Dear Colleagues,
As we embark on the new term as a City Council, I am writing this letter to thank you for your dedication to our city. As colleagues, we share the common bond to serve and I look forward to working with you all to carry Newport forward. We all want Newport to be a successful and prosperous city. The people of Newport have placed their trust in you and I and our success in leading this city is their success.
This is a unique time for Newport. We are presented with many opportunities to transform our future. Our city has been developing, and we are embarking on new projects that will shape the city for the next century. It is my hope and belief that we can work together as a Council not only to tackle these immense challenges, but to be effective in the everyday for all Newporters. We have the opportunity to transform Newport for the better, but we can only succeed if we keep a clear focus and work towards that goal.
Working together as a group is not without challenges. We are all human; we will have different views as we move forward. Differences of opinion and informed debate are important on the council, and it is important that you are empowered to raise your concerns in the open. We must address these differences with civility, integrity and a commitment to doing what is best for Newport. We must ensure we are open and clear in our deliberations and debates. Transparency invites criticism, but I believe we should welcome that criticism to grow as public servants and civic leaders. The people of Newport have placed their trust in us and it is our duty to hear them.
I am honored to serve the people of Newport with such dedicated and capable people like you, our colleagues, and all the public servants committed to our city by the sea. I look forward to your contributions to the deliberations and debates that lie ahead. Please know that even if we find ourselves on different sides of an issue, I understand that you and I are working towards the same goal to serve the people of Newport. I value your perspective, insight, and honesty, and I am grateful for them as we chart the course for our city.
Sincerely,
Jamie Bova
