Newport Election Profile: Kevin Michaud
NEWPORT, RI — Kevin Michaud is running for an at-large seat on the Newport City Council.
Michaud is the brother of a Newport police officer and the son of a retired Newport police officer and school department employee. He graduated from Rogers High School and is earning a degree in Public Administration and Emergency Management from Southern New Hampshire University.
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Campaign website
https://www.michaudfornewport....
Why are you seeking elective office?
Ever since a young age growing up on Garfield Street, I was always interested in city politics. My neighbor Rick O’Neill ran successfully for council and I was friends with his sons. I remember hanging in his backyard playing whiffle ball and listening to the likes of Mayor Paul Gaines and David Roderick talking about anything and everything about the city. I was young then, but I knew that someday I would want to help make a difference in this city. The next two years will be challenging, and I could not think of a better time to be running for Council at Large in Newport.
What do you believe should be done to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and what would you do to lessen its economic impacts?
Containing the virus has been at the forefront of the city’s efforts since March. It is critical that we continue to practice social distancing, wear a mask and wash our hands. I believe that everyone has to weigh his or her personal risks when it comes to handling coronavirus. If you are at greater risk, or are not comfortable being around people, then please stay home. Most restaurants are delivering, grocery stores are stocked again and available for pickup and delivery. I understand this is a terrible inconvenience to everyone, but we will get through it.
The city and state can issue guidelines and requirements for residents and visitors but have limited ability to enforce them. The city has done an adequate job with the resources it has, and if we continue to urge mask wearing and social distancing, our numbers will continue to remain some of the lowest in the state.
The city manager has done a great job working within his emergency powers to lessen the economic impact on businesses. I absolutely love the addition of outdoor seating to restaurants on the Broadway corridor as an example of thinking outside of the box. While I am hopeful that this pandemic will come to an end somewhere around the new year, I think we will have a long road to economic recovery. The next council will have to work hard to approve a budget that supports struggling businesses without balancing the books on the backs of our year-round residents.
Newport is famous for getting through tough times, whether they be natural disasters or gas outages. I will work tirelessly to ensure that we emerge from this period with as little lasting damage as possible. The council will not be able to do this alone - we will be relying on the great residents and visitors of our city.
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?
Systematic racism is not an opinion or a belief — it is the basic functionality of America’s structure. Systematic racism is the normal practice (intended or unintended) of discrimination in criminal justice, housing, health care, employment, politics and a lot more. Every state is complicit in its existence, including Rhode Island. Combating systematic racism requires action at the federal level. There needs to be fundamental change in our basic institutions, as they are clearly not working.
At a local level, we can screen our practices with a social justice lens and actively test our policies and practices for (hopefully) unintentional racial or any other inequitable outcome. Let’s use the metaphor of a road with giant potholes. As we drive down the road, it becomes practice to drive around these potholes to avoid them. We cannot keep driving around these holes. We need to fill them in and create a safe road for everyone — not just those ones that know where and how to dodge the holes.
Should the words "Providence Plantations" be removed from the state's name?
Yes
What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I feel that I am the best candidate on the ballot due to my ability to listen and weigh situations from all sides. I promise that I will listen to every resident’s concerns, every business owner’s concerns and the concerns of the visitors to this city. My 16-year career working in a quasi-state agency has allowed me to learn skills that will translate flawlessly to a future on the Newport City Council. I have learned how important revenue is, and that is where we need to focus. We need to find new and creative ways to generate revenue so that we can offer the best services to the citizens and businesses of Newport. In recent years, our city council has “given the farm away.” Waiving fees for event licenses is just one example.
Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform
My backyard growing up happens to be right where two major projects are slated over the next several years – the North End redevelopment and the bridge ramp realignment. We need to make sure that these projects have a minimal effect on residents living in those neighborhoods and are completed in a manner that adds more properties to the tax rolls. It is time for the blighted areas around the bridge ramp and the Newport Grand property to become useful once again.
Another big project is the new Rogers High School. We need to ensure that the new high school accommodates all of our students’ needs, including our special education students. Rogers has the potential to be one of the greatest high schools in the state. There are students all around the state who need specialized education, whether because of a physical disability or a learning disability. What if Rogers was the school that other districts sent their students to for specialized programming? We could charge tuition to those districts and lower the tax burden on the residents of Newport.
Another issue I will spearhead is to make city government more user-friendly. This came up when I was talking with a friend about council meetings taking place on Zoom. I would like to make this practice permanent so that residents can continue to actively participate from home. I know many residents would love to get involved and voice opinions but are not able to attend meetings because of personal or family restrictions. I believe an informed public is the best ally to the council.
What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
Working in the public safety sector, I have experienced many stressful situations. Learning how to handle stress and deal with the public at their worst has made me an ideal person for this job. I imagine that when residents call their councilperson it is probably not to offer praise but usually because they have an issue that they need help with. That is the business I have been in for the past 16 years and I truly love helping people. I learned the value of customer service while working at Vaillancourt’s Meat Market and I continue to use those skills in all of the jobs I have now. I will treat every resident as if they are one of my customers.
The best advice ever shared with me was:
“Listening to someone doesn't mean you have to agree with them." So much of this job is listening and taking all of the varied and different perspectives and experiences. Ever since I was that child playing wiffle ball I knew I wanted to be part of the conversation and not just an observer. I want to be part of the conversation with the community and utilize that knowledge to inform my decision-making. As a member of the city council, I will make informed decisions that come from ongoing conversations with the community members that wish to engage with me about topics that impact our community and its well-being. We are all in this together and I'm here to listen to your ideas so that you can engage with your leadership
What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I am a lifelong resident of Newport. Those that know me will tell you how passionate and how much I care about this great city. When I am elected I will fight for EVERY resident and business owner in this city!
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that Michaud previously served on the city council.
This article originally appeared on the Newport Patch
