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Council says bond funds should prioritize removal of Rogers High School soil stockpile, seeks protections for neighbors
Summary
Councilor Carlin’s resolution instructs that, if voters approve the proposed $98.5 million bond, $10 million earmarked in bond descriptions for soil disposition should be used first to remove the growing stockpile of excavated soil at the Rogers High School site; debate centered on whether that money was intended for school completion or remediation, with council approving the policy statement by voice vote.
Councilor David Carlin urged the Newport City Council to prioritize removal of the large stockpile of excavated soil at the Rogers High School site and to make that priority clear to voters considering a $98.5 million bond. Carlin said the stockpile has grown to roughly 52,000–54,000 cubic yards and cited a recent U.S. Navy removal at a comparable Melville site that he said cost the federal government about $19 million, urging that the council set remediation as the bond’s first use of the $10 million described in bond planning documents.
The resolution — framed as a policy priority statement rather than an immediate appropriation — was debated across a long council exchange. Some members said they believed the $10 million was meant to address landfill/remediation while others noted the bond language is written by the General Assembly and does not specify individual projects. The city manager and finance director clarified that $2.9 million to complete occupancy for Rogers High School had been separately requested and that the city might be able to find up to $2 million of fund balance without harming bond ratings; remaining shortfalls would require other budget adjustments.
Councilors and resident speakers described daily neighborhood impacts from the stockpile, including dust, noise and loss of nearby amenities. Carlin’s resolution would direct that, upon allocation of bond proceeds, money described for soil disposition be used first to remove and properly dispose of the excavated materials, with any leftover funds applied to other bond priorities. Council discussion acknowledged uncertainty about exact remediation costs — officials cited estimates from $10 million to as high as $19 million — and noted that final project-by-project funding decisions would come back to the council if the bond passes.
After extended debate, the council approved Carlin’s resolution by voice vote. The council instructed administration and the finance office to preserve fiscal accountability and to provide future project details; the resolution is a policy direction that would bind the current council and signal priorities to voters, while final expenditures would require separate council votes if and when the bond is drawn.
