Dear Neighbors,
This coming Tuesday (NOTE: the day change given the MLK Holiday), the City Council will hold its second of three meetings in the month of January. We will begin our evening at 5:30 with a Narcan Training for the Council. The long-awaited training will assist Councilors on how to administer this life saving treatment for potential overdose and substance use disorder.
We will move upstairs at 6pm for a work session regarding the Burlington Telecom investment decision. As you may recall, the City has the option to invest some or all of the BT proceeds into the new Burlington Telecom. We met with Champlain Broadband, the new owner, in early December. We had some questions and requested information from them. This work session is a continuance of our discussion both with the owner and then amongst ourselves to make a decision in the next month on an ownership interest in BT.
At 7pm we will begin our Council meeting. Following a presentation from the School Board and Administration on the FY21 School Budget, we have a packed agenda.
Our deliberative agenda includes:
• A communication from the Mayor on the appointment of Katherine Schad as Chief Administration Officer.
• A communication and presentation on the Net Zero Energy Roadmap. This is an update from our initial presentation in the fall.
• We will hold a public hearing on proposed Charter amendments for the Town Meeting Day ballot in March. The proposed changes are to 1) increase the funding to the Housing Trust Fund, 2) changes to local election dates regarding when petitions are due and when warnings must be done as well as ballot availability and 3) a charter change to allow resident non-citizens to vote in local elections.
• Following the public hearing, the Council will vote on placing these items on the March ballot.
• We have a proposed ordinance change regarding the use of leaf blowers. As many of you know, these devices are excessively noisy and perhaps surprisingly emit high levels of carbon emissions. The ordinance would be referred to the Ordinance Committee for further study, review and community input.
• We have 4 resolutions on our agenda:
• A resolution to increase the public safety tax for fire and police purposes. A question would be put on the March ballot asking voters to authorize that the police and fire tax be increased from 8 to 11 cents to add a third ambulance and appropriate ambulance staffing in the New North End and increase funding to support the City's response to the opiate crisis.
• A resolution requesting a study and expansion of fare-free transit. The report would come to the Council in July detailing the expected costs and benefits of making each local Green Mountain Transit bus route that runs through Burlington fare-free. As well, the resolution requests that Burlington's Commissioners on the Green Mountain Transit Board formally discuss with the full Green Mountain Transit Board how multiple or all member municipalities and county businesses and institutions could partner to make parts or all of Green Mountain Transit's bus system fare free.
• A resolution requesting that the Vermont Legislature ensure equitable funding and adjustment to equalized student weighting in this legislative session. The current adjustment is outdated and we need to ensure greater equal opportunity in education.
• A resolution on refugee resettlement that ratifies and confirms the Mayor's consent to refugee resettlement and reaffirms our City's commitment to its longstanding practices and policies to welcome immigrants and refugees to our community.
You are always welcome to come to a Council meeting and speak on any topic you wish during public forum which begins at 7:30pm. You may access the Council agenda at http://www.boarddocs.com/vt/burlingtonvt/Board.nsf/Public All Council meetings are televised live on BT Channel 317 and can be streamed to your computer or phone via youtube.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please be in touch with your comments, questions and concerns.
My best,
Karen
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