Waluk Resigns, Winthrop Elected Mayor of Newport
The City Council unanimously elected Henry Winthrop as Newport's Mayor and Chairman of the City Council.
Councilor Henry Winthrop was sworn in as Mayor of Newport and Chairman of the Newport City Council on Wednesday evening after being unanimously elected by his fellow councilors.
Just before Winthrop was sworn in, Mayor Stephen C. Waluk had offered his resignation to the council due to a policy conflict with his newly accepted position of Chief Clerk of Rhode Island District Court.
Waluk gave an emotional speech at the end of the council meeting, thanking several friends and colleagues, as well as his grandparents and mother.
"My love for Newport will never diminish," he said. "I will remain active as possible because this city is so great and it’s been so great to me."
His fellow councilors offered their well wishes, as well as thanks for his many years of service to the City of Newport.
“I will continue to be fair, firm and consistent on how I conduct business in Newport," Winthrop said about fulfilling the term as mayor, which will last until January 2013.
Bea Brush
8:08 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
When did We The People vote for him???
nptresident
1:59 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
We the people voted for the city council.....they vote for mayor. How is it that people of this city do not know this?????? We have a city manager form of government.
Shana Gaines
12:56 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
The Newport Charter states that when a Mayor is unable to complete their term of office, the City Council appoints the new Mayor. The public has no say in the matter at all. As it was, the public voted for Jeanne Marie Napolitano during the last election and it was overturned by the City Council by one vote,. Who do you think the one vote was, WALUK, who we didn't want the last time he was in office,. The Newport Charter needs to get in the 21st century.
nptresident
1:58 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
No, the public did not vote for Napolitano for mayor. The public voted for city council members and then the COUNCIL votes for mayor. That's what the city charter states. The top vote getter is not voted as mayor....get your facts straight. Also, the mayor does not run the city, the city manager runs the city.
Greg Dawley
4:30 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Thank you nptresident, and I said it before go away Shana!
Tom
5:33 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Napolitano received the most votes during the last few public elections but wasn't part of the in crowd such as fire department which was up for contract renewal and did they get a good one.
Small town, two of the councilors have family on the fire department and Napolitano is not one of them.
Greg Dawley
5:50 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Tom,
The issue of all public employees has to be addressed, but any Newporter has relations with public employees!
Tom
6:18 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Thats why I truly believe it is time to vote carpetbaggers into office because all of these favors are just getting out of control.