Newport council adopts fire code, updates municipal-court rules and approves engineering, traffic and appointments

The Newport City Council approved a package of ordinances, contracts and traffic changes at its regular meeting, including adoption of the 2021 International Fire Code and NFPA 101, a first reading to update municipal-court rules to align with changes in Tennessee law, and hiring an engineering firm for police department and animal-control projects.

The actions affect public-safety codes, a planned police/animal-control site, local traffic controls and advisory-board membership. Council members present voted to carry the measures after brief staff presentations and roll-call votes.

On the most consequential matter, the council adopted Ordinance No. 2025-11, amending the City of Newport Municipal Code, Title 7 (Fire Protection and Fireworks, Chapter 3 Fire Code), to adopt the 2021 International Fire Code and the 2021 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. The ordinance passed on second reading following a roll-call vote recorded by the clerk; the motion carried.

The council also approved Ordinance No. 2025-12 on first reading, an amendment to the City of Newport Municipal Code, Title 3 (Municipal Court) to reflect recent changes in the Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) governing municipal courts. Council moved to suspend the normal rules to take up the ordinance on first reading and approved the measure by roll call.

By resolution, the council authorized hiring Robert Campbell Group as the engineering firm for the proposed police-department and animal-control projects. City staff said the firm is experienced with site layout, drainage and the Main Street extension needed for the site plan; the resolution passed after a motion and second and a roll-call affirmation.

Traffic and public-safety adjustments approved by the council included: establishing a three-way stop at Buckingham and Morrell Springs Road to calm traffic and improve visibility; and installing a dedicated eastbound left-turn signal on Broadway at Coke (near the planned ORNL Credit Union/Marathon area). Staff said temporary signage and a public-awareness campaign will precede the Buckingham/Morrell change. The left-turn signal project was listed in the packet with a single bid (Stansell) and an estimated cost of $8,900; council voted to approve the installation.

Two reappointments to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board were approved: Chip Owry and Chuck Strange were each reappointed to new terms.

Procedural items cleared the agenda as well: the council approved the minutes of the June 10 regular session and the June 30 special-call meeting.

Several items discussed at length at the meeting — including proposed capital projects and grant applications referenced by staff — will return to council for future action or implementation steps.

Votes at a glance: the packet listed each motion and the clerk recorded roll calls where required; the meeting record indicates the motions carried for the items summarized above.

Less urgent agenda items (announcements): City Administrator James Pynchon announced a farmer’s-market customer-appreciation day in August and that the municipal golf course would hold a grand reopening; those items were informational and did not require council action.

The council adjourned after completing the agenda.