Newport City Council holds first meeting of new term

The newly elected Newport City Council convened for its first regular meeting on Wednesday, December 11, marking the beginning of the 2024-2026 term.

The meeting, held at Newport City Hall, addressed a range of issues from liquor license renewals to a contentious Coggeshall School development proposal.

Charles M. Holder, serving as council chair and mayor, led the meeting alongside Vice Chair Lynn Underwood Ceglie. The council roster includes at-large councilors Xaykham (Xay) Khamsyvoravong, Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, and Stephanie Smyth, with Ellen Pinnock representing the First Ward and David Carlin III serving the Third Ward.

The meeting began with a citizens forum, where resident Olivia Nagel expressed concerns about the pace of development in Newport, specifically mentioning a proposed hotel project at 181 Bellevue Avenue.

“It feels a little bit like the community is out of control in terms of development,” Nagel said. “I just think the city needs to get in front of this, needs to have public hearings and needs to have public input.”

The council swiftly approved several routine matters, including liquor license renewals and special event permits. Notable among these was the approval of the NAACP Newport County’s MLK Day celebration, scheduled for Jan. 20, 2025, at Thompson Middle School.

Ninety minutes of the two-hour and forty-minute meeting were dedicated to discussing a proposed housing development at the former Coggeshall School site. BCM Realty Partners presented the project, which aimed to convert the school into 32 rental units, including 26 in the main building and six in new duplexes.

Connor Melville of BCM Realty Partners defended the project, stating, “What that would include would be the same amenities that we have at Calvert, which are storage, which is very important in Newport. People have to pay hundreds of dollars per month to achieve that self storage unit or whatnot.”

However, the proposal faced opposition from some council members and residents. Christine Sullivan, a local resident, expressed concerns about the project’s impact on green space and traffic.

“When you’re talking about adding all of these units, all these duplexes, I’m in favor of renovating that you are taking away a green space that kids in the neighborhood walk and play, including my son,” Sullivan said.

After extensive debate, the council ultimately rejected the proposal in a close vote, with concerns raised about the definition of workforce housing and the potential for market-rate rents to exceed affordability targets.

The council also approved several contracts for city improvements, including $1,484,250 for the construction of the Elm Street Pier and $190,230 for installing a standby generator at the Edward King House.

In a move towards modernizing city services, the council approved a $14,000 contract with Polymorphic Incorporated for an artificial intelligence system to handle constituent inquiries.

City Manager Colin Kennedy explained the need for the system, saying, “When I first arrived, within the first week, I could tell that one of the chief criticisms and items of distaste within the community and our residents was from their inability to make easy contact with City hall, especially by phone.”

The meeting concluded with the adoption of council rules and a resolution reaffirming the city charter’s provision for council non-interference with administration.

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