Newport City Council Appoints New Council Member – Angel Aparicio

By Brian Bahouth

The Newport City Council voted unanimously to appoint Newport business owner Angel Aparicio to a vacant city council seat during the regular September 2 meeting.

The City of Newport received a resignation notice from Councilor Ryan Parker on May 20, 2025. 

The city council consists of six councilors and a mayor. Councilors serve four-year terms, and the mayor serves a two-year term. When vacancies occur, the city council is charged by the city charter to appoint a qualified city elector to fill the remaining portion of the vacated term. 

Newport City Council formally declared a vacancy during the June 3 meeting of this year. The City Council approved a schedule to fill this vacancy in accordance with council rules for the remainder of the four-year term, which will expire on January 4, 2027.

Four candidates applied for the position. Along with Angel Aparicio, candidates included Newport business owner and member of the City of Newport Budget Committee Ashley Bixler. Mike Kloeck is a member of the City of Newport Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and former chairperson of the Newport Visual Arts Center Steering Committee, and Sean Watkins is a retired teacher.

Following candidate interviews before tonight’s formal council meeting, the mayor asked each councilmember to make a statement, and then they would vote. Mayor Jan Kaplan began by saying it was a difficult decision.

“My first choice for this would be Angel,” said the mayor. “And the reason for that is that, again, that I feel that we, we do lack, given, one, that I think he’s a good, very good candidate, but that we do lack that perspective of a Latino person on the council, and that feels, to me to be something that we’re, we’re missing right now, and that that would, that’s part, that’s what I’m saying.”

Councilor Robert Emond agreed with the mayor.

“Angel brings that needed coverage for a large part of our population I missed from Beatrice not being on the council anymore,” Emond said. “But everyone’s so good. I know I was hoping, based on the resumes that I, maybe not this person, but everyone is here. They’re all equally valuable. I just think that that is just a tiny little edge for representation that I think tilted toward Angel. I feel particularly sorry, since I really worked hard to recruit Ashley.” 

Councilor Sandy Roumagoux agreed with Emond and the mayor. Councilor CM Hall said she cast her support behind Ashley Bixler and recommended Aparicio serve on a committee to gain some seasoning before running for office, which she encouraged him to do.

“Angel, you’re a delight, and I’m really thrilled that you brought family here, and I’m so glad you’re a part of this community. I am not selecting you, and here’s why,” Hall said. “I want you to be on a committee. I want you to get more of that like, sense of what our committee structure is. So I think we need to recruit you so you can kind of get that sense of, like, rolling up your sleeves and knowing if you really want to do this, like with the budget committee and stuff like that. Because I think it’s a really good training ground.

“And I’m not, I literally put your number on my phone because I’m going to come to your business and I’m going to talk to you and be like, okay, so how do we get you on a committee? I’m going to pick Ashley, and here’s why. Very similar profiles in terms of business owner in the community, parent, and I do think we need to hear those perspectives, right? Someone who has young children, someone who is, that’s not a perspective we have on our council right now. And I do think that that is a missing perspective.”

Councilor Cynthia Jacobi cast her support for Mike Kloeck.

“Well, my vote goes for Mike Kloeck. I like it that he has served on so many city committees, and he served very well, particularly on the committee on the committees, that was a really hard one, and I think they came up with about the best suggestions that could happen. I also appreciated very much his passion for neighborhoods. I think he really nailed it on that particular topic.”

Councilor Steven Hickman said he could in good conscience vote for any of the candidates, but chose Angel Aparicio. 

Before the final vote, a staff member reminded councilors about voting regulations.

“I just want to make a point for your deliberations and who you select. It’s important that you not make a selection based off of race or age,” said a city staff member.  “You can consider the diverse perspectives and the lived experience, but it’s really important to be clear that it’s not based off national origin, race or age, because that is not permitted.”

With four stated votes for Aparicio, one for Bixler, and one for Kloeck, Councilor CM Hall made a motion to appoint Aparicio to the position, and the vote was unanimous in favor of the appointment.