Council approves circulation of RFP for TIF‑experienced real estate counsel amid debate over Walmart funds

The Newport City Council approved circulating a request for proposals for a real estate attorney with experience in tax‑increment financing, a step proponents say is needed to evaluate a potential downtown TIF district and negotiate complex public‑private deals. Dave Bufourse, speaking for the downtown development effort, asked the council to permit the RFP so legal counsel could be retained if feasibility work indicated a TIF district was viable. Mayor Rick Alford Chase and council members discussed funding and process before the motion passed. The action matters because it starts a procurement process that could position the city to pursue a TIF district and because council members and residents raised questions about where initial legal fees would come from and whether the move should wait while local budget issues are settled. Bufourse told the council White Burke and consulting partners are completing infrastructure scoping and financial modeling for downtown project sites and that legal work would include drafting purchase and sale agreements, leases, easements, title reviews, and advising on zoning, permitting and complex public‑private financing. He said the city planned to use previously designated Walmart funds to pay for the initial legal work and that, if a TIF district is approved by the state, TIF-eligible costs could reimburse those funds. Several council members and residents voiced concern about timing and cash flow. Council member Pam (surname not given in the transcript) said the community is ‘‘reeling’’ from recent budget issues and cautioned using a line of credit or other borrowed funds to pay for RFP‑related work. Eric (surname not recorded in the public transcript) asked whether sufficient Walmart funds remained; a council reply estimated roughly $400,000 remained but also described other committed obligations. Mayor Chase said prior agreements and a January memorandum of understanding outlined Newport Downtown Development’s role managing logistics and feasibility work and that the group would return with specific proposals for council review. Residents and councilors pressed procedural points. Anne asked for transparency and said the public should be informed about possible downsides of a TIF district. Jennifer Bierling, a resident, expressed concern that the city charter’s language about the city attorney could be interpreted to prohibit retaining multiple attorneys; Mayor Chase responded that city attorneys had advised a specialized outside counsel was permissible and that hiring a specialist could help the city avoid long‑term liabilities. On costs, staff and council provided back‑of‑envelope figures. A council presentation said the feasibility study work with Weidenberg would cost roughly $50,000 for the initial stage and about $50,000 more for an application stage; total project feasibility and associated consultant work were estimated in a range ‘‘probably in the neighborhood of $175,000 to $200,000’’ if additional engineering and legal work are required. The council’s finance updates at the meeting also listed a tax anticipation line of credit at $1,300,000, general‑fund checking at about $521,830 and an interfund amount owed to the general fund of about $1,385,865. The council voted to circulate the RFP; the motion passed after a voice vote. No firm was selected that night; staff said responses would be returned and a recommendation would appear at the council’s September meeting. The council also discussed procurement procedure: several members insisted that if the city is funding work the city—not the downtown nonprofit—must receive and process proposals to avoid blurring the lines between the municipal employer and a separate nonprofit. Mayor Chase and staff said the RFP in the packet would be reviewed and returned with recommended changes and that final contract decisions would come back to the full council for approval. The RFP circulation marks an early legal and procurement step; whether the city will pursue a TIF district remains contingent on feasibility findings, funding availability and later council decisions.