Newport public meetings in 2020
19 substantive meetings from 2020, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Workshop
The Newport City Council is meeting remotely for a workshop session. The only listed agenda item is a COVID-19 crisis update. The meeting is held in compliance with Governor Raimondo's executive order allowing remote public access.
- COVID-19 crisis update
Applicant Interviews
The Newport City Council is holding a remote meeting to interview six applicants for the Planning Board. After the interviews, the Council may discuss how they will vote on the appointments at a future regular meeting.
- Interviews scheduled for Theresa Stokes, Christopher Daly, Kevin Michaud, Amanda Ward, Kett Murphy, and Derek Grinkin
- Meeting held remotely per Governor Raimondo's Executive Order 20-25-1(b)
- Council may discuss voting on appointments at a later regular meeting
Workshop
The Newport City Council is holding a remote workshop meeting on December 10, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. The sole agenda item is a COVID-19 crisis update. The meeting will be conducted remotely via Zoom and telephone in compliance with Governor Raimondo's executive order.
- COVID-19 crisis update
- Remote meeting via Zoom and telephone
Workshop
The Newport City Council is holding a workshop meeting remotely due to the COVID-19 crisis. The agenda contains only a notice of a COVID-19 crisis update.
- COVID-19 crisis update
Regular Session
The Newport City Council held its organizational meeting, administered the oath of office by Rep. Marvin Abney, and elected a chairman/mayor and vice chairman. The council also appointed a city solicitor and ratified appointments for assistant solicitors and municipal and probate court judges. The meeting was adjourned after remarks.
- Elected Chairman/Mayor
- Elected Vice Chairman
- Appointed City Solicitor
- Ratified appointment of Assistant City Solicitor for Civil Litigation
- Ratified appointment of Assistant City Solicitor of Law Enforcement
- Ratified appointment of Municipal Court Judge
- Ratified appointment of Probate Court Judge
Workshop
The Newport City Council is holding a workshop meeting remotely, with the sole agenda item being a COVID-19 crisis update. The meeting is conducted via Zoom in compliance with Governor Raimondo's executive order allowing remote public access. No other business is listed.
- COVID-19 crisis update
- Remote meeting via Zoom (Meeting ID: 922 6938 0490)
- Toll-free phone access available
Workshop
The Newport City Council is holding a remote workshop with National Grid, continuing a session interrupted on November 12, 2020. The agenda covers winter operations at the natural gas storage facility on Old Mill Lane in Portsmouth, RI, and long-term energy solutions, including a question-and-answer session. The meeting is procedural in nature, focused on discussion rather than formal decisions.
- Winter operations at Old Mill Lane natural gas storage, Portsmouth, RI
- Long-term energy solutions discussion
- Continuation of workshop from November 12, 2020
- Remote meeting via Zoom with public telephone access
Workshop
The Newport City Council is holding a remote workshop with National Grid to discuss winter operations at the Old Mill Lane natural gas storage facility in Portsmouth, RI, and long-term energy solutions. This is a discussion session, not a voting meeting, and no formal decisions are expected.
- Discussion of winter operations at Old Mill Lane, Portsmouth, RI
- Discussion of long-term energy solutions
- Remote meeting via Zoom with public telephone access
Council-Elect Caucus
The Newport Council-Elect will meet remotely on November 12, 2020, to informally elect a mayor and vice chairman for the 2020-2022 term. The agenda contains only this single procedural item, with no other business listed.
- Informal election of mayor for 2020-2022 term
- Informal election of vice chairman for 2020-2022 term
- Meeting held remotely via Zoom (Meeting ID: 922 6938 0490)
Regular Session
The Newport City Council met on October 14, 2020, and approved the consent calendar in its entirety, except for the minutes of prior meetings which were removed. The council unanimously approved a 2020 annual entertainment license renewal for Brick Alley Pub, reappointed Ingrid Peters to the Historic Cemetery Advisory Commission, and appointed Elliott Caldwell to the same commission. The council also unanimously passed resolutions honoring Rogers High School's Class of 2020 and requesting a weight restriction on Prospect Hill Street, and continued several items, including an entertainment license expansion for Newport Blues Café and a communication regarding Newport Country Club.
- Approved consent calendar except item a (minutes) (unanimous)
- Approved 2020 Annual Entertainment License renewal for Brick Alley Pub (unanimous)
- Continued Newport Blues Café entertainment license expansion indefinitely (unanimous)
- Reappointed Ingrid Peters to Historic Cemetery Advisory Commission (unanimous)
- Rescinded Waterfront Commission appointment (unanimous)
- Appointed Elliott Caldwell to Historic Cemetery Advisory Commission (unanimous)
- Passed resolution honoring Rogers High School Class of 2020 (unanimous)
- Passed resolution requesting weight restriction on Prospect Hill Street (unanimous)
Regular Session
The Newport City Council approved a resolution accepting a RIDEM recreation grant for the Abruzzi Sports Complex, with a workshop on the skate park to be scheduled by end of October. The council also unanimously approved traffic calming solutions, 24-hour sticker parking on Annandale Road, and several appointments and licenses. A communication about a 'Say Their Names Memorial' was tabled, and a short-term rental communication was referred to staff for a recommendation.
- Approved RIDEM grant agreement for Abruzzi Sports Complex recreation grant (unanimous)
- Approved traffic calming solutions resolution (unanimous)
- Approved 24-hour sticker parking on Annandale Road (unanimous)
- Appointed Charles Allott as Chair of Zoning Board (unanimous)
- Appointed Bart Grimes and Russell Johnson as full Zoning Board members (unanimous)
- Approved renewal of entertainment license for Celtica (unanimous)
- Tabled communication re: Say Their Names Memorial (unanimous)
- Referred short-term rental communication to staff for recommendation (unanimous)
Regular Session
The Newport City Council approved the consent calendar unanimously, which included special event permits, holiday selling licenses, and license renewals, except for item h regarding a Say Their Names Memorial at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, which was continued to September 9, 2020. The council also approved a license for the Aquidneck Growers Market, an entertainment license for Stoneacre, and adopted an ordinance amending special parking limits. A communication regarding a denied alteration permit for Newport Country Club was continued to September 9, 2020.
- Approved consent calendar except item h (unanimous)
- Continued Say Their Names Memorial request to Sept 9 (unanimous)
- Approved Aquidneck Growers Market license (unanimous)
- Approved Stoneacre entertainment license (unanimous)
- Adopted ordinance amending special parking limits (unanimous)
- Continued Newport Country Club permit denial communication to Sept 9 (unanimous)
- Received short-term traffic solutions memo (unanimous)
- Adopted resolution for Newport Public Schools boiler control systems bid (unanimous)
Regular Session
The Newport City Council approved the transfer of a liquor license for Radish Patch, LLC to 580 Thames St. Units B102-B104, with the removal of Unit B101 and a service end time of 11:00 p.m., by a 6-1 vote. The council also approved a new entertainment license for Stoneacre on first reading, denied an outdoor entertainment expansion for The Wayfinder, and continued a request for a Say Their Names Memorial to August 26, 2020.
- Approved liquor license transfer for Vieste & Vino Wine Bar, Yagi Noodle and The Café to 580 Thames St. Units B102-B104, with no access to Unit B101 and service ending at 11:00 p.m. (6-1)
- Approved entertainment license for Stoneacre, 151 Swinburne Row, on first reading (unanimous)
- Denied outdoor entertainment license expansion for The Wayfinder, 151 Admiral Kalbfus Rd. (0-7)
- Continued Say Their Names Memorial request to August 26, 2020 (unanimous)
- Approved consent calendar items including special events for newportFILM, Newport Elks #104, and Bike Newport (unanimous)
- Approved resolution naming Pell School Gymnasium the 'Paul L Gaines Gymnasium' (unanimous)
- Approved resolution endorsing the Newport Tartan (unanimous)
- Approved bid awards for historic gravestone restoration and NACTC automotive shop concrete repairs (unanimous)
Special Session
The Newport City Council held a special session on June 16, 2020, and approved the FY2021 budget on second reading, along with resolutions authorizing the tax levy and supporting the Omnibus Property Tax Relief & Replacement Act. The council also amended the personnel ordinance to eliminate the Controller position, approved a supplemental janitorial services contract, and unanimously adopted a resolution to resume in-person meetings starting July 8, 2020. All votes were recorded with specific tallies.
- Adopted FY2021 budget ordinance on second reading (5-2, McCalla and Bova opposed)
- Amended personnel ordinance to strike Controller position (unanimous)
- Approved personnel ordinance as amended (5-2, McCalla and McLaughlin opposed)
- Adopted resolution authorizing tax levy (5-2, Bova and McCalla opposed)
- Adopted resolution re: Omnibus Property Tax Relief & Replacement Act (5-2, Bova and McCalla opposed)
- Approved Supplemental Agreement #1 for janitorial services (unanimous)
- Adopted resolution to resume in-person meetings, amended to July 8, 2020 (unanimous)
Special Session
The Council voted 6-1 to memorialize the General Assembly to authorize up to $106.5 million in general obligation bonds for the Claiborne Pell Elementary School addition and a new Rogers High School. The FY2021 budget ordinances were continued to no later than June 3, 2020. Three mobile food licenses were approved unanimously, while a Del's Lemonade license failed 0-7 due to no available licenses. Other resolutions on road closures and summer guiding principles passed unanimously; re-valuation postponement, homestead exemption, and mask-wearing were tabled or continued.
- Approved resolution for $106.5M school construction bonds (6-1)
- Continued FY2021 budget appropriation and personnel ordinances to June 3, 2020
- Approved Viking Hot Dog mobile food license renewal (unanimous)
- Approved Mooseman's Kettle Corn mobile food license (unanimous)
- Approved The Coffee Guy mobile food license (unanimous)
- Denied Del's Lemonade mobile food license (0-7)
- Approved road closures resolution (unanimous)
- Approved guiding principles for Summer 2020 resolution (unanimous)
Special Session
The Newport City Council unanimously approved resolutions supporting COVID-19 business support systems and extending the state of emergency. It also passed an ordinance amending the moratorium chapter (14.04.020) on a 4-3 vote, with Councilors Ceglie, Leonard, and Napolitano opposed. The council discussed scheduling workshops and FY2020 planning but took no formal action on those items.
- Approved COVID-19 business support system resolution (unanimous)
- Approved state of emergency extension resolution (unanimous)
- Passed moratorium amendment to Chapter 14.04.020 (4-3)
Special Session
The Newport City Council held a remote special session on March 23, 2020, to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The council unanimously voted to receive the City Manager's communication and adopt a resolution extending the state of emergency time period. Councilor McLaughlin requested that the City Manager provide written orders going forward.
- Adopted resolution extending COVID-19 state of emergency (unanimous)
- Received City Manager's communication on COVID-19 (unanimous)
Emergency Session
The Newport City Council held an emergency session on March 10, 2020, to consider revoking the St. Patrick's Day parade permit due to COVID-19 concerns. A motion to revoke the license failed 3-4, with Mayor Bova, Councilors Napolitano, Leonard, and Ceglie opposed. The meeting was held after an executive session and included public comment from several residents.
- Motion to hold emergency meeting approved unanimously
- Motion to revoke parade license failed 3-4 (Bova, Napolitano, Leonard, Ceglie opposed)
Regular Session
The Newport City Council adopted the FY2021-FY2025 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) as amended, after a motion to remove city yard relocation funds failed 2-4. The council also approved a motion to move Transportation Master Plan funds into the FY20-21 budget, and then adopted the CIP 5-1. Several licenses, appointments, and resolutions were approved unanimously.
- Adopted FY2021-FY2025 Capital Improvement Program as amended (5-1)
- Failed to remove city yard relocation funds from CIP (2-4)
- Moved Transportation Master Plan funds to FY20-21 budget (unanimous)
- Approved consent calendar, including special events and licenses (unanimous)
- Approved mobile food establishment licenses, including new Shishkaberrys (unanimous)
- Appointed Carmela Geer to Hospitality Commission (unanimous)
- Adopted Fair Chance Licensing resolution (unanimous)
- Adopted zoning amendment for Major Recreational Event on second reading (unanimous)