield this year due to state budget cuts.
The nonprofit began leasing 18 acres of Homestead Gardens a few years ago. The original lease agreement included an option to purchase.
Now town officials have their eyes set on the property.
Residents at Monday’s meeting had concerns about the timing of the bond proposal, saying it comes at a time when the town has just begun paying on a $30 million bond for the new middle school.
“Many folks would like to see it become municipal property, but that will be up to the people to decide,” said Town Council President Linda Thibault. “It’s industrial property, but also property people love so it’s a choice.”
Councilman Paul Zwolenski explained that the council felt it needed to act fast to at least bring the proposal to voters because available land in town is at a premium.
“I agree we need to do a lot more research on this potential purchase, but we felt like we had to get it out to referendum,” he said. “If we don’t start buying land now we may not have the opportunity again.”
Councilman Paul Leclerc made it clear that he opposes the purchase, saying he voted against seeking the enabling legislation because he feels the price is too high.
Zwolenski said the town needs to address the issue of having a centralized public safety building. Right now, the North Smithfield Fire and Rescue Service, which provides fire service to the town, is housed in the fire station building that it owns on St. Paul Street. The Police Department is located in the former Bushee School building.