Dear Neighbors,
I hope this post finds you and your family well and safe. As a community, one of our greatest strengths is the way we look after one another. These times have tested all of us, some more than others, as we witness social and economic hardships unlike any other time in most of our memories. The arrival of June ushers in the good news that summer is here but also reminds us that we can measure this Stay Home order in months and not just weeks. Let's hope this time passes as quickly as possible and more of life's activities resume. I will hope to see more of you on my walks in our neighborhoods and, while from afar, more conversation as we all enjoy all we can of the summer.
This coming Monday, June 1 at 7pm, is the first of three Council meetings for the month of June. There are several ways to tune in and watch and participate:
1. You can watch on YouTube or on Burlington Telecom Channel 317. The You Tube link is: https://bit.ly/2ZP3snR
2. You can join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83843662877
3. You can join by audio only: The number is 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 838 4366 2877
Following our standing agenda to report on Climate Emergency initiatives and updates, we have 7 items on our deliberative agenda, including:
• We will be voting to reappoint the Mayoral appointments for Fiscal Year 2021.
• We will get an update from our bargaining unit representatives on union discussions.
• We will get an update on recommendations to changes to our Central Peddling District. After over a year of study and significant community and stakeholder input , the committee charged with reviewing this issue recommends not expanding the number of food trucks in the District with no recommend changes our ordinances.
• We will be voting on a resolution to refer a number of issues to change our City Charter, some of which the resolution asks to be voted on in November and others next Town Meeting Day. The issues in the resolution wants to refer to the Charter Change Committee for review are: protections for tenants in just cause evictions, prohibiting discharge of employees without just cause, creating a municipal income tax on residents making $125,000 or more a year, a luxury sales tax on property sales in excess of $500,000, setting a minimum wage for all Burlington workers and standards for a work week as well as including citizens more formally in the City's budgeting process.
• A resolution on the 2019 and 2020 Action Plans and amended citizen participation plan.
• A communication on renovations to City Hall to approve the amendment of a contract for design and construction documents for safety and security improvements inside City Hall. This is a capital expenditure to be completed over three years.
• A communication from DPW regarding changes to 15 minute parking spaces to allow for greater pick up spots to assist in the COVID recovery for our downtown businesses. This is part of the Making Spaces for Restaurant and Retail Recovery Program.
There will be an opportunity to participate in the public forum. Please provide a notification to the City via email that you want to participate during public forum by sending an email to publicforum@burlingtonvt.gov We hope you will join us virtually for this important meeting.
I hope you have a good weekend. As always, I welcome your questions and concerns, so please be in touch.
My best,
Karen
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