Council approves police union contract after councilor's bid to raise retroactive pay fails

The Newport City Council voted to approve a collective bargaining agreement between the city and Lodge No. 8 of the Fraternal Order of Police, covering a bridge year and a three‑year contract that begins 07/01/2025. The agreement, presented by administration with an attached pay schedule, included a 2.9% retroactive salary increase for the bridge year and clarified overtime language, added Juneteenth as a holiday and included stress‑abatement days.

During more than an hour of debate, one councilor proposed amending the contract to increase the retroactive raise to 4% and argued the larger adjustment was owed to officers for prior service. "I propose a 4% increase as opposed to a 2.9% increase to the FOP for service they have already provided," the councilor said, citing a fiscal impact estimate and urging colleagues to support the higher figure. Council discussion highlighted concerns about setting negotiation precedents, the effects on other bargaining units and the long history of the negotiations. The proposed amendment failed on a show‑of‑hands vote and the contract as drafted was approved by the council by show of hands. The council did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript; the meeting minutes will include the formal vote record.