Dear Neighbors,

The City Council will meet on Monday, June 5, beginning at 6:15pm. Public forum will start at 7:50pm. You are welcome to attend in-person at City Hall or by Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/99360274668.

Before our meeting begins, the City Council will do a site visit of CityPlace. You have no doubt seen the cranes rising above the former mall, laying the foundation for what will now accommodate the steel frames for future buildings.

--> FROZEN TREAT DAY – my daughter's second grade class at Champlain Elementary suggested that Burlington formally declare the last day of school, June 15, as Frozen Treat Day. The Council will take up this resolution to honor our favorite frozen treats.

--> WORK SESSION ON HOMELESSNESS – At our last Council meeting, we asked that the Mayor's Office convene a meeting of community organizations and City staff responsible for serving unhoused community members to inform a Council work session on the City's response to addressing houselessness. I understand this group will share important updates on the City's response to the cessation of the State's motel voucher program.

--> MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS – Each year at the first meeting in June, the Council votes on mayoral appointments. As has been widely reported, this vote will include a vote on the appointment of the Chief of Police.

--> ACCEPTING STATE GRANT FUNDING FOR A CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM AND EXPLORING THE CREATION OF A BURLINGTON CAIP DEPARTMENT – Burlington has received a significant grant from the State, just over $667,000, to establish a new crisis response team based on the successful CAHOOTS model. This resolution also asks the Mayor's Office to explore the creation of a new public safety department, outside the Police Department, that would house the crisis response team and other care-based programs, including our Community Support Liaisons. Public safety, in the words of this resolution, is a critical community need and there are "three arms of public safety, law enforcement, fire services, and care-based crisis responders; we can't have one without the other."

Thank you for your feedback and participation.

Ben Traverse
Ward 5 City Councilor
btraverse@burlingtonvt.gov
(802) 357-2055

Event Info

Dec 31, 2024, 10 AM to 12 PM

Jan 4, 2025, 9 AM to 4 PM

Jan 4, 7 PM to 8 PM, Jan 10, 2025