Hi Neighbors!
Happy January and let's hope for a more seasonal season! Our next community civics get-together (Ward 1 NPA meeting) will be at the Friends Meeting House on Wednesday 1/10. We want to start a little early, 6:45PM, because, while there are only a few agenda items, we want to give them plenty of time. This will be an important meeting to attend in order to get informed on some critical issues facing our community.

So – at 6:45 we will do Intros and Announcements and Speakout.

At 7:00, Christine and Mark Hughes will talk about the Richard Kemp Center.

At 7:30, Meagan Tuttle and Brian Pine will present the proposed Housing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UVM. This has the potential to reshape Ward 1 (as well as our neighbor wards) and it is vital your city councilors know what you think of it. Please come to hear about the MOU and share your opinions. This will be 45 minutes which should allow for lots of Q&A.

At 8:15 we will hold a one hour forum with City Council candidates Carter Neubieser and Geoff Hand. We will kick off the forum with a couple questions, but we hope most questions will be from the room (and wall) to the candidates. Feel free to suggest questions by sending them through the FPF email button, or just bring them to the meeting.

So the meeting will go from 6:45-9:15, with food by Samantha served at 6:30.

Here is a list of sites and links for you to browse before the meeting:

Zoom:
Ward 1 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA)
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 6:45 - 9:15 PM
In-person at the Friends Meeting House, 173 North Prospect Street
And Zoom online
https://zoom.us/j/96245939050
Webinar ID: 962 4593 9050
Or by phone: +1 929 205 6099 ID= 962 4593 9050

Meeting agenda and information: https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/6833/files/9564
- Richard Kemp Center: https://richardkempcenter.org/
- MOU Presentations at 12/18 City Council: https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/6721/overview
(look at files associated with 2. Presentation: University of Vermont Housing MOU)

And if you're still reading. We discussed making a request to establish conditions under which the City Council must consult with NPAs before make decisions. If you consider this before the meeting, we could have a vote during Speakout. Here is some formal language:

WHEREAS, the 1982 Resolution "Relating to the Creation of Neighborhood Planning Assemblies"(NPAs) established the NPAs in part to provide a forum for Burlington residents to advise elected and appointed officials on municipal issues, as evidenced by language in that resolution:

"Whereas this council and various city commissions could be much assisted if the views of the general public with respect to the needs of the city could be communicated to it in a regular and orderly fashion...
"Whereas many positive benefits would result from the creation of neighborhood assemblies at which citizens would consider the issues facing government and make recommendations for the consideration of appointed and elected officials charged with the responsibility of implementing city policies...
"Whereas in the judgement of this city council an appropriate and effective means of realizing such goals would be through creation of NPAs in each ward of the city which would meet on a regular basis and provide advice to appointed and elected officials with respect to the issues facing the neighborhoods and the city
"Resolved...the NPAs shall...help provide citizens with an opportunity to participate in making recommendations with respect to government decisions including allocation of revenues. The NPAs shall also be encouraged to provide advice to the appropriate commission or this council with respect to Community Development, housing programs, the city's Comprehensive Development Plan and its waterfront activities, and the city's budget among other things."; and

WHEREAS there currently exists no process to ensure that elected and appointed officials consult with the NPAs on any issues; and
WHEREAS it is not infrequent that City Council resolutions are made public and voted on before discussion at NPA meetings is possible or solicited;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council, in consultation with the NPAs, will establish processes and criteria for determining the municipal issues on which NPAs must be consulted for advice and input prior to City Council votes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said advice and input be considered in City Council deliberations and decision-making on those issues; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that processes and criteria be created by commissions and city departments for the same purpose; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these processes and criteria be established by April 1, 2024

Be in touch with questions or comments. And come to the meeting!

May 21, 2024, 10 to 11 AM

May 21, 2024, 7:30 PM

May 22, 2024, 6 to 7:30 PM