Booya is coming to the Newport Fire Station. Taking place on Sunday, Sept. 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and preceded by a parade the night before, the annual Booya includes kids games, a bounce house, and more.
As for other news from Newport, the council just approved a 2026 preliminary property tax levy, following presentation by city administrator Joe Hatch on Sept. 4. Newport council members adopted Resolution 2025-63, allowing for a preliminary levy limit of $4,206,300. Of this amount, a full $3,086,917 will go to the general fund for general city expenses, while the remainder will be used to fund past bond issues. The proposed property tax levy includes $350,000 for development cost for Cedar Lane as well as $24,000 added for the Newport cost share for improvements to County Road 74, as well as investments in parks, facilities, and public works.
Hatch said the city is working to put Newport in a position to be more attractive to outside investment. In the meantime, debt will be about 30 percent of the total property tax levy until 2030. A Truth in Taxation hearing will be held Dec. 4, at which the levy can be maintained or reduced, but not increased. Motion to approve the preliminary tax levy resolution was made by council member Tom Ingemann and seconded by council member Marvin Taylor.
Also from Sept. 4 at Newport, the city passed resolutions on holding upcoming street improvement hearings for Third Avenue and 12th Street, to be held on October 2 at 6:00 p.m. in city hall. Motion to approve the Third Avenue improvement hearing was made by Ingemann and seconded by Taylor. The council also adopted a $599,100 MSA scope and Fee Proposal for Third Avenue Improvements, approved with motion by Taylor seconded by Ingemann.
The council then transitioned to consider Resolution 2025-62 for a feasibility study for 12th Street improvements.
Included in discussion 12th Street, city engineer Jon Herdegen recommended a shift in a priority 2 project near from 12th Street from Cedar Lane and Second Avenue to part of Third and Fifth Avenue, due in part to historical water main breaks further from the river and the possibility to utilize more state funds.
“We anticipate that we would be installing a new sanitary sewer corridor on 12th Street to the river,” Herdegen said of the 12th Street work as he went over historical water main breaks, shown on a figure with red dots. Herdegen clarified under questioning from Taylor that breaks on nearby Fourth Avenue in part driving the priority shift had taken place both before and after improvements there.
“Both,” he said. “So those records probably go back into the Seventies, but there are some that have taken place after the improvement,” he said.”
“Do we know why there’s such a concentration with these?” Taylor asked. Public Work Superintendent Matt Yokiel said it had to do with using cast iron mains in the 60s, less forgiving than current pipes and subject to breaks.
“You’d think rock doesn’t move in the ground? Well I can assure you it does,” he said of the Fourth Avenue line breaks.
Motion to approve the feasibility study as such was made by Taylor and seconded Ingemann. Motion to approve the corresponding MSA scope and fee proposal for a stormwater study was made by Ingemann, seconded by Taylor.
Herdegen then gave several quick updates on current projects, stating that water main was complete on the streets improvement project, meaning that residents can expect to have the temporary main removed as things switch over to the new main. Curb and gutter were planned in coming weeks as well as paving. Herdegen also said that water main work was progressing down Century Avenue, while the sport court at Loveland Park was said to be proceeding nicely, with fence and other details looking for a fast completion.
“Hopefully in two to three weeks we’ll have a sport court ready for the public,” Herdegen said of Loveland Park. Cherrywood was due to have utility work done shortly, with the hope for a couple model homes at each intersection this year on the Newport side.
“I think that’s everything we have under construction right now,” he said.
As for consent agenda, the council approved meeting minutes, a resolution accepting donations, a non union employee vacation resolution, dog park contract amendment, and payment of bills.
In other news from Newport, Fire Chief Steve Wiley gave the fire chief’s report. Wiley reported that the Newport Fire Department had competed at the Woodbury Firefighter Challenge in August, finishing third out of eight teams and taking home a trophy.
“They represented Newport really well,” Wiley said. Also touched on by Wiley was the upcoming Booya festival as well as a new firefighter and calls for service.
“While we were doing orientation we had a call, so got into the flow of things very quickly,” Wiley said of the new hire.
As for calls for service more generally, the Newport Fire Department had 24 calls for service, including four fires. One was a vehicle fire while three were structure fires. Newport Fire saw four medical calls and five accidents, with mutual aid provided six times, one to south Metro and five to Cottage Grove.
“A couple of those were the night of the storm that came through,” Wiley said. The city has been outpacing last year’s calls by about 12 percent.
Washington County Sergeant Joel Legut gave the Washington County Sheriff’s Office update.
“Please watch out for buses,” Legut said as he reminded people that school was back in session. A city resident had brought up Fourth Avenue in public comment regarding pedestrian safety.
“We’ll keep an eye on that,” he said.
Coming up for discussion as well was the possible need for school zone signs around the school.
Among items covered after the Sept. 4 council meeting at Newport, meanwhile, were staff questions for a coffee shop concept at 1750 Hastings Avenue and proposed Verizon cell tower at Loveland Park, and a fire chief transition discussion.
As for the coffee shop concept off Hastings Avenue, city staff reported that South Suburban Rentals had begun to sell the constituent parcels that constituted its business, with applicant Sally Ackerman inquiring about modification of the site to support new uses. Included in matters for discussion as this takes place was the possibility of a minor subdivision on the property, conditional use permit for a coffee shop drive through, and a variance to fence height in the rear yard. Ackerman seeks to create a separate structure for a coffee shop, while city zoning ordinance limits all properties to one principal structure per lot. Staff sought feedback on whether to require one building per lot, consider a minor subdivision for the affected parcel, or else consider an ordinance text amendment to allow the proposed coffee shop as an “accessory structure,” among other options. Also included in the matter were anticipated land dedication or easement approvals, along with parking and drive lane improvements. No additional access points would be permitted by the city, while a site plan utilizing an adjacent property owner’s access should be anticipated to require proof of a shared access agreement with the abutting property owner. Other matters identified by staff to consider include a power line easement, setbacks, and stormwater improvements.
As for the proposed cell tower at Loveland Park, meanwhile, workshop memorandum details indicate it would be 145 feet tall and located on a 5,625 square foot lease area at Loveland, serving residents in Newport and the surrounding area. The tower would be located off the Loveland Park ice rink and retain visibility for long distances given its height, but this could be mitigated through use of the city’s performance and design standards. A ground lease agreement for $1,000 per month for the proposed tower was put forth, with city staff seeking council direction on the matter.
The fire chief transition discussion took place following.