Dear Neighbors,
I hope finds you and your family well and safe and enjoying these warm days and balmy evenings that are August in Vermont.
This coming Monday, August 24 at 7pm, is second of two scheduled meetings in August. We did have a special emergency meeting yesterday, on Thursday, with one agenda item, that being changes to the size of indoor and outdoor social gatherings and the time those with first- and third-class liquor licenses may continue to serve alcohol and the like.
Monday's meeting will be entirely remote and virtual. 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://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLljLFn4BZd2PwCge7lNoKug676jIf_iUA
2. You can join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86874318732
3. You can join by audio only: The number is 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 868 7431 8732
Our first order of business will be an expected executive session on CityPlace from 6-7pm. Following this executive session, which are expected to , we have five items on our deliberative agenda. We also have a meeting that the Mayor presides over and need to make a few commission appointments that have opened up due to either unfilled positions or resignations.
The deliberative agenda items are:
• A communication from President Suresh Garimella of the University of Vermont regarding the reopening of UVM. This will be an opportunity for the City Council to ask questions of President Garimella relating to the reopening, from testing, monitoring, oversight, the Green and Gold Promise, enforcement of violations, to off-campus enforcement and anything else relating to the reopening.
• Following the appointment of an alternate member to the Green Mountain Transit board, we have two ordinances to approve, one related to housing (this is a second reading regarding violations to Minimum Housing Standards) and the other to increasing the solid waste generation tax (we budgeted this increase but it must in our ordinances as well).
• We have one resolution on our agenda. It is regarding the removal of the Everyone Loves a Parade (ELAP) mural on Leahy Way off of the Church Street Marketplace. As you may recall, in May, the Council voted to remove this mural by August 31. The artist, Pierre Hardy, was notified as per our agreement with him, allowing him 90 days pursuant to the applicable laws to contest the removal. That 90 days expires this Monday. The Parks, Arts and Culture Committee (PACC), of which I chair, was charged with bringing forward a recommendation to the Council regarding the removal of the mural. It is our recommendation that the mural be removed by August 31 and it will be transported and placed in storage in space at the Airport. The screws and boards that hold up the mural will be dismantled and the artist, Gina Carrera, who painted the Rainforest mural under the ELAP mural will repair and restore her mural. It is hoped this can be completed by September 30. The PACC will meet next month to discuss next steps. The resolution asks for $12,500 to take down the mural and a contingency of an additional $12,500 to complete the work.
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
Dec 13, 2024, 9 to 9:30 AM
Coffee with Bram and TiffDec 14, 2024, 8 to 10 AM
Second Annual New North End Holiday MarketDec 14, 2024, 11 AM to 3 PM