The Newport City Council will hold a special meeting Saturday, Aug. 15, at 10 a.m. at City Hall to meet in executive session regarding City Manager Colin K. Kennedy’s employment.
According to the docket released Wednesday afternoon, the council will meet in the city solicitor’s office “to discuss issues involving the City Manager’s employment with The City and resolutions concerning the same including the term of his employment.” The council cites exemptions under the state Open Meetings Act covering discussions of a person’s job performance, character or health, and matters pertaining to collective bargaining or litigation.
The docket’s first item is a suspension of the council’s rules, Section 2-21(E)(1)(b), to hold the meeting as noticed.
Following the executive session, the council may reconvene in public session to disclose any votes taken, unless it determines disclosure would jeopardize a strategy, negotiation or investigation, and may vote to seal the minutes.
Kennedy was appointed city manager in May 2024 on a 5-2 vote, with Councilors Lynn Underwood Ceglie and Jeanne-Marie Napolitano opposed. His salary is $225,000.
Under Newport’s council-manager form of government, the city manager serves at the pleasure of the council.
