On Friday, November 8th, the Newport City Council voted three to one in favor of terminating the City Manager’s contract. The room was full, and many of those present were clearly in opposition to this decision. The meeting was handled with decorum and everyone was given an opportunity to be heard. The motion to terminate Jonathan Delabruere’s contract, which I made and voted in favor of, was as challenging as any that I expect I will face in my term as a member of Council.
There are significant, appropriate limitations about what members of Council can say regarding personnel matters. I can assure Newport residents of the following:
- This motion was not made quickly. Our council spent hours deliberating about how best to handle the concerns we had about the City Manager’s leadership.
- My support of this decision was my own. It was not coerced by the Mayor or other council members. All of us on council had the opportunity to discuss the matter fully.
- My decision was not motivated by personal animosity between the City Manager and myself. I like Jonathan Delabruere and I deeply regret the pain that this decision will inevitably cause for him and for his family.
- I am fully aware of the challenges that the Council has had regarding the City Manager and Interim City Manager positions over the last several years. If I felt there was any way I could have responsibly voted differently in this matter, I would have done so.
Newport is facing both significant challenges and great opportunities. I have confidence in the current Department Heads on our staff, and I trust that the Mayor and Council can and will work with them to overcome the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities before us.
I will meet with any person who has a stake in Newport’s future and I will consider suggestions from anyone who is working constructively to improve our community. I welcome disagreement when it is voiced thoughtfully and respectfully. To be clear, I will not meet privately with those who have threatened or are actively engaged in legal action against the City.
I expect that over the coming weeks there will be a lot of debate in the newspapers and on social media about the Council’s decision regarding the termination of Mr. Delabruere’s contract. I hope that we won’t lose sight of what must be front and center for Newport:
- We must address the significant financial challenges before us in a way that is as effective and as fair as possible.
- We must develop and implement a strategy to guide Newport in creating a strong, vibrant downtown for our residents, for those in neighboring towns whose household economies are impacted by the services our city provides, and for those who visit the NEK.
- We must support City staff and volunteers who have been through several years of turmoil and uncertainty, who just want to do their jobs, and who are understandably feeling worn out or dispirited.
- We must carry out our tasks with civility, assuring that everyone’s voices are heard and respected, even when we as council make difficult decisions that we know will be hard for some to accept.
I have no regrets about my decision to run for this office. If we work together, I know that Newport will become a vibrant social and economic center that will make us feel proud.
Rick Ufford-Chase
Member of Newport City Council
