Newport Election Profile: William Kimes

NEWPORT, RI — William Kimes is running for an at-large seat on the Newport City Council, a non-partisan position. The 50-year-old is a newcomer to politics.

Kimes holds an English degree from the University of Vermont and has served as a Special Education teacher for the past 19 years. His wife, Anna, is also a teacher, and they have three children.

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Why are you seeking elective office?

I have a long history of being a civics geek and have tracked my own local municipal and schools activity since being a teen, through college and in my professional life. Over that past few years, after serving on varied city and community boards, I had my interest piqued in candidacy while serving on the School Building Committee. During the months and the many public meetings necessary to bring the decision to Newporters, I witnessed much negativity within the general public discourse. Most of it baseless.

I thought I could provide some balance to the acrimony. As a a family we discussed and agreed, early during distance learning, I would prepare for a run this fall. One day at home, and tracking council activity, we watched as a sitting member was racially maligned, targeted live during an online meeting. The subsequent council response was uninspiring; reaffirmed to me my belief in a run ~now knowing that I would represent this community in areas beyond the schools. When then the council moved on so very quickly to discourse on preservation versus removal of a statue, I had to blink a few times, feeling more resolved even in determination for a top four finish at the ballots this November.

What do you believe should be done to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and what would you do to lessen its economic impacts?

My neighbors have said they feel trapped in their homes, as people increasingly come to our community refusing their masks. To that, I would ask the City manager to move from education to enforcement in regards to wearing a mask in Newport. Otherwise, we should take advice from Dr. Alexander-Scott and scientific experts, knowing the virus will respond not to our economic plans but to our community and personal safety measures, primarily. Beyond that, Newport needs to carefully begin to work to diversify jobs options for residents, especially measuring the impact of Covid on the hospitality industry.

Do you believe systemic racism is a problem in America generally and Rhode Island specifically, and if so, what would you do to combat it?

Yes. Acknowledgment, first.
Then, I'd go to those people and organizations that have been in the fight, have started the work, to see how my work might support theirs, underway.

Should the words "Providence Plantations" be removed from the state's name?

No

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

There are twelve of us running for four positions, how exciting for Newport! I am uniquely qualified in this field to offer perspectives on the schools~ whether we as a community decide to pass or not pass the bond~ I can speak directly to level funding budget impacts, public transportation gaps, municipal accessibility for families, places where financial investment makes sense and for savings where needed in others.

Asked at en event over the weekend, 'how do you get retired, tax payer focused citizens ~with no children~ interested' in my candidacy. Well, I'd check in on them after I got to the working families, the two and three job single parents, the young adults facing underemployment options, the pockets of folks in town who feel our town and government was built despite them, not for them and finally seek long term avenues for those left out by the digital divide Covid shined a light on. She was surprised by my answer, having never heard its like before. This seems a distinction early in the campaign.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

'Failed' is too strong language, here. fwiw.
I am qualified for the board because of my strong belief in building and being guided by consensus. We need that balance as we work for the benefit of all in the building of our schools and community, post-covid. I can provide that.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Support the Schools/ Bond, Face Race and Class Issues, Post-Covid Economic Development, Digital Democracy ~Concept Development.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Served successfully on various city and community boards, fatherhood, first generation College graduate and homeowner, parliamentarian training, civics wonk, relative tech-savvy.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

There is nearly always a way for everyone to benefit if you are willing to do the work in finding it.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

In a field of twelve, there are reasons to identify why any of us would be fit for service on the council. This is good for Newport.

I stand out as a candidate because of my ability to see issues from a broad perspective, my ability/interest to seek and be guided by the consensus building process. Since this community needs to figure out how we move our schools system forward, even if the citizens decide to not pass the bond, our council will need someone with my experience to offer grounded and balanced perspective on moving Newport schools forward.

Working with the guidance of the City staff and experts, we can balance the will and current economic needs of the hospitality industry, post Covid, and simultaneously build a more balanced future economy that works for all the people of Newport.

nb.
The 'Plantations' removal question above is more nuanced than yes or no.