I've Got Two Words for the Newport City Commission

Ed Hall.

More than a month after Newport fired its city manager, the City Commission hasn't started a search for a replacement.

And commissioners and the mayor have different opinions on whether they should restrict the search for a new city manager to the regional level or look nationally.

The commission in October voted to dismiss Phil Ciafardini after almost seven years on the job. Ciafardini took the commission up on a subsequent offer to retire.

Commissioner Beth Fennell said she would've liked to have started the search process by now, although she said she is satisfied with the way Police Chief and acting City Manager Tom Fromme has handled the job.

The commission has yet to decide what type of search to conduct - or whether to conduct one at all.