Council Preview - Dec. 9th 2024
Hi Neighbors –
Before jumping in, I wanted to congratulate my former seat mate, Councilor Doherty, on the new gig! It seems like a great opportunity, but you will be missed on the council. There will not be a special election to fill Councilor Doherty's seat. Per charter, voters will elect our next East District Councilor during Town Meeting Day 2025 elections. If you are considering running for the council and want to chat -regardless of party, views, etc- I am happy to do so! It's been a rewarding experience so far, but like anything it has challenges.
Onto highlights:
Monday's City Council meeting starts at 6:00 PM. Public Forum is at 6:05 PM. You can sign up to speak in person at City Hall or join virtually: https://zoom.us/j/91081797319. Or Telephone: +1 305 224 1968 (Webinar ID: 910 8179 7319) & sign up to speak here: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/citycouncil/publicforum. The sign-up for online participation in public forum closes one hour prior to the meeting. View the full agenda & related materials here: https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/7132/files/agenda/12616.
The City is proposing a $20 million bond for March '25 to fund the next phase of infrastructure improvements. This includes fixing streets & sidewalks, replacing public safety vehicles, & upgrading facilities like the library & fire stations. Previous phases tackled sidewalks, bike paths, & parks. Without the bond, the city's budget for these projects drops to $2 million a year. If approved, property taxes would increase — about $6.92 a month for a $300,000 home. For me, this highlights why we need the state to 1. properly support localities in funding critical infrastructure, & 2. give us the authority to tax folks at the very top at a higher rate than working & middle class families. Endlessly increasing property taxes in a regressive way over the past decade has increasingly made our city a place that is unaffordable for most, except for the wealthiest in our city.
The Council will also recognize Barbara Nolfi, a community leader and ward 1 resident who passed away this fall. Barbara was a Progressive Ward 3 councilor, Parks commissioner, and co-founder of organizations like City Market and the Community Health Centers of Burlington. Her work spanned women's health, midwifery, and co-creating a cohousing community. When I first ran for office she was one of the first people who gave me advice, donated, and volunteered. I, along with so many other people, will miss her. Her contributions continue to have a lasting impact on me and our city at large.
Significant upgrades to Burlington's wastewater treatment facilities are also on the table. This involves a $18.3 million loan and a $15.5 million construction contract to replace aging equipment, part of the Clean Water Resiliency Plan approved by voters in 2018 with 92% of the vote. The updates will help the city comply with regulations, reduce overflows, and prepare for future growth in our housing stock.
The Burlington Electric Department (BED) has secured nearly $4.9 million in federal funding to add 200 new EV charging ports around the city over the next 5-6 years. This project will expand Burlington's charging network by six times, with a focus on underserved areas. Community input will help decide where the chargers go. This is great news and another crucial step in decarbonizing our city's energy - reducing pollution and our impact on the planet.
Another item on the agenda is a new energy benchmarking requirement for commercial buildings between 10,000 and 49,999 square feet, starting in 2025. There is language specifically excluding residential properties. Owners of large-commercial properties will need to report their heating energy use to help our community evaluate energy performance and shape future climate and energy policies. There are both sticks and carrots available to large commercial property owners and the city will provide a reasonable level of technical guidance and support.
We will review a recent study highlighting the need to address staffing challenges in the Burlington Fire Department. Recommendations include increasing staffing, reducing reliance on overtime, improving fire station infrastructure, adding a training facility, and expanding the Community Response Team. Rising EMS calls, especially for overdoses, are driving these efforts.
The Council will also discuss an ordinance to address graffiti and property defacement. It will give the city a tool that we can use to remove hateful messages based on a community member's race, gender, or religion that show up in public spaces. Some have raised first amendment concerns, something I am very mindful of. The city attorney's office has since revised the language based on communications from the VT-ACLU, to make sure the city is combating hate while also protecting civil liberties.
As always please don't hesitate to reach out to me.
With Appreciation,
Councilor Neubieser
