NEWPORT-City of Newport Council members heard citizen Joan Lambert question them about a new $1.6 million loan the city is applying for to upgrade City Hall, build a water park, and build a new public library, when they met Tuesday, Dec. 18, at City Hall.

Joan Lambert questioned why the City Council members had decided to go into debt without prior discussion at meetings about the proposal and public input.

She said, "Why has there been no public discussion of what the plan is? We have a great planning board (that could have discussed it) ... All of a sudden, the city will borrow $1.6 million."

Lambert questioned the urgency City Council had in securing approval at a called meeting of the government body on Nov. 19, instead of discussing it and voting for it at their regular monthly meeting on Nov. 13. Only three Council members were present at the called meeting. They voted unanimously for the city to seek the $1.6 million loan without any discussion among them before the vote.

For more details, please see the Thursday edition of the Newport Plain Talk.