We can't be arbitrary and we can't be capricious. We have to think of the community as a whole.”

City Administrator Joe Hatch

The Newport City Council met Thursday, May 21 at 5:30 p.m. in city hall.
On the night's agenda were several items, including the 12th Street and related road improvements, an appeal hearing on nuisance code violations, and annual update from True Lens Community Media, shared by Executive Director Ann Schweisguth as assisted by Lonnie Garland.
As for the update, Schweisguth said that 2025 had been “truly an exciting year” for True Lens, which launched its new name, moved into a 3,684-square-foot space in Woodbury Central Park and expanded its studio and podcasting capacity.
True Lens reported producing 192 videos, airing 147 city meetings live and on demand, and receiving more than 214,000 views. The organization also worked on broadband franchising and is preparing for 2026 election coverage.
“I just want to say thank you to Council member Ingemann and resident Barb Wilcziek who are on our board,” Schweisguth said.
Newport Mayor Laurie Elliott thanked True Lens for recording Newport’s council, planning commission and park board meetings.
“Thank you for all the video that you do for us,” she said.
The council then turned to infrastructure in Newport, including the 12th Street area improvements project. City Engineer Jon Herdegen said the project includes improvements to 12th Street, Third Avenue, Fifth Avenue and 13th Street. The city had received seven bids, with A-1 Excavating submitting the low bid of $4,093,093. Herdegen said the bids were tightly grouped near the low end, which he said indicated the plans were clear and contractors were not pricing in many unknowns. The low bid came in about $500,000 below the engineer’s estimate.
“This work is going to start a little later in this year,” Herdegen said, adding that contractors were given the option to complete the larger project over two construction seasons, into 2027.
The council accepted the bids but did not formally award the contract. Herdegen said the city is still finalizing grant and special appropriation agreements tied to the project. Awarding the contract too early could affect the city’s ability to use those funds.
Elliott said the timing issue was important.
“You can’t commit the money before the grant is committed to us,” she said.
Contract award for the project is expected in July, the council later approved a resolution for $4 million related to the project, allowing the project to move forward as other funding sources are sought and/or finalized.
Also Monday, the council heard an appeal involving 44 12th Street. Christina Audette presented the matter for the city, explaining that the appeal involved both nuisance and zoning violations. Staff had taken recent pictures for documentation.
Audette said the property was identified during work connected to the 12th Street area improvements project. The city found accessory structures built within the public right of way and within a sewer and water easement. Those included a detached garage, lean-to garage, driveway and parking surfaces, fencing, water-oriented structures, a wooden gazebo, a blue shed and decking.
Audette said the current owner, identified as Mr. Huynh, bought the property in December 2021 and told the city he was unaware of the violations. She said he believed the city should have pursued the previous owner for structures built before he bought the property, with Huynh presenting a document from 2012 he said showed no issues with one of the matters under discussion.
The city’s primary concern was the driveway and lean-to garage because they fall within the sewer and water easement, with recommendation that the violations be removed or brought into compliance within 30 days. Secondary concerns, including the detached garage, fencing and water-oriented structures, were recommended for compliance within 60 days.
The Planning Commission had previously sustained staff’s recommendation May 12, with council recommended to uphold the decision.
Council Member Schmidt asked for clarification on “excessive vehicles," with Audette saying the city allows no more than four vehicles, including recreational vehicles, trailers, SUVs and trucks, though up to two recreational vehicles may be screened and excluded from the total.
Audette said the property owner had not appealed the excessive vehicle or exterior storage issues.
“He took responsibility for the exterior storage and excessive vehicles as he created those conditions,” Audette said.
Mr. Hunyh spoke with council members through an interpreter, saying he wasn't there to contest the decision but that he would need help in meeting the ordinance requirements as he was currently unemployed and without sufficient resources.
The council asked questions that balanced sympathy with the need for code enforcement, with several council members sharing their thoughts on the matter.
“I have a real problem with ‘the city screwed up a long time ago and now we making this guy take care of it,'” Council Member Tom Ingemann said. It was a city problem and the city needed to work it out.
“But that doesn’t mean we can ignore it today,” Elliott said of the violations under appeal. It was a matter of navigating the matter.
Council Member Bill Sumner shared a personal story.
“When I moved into my home, there was a heavy rainfall, and it washed a large amount of sand from public works to my property,” he said. "To the extent possible I would hope the city do everything possible to help with things not of his making. Those things of his making are his responsibility.”
Council Member Marvin Taylor noted timeline and funding.
“The question for me A is timeline, and the other is should the city contribute to fix?” he said. The only significant issue in Taylor’s mind was the garage.
“We know the facts. It’s just a matter of what we’re going to do,” he said. The right of way had to be fixed.
Elliott said the core question was how to help Huynh comply.
“The real question, the core question, is how can we help him comply?” she said.
Council Member Josh Schmidt proposed the question in different terms.
“What is your proposal to this council on what would you need?" he asked Hunyh.
Huynh said the vehicles would be removed as promised, but thought that the deck and fence required a permit to do. Moving storage would result in loss if moved five feet.
City Administrator Joe Hatch said there was a question of precedent if the one foot encroachment was allowed.
"We can't be arbitrary and we can't be capricious," he said. "We have to think of the community as a whole."
The matter of vehicles near 12th Street was especially urgent as the project would likely start in that area.
The public hearing closed at 6:53 p.m., with Council Member Marvin Taylor motioning to uphold the findings of the board of review, seconded by Elliott. The vote passed 4-1 with Ingemann opposed. The time span was doubled to 120 days from sixty, with no funds provided to help comply.
Also from Monday at Newport, the council considered approvals related to the Eastridge Heights development. City Planner Nathan Fuerst stated the project will include 73 residential units and that the final plat was found generally consistent with the preliminary plat and planned unit development approved March 19.
Conditions include recording the final plat, entering into a development agreement, paying parkland dedication and connection charges, receiving required permits, and addressing city engineering comments before the plat is released for recording.
Also considered with Eastridge Heights meanwhile was a grading. The agreement allows Summergate Development to begin early site preparation, including tree removal and mass grading, before all remaining development agreement steps are complete. Construction of public or private improvements cannot begin until the development agreement is executed, fees are paid, final plans are approved and the plat is recorded.
Due to Red Rock Cemetery being below, archaeological observation will be required during construction.
“There will need tone some archaeological observation required during construction,” Fuerst said. Bluff protections and a conservation easement also factored into the details, with trees on the bluff line sought to be long lived.
As for the trail network, it would need to be convenient.
"Me and Council Memebr Sumner have witnessed it,” Elliott said of the trail and usage. “People will not cross Hastings Avenue to get on the trail. They would rather walk in the road.”
Bailey Road utility work was another major item. Herdegen said utilities for the Bailey Nursery development are being designed to extend water and sewer from Sterling Avenue up Bailey Road to near Bailey Court.
Because of a large hill on Bailey Road, Herdegen said a gravity sewer would have required pipe depths of 25 to 30 feet, creating maintenance challenges and possible county road disruptions. Instead, the city plans to use a lift station.
“A little unconventional, being a lift station’s on top of the hill and kind of pumping downhill,” he said, adding that the approach will keep the sanitary sewer shallower and easier to maintain.
The council authorized MSA to proceed with design work for the lift station and for a pressure-reducing valve and metering station connected to a future water main interconnect with Woodbury, with design work totaling $79,709.
As for public works, Newport Public Work Superintendent Matt Yokiel noted National Public Works Week and also highlighted city projects, including new portable restroom surrounds at Pioneer Park and Loveland Park.
Yokiel also shared that Public Works, the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department had brought equipment to Newport Elementary, where students climbed on vehicles and signed the city’s new snowplow, sharing information on the city's soon expected tree removal program, made possible with a grant. The grant will help remove dead trees on private property, with leftover funding used on city property. He said the city hopes to have residents signed up by mid-August, with much of the work likely taking place in November.
Residents were reminded not to blow grass clippings into the street. Yokiel said clippings can carry phosphorus, nitrogen and other nutrients into the river, contributing to algae blooms and reducing oxygen for fish.
“Basically, it’s a direct conduit to the river,” he said.
Sumner chimed in to add that residents should avoid washing soapy car water into the street. Yokiel suggested washing vehicles on lawns so the water can soak into the ground.
The meeting Thursday closed with several council updates, Elliott clarifying that a recent article on a PFAs Feasibility Study in the East Metro related to Oakdale and Lake Elmo rather than Newport, also thanking Representative Rick Hansen and State Senator Matt Klein for helping Newport get funds for inflow and infiltration. Elliott also thanked Sandi Pappas, Mary Franson of Alexandria and Fue Lee from the legislature for their help on the matter, which involved long hours for bond tours and required bipartisanship.
“I really can’t thank these five people enough for their support,” Elliott said.
Nothing was shared for update by Ingemann, Taylor, or Schmidt, with Sumner highlighting the Skoolies bus making its way to area schools this summer for family fun, the Newport Library and Community Center, a capacity for city water bills to be electronically debited from resident accounts, and Newport Heritage Association tourism sites, including Red Rock, the Log Cabin, and Switching Tower.
“These are some of the wonderful things that are happening in Newport,” he said in giving his update.
The meeting closed with an informational closed session under Minnesota 13D.05, subdivision 3(b) to discuss litigation related to property located at 1545 Seventh Avenue.

Newport Council meetings are held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in city hall. The public is invited and welcome to attend.