CITY OF NEWPORT
MAY 27, 2020
(Approved 7/22/2020)
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 | |
The following items of business, filed with the City Clerk under the Rules of the Council, came before the Council at a meeting held in accordance with Governor Raimondo’s Executive Order 20-25 on May 27, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. via remote means.
MAYOR BOVA moved item No. 8 be heard after item 1. Seconded by COUNCILOR MCCALLA and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
1. PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed Budget FY 2021 (A copy is available on the city’s website) http://cityofnewport.com/departments/finance/budgets-cafrs-cips
CITY MANAGER JOSEPH J. NICHOLSON, JR addressed the Council regarding the budget. Discussion occurred among the Council and the City Manager. MAYOR BOVA opened the public hearing. The following members from the public addressed the Council:
COUNCILOR TAYLOR moved to close the public hearing. Seconded by COUNCILOR CEGLIE and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
a. Ordinance Appropriating Revenues (First Reading) - Continued from May 13, 2020
MAYOR BOVA moved to approve item a and b. Seconded by COUNCILOR TAYLOR. Discussion occurred among the Council. COUNCILOR TAYLOR moved to continue the ordinance to no later than June 10, 2020. Seconded by COUNCILOR NAPOLITANO. MAYOR BOVA requested the City Manager to provide a memo for the next meeting regarding the tax increase. COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN moved to amend the motion and continue the items to no later than June 3, 2020. Seconded by COUNCILOR TAYLOR and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
b. Ordinance Amending Title 3, Personnel (First Reading)- Continued from May 13, 2020
8. Memorializing the General Assembly to Enact Legislation Authorizing the City of Newport to Issue not to exceed $106,500,000 General Obligation bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness to finance all costs relating to the construction, renovation, improvement, alteration, repair, landscaping, furnishing and equipping of: (I) an addition to the Claiborne Pell Elementary School, including but not limited to, classrooms and associated support space, site improvements, and parking and (II) a new school facility for the William S. Rogers High School, provided that the authorization shall be reduced by the amount of certain grants received from State bond proceeds, from the Rhode Island Department of Education or from the Rhode Island School Building Authority
MAYOR BOVA introduced the resolution and moved for its passage. Seconded by COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN. The following members from the public addressed the Council.
The following members from the public addressed the Council:
Aaron Sherman, 130 Connection St.
Chris Semonelli, Middletown, RI
Jennifer Gee, 36 Vernon Ave.
Amy Machado, 12 Burdick Ave.
Natalie Harris, 95 Hillside Ave.
Anna Kimes, 28 Atlantic St.
Stuart Streuli, Ellery Rd.
Paul Marshall, 93 Roseneath Ave.
Melissa Danks, 22 Shields St.
Leslie Streuli, Ellery Rd.
Lola Herrera Ximenez
Peter Gee
Becky Bolan, 4 Channing St.
Sybil Grayko
Discussion occurred among the Council. The motion to approve was voted 6-1 with COUNCILOR LEONARD opposed.
2. Mobile Food Establishment (MFEC), 3 available:
a. Viking Hot Dog, LLC, d/b/a Viking Hot Dog LLC, One Courthouse Square, Newport, RI, Renewal
COUNCILOR TAYLOR moved to approve the application. Seconded by COUNCILOR CEGLIE and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
b. Derek Ardito, d/b/a Mooseman’s Kettle Corn, 87 Van Zandt Ave, Newport, RI, New
COUNCILOR TAYLOR moved to approve the application. Seconded by COUNCILOR CEGLIE and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
c. The Coffee Guy LLC, d/b/a The Coffee Guy, 796 Aquidneck Rd., Middletown, RI, New
COUNCILOR TAYLOR moved to approve the application. Seconded by COUNCILOR CEGLIE and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
d. Longade LLC, d/b/a Del’s Lemonade, 1 Winfield Court, Middletown, RI, New
COUNCILOR TAYLOR moved to approve the license. Seconded by COUNCILOR NAPOLITANO. COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN had a question regarding denying without prejudice as there are no license available to grant. The motion to approve failed 0-7.
3. Postpone the Re-valuation Process – K. Leonard, L. Ceglie, J. Napolitano
COUNCILOR LEONARD introduced the resolution and moved for its passage. Seconded by COUNCILOR NAPOLITANO. CITY MANAGER NICHOLSON and CITY SOLICITOR BEHAN addressed the Council regarding the resolution. COUNCILOR LEONARD moved to table the resolution. Seconded by COUNCILOR CEGLIE and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
4. Road Closures – J. Bova, S. Taylor, L. Ceglie
MAYOR BOVA introduced the resolution and moved for its passage. Seconded by COUNCILOR CEGLIE. Discussion occurred among the Council. The motion to approve was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
5. Guiding Principles for Summer 2020 – J. Bova
MAYOR BOVA introduced the resolution and moved for its passage. Seconded by COUNCILOR TAYLOR. Discussion occurred among the Council. The motion to approve was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
6. Homestead Exemption – J. Bova
MAYOR BOVA moved to continue the resolution to June 10, 2020. Seconded by COUNCILOR CEGLIE. Discussion occurred among the Council and the CITY MANAGER NICHOLSON. The motion to continue was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
7. Mask Wearing – S. Taylor
COUNCILOR TAYLOR introduced the resolution and moved for its passage. Seconded by MAYOR BOVA. Discussion occurred among the Council and CITY MANAGER NICHOLSON. The following members from the public addressed the Council:
Sara Maraowitz, Record St.,
Katherine Dugan, Coggeshall Ave.
COUNCILOR MCLAUGHLIN moved to continue the resolution to June 10, 2020 and work with the City Solicitor on the resolution.
The motion to continue was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
Laura C. Swistak
City Clerk
ADJOURN – 9:22 p.m.