Council Preview - December 16th 2024
Hey Everyone --
Monday's City Council meeting starts at 5:30 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/96070476680. Or Telephone: +1 646 931 3860 (Webinar ID: 960 7047 6680) and 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 and related materials here: https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/7156/files/agenda/12644.
On the agenda is a proposed advisory ballot question for March 2025. This question asks whether Burlington should adopt a pledge to support justice for Palestinians and declare our city an apartheid-free community.
We'll also be reviewing plans for two major infrastructure updates. The Burlington-Winooski Bridge replacement and Colchester/Barrett/Riverside intersection redesign.
Another topic discussed will be a bond proposal to fund much-needed improvements to our water infrastructure. The proposed upgrades include modernizing our drinking water systems, increasing wastewater efficiency, and implementing stormwater management solutions to reduce flooding and protect water quality. We'll explore ways to make these investments more affordable for residents.
Homelessness remains a pressing issue, and we'll discuss new initiatives to expand shelter options and adjust zoning to accommodate emergency shelters more effectively. This work is vital to addressing immediate needs while continuing to seek long-term solutions.
We'll also consider a new energy benchmarking ordinance. This would require owners of very large commercial properties to track and report energy usage, helping the city improve building efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions - the more data we have, the more effective we can be.
The last item on our deliberative agenda is a report from Police Chief Jon Murad.
After this meeting, the council will be off for a few weeks in a row for the holiday season. I hope everyone gets time to rest and spend time with family - it is Winnie's first Christmas, so our family is extra-excited to be celebrating this year!
As always please don't hesitate to reach out with ideas, questions, view points, and information. Folks reaching out is incredibly helpful for me to hear an issue from a new perspective and at times challenge my own views, which ultimately leads to better policy outcomes for our community.
With Appreciation,
Councilor Neubieser
cneubieser@burlingtonvt.gov
