Newport Mayor Laurie Elliott gave the 2026 State of the City address at the March 5 Newport Council meeting. We reproduce it below.

Good evening everyone and welcome to the 2026 City of Newport State of the City Address. Tonight I’d like to talk about some highlights of Newport’s many accomplishments in 2025. And as expected, it was another active year for the City.
Let’s take a walk through our Park System. There were several projects completed last year and new initiatives in the planning stages. Parks are always fun to talk about because they get people out in the community, the improvements energize our image, and they play an important role in business recruitment and retention efforts.
One tool that has provided the Council with clear guidance is our Parks Survey. It helps set priorities and we’re seeing that every project we complete is well used. 2025 was a milestone year because we finished the third priority of the top three identified in our 2021 Survey - the much-requested sports courts resurfacing and adding pickleball. Stabilizing the base underneath will make future resurfacing easier and help extend the life of the courts. I encourage everyone to get out and try the new tennis, basketball and pickleball courts this summer. It’s been very rewarding to complete the community’s third priority.
Trailblazing ahead, another major accomplishment for our Parks was the Trails System Plan. Working with a consultant, we reviewed existing trails, identified new routes and connecting segments, and gathered public input. This plan identified almost 30 segments and trails to add to the system that will connect the community with businesses, parks, the school, public transit, and other trails including the Mississippi River Trail. The River Trail starts at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota and ends near the mouth of the river in Venice, Louisiana. It’s exciting that Newport is part of a trail system that connects communities and States along one of the nation’s most iconic rivers.
And this Plan has already paid off. We’ll receive a $1.4 million Federal Land Access Program Grant in 2028 for trails leading to the Cedar Lane area and a perimeter trail within the future park on the riverfront. A second project is a new trail on 65th Street, which will be built this summer as part of a Washington County road project. Together, these two projects represent about 1.5 miles of the 10 miles of new trails identified in the plan. We’ll continue adding trails as development projects, road maintenance and reconstruction, and funding opportunities allow.
There was more pioneering fun in Newport, when the Pioneer Day Committee made some exciting changes. They moved the event to Saturday, added a 5K and Kids Fun Run, and introduced the Friday night movie. They also created a new website with the event schedule, volunteer opportunities, and sponsorship information. Despite a hot evening on Friday, and some rain on Saturday, everything was well-attended, umbrellas and all. Thank you to the Committee for bringing new energy and ideas to the event, and all the behind-the-scenes effort required to organize a multi-day, multi-activity celebration like this. Congratulations on a job well done.
Continuing with our winning ways, the last thing I want to highlight related to Parks, is a first for Newport. We received an award from the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association for the playground reconstruction at Busy Beaver Park. This is the first award our Park System has ever received. I want to congratulate our Public Works staff for their work in planning the park amenities, and the many improvements they made to the site. This award is well-deserved recognition of the good work being done in Newport.
Plowing ahead, let’s talk about Public Works. In addition to supporting our park projects, they’ve been busy maintaining and improving utility systems. We continue to replace sections of leaking sewer system lines, also known as Inflow and Infiltration or, I and I for short. And to improve our stormwater management. Stormwater is one of the enemies of sewer pipes, so directing where rainwater and snow melt travel, extends the life of the system. Typical to our I+I projects, there is always an unexpected “surprise” that delays completion and can add costs. Public Works Superintendent Matt Yokiel and City Engineer Jon Herdegen have guided us through many of these challenges while working within our limited budget. This important work will continue in 2026.
Keeping the flow going, Public Works has also been focused on drinking water. PFAS isn’t a new subject for this update, but we’ve shifted our approach from connecting to the new water systems in Woodbury and Cottage Grove, to pursuing a Newport-based water treatment plant. Feasibility studies have been completed and are now in the hands of the 3M PFAS Settlement Trustees. We’ll continue meeting with them throughout 2026 and until the PFAS issue is resolved. And as a reminder, construction of the treatment plant itself would be funded by the 3M PFAS Settlement. Anything we’d like beyond the standard plant, such as extra storage space or improved landscaping, would need to be funded by the City.
They’re also working on a third well for our drinking water. Cadmium has been detected in Well 1 and it isn’t providing the water quality we expect and want for our residents. As a result, we are making plans for a new well location, and we expect to explore two potential sites in 2026.
Earlier, I touched on the Cedar Lane area as a future riverfront park. A key first step was breaching the levee there, to set the stage for park development. Matt and Jon also led this effort, with most of the cost covered by federal FEMA and State DNR grants.
Turning to a new page, our Library continues to offer a wide variety of programs for youth, families and adults, and 2025 was no exception. They offered numerous adult and youth craft opportunities, sponsored literacy programs like Read-With-Me and story times; and got kids out into the community with Adventure 55055. They hosted their second annual quilt show, and even have a weekly silent book club. They also received a Healthy Living grant through Washington County, and used funding from the MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund to bring in Dazzling Dave the Yo-Yo Master. Sara-Marie Malewitz, our Library and Community Center Director, has been an enthusiastic and creative leader, introducing engaging and dynamic new programs for the community.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out our library offerings, 2026 is a good year to start a new chapter.
Rolling on, transit is moving again in Newport. Bus service returned to the transit site on December 6th, providing hourly service to the Gold line connection in Woodbury, the Airport, the Mall of America, and other stops in between. This route operates 7 days-a-week, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., with reasonable fare prices.
In more good news about getting around, Washington County and our County Commissioner Karla Bigham, are expanding the DARTS bus into Newport. This is a local circulator bus that will begin service on April 9, operating on Thursdays from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in Newport and St. Paul Park. The scheduled stops are Red Rock Square apartments at the transit site, and Red Rock Manor on 10th Avenue. Bus drivers can also go a few blocks off the route for pick-ups and drops offs. Riders let the driver know local destinations where they’d like to go, such as nearby grocery stores, Newport Center, Goodwill, Kohl’s, Menards, Target and Walmart as a few examples. More details about this new transit service will be available in the coming weeks.
Laying the groundwork for Newport’s future, City Planning was front and center in 2025. The Council spent more hours on the Zoning Code Update, including the Zoning Map, Future Land Use Map, and Land Use table, than any other matter in 2025. It involved 10-11 hours of joint meetings with the Planning Commission, in addition to numerous Council workshop discussions and public hearings. This was a long-overdue update. In broad terms, we added language to address current planning issues, clarified and standardized processes, reorganized the material to make it easier to find and understand, and we incorporated performance standards to better reflect today’s development needs. I do want to acknowledge and thank City Planner Nathan Fuerst and Madison for navigating an incredibly tedious and lengthy process. Thanks to their work, we now have a solid foundation. And timely review is planned, to keep the Code up-to-date going forward.
The Code update was just one piece of our overall plan to strengthen our economic development outlook. Another high priority from our 2023 Area Study, was continuing our code enforcement efforts. In 2025, staff opened 134 cases, compared to 100 cases in 2024. Almost half of these cases came from proactive code enforcement, where staff identified and addressed concerns before they escalated. Over 80% of these cases were resolved after the first notice. Of the issues brought to our attention by others, most were corrected immediately or after the first letter. Some cases required more extensive follow-up and longer timelines, and the work continues with these cases.
Code enforcement is an important tool for protecting the safety and welfare of a community. It also establishes community standards and preserves property values and public perception. Violations don’t just affect the immediate property; they can impact the surrounding neighborhood and even influence a developer’s or business’s view of Newport. That’s why code enforcement not only ensures health and safety, but also supports our economic development efforts to attract new investment. This work can be underappreciated. I want to recognize Christina Audette for her commitment to Newport’s health and safety mission, and for remaining positive even when faced with difficult feedback for her efforts.
In 2025, we successfully secured just over $3 million in funding for various City projects through multiple grants and other sources. This impressive total was more than our entire 2025 operating budget. We owe a great deal of thanks to our Congresswoman Angie Craig, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, State Representative Rick Hansen, State Senator Matt Klein, and County Commissioner Karla Bigham. Their work and staff’s efforts in identifying and applying for these grants reflects their commitment to moving Newport forward while keeping the financial burdens on residents as low as possible.
Looking ahead to 2026, a number of Housing projects are on the schedule. These take multiple years to plan, fund, and construct.
On Century Avenue, Cherrywood Homes has started construction on 117 single-family and connected townhome units. This project was complicated by the lack of water service to the area, but we reached an agreement with Cottage Grove to provide water. We expect Cherrywood to be fully completed in 2027.
Keller Fence finalized their land acquisition on the south end of 7th Avenue in 2025. They’re currently storing some materials on site, and completing work related to soil contamination concerns on another portion of the property. This family-owned business provides both commercial and residential fencing. They’ll be constructing a new headquarters building for up to 50 employees later this year.
At the transit site, MWF is constructing the third and final apartment building for that location. Like the first two buildings, it will be multi-family housing with 51 units of mostly two and three bedrooms. The building will be completed and ready for occupancy later this year.
Keeping the wheels turning, the City purchased the Pomp’s tire location on 7th Avenue for future redevelopment. This location was identified in our Area Study for potential future housing. The building will eventually be torn down, and the site is currently being used for I+I staging work.
Shifting gears, the County will be leading two major projects in Newport this year. The first is the reconstruction of 65th Street. When completed, we’ll have stormwater drainage, improved traffic flow and safety, and the new trail mentioned earlier, that will lead into Newport’s retail and business area.
The second, is the County Highway 38 Pavement Project. This covers a couple of miles in Newport, starting on Maxwell Avenue just north of City Hall, going east along 21st Street, then south on 7th Avenue to the Glen Road interchange. Crossing Highway 61, the project continues south on Hastings Avenue past 65th street and into St. Paul Park. Plans include pavement and trail resurfacing, stormwater management, sign replacement, and striping. Both projects are on busy streets, so please be patient and allow extra travel time this summer.
Enhancing our curb appeal, we also plan to complete a “streetscaping” study for Hastings Avenue this year. Streetscaping is about making streets and public spaces more attractive, comfortable and enjoyable to use. It often includes things like landscaping, benches and tables, lighting and public art. The goal is to create places where people want to walk, gather, visit businesses, and spend time. This is another recommendation that came from our Area Study aimed at improving Newport’s economic development prospects.
Taking shape, are several planning components for the Bailey Farms development which will continue in 2026. This includes the Kwik Trip, an apartment building and a business park, all located on the north side of Bailey Road. This development starts about a half-mile east the Bailey Road - Military Road intersection.
And we’ve placed a bookmark in 2026 for a Library Study, to learn how to better use the available space in this historic 1868 building. We’ll also begin planning for the reconstruction of Lions Park, which was reduced in size when the new City Hall was built in 2022.
As you can tell, 2026 will be another year that keeps the staff, council, our citizen committees, and residents busy with planning, project construction, and community-building initiatives.
Next, we said good-bye to Sgt. Bill Harrell, who led the deputies serving Newport for several years and provided keen insights and planning for the law enforcement portion of our new City Hall and Public Safety Building design. He’s still with Washington County but has rotated into a new role. He built strong relationships with residents and staff when he was here, and always treated people with warmth and respect. Fortunately, there was a wonderful replacement waiting in the wings, and Sgt. Joel Legut joined us as Bill’s replacement. He has been another great law enforcement leader for the community.
The other significant departure in 2025 was our long-time Fire Chief, Steve Wiley. Steve had been with the department for 39 years, the last 11 as Chief. He had a vision for the Department, and his strong commitment to public service, professionalism and teamwork changed Newport for the better. His experience brought important insights into the planning and design of the Fire station portion of this building. And true to his nature, he prepared someone to take over his role upon retirement. We welcomed Derek Marson into his new role as Fire Chief this past fall.
I also want to mention something that seems small, but has important implications for the future. It’s a little bark, with a big bite, and that’s our Dog Park lease agreement with Marathon Refinery. The original agreement had a 90-day notice to end the lease, which wouldn’t have been enough time to relocate the park. We requested an amendment and they agreed to extend the notice period to one-year, assuring enough time to establish the park in another location if needed. While we expect the dog park to be at its current site for many decades, it’s important that decisions we make today are forward thinking. This is just one example of the many small changes Council and staff make each year to position Newport for long-term success. Whether it’s fine-tuning a financial policy, adding another tool to our communication efforts, or implementing a better workflow process; each of these small things add up, and make a real difference.
On behalf of the Council, I want to acknowledge that this kind of work only happens with a dedicated staff that’s committed to serving the Newport residents. There are several individuals that contribute to our success that haven’t been named tonight. The importance and value of every project we complete, and every day-to-day task staff performs, are all central to Newport realizing its full potential. Please know, that Newport works, because they work. And I want to thank them for their great service in 2025.
And if there’s anything that our City Administrator Joe Hatch has proven, it’s that leadership matters. As you can tell from this address, he wears many hats. Much of the progress I’ve described tonight, from navigating complex infrastructure projects to pursuing grants - managing daily operations, to long-term planning - it all reflects the coordination, persistence, and problem-solving that happens quietly in the background every day. On behalf of the Council and our residents, I want to thank him for the steady leadership, energy, and commitment he brings to Newport each year.
In closing, I’d like to thank the City Council for their work throughout 2025. We continue to tackle not only many issues, but some of the toughest challenges Newport has faced in a long time - Sewer systems, drinking water, economic development, park improvements. Each of these is significant on its own. This is complex and time-consuming work that everyone on this dais has taken seriously, with thoughtful and collaborative decision-making. This approach is key to our continued success as leaders of this community.