Isabel Griffith Elected New Alliance for a Livable Newport President

More than 20 members of Alliance for a Livable Newport (ALN) and others attended the organization’s annual meeting at the to cast their votes for this year’s board of directors on Monday night.

Isabel Griffith, Roger Wells, John Hirshboeck and Ron Becker were all re-elected to the board as uncontested nominees as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, respectively. Griffith had previously been the alliance’s vice president, while Wells had been acting president. Officers for the ALN will be elected by the board.

The ALN represents most neighborhoods in Newport, but continues to search for members living in the Fifth Ward and the North End to sit on its board of directors. Existing neighborhood associations include Bellevue/Ochre Point, Castle Hill, Historic Hill, Off Braodway, The Point and the Top of the Hill. 

The alliance strives to be an objective body that serves as a resource for the rest of the community by presenting all sides to Newport issues.

“We represent an abstract idea: the quality of life in this community,” Griffith said. “It’s down to earth and plodding, but I’m convinced we make a difference.”

Griffith gave ALN credit for bringing city budget formulations out of secrecy and giving residents an arena to supply input to the city council.

“We are committed to providing accurate information about city-wide issues affecting the quality of life,” she said. “Sometimes it’s hard to sell ALN because it doesn’t normally take a stance.”

Their main areas of focus are schools and the quality of education, the natural environment, infrastructure, public health and safety, and government accountability.

To encourage public discourse, ALN held several forums in 2010 on topics including city council elections, the school bond, noise complaints and a Fall River LNG facility. Proposed forums for 2011 include issues regarding the city’s financial state, a update and the

Griffith proposed that members could form committees on certain issues or coordinate these forums.

For more information on the ALN, visit their website here.