Dear Neighbors,
This coming Monday, the City Council will hold the second of two meetings for the month of March.
The City Council meeting will begin in Contois Auditorium in City Hall with a special work session on "Brain Science, Opioid Use Disorder Medications and Treatment". We are very fortunate to have with us three presenters who will be sharing their expertise on this subject. They are:
• Sanchit Maruti, MD, Medical Director of the UVMMC Addiction Treatment Program will be talking about what addiction is and the brain science behind addiction
• Richard Rawson, PhD, of the Research Professor, Vermont Center on Behavior and Health will be taking about harm reduction and opioid use disorder medications
• Kimberly Blake, MD is the physician and OB/GYN provider who, among her other responsibilities, is the Safe Recovery physician who prescribes buprenorphine to patients.
The public is welcome and encouraged to attend and learn with us and be a part of this timely and important discussion.
The work session is 6 to 7:30pm.
Following this work session, we will move on to the rest of our agenda:
• We will be voting on a scoping study of the Main Street/Winooski River Bridge. The Cities of Burlington and Winooski have been working on this project for some time and this resolution will authorize DPW to work with the State on implementing one of two alternatives to improving the bridge vehicular and bicycle connectivity and pedestrian walkways.
• Our next item is a resolution authorizing a bicycle and pedestrian access feasibility study of Intervale Road.
• We will then vote on an intersection scoping study of Colchester Avenue, Riverside Avenue, Barrett and Mill Streets.
• The Mayor will be asking for the Council to approve the appointment of a new Human Resources Director and our Chief Innovation Officer.
• Our next item is a resolution asking the Council to approve and authorize the execution of a contract for the reconstruction of City Hall Park.
• We will have our second public hearing on planBTV and then the Council will vote on the Update and Re-adoption of planBTV.
• Our last item is a resolution on the City Charter's conflict of interest policy and asking the Charter Change committee to review the policy.
Regarding the reconstruction of City Hall Park, I would encourage you to read the documents that are attached to this item on Board docs. There are a number of documents posted that include the uses and sources of funding for the project. Please be in touch with me on this item over the weekend as well as any other item on our agenda you wish to communicate with me about. I am interested in your perspective and will do my best to respond as quickly as I can to your emails and calls.
Please keep in mind that you are always welcome to come to a Council meeting and speak on any topic you wish during public forum. This begins at a time certain of 7:30pm at every Council meeting. You may access the Council agenda at http://www.boarddocs.com/vt/burlingtonvt/Board.nsf/Public Please note that all Council meetings are televised live on BT Channel 317 and streamed live to your computer or phone. Please go to youtube and type in "Burlington City Council meetings" and the live stream will come up.
As always, I welcome your questions and concerns. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
My best,
Karen
Dec 18, 2024, 1 to 4:30 PM
Dinner and Public Forum at NPA ThursdayDec 19, 2024, 6:30 to 8 PM
Holiday Cookies and Dessert Sale (Pre-Order by Dec. 21)Dec 23, 2024, 1 to 6 PM