Four high school bathrooms to be rebuilt, with the work waiting on town money

What happened

On July 16, 2026 the committee voted 4-0 to advertise a request for proposals to renovate four restrooms at Smithfield High School, with the work to be finished by February 2027 and done after school hours. In June the facilities director said the architects could not be given a cost proposal because the $800,000 of capital funding had not been formally approved by the Town Council. Restroom renovations are the first items in the district's five-year state building plan, and the closure of high school bathrooms was raised by a committee member in January.

Why it matters to families

Bathrooms students cannot use, or do not want to use, are a daily problem. This is the project meant to fix them.

The evidence

The July 16, 2026 approved minutes record the 4-0 vote to advertise the RFP for four restroom renovations at the high school with a February 2027 completion; the June 18, 2026 minutes record that a cost proposal awaited Town Council approval of $800,000 in capital funding.

The source