You Ask, Patch Answers: How Much Has NK Spent on Snow Removal?

Snow removal has cost North Kingstown about $224,000 this year.

  This winter season has been a snow lover's dream, including a historic snow storm that dumped about 18 to 20 inches of snow on North Kingstown in February. The back-to-back-to-back weekends of snowfall may have been a welcome sight to some, but to the town's budget it is quite the opposite. Typically, the town allots about $200,000 each year for snow removal. Each average storm (i.e. not last month's blizzard) costs the town about $20,000. So far this season, North Kingstown has spent $224,000 on snow removal. (This figure does not include this week's snowfall.) According to Public Works Director Phil Bergeron, this number is made up of costs for diesel fuel, salt, sand, employee overtime and contractors.

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You Ask, Patch Answers: Is New Recycling Pickup a Two-Man Operation?

We answer one reader's query about the number of workers on recycling pickup trucks.

The new curbside recycling program has now been in effect in North Kingstown for nearly one month. The new program shifts residents from the green and blue, two-bin system to a single, 96-gallon bin picked up every other week began Dec. 1.  These new bins are supposed to be picked up by an automatic system, instead of being manually picked up. To help further cut costs, only one person is needed to operate the truck. But, one reader noticed that when the new contractors arrived to pick up his recycling, there were two workers on the truck instead of one. Was there a change in contract? What is this costing North Kingstown's taxpayers? According to Public Works Director Phil Bergeron, one of the two trucks servicing North Kingstown was …

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You Ask, Patch Answers

North Kingstown Patch needs your help to solve town mysteries.

From North Kingstown's newcomers to lifelong residents, we all have questions and are at times perplexed by some things we see around town.  We've got more questions than an are-we-there-yet-asking third-grader, and we're guessing you do too. North Kingstown Patch is determined to find the answers, but we can't do it without your help! You Ask, Patch Answers is a column for locals looking for solutions to community problems, issues and those "only in North Kingstown" situations that you want solved. From the serious to the slightly sentimental to the downright silly we're looking to help you get the answers you're seeking. If you've got a question about something in North Kingstown, send it to northkingstown@patch.com or put it in the …

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Kevin M

4:44 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012

The state is widening the road to add a center turn lane to prevent cars from being rear-ended turning into Lang or Autumn Dr.. I was told they are also going to improve the on-ramp to Rte 4 South.   more ›

From The Editor's Desk

Where Did The Trees Go?

If you've been driving along Newcomb Road lately, you've probably noticed something a bit different.

I've received a few inquiries regarding the tree clearing down by the Quonset Bike Path. (Actually, I received two emails and was cornered by a third person in CVS while attempting to buy floss.) For those of you who have not been down Newcomb Road near Fletcher Road lately, here's what you're missing: the area along the bike path, which runs parallel to Newcomb and is right next to Pro Paint Plus, has been completely cleared – brush, trees and all. Why? According to Ted Spinard, development services director for Quonset Development Corporation, the tree clearing is part of QDC's site readiness program. "These are sites that have been identified and are suitable for development," said Spinard. "Basically what we're doing is actually just …

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