CITY OF NEWPORT
MINUTES FOR THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
JUNE 2, 2020
(Approved 8/12/2020)
The following items of business, filed with the City Clerk under the Rules of the Council, came before the Council at a meeting to be held in accordance with Governor Raimondo’s Executive Order 20-25 on June 2, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.
The CITY CLERK called the roll, and the following members were present:
| JAMIE BOVA | LYNN UNDERWOOD CEGLIE |
| ANGELA MCCALLA | JUSTIN S. MCLAUGHLIN |
| SUSAN TAYLOR | JEANNE-MARIE NAPOLITANO |
| KATHRYN E. LEONARD | |
1. Proposed Budget FY 2021 (A copy is available on the city’s website) https://www.cityofnewport.com/CityOfNewport/media/City-Hall/Departments/Finance/Budgets/FY2021-Proposed-Final-Combined.pdf
a. Errata Sheet
b. FY21 Tax Impacts
MAYOR BOVA moved to receive items a. and b. Seconded by COUNCILOR TAYLOR and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. The following members from the public addressed the Council:
Louisa Boatwright, 46 Second St.
Norann Warner, 16 Andrew St.
Dan Meucci, 99 Coggeshall Ave.
Andrea Restrepo, 126-128 Spring St.
Colleen Burns Jermain, 70 Brenton Rd.
MAYOR BOVA moved to close the public hearing. Seconded by COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
c. Ordinance Appropriating Revenues (First Reading)- Continued from May 27, 2020
MAYOR BOVA moved to approve the ordinance on first reading. Seconded by COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN. Discussion occurred among the Council. Laura Sitrin, Finance Director, addressed the Council regarding the budget. MAYOR BOVA moved to amend the ordinance to reflect a 2% tax increase. Seconded by COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN and voted 4-3 with COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN, COUNCILOR TAYLOR and COUNCILOR LEONARD opposed.
MAYOR BOVA moved to approve the ordinance as amended. Seconded by COUNCILOR NAPOLITANO and VOTED 4-3 with COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN, COUNCILOR LEONARD and COUNCILOR TAYLOR opposed.
d. Ordinance Amending Title 3, Personnel (First Reading)- Continued from May 27, 2020
MAYOR BOVA moved to approve the ordinance. Seconded by COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN. COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN asked CITY MANAGER NICHOLSON to address the changes in the personnel ordinance. CITY MANAGER NICHOLSON addressed the Council to answer questions. Laura Sitrin, Finance Director, addressed the Council to answer questions regarding the changes to personnel. The vote on the motion to approve was VOTED 5-2 with COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN and COUNCILOR LEONARD opposed.
2. Mask Wearing – S. Taylor
COUNCILOR TAYLOR introduced the resolution and moved to replace the resolution with a revised version. Seconded by COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN. Discussion occurred among the Council. The following members from the public addressed the Council regarding the resolution:
Elizabeth De Ramel, 2 Rovensky Avenue
Morgan Capodilupo, 1 Commercial Wharf
John McCabe, 24 Ayrault St.
The motion to approve the resolution as amended was voted 6-1 with COUNCILOR LEONARD opposed.
3. Communication from Colleen Burns Jermain, Superintendent of Schools, re: Newport Public Schools approved budget for July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021
MAYOR BOVA moved to receive the communication. Seconded by COUNCILOR NAPOLITANO. Colleen Burns Jermain addressed the Council regarding the budget. Ronald Gonsalves, School Finance Director, addressed the Council to answer questions. Discussion occurred among the Council. The motion to receive was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
4. COVID 19 Status Update
CITY MANAGER NICHOLSON addressed the Council to provide an update.
Laura C. Swistak
City Clerk
ADJOURN – 8:58 p.m.