Ask the Council Candidates: Week Four

Patch's final installment in a series of questions to the Newport City Council candidates.

In anticipation of the Nov. 2 election, Patch has been sharing the thoughts and views of Newport's council candidates over the past several weeks. Each week, we've posed a new question to those running, both at-large and for the ward seats, to give you a glimpse at where they stand on the city's most important issues. This week, we conclude with an issue concerning the $30 million bond for a new elementary school: If the school bond passes, what measures do you propose the city take to assure the timely sale of the existing buildings? If the bond fails, what do you think the plan should be to finance the needed upgrades and repairs to our current facilities? Herbert Armstrong: "If it passes, we've got to start marketing the two buildings …

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Ask the Council Candidates: Week Three

Patch's third in a series of questions to the Newport City Council candidates.

In anticipation of the Nov. 2 election, Patch has been sharing the thoughts and views of Newport's council candidates over the past few weeks. Each week, we've posed a new question to those running, both at-large and for the ward seats, to give you a glimpse at where they stand on the city's most important issues. This week, we'd like to know: The city faces a number of pressing and expensive infrastructure projects. How do you propose the city prioritize these projects? Herbert Armstrong: "The ones that have to be at the top are the sewer projects and the water system because they're required by a court order. They have to be at the top of the list. The next two would be Broadway and lower Thames paving. If possible, getting power lines …

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City Awards Lower Thames Sewer Project Bid

The costs of the Thames Street and Wellington Avenue sewer project will total $4.4 million.

The Newport City Council announced on Wednesday that Spiniello Companies has been awarded the bid for the Thames Street Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Rehabilitation project. Their bid for the project was $4.3 million. An additional $100,000 allowance for police details will be provided by the town, bringing the entire project to approximately $4.4 million. Funding for the project, which spans Thames Street from Touro Street to Morton Avenue, will be provided by Clean Water State Revolving Loan Funds. In comparison to other bids, Spiniello's was about 25 percent lower than the 2nd lowest bid and almost half of the highest, according to a report submitted by CH2M Hill, the engineering firm overseeing the project. Spiniello Companies is based …

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Councilors Say City Should Seek Refund for Bellevue Avenue Repairs

Councillors Waluk and Leonard put forth a resolution to request a refund for recent roadwork done on Bellevue Avenue.

Newport Councilors on Wednesday unanimously approved a resolution that seeks a refund for the "unsatisfactory" roadwork done on Bellevue Avenue in recent years. Councilors Stephen Waluk and Kathryn Leonard proposed the resolution, which noted that despite the city investing over $1 million in repairs, there are still some areas that overlap and create bumps in the road. Waluk voiced frustration that many other miles also still need repair. On Wednesday, Waluk said that the council needs to take any action possible to get the money back. "The money could have gone to something else," he said. "I'm not an expert, but you can tell it's not good work." He also said he was concerned about how the roads will hold up through the upcoming winter …

Councilors Agree to Give Weekly Updates on Lower Thames Street Sewer Project

Members debated whether to put a deadline on the work.

After much discussion at their meeting Wednesday night, Newport Councilors agreed that they want to work closely with Lower Thames Street businesses to make sure that the sewer construction project planned for that area doesn't impede on business, or on the lives of residents. But the councilors stopped short of putting a deadline on the work, acknowledging that it's too soon to do so when a contract has yet to be awarded. A resolution put forth requested that the pending sewer repair construction work, which will repair the sewers to reduce the amount of overflow storm water running into Narragansett Bay, should only occur during Jan. 1 and April 15. The resolution further stated that city administration and the Utilities Department …

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