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 for the Northwest Ninth Street pavement rehabilitation project to Road and Driveway in the amount of $236,699.46. Chris (Engineering) told the council the targeted three- to four-block stretch between Northwest Third and Northwest Twelfth is deteriorating and that a grinding-and-overlay approach now should extend the pavement life roughly 15 to 20 years. Staff said the project is funded from an existing street fund allocation of $300,000 and any leftover funds will return to that fund.

The council also authorized the City Manager to execute an amendment to the goods-and-services contract with Ballard Marine Construction LLC for the effluent outfall dredging project, increasing the not-to-exceed amount to $250,000. Public Works Director Robert Mosher told the council staff and contractors have had difficulty locating the outfall 1,800 feet offshore because the original installation in the mid-1990s lacked GPS coordinates and a buoy, and years of sediment have covered reference points. Mosher said the work has required specialized equipment and additional contractor time; city staff said the wastewater fund has reserves available to cover the higher contract total.

Other business on the consent calendar and by motion included a short agenda rearrangement (switching items 7A and 8A) and routine departmental approvals. The council also approved a request to excuse one councilor from being physically in the city for more than 30 days and appointed Mayor Jan Kaplan as the city's representative to the League of Oregon Cities annual business meeting, with Councilor Hall as alternate.

Votes at a glance (voice votes; no roll-call tallies provided in meeting record): - Consent calendar: approved (motion moved by Councillor Emond; second by Councillor Hickman). - Agenda amendment (swap 7A and 8A): approved (motion moved by Councillor Hall; second noted). - Resolution to fly progress-pride flag Sept. 16–30, 2025 (resolution text amended to correct date): motion to amend date made and seconded; amended resolution approved. - Award construction contract: Northwest Ninth Street pavement rehabilitation — Road and Driveway, $236,699.46; authorized City Manager to execute subject to City Attorney review (motion moved by Councillor Emond; second by Councillor Hickman). - Effluent outfall dredging: contract amendment with Ballard Marine Construction LLC raising not-to-exceed to $250,000; authorized City Manager to execute subject to City Attorney review (motion moved from the floor; seconded). - Excuse councilor absence (more than 30 days): approved (motion moved by Councillor Emond; second by Councillor Hall). - League of Oregon Cities representative: Mayor Jan Kaplan appointed; Councilor Hall designated alternate: approved.

Council discussion: councilors asked staff about security of the flag installation after prior vandalism; the police chief and IT confirmed lock boxes and continuous camera recording. On the pavement project councilors asked about expected lifespan of the repair and exposure to cost overruns; engineering staff said the work is pavement overlay rather than full reconstruction and does not, in their view, carry significant unknown subsurface risks. On the effluent outfall work, staff explained the operational need to locate and clear the outfall before winter diving conditions make work impractical; finance staff said the wastewater fund reserves are sufficient to cover the amended amount.

What happens next: staff will finalize contracts and return executed documents to the City Attorney as required. The flag will be displayed per the adopted resolution dates pending standard flag-policy compliance and the City Manager's instructions about logistics.