Jamie Bova Named Newport Mayor: News Sources

NEWPORT, RI — An awkward power struggle over the city council leadership posts may have ended Wednesday with a 4-2 caucus vote naming 29-year-old Jamie Bova the mayor of Newport, according to a report from Newport This Week. Bova, who is starting her second-term as an at-large councilor, was backed by two at-large Councilors-elect, Susan Taylor, and Justin McLaughlin, and by Ward 1 Councilor-elect Angela McCalla. Former mayor and longtime councilor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano and Ward 2 Councilor Lynne Underwood Ceglie voted against her nomination. Kathryn Leonard, the Ward 3 councilor, was assumed to be for Napolitano but did not confirm so and did not attend the caucus.

The caucus also voted to name Susan Taylor, the vice-chairwoman. Taylor is also in her second term. She is an attorney.

The outgoing mayor is Harry Winthrop. He did not seek a new term. Ceglie is the outgoing vice-chairwoman.

Newport has a council-manager form of government, with seven councilors (four at-large or all-city and three ward councilors). The charter calls for the council-elect to pick a mayor and does not call for the top vote-getter to be named mayor. Napolitano was the top vote-getter on Nov. 6.

Ceglie and Napolitano took to social media Wednesday night to say Bova must be held accountable on statements she has made about transparency in city government. Napolitano claimed in a letter to a blog that Bova had asked her to "cut a backroom deal." Ceglie said she was away on a trip to Italy but accessible and voted against Bova because she never contacted her. Napolitano said she voted against Taylor and Bova because they didn't ask her to vote for them.

Bova lined up the four votes she needed after Napolitano announced at an Election Night party at Sardella's Restaurant she had the four votes and would be the new mayor. It was widely assumed (but not confirmed) three of Napolitano's four votes were her own voting for herself, Ceglie's vote and Leonard's vote. When it turned out she did not have the fourth vote, her promoters began to call Bova out for not supporting Napolitano.

Christian Winthrop, publisher of the Newport Buzz and the current mayor's son, penned several posts about the mayoral selection. In one, he declared Napolitano deserved to be mayor because she was top vote-getter. In another, he retrieved a 2016 letter Bova had written to say she was supporting the top vote-getter (who happened to be his father, Mayor Harry Winthrop, who at the time was facing a mayoral challenge from Napolitano.) In that post he called on Bova to "honor her pledge to Newport" and support Napolitano. He described the situation as "a palace coup."

Former Mayor Richard Sardella wrote on his Facebook page that he wanted to hold Bova accountable.

Councilor Marco Camacho, who was voted off the council on Nov. 6, commented to express support for Napolitano and criticism about McLaughlin.

"Time, Talent, Temperament, and Top Vote Getter! Jeanne Napolitano checks all four blocks," he wrote. "The others do not. Neither Bova nor Taylor have the time (unless they plan on quitting their day jobs) and McLaughlin doesn’t have the temperament (unless one thinks that quitting and walking out on your fellow Councilors is good leadership). Time to vote!"

The carping prompted some Patch readers to wonder what's at stake. The council seats and mayor's post are supposed to be volunteer positions. Patch asked several councilors to estimate the value of a Newport council seat. None replied.

Former Councilor John Florez wrote a letter about the sacrifices councilors make to serve the people. His letter, which Napolitano, Ceglie and Camacho embedded on their Facebook pages, bore the headline, "Politicians Must Stick To Their Word."

Patch asked Bova if she felt she was being bullied over the mayoral selection. She said that question and other questions were good and should be followed up. She also sent a statement to Patch and other media.

In past years, the councilors vying for mayor have taken a second vote to make the mayor's selection unanimous. A second vote will be taken after the swearing-in ceremony. Ceglie has sent a letter to the Buzz and stated she will vote for Bova and Taylor after the swearing-in ceremony. The Newport Daily News is reporting Napolitano will also vote for Bova and Taylor at the Dec. 1 meeting.

Courtesy Photo: Jamie Bova