Mayor Elliott highlights parks, water and housing priorities in State of the City address

Mayor Bill Elliott delivered Newport’s annual State of the City address on March 5, reviewing the city’s 2025 accomplishments and setting priorities for 2026, including parks and trail investments, water system improvements, and several housing projects.

Elliott said parks upgrades completed in 2025 included resurfacing courts and adding pickleball, and he announced a trail-system plan that identified about 30 segments. He told the council the city will receive $1.4 million in federal Land Access Program grant funding in 2028 for trails leading to the Cedar Lane area and a perimeter trail within the planned riverfront park. "These projects represent about 1.5 miles of the 10 miles identified in the plan," Elliott said.

The mayor also highlighted a first-ever recognition for the park system: the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association award for the Busy Beaver Park playground reconstruction. He credited public-works staff for the project.

On utilities, Elliott said the city has shifted its approach to drinking water: rather than relying on connection to Woodbury and Cottage Grove, Newport is pursuing a Newport-based water treatment plant. Visibility studies have been submitted to the 3M per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PAS) settlement trustees, and Elliott said construction of the plant would be paid for by that settlement. "Anything we want beyond the standard plant, such as extra storage or landscaping, would need to be funded by the city," he said. The mayor also said a third well is being planned after cadmium was detected in Well 1 and that the city will explore two potential sites in 2026.

Elliott reviewed housing and economic development activity: Cherrywood Homes has begun construction on 117 single-family and connected townhomes on Century Avenue (expected complete in 2027), Keller Fence finalized a south‑end land acquisition and will build a headquarters for up to 50 employees, and the third apartment building at the transit site (51 units) is under construction. He said the city also bought the Palo Tire site on 7th Avenue for future development and short-term staging related to I&I work.

Planning items included a major zoning-code update that clarified processes and added performance standards following many joint meetings with the planning commission. Elliott thanked city planner Nathan First and staff for the lengthy effort. He also reported that staff opened 134 code-enforcement cases in 2025 versus 100 in 2024, and that more than 80% of those were resolved after the first notice.

Elliott said Newport secured just over $3 million in grant funding and other sources in 2025—an amount he noted was larger than the city’s 2025 operating budget—and thanked members of the federal and state delegation and County Commissioner Carla Bigum for support. He named Congresswoman Angie Craig, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, State Representative Rick Hansen and State Senator Matt Klein for their assistance in securing funding.

Elliott closed by recognizing staff and leadership, particularly City Administrator Joe Hatch, and invited residents to use library and park programming and upcoming transit enhancements.

The council then proceeded to the remainder of its agenda, including a Washington County engineers’ request and department reports.