The Newport City Council held a goal-setting workshop on Wednesday, December 18, to outline priorities for the 2024-2026 term.
Council members, city staff, and members of the public gathered in the Council Chamber at Newport City Hall to discuss a wide range of issues facing the community.
Mayor Charlie Holder called the workshop to order, emphasizing its purpose to set agendas for the new council and provide direction to the administration.
The meeting included participation from council members Lynn Underwood Ceglie, Ellen Pinnock, David Carlin, and Stephanie Smyth, along with City Manager Colin Kennedy. Jeanne Marie Napolitano and Xaykham Khamsyvoravong, both At-Large council members, were absent from the meeting.
Councilor Ellen Pinnock, representing Ward 1, presented a comprehensive list of goals focused on community engagement and inclusivity. She proposed hosting quarterly town halls and creating a community advisory board to strengthen connections between residents and local government.
“There is a really underutilized asset for the city in terms of a linear park opportunity,” Pinnock said, referring to natural areas in the First Ward. She also emphasized the need for affordable housing initiatives and economic development support for local businesses.
Councilor Stephanie Smyth advocated for revitalizing existing boards and commissions while suggesting new ones, including an accessibility advocacy commission and a youth commission. “I’d like to see a youth commission maybe put into place because I think it’s important to help to educate our youth, but to also provide opportunities for them to be engaged on a political aspect,” Smyth said.
Public safety emerged as a key concern, with Councilor David Carlin calling for increased enforcement of traffic laws and short-term rental regulations. “I expect my city, our city, to enforce those ordinances,” Carlin stated, referring to short-term rental violations in residential areas.
City Manager Colin Kennedy addressed the council’s priorities, noting the importance of community engagement and the need to adapt communication strategies for younger generations. “To get to someone in Gen Z, you have to capture them with a picture and about a paragraph or less,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy also highlighted staffing challenges, particularly in the police department. He mentioned the “30 by 30” initiative, which aims to have 30% of the police force be women by 2030. The city manager emphasized the need to make public service careers more appealing to the next generation.
The council discussed potential new positions, including a deputy police chief and a code enforcement officer. Kennedy explained, “Having a dedicated employee to basically be able to become very, very familiar with our code of ordinances and find out some of the quality of life impacting ordinances that are being violated and go issue citations or at least investigate claims therein is very important.”
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Other topics addressed during the workshop included lead paint abatement, transportation improvements, and climate resilience measures. Councilor Lynn Underwood Ceglie expressed interest in revisiting the city’s master transportation plan and addressing safety concerns in various neighborhoods.
Mayor Holder concluded the workshop by thanking attendees and expressing optimism about the council’s ability to accomplish its goals. “Two years from now we come back to this next goal-setting thing and if some of us are still here, that list of things that we’ve accomplished on those goals will be long,” Holder said.
The council plans to hold additional workshops in the coming months, including a strategic plan workshop and a legislative workshop with state leaders scheduled for January 11.
Those interested in watching the 90-minute workshop can do so here.
