June 10th 2024 - City Council Preview
Hi Neighbors!
Here's some highlights from tonights meeting:
6.1. 2024 Boards and Commission Appointments
The city council and mayor will have the opportunity to deliberate on commission appointees. Councilors have agreed to move a slate of appointments with the exception of the Police Commission and Board of Voter Registration which we will vote on separately.
6.2. Public Hearing & Resolution Regarding - Setting Common Area Fees FY25
The Council will hold a public hearing to discuss the FY25 common area fees for the Church Street Marketplace District and then vote on the adoption of fees. Common area fees fund Church St. operations and maintenance. They are proposed to the council by the Marketplace Commission. The commission and marketplace director propose keeping fees at $3.02 per square foot of the ground floor area of the buildings fronting Church St. For more information, folks can contact Kara Alnasrawi, Director of Business & Workforce Development at kara@burlingtonvt.gov.
6.3. Champlain Parkway Project - Update - DPW
This item is an informational presentation on the completion of the first phase of the Champlain Parkway Project and the upcoming second, final phase. Phase one should be completed by August 2024. Phase two is slated to start in late 2024 and finish by late 2026. The project costs $90 million, with the city paying about 8%.
The state and federal government, which are paying the 92% of the cost, are pushing the city to promptly complete the project despite its leading to a significant increase in commercial and other traffic into the King and Maple St. neighborhood without the Railroad Enterprise Project (REP) being in place to siphon a large part of the increase around the neighborhood. Traffic congestion, air pollution, speed, and safety have concerned justice advocates and progressive councilors for years, especially since the King-Maple neighborhood is a very racially diverse low income community. These concerns are expected to be addressed in the update.
6.4. Reconnecting Bank & Cherry Concept Presentation - DPW
DPW is moving forward with the Great Streets Reconnecting Bank & Cherry project after the City Council accepted $15 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) and $22 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants to fund it. The design ideas are based on the Great Streets BTV Downtown Standards and planBTV Walk Bike plans. The design for Bank Street and Cherry Street west of Church Street was approved by the City Council in May 2018. Now, with the additional federal funding, the project is being extended to include Bank and Cherry Streets east of Church Street, as well as parts of Saint Paul Street and Pine Street. DPW is seeking approval for the preferred design concepts for these new blocks. Councilors will likely raise concerns about inadequate allowance for outdoor dining and for cyclist safety (no bike lanes)
6.5. Seasonal Health Response to Encampments Working Session
This working session will address a memo sent out by the mayor's office, which outlines a temporary response to seasonal camping, aiming to address health and safety concerns while working towards long-term solutions to homelessness in Vermont and Burlington. Recent policy shifts and funding reductions by the state have exacerbated the issue, leading to a significant increase in unsheltered homelessness. The proposed response involves providing basic amenities at key locations, expanding engagement efforts to connect campers with services, and proactive planning for shelter expansion in the fall.
The administration emphasizes a multi-pronged approach to end homelessness, prioritizing community-wide safety and access to resources. The memo also details budget proposals and ongoing coordination efforts within the City's working group to address encampments and evaluate the response strategy.
Find the memo here: https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/7004/files/attachment/4829
6.6. FY25 General Fund Budget Working Session
The city clerk's office found a mistake in the prior administration's budget calculations for property taxes, using the wrong grand list rate, leading to a shortfall of $1.1 million in expected revenue and an increase in other taxes. The proposed solution involves adjusting the FY25 budget to compensate for the $1.1 million shortfall in revenue by increasing gross receipts, financial services, bond premiums, recording fees, and deferred accounts revenue while removing the ambulance payment.
As always reach out with questions and/or concerns,
Carter Neubieser
Ward 1 City Councilor
cneubieser@burlingtonvt.gov
