Newport City Council Regular Meeting: August 13, 2025

On August 13, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., the Newport City Council convened to address a broad agenda including a public hearing, consent calendar, licenses, multiple action items, and eight resolutions. The meeting featured extensive debate on police contract terms, parking and traffic safety measures, hospital liaisons, transit cuts, invasive plants, school zone speeds, and school regionalization. Several votes were taken, with amendments and continuances debated but ultimately resolved.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes from July 1, 8, and 15, 2025 executive and regular sessions.
• Approved five special event permits: Coaching Weekend (Aug 15-17), Newport Mental Health outreach (Aug 25), Feast of St. Augustin (Aug 28), Newport Classical Music Festival (Sep 7), and Life After Life performance (Nov 1-2).
• Approved renewal of waste hauler license for Waste Connections of RI.
• Received communications from RI Ethics Commission, RI Division of Statewide Planning (Moving Forward RI 2050 plan), Friends of the Waterfront (Adopt-an-Access report).
• Approved banner license for Newport Prevention Coalition (Aug 25-Sep 2) for International Overdose Awareness Day.
• Approved Franklin Street business signage request subject to city administration working out details; City Manager clarified that the approved location (corner of Thames and Franklin, near post office) is outside the three-foot unobstructed sidewalk zone required by ordinance, and that most downtown businesses cannot meet that standard.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kyle Hence (73 Washington St.) urged the Council to cease water fluoridation, citing a September 2024 federal judge’s ruling that fluoride poses an unreasonable risk, especially to infants and children. He noted that states like Utah and Florida have banned fluoridation since that ruling and that many European countries do not fluoridate without increases in cavities.
• David Geisinger (co-owner of 21 & 25 Young St.) spoke in favor of making Spring/Bowery/Young intersection a three-way stop, stating that as a resident he takes his life in his hands when taking a left from Young onto Spring and must rely on reflections from parked cars to see oncoming traffic.
• Sandra Flowers (16 Care Ave.), former teacher and school committee member, supported lowering school zone speeds to 20 mph, recommending addition of flashing lights on timers to reinforce limits.
• Beth Cullen (19 Bayside Ave.), School Committee member, urged passage of the regionalization resolution, noting that the School Committee had voted 5-2 in favor the previous evening and that the bus reimbursement alone would save $1.5 million annually for Newport.
• Melody O’Brien (2-3 Sergeant Greenway) expressed concerns about special education resource allocation under regionalization, stating that IEPs in Newport are “a joke” and that she had to pull her child out due to lack of funding.
• Amy Yosura (102 Warner St.), parent of two Pell School students, asked for more concrete details on how state reimbursement funds would be allocated to education before putting a regionalization question to voters.
• Jan Slee presented the National Lighthouse Award plaque for Ida Lewis; noted Ida Lewis saved at least 18 lives (unofficial count 35) and that the Rose Island license plate was first in New England.

Discussion Items

Proclamation – Joe Logue Retirement

Mayor Holder read a proclamation declaring August 14, 2025 as “Joe Logue Day” in Newport, honoring the retiring director of the Newport Public Library for eight years of leadership, including navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and overseeing capital projects. Logue thanked the council and staff.

Resolution 22 – Rose Island Lighthouse & Fort Hamilton Trust

Council approved congratulating the Trust on its national recognition and 2024 “Best Plate of the Year” award for its charitable license plate, reaffirming support for the Trust’s mission, and recognizing August 7 (National Lighthouse Day) as “Rhode Island Rose Island Lighthouse and Fort Hamilton Trust Day” in Newport.

Public Hearing – Removal of Michael Falcone from Sister City Commission

Mayor Holder explained Falcone moved overseas and missed more than 75% of meetings, triggering a bylaw provision. The Council unanimously approved removal, with Holder noting Falcone remains welcome to serve when he returns.

Action Item 6470 – Newport Yacht Club Lease Amendment

City Manager recommended a 30-year extension (through 2063) with CPI adjustments and 15% of non-member transient dockage fees. Councilor Carlin moved to continue, citing the need for a public workshop. The motion to continue passed (voice vote).

Action Item 6473 – Fraternal Order of Police Contract

City Manager presented the contract (bridge year FY2025: 2.9% retroactive increase; FY2026-2028: 3% annual increases). Councilor Carlin offered an amendment to raise the retroactive increase to 4%, citing consistency with the firefighter contract and fairness. Solicitor Bean and Councilor Smythe opposed, warning it would politicize negotiations and set bad precedent with other unions. Amendment failed (hand vote). Carlin’s second amendment for a 4% increase in FY2026 lacked a second. The original contract was approved (hand vote).

Action Item 6479 – Stop Signs at Spring, Bowery, Young Streets

Councilor Carlin moved to continue to gather constituent input. Councilor Pinnock disagreed, noting ITC notification and 34 accidents in 10 years. The continuance motion failed. The three-way stop sign was approved.

Action Item 6481 – Parking Removal on Thames Street (South of South Baptist)

Councilor Carlin questioned what changed since planning board approval of the Waits Wharf development, where fire apparatus turning was said not to be an issue. Fire Marshal Justin Duell stated it has always been an issue; the fire truck’s tiller steering adjustments made it tighter. Video showed difficulty turning with a car parked in the spot. Carlin’s appeal to the chair’s ruling on relevance was sustained (hand vote). Councilors Khamsyvoravong and Segley supported removal as a safety necessity. Approved.

Resolution 23 – Newport Hospital Council Liaisons

Councilor Smythe proposed appointing herself and Councilor Khamsyvoravong as liaisons. Councilor Segley moved to continue to allow hospital input; after debate, motion to continue failed. Councilor Carlin objected to self-appointment but the resolution passed (hand vote).

Resolution 24 – Opposition to RIPTA Service Cuts

Councilor Khamsyvoravong noted cuts would eliminate the trolley route to northern Newport, Middletown, URI, and the train station. Council passed unanimously (voice vote).

Resolution 25 – Invasive Plant Growth Ordinance

Councilor Holder requested an ordinance to regulate invasive plant growth in residential zones. Passed.

Resolution 26 – Speed Limits in School Zones (20 mph)

Councilor Pinnock read resolves noting school zones are high-crash clusters and that speed is a factor in 45% of RI traffic fatalities. Approved.

Resolution 27 – Celebrating Ida Lewis

Councilor Carlin recognized Ida Lewis posthumously and Jan Slee’s acceptance of a National Lighthouse Award. Passed.

Resolution 28 – School Regionalization with Middletown

Councilor Napolitano’s resolution set a path toward a voter referendum in April 2026 on administrative regionalization (shared superintendent and finance office), with incentives including 50% bus reimbursement and increased state construction aid. Councilor Khamsyvoravong amended the first resolve to set a September 30, 2025 deadline for appointing an Academic Integration Advisory Commission. Councilor Pinnock amended to direct the City Manager to coordinate a joint meeting with Middletown officials, RIDE, and superintendents. Councilor Smythe moved to continue pending a manager’s report on resource impacts; the motion failed. The resolution as amended passed (hand vote – “by two”).

Key Outcomes

• Removed Michael Falcone from Sister City Commission (unanimous).
• Continued the Newport Yacht Club lease amendment.
• Approved FOP contract with original 2.9% retroactive and 3% annual increases through 2028.
• Approved three-way stop signs at Spring, Bowery, Young streets.
• Approved removal of on-street parking on Thames Street south of South Baptist (46-foot stretch) to improve fire truck access.
• Passed Resolution 23: Appointed Councilors Smythe and Khamsyvoravong as Newport Hospital liaisons.
• Passed Resolution 24: Opposing RIPTA proposed service cuts affecting Aquidneck Island.
• Passed Resolution 25: Directed drafting of ordinance to regulate invasive plant growth.
• Passed Resolution 26: Directed administration to establish 20 mph school zone limits within 300 feet of all K-12 schools; forwarded to RIDOT for state road coordination.
• Passed Resolution 27: Recognized Ida Lewis and her national lighthouse award; designated a day in her honor.
• Passed Resolution 28 (amended): Initiated regionalization discussions; directs appointment of Academic Integration Advisory Commission by September 30, 2025; mandates joint meeting with Middletown officials, RIDE, and superintendents; reaffirms intent to seek voter referendum in April 2026.

*Note: Meeting began at 6:30 p.m. and adjourned without a recorded end time. All votes are based on transcript voice or hand counts as audible.