Newport approves consent agenda including personnel ordinance readings and new community policing role

The Board of Commissioners approved a consent agenda that included personnel ordinance actions and a package of staffing moves across city departments, and the commission recorded direction that certain ordinance items will require a second reading at the next meeting.

City staff described the package as reorganizing existing duties and formally codifying roles that already operate in practice. Items discussed included moving the city’s regular meeting time to 6:30 p.m. (an ordinance), the economic development coordinator and municipal liaison positions in the city manager’s office, planning and development positions, and personnel changes tied to the police department. Staff said the positions are posted online and that the application deadline for some roles is January 31.

Among police‑related changes discussed, the board heard that Terry Baker (animal control officer) has been operating in code enforcement and will be formally placed within the police department where she is dispatched. The meeting also described a sign‑specialist function performed for years by Bob Stefan (traffic striping, sign work and traffic studies) that will be captured in ordinance language. No new hires or pay increases were attached to these moves, staff said.

Chief Fagan explained the creation of a community‑oriented position for officer Barry Shields. The chief said Shields will “evaluate every street, get to know anybody who’s elderly or underserved in the community, and really do a lot of outreach” and will log cases and notify staff when neighborhood issues emerge. Chief Fagan and others said Shields’ outreach work will pair with social‑service referrals and coordinate with the state ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) where licensed establishments are a concern.

City management said the staffing changes are expected to be close to “net 0” in the budget because the city will not backfill several part‑time roles and will use existing budgeted positions; staff committed to providing the commission with updated organizational charts and position descriptions and annual goals for each position before hires are finalized.

Commissioners asked for position descriptions and annual goals prior to making final assignments and for continued close monitoring of net budget impact. The consent agenda, which included the first readings of some personnel ordinances and the second readings of others, passed on a roll call vote.