Communication, Economy, Environment, Transparency
Jamie Bova
Spring Update

Highlights of what we’ve accomplished in March and April

Spring Update
Communication, Economy, Environment, Transparency, Education
Jamie Bova
February Update
February Update
Jamie Bova
The Women's March in Washington, DC

I am so proud to have joined the hundreds of thousands of women at the Women’s March in Washington, DC...Walking the streets of DC with engaged women, educated on issues and causes that they care about was so invigorating. I want this feeling for everyone - engagement can and should start at the local level...

The Women's March in Washington, DC
Communication, Transparency
Jamie Bova
Planning for Newport's Future

I want to make sure that my time on the Council is spent thoughtfully and intentionally, and that my term ends with goals accomplished. To that end, I have put together a list of goals for my first term.

Planning for Newport's Future
Communication, Transparency
Jamie Bova
Council Chair Selection

During my campaign for one of the four at-large City Council seats in Newport, many residents told me how they felt their government wasn’t listening to them. For many, one of the least transparent aspects of our city government is the election of the Chair of the Council by the other members.

Council Chair Selection

Economy

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February Update

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Here are some highlights of what we've done in February:

Plastic Bag Ordinance

The first reading of the ordinance passed at the February 22 meeting – we’re one step closer to plastic bag free Newport!

Since January, there have been 2 meetings of the Plastic Bag Ordinance Implementation Subcommittee. This subcommittee is working to draft the implementation plan for an upcoming ordinance that will ban the distribution of single use plastic bags in Newport. We are organizing the education, outreach, and strategy of the ordinance’s roll-out, including the grace period that will extend until November 1, 2017.

City Communication

I put forward a resolution with my fellow Councilors Susan Taylor and Jeanne Napolitano requesting that each of the City’s Boards and Commissions prepare a summary of their purpose, task, and goals along with a clear mission statement. These summaries will then be added to the City’s website to bring clarity to the workings of our government and help prospective volunteers decide where their knowledge would be of the most use to the city. Our Boards and Commissions provide an invaluable service to the City and I believe that by helping our residents better understand their duties, we will see an uptick in the number of people that want to serve or otherwise participate in our local government.

Growing our local economy

A hydroponic lettuce grower out of Canada is looking to relocate into Newport. A meeting on February 23 covered a briefing on the project, focusing on potential jobs, environmental impact, neighborhood impact, and more. We voted to authorize the City Manager to proceed with negotiations to bring this project to Newport.

Education

The Superintendent briefed the City Council and the School Committee on school enrollment projections and upcoming facilities issues at a joint workshop on February 18. We were briefed on enrollment trends from the past school years and the future enrollment projections for Newport Public Schools; enrollments are expected to rise in the future, especially in the NACTEC program. In addition to discussion on enrollment projections, the potential facilities issues that come along with these increased enrollments.

City Finances

City Council Workshop on the Strategic Plan, Comprehensive Annual Finance Review, and Actuarial Reports for Post-Retirement Benefits, Police Pension and Fire Pension on February 15. This was a broad review of the City’s Strategic Plan (which will be used as a guide for the City Council and Administration), the Comprehensive Annual Finance Review, and the Actuarial Reports – including what percentage of our pension accounts are funded.