Mike Farley, Newport City Council member says "Innovation Hub offers a better future for young Newporters"

ELECTION 2014: CASINO QUESTION Innovation Hub offers a better future for young Newporters Newport Daily News Letters to the Editor

I am writing to respond to a letter from my old friend Jack Ambrogi (“Improvement of Newport Grand property would be step toward upgrading north end,” Sept. 26).

The former Newport public school superintendent noted that he is now a seasonal resident, but urged his former neighbors to support thecasino expansion.

He wrote that Newport is not capable of supporting “other types of new business or industry.” He urged us to stick to the jobs we know best: tourism and hospitality.

This kind of attitude from our past public school admin-istrator may explain why math and science performance was so poor in Newport public schools under his leadership.

Thankfully, city leadership has changed since Jack’s departure. The School Department is running smoothly and completing its internal math homework on time. Newport public schools are implementing the technology- heavy STEM programs which Jack resisted for so long. Our new superintendent has given our hardworking teachers the tools they need to succeed, and our students are thriving.

And while we respect the hard-working hospitality industry, the City Council agrees on at least one thing: We need more year-round employment options for our children.

City, state, federal and business leaders are working to make it a reality.

U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. David Cicilline worked hard to secure funding from the Commerce Department for $1.7 million. Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed and her General Assembly colleagues Sen. Lou DiPalma and Rep. Ray Gallison have demonstrated tremendous support, as has Jody Sullivan of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce. And of course, none of this would have been possible without the leadership of City Economic Development Director Paul Carroll and former City Manager Jane Howington, whose shared vision for Newport included well-paying jobs for Newport’s future.

Together, we recently established TechWorks, a technology incubator at the former Sheffield School. This exciting project is expected to bring over 100 new technology jobs to Newport.

Our future plans include establishing the iHub in the north end. This will be a multifaceted technology campus capable of providing 1,200 new jobs in the fields of applied science, technology and engineering. I join Mr. Carroll in hoping that today’s schoolchildren will be running the iHub on Newport’s 400th anniversary.

In Jack’s letter, he dismissed city plans for the north end as “not realistic.” I am pleased to report that this type of attitude has been removed from Newport public schools.

So thanks, Jack, for suggesting that the children of Newport are better off sticking to the hospitality jobs held by their parents, but we are moving on. We envision a better future, and we have bigger hopes for our children.

Let’s hope voters reject Question 1. Let’s support the Newport Innovation Hub. We need Newport technology jobs for our children’s future.

Mike Farley, Newport City Council member

The writer is a seeking re-election as an at-large member of the Newport City Council.