Dear Neighbors,
This past Monday, the Council held a special meeting to discuss the upcoming mediation with BTC Mall Associates. The mediator, who was agreed to by both parties is Kurt Dettman, a Boston-based mediator who has 20 years' experience in mediating construction projects that involve public and private entities. One of his projects was working with several parties on lawsuits relating to the Big Dig in Boston. The two agreed-upon mediation dates are November 23 and 30. The rest of the meeting was held in Executive Session due to pending litigation and under 1 VSA 313(a)(1)(E) and (F). I think all parties are hopeful that progress will be made, and we can get an update after this mediation is concluded.
This coming Monday, the City Council will have its second of two scheduled meetings for the month of November.
As the meeting will be virtual, you can watch the meeting via zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85975096690 or by phone, 312 626-6799, Webinar ID: 859 7509 6690
You can also watch live on BT Channel 317 or on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLljLFn4BZd2PwCge7lNoKug676jIf_iUA
If you wish to speak during public forum which begins at 7:30, please sign up via: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/citycouncil/publicforum.
We have one communication, two resolutions, and an ordinance on our deliberative agenda:
The first item is a communication regarding the Police Department's request to amend its budget to allow for a three-year contract for the Benchmark Analytics Personnel Management System which will consolidate and enhance several internal reporting, record-keeping, and data-tracking systems. Specifically, it offers the opportunity to integrate use-of-force reporting, training documentation, record-keeping for internal discipline and internal investigations, personnel-file documents, and performance evaluations. Another aspect of the software is First Sign which is an early warning system that uses advanced and customizable analytics to capture data important in recognizing officer performance and behavior. The cost per year of the contract is $13,880.
The second item on our agenda is a resolution relating to divestment of City funds, including retirement assets from fossil fuel investments. The resolution requests that the Retirement Board provide the City Council with a current accounting of the fossil fuel investments in its investment portfolio and further requests that the Board commit to full divestment from fossil fuel companies and outline a timeline by which that divestment will be completed with a report to the Council in April 2021. The resolution requests that the City join other municipalities, endowments and institutions in an engagement campaign with its commingled fund managers requesting that they factor the financial risks of climate change into their investment decision-making process. There is a great deal of information in this resolution on divestment and why this decision is a prudent one from a financial standpoint as well as one we must responsibly take if we are to continue our responsiveness to the climate emergency.
The third item is a resolution which would ask the Mayor to place a Charter change on the March 2021 ballot regarding Just Cause Evictions. As currently written, the ballot language would be:
"Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended, be further amended by adopting and adding a new section 48(66) to read as follows: 'To provide by ordinance protections for residential tenants from eviction without "just cause," where just cause may include, but is not limited to (a) a material breach of a written rental agreement, (b) violation of state statutes regulating tenant obligations in residential rental agreements, (c) non-payment of rent while just cause may exclude (a) expiration of rental agreements (b) personal disagreements. The ordinance may also set a maximum rent increase with the purpose of preventing de facto evictions. The ordinance may require that landlords provide notice of just cause and other legal requirements as part of the rental agreement.?"
Our last item is an ordinance change that would require that all parking on rental property to comply with the requirements of our Development Ordinance, including but not limited to requirements for parking location and layout, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, paving, parking and space dimensions.
I hope you have a good weekend. As always, I welcome your questions and concerns, so please be in touch.
My best,
Karen
Dec 5, 2024, 6:30 PM
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