Lots of cities, you know, have plans with big ambitions, and it might take a decade, it might take two decades, but they just continue to chip away until they reach their ultimate goal.”

Mayor Laurie Elliott

The Newport City Council met Thursday, Aug. 6 at 5:30 p.m. in city hall. Prominent on the agenda was a parks award, the second in two years.
J.J. Williams presented the award on behalf of the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association, or MRPA, recognizing Newport for its pedestrian and trail network planning. The association’s Awards of Excellence program recognizes exemplary projects undertaken by parks and recreation agencies around Minnesota.
Williams said the awards committee was impressed by the city’s long-term approach.
“The committee was impressed with the foresight that went into developing this plan and the investment in the long-term impact that this will have on the public and the community,” Williams said. He also recognized Derek Marson for nominating the project.
The honor marked Newport’s second consecutive MRPA Award of Excellence. Mayor Laurie Elliott said the city received its first award for its park system last year.
Elliott said improving trails was identified as a priority by residents in the city’s most recent parks survey and said outside recognition validates the work being done by city staff.
“It’s really satisfying to be getting another one,” Elliott said. “And I think improving our trails is just really, you know, it was a priority for our residents in our latest park survey.”
Elliott said the pedestrian and trail plan calls for nearly doubling the number of trail miles currently available in Newport. She acknowledged that accomplishing a plan of that scale could take years.
“Lots of cities, you know, have plans with big ambitions, and it might take a decade, it might take two decades, but they just continue to chip away until they reach their ultimate goal,” Elliott said.
Some pieces of Newport’s trail network are already taking shape alongside other construction projects. During project updates later in the meeting, Public Works Superintendent Matt Yokiel noted that trails along roads included in Washington County’s upcoming County Road 38 resurfacing work will also be repaved, a pedestrian trail on the west side of Century Avenue in the Cherrywood development recently paved.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Joel Legut reported a relatively quiet Fourth of July in Newport, with some fireworks complaints but no serious injuries.
Legut also highlighted a deputy’s role in helping deliver a baby after a dispatcher assisted with the emergency call. Deputy Gasner arrived at the scene and helped with the delivery, something Legut said the deputy had never done before.
“Did the baby get named after the deputy?” Elliott asked.
“I never found out the name of the baby,” Legut said.
Legut also discussed the county’s coordinated response unit, a partnership involving detectives and a social worker. He said the team has been particularly helpful with people in Newport who need additional assistance and has used the Newport office as a remote drop-in location.
The unit can help connect people with resources involving needs such as food and shelter.
Traffic enforcement remains another priority.
“As usual we are still enforcing some of the speed stuff,” he said.
Legut said targeted patrols appear to have reduced speeds in some neighborhoods, but excessive speeds remain a concern on Highway 61. He cited a recent driver traveling 96 mph and said deputies have encountered motorists exceeding 100 mph.
Legut reminded drivers that traveling 30 mph over the speed limit can constitute reckless driving and said deputies have taken motorists to jail for excessive speeding.
Newport City Administrator Joe Hatch delivered the Fire Department report in the absence of Fire Chief Derek Marson.
The department responded to 28 calls for service in June, including two mutual aid calls to St. Paul Park and one each to Hastings and Cottage Grove. July brought 24 calls, including mutual aid responses involving Cottage Grove and Woodbury.
Hatch also reminded residents that the Newport Fire Department’s Booya is scheduled for Sept. 20.
“Not that I have a favorite, but get the cajun,” Hatch said.
Five offers have been made to prospective probationary firefighters. Once those offers have been signed and returned, the appointments will come before the council for approval.
The department is also working with Washington County Dispatch to update Newport’s emergency response plan.
Hatch also filled in for the city engineer, providing updates on several major construction projects.
Geislinger and Sons has made significant progress on the Third Avenue improvement project. Sanitary sewer and water main construction was complete, and service laterals to individual homes were expected to be completed by the end of the week. Temporary water had been removed from approximately half the affected homes, with storm sewer construction expected to continue for approximately four weeks.
The city has also reached an agreement on how work can proceed along 17th Street adjacent to the pipeline. Remaining work includes replacing an existing force main, installing storm sewer and completing pavement and boulevard restoration.
Because some materials have several weeks of lead time, staff asked the council to authorize portions of the work before a formal change order comes back Aug. 20.
Five precast concrete storm sewer structures have an estimated material cost of about $25,000. Another approximately $94,000 is anticipated for installation of 580 feet of force main along 17th Street, removal of existing structures and connection to an existing sanitary manhole on Second Avenue.
The council unanimously authorized fabrication of the storm sewer manholes and replacement of the force main in advance of the formal change order.
On the 2025 street and utility improvements, Meyer Contracting has completed installation of storm sewer facilities and a grit chamber along 17th Street and restored several gravel driveways near the Circle K Tank Farm. Reconstruction was also underway at the Cedar Lane and 17th Street intersection.
Newport’s new water connection with Cottage Grove is also nearing full operation.
“We have also completed and been doing some testing on the water connection with Cottage Grove,” Hatch said.
Programming, integration and testing of the flow meter and pressure reducing valve have been completed, with the city scheduled to make the switch Aug. 12.
Washington County, meanwhile, is preparing a substantial pavement resurfacing project affecting County Road 38, Maxwell Avenue, 21st Street, Seventh Avenue, Glen Road and Hastings Avenue. Work is expected to begin in late August and continue through October.
The project will be completed in stages, with traffic detours required during several phases. Elliott asked that residents receive updates as individual stages are completed.
“There’s a lot of construction going on in Newport,” Elliott said. She asked drivers to slow down on neighborhood detour routes, plan ahead and remain patient with other motorists navigating unfamiliar traffic patterns.
“There are no county projects scheduled for next year in Newport,” she added. “Two of our big projects are county projects, and this is a great maintenance project. And this is how we take care of our community.”
At Eastridge Heights, tree removal and building demolition have been completed and mass grading is underway. A pre-construction meeting for utility work was scheduled, with construction expected to continue through the fall.
At Cherrywood, utility work is substantially complete apart from minor punch-list items. Twenty-nine building permits have been issued to date.
Elliott also clarified that what currently appears to be a road between Red Rock Cemetery and the Newport Commons apartments will eventually become one. The roadway will connect Hastings Avenue with Sterling Avenue and provide a secondary outlet from Eastridge Heights.
Returning to public works, Yokiel reminded residents that Newport continues to accept applications for its ReLeaf tree removal and replacement grant program through Aug. 28. Funding is limited, and residents can receive a replacement tree even if they do not have a tree removed through the program.
“I would encourage you to get your name on the list sooner rather than later, because it is limited funding,” he said.
At Pioneer Park meanwhile, Public Works has removed the buckthorn hedge. Grass is beginning to grow in the area, and Yokiel said visitors attending Pioneer Day should notice a more open park.
Towards the end of the Thursday meeting the council approved Resolution 2026-60, authorizing a preliminary grading agreement for Bailey Business Park.
The agreement allows Bailey Development LLC to begin early site preparation, including tree removal and mass grading, while final infrastructure plans and plat approvals move forward. The work proceeds at the developer’s risk, and the developer must provide financial security to protect the city if the project does not ultimately move forward. The council packet identifies a proposed $644,000 financial security, subject to adjustment based on the final grading plan.
Hatch said grading across the broader development area is significant and could continue for four to five months, potentially through the end of the year or longer. The work encompasses portions of Newport and Woodbury, with additional acreage in Maplewood.
“There’s significant areas that need to be lifted, and then some areas that need to be lowered,” Hatch said.
The objective is to prepare sites for sewer and water infrastructure and eventual building construction. Hatch said some buildings could begin taking shape during the first or second quarter of 2027, with others following later in the year.
Closing out the Thursday meeting were council comments.