Newport council approves progress-pride flag display, awards street contract and increases outfall dredging limit

The Newport City Council on Monday approved several routine and project-specific actions, including a resolution to fly a 3-by-5 foot progress pride flag at City Hall from Sept. 16 through Sept. 30, awarded a pavement rehabilitation contract for Northwest Ninth Street and authorized an amendment to a contract for effluent outfall dredging that raises the not-to-exceed amount to $250,000.

The actions were taken by voice votes during the meeting. Councilors approved the consent calendar and accepted a short reordering of the agenda before taking up the flag resolution and the contracting items.

The council amended one line in the flag resolution to change the display start date from Sept. 15 to Sept. 16. City Manager Nina said the revised language clarified inconsistent dates that appeared in the draft resolution. After questions about previous incidents of flag tampering, the police chief reported that lock boxes had been installed on the City Hall flagpoles and that security cameras now record 24 hours rather than motion-activated only. The council then approved the amended resolution to fly the progress-pride flag for the specified two-week period.

In procurement actions, the council awarded a construction contract…