Community Development and Neighborhood Revitalization Committee

Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor, City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 6:30 PM Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/92803441166?pwd=eYAc7RbAcNc8fgxqv4IOuHJrH1QIpv.1 Meeting ID: 928 0344 1166 Passcode: 786487 --- One tap mobile +16469313860,,92803441166#,,,,*786487# US +19292056099,,92803441166#,,,,*786487# US (New York) Join instructions https://zoom.us/meetings/92803441166/invitations?signature=cDmZfWiBBUzd_lbC_8rN7pg7qp06TOdl DS6Ajpepg0E 1. Agenda 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda 2. Public Forum Subject 2.1. PUBLIC FORUM - Verbal Comments Meeting August 20, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 6:30 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor, City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington Category 2. Public Forum Department Type 3. AgeWell (45 minutes) Subject 3.1. Communication from Burlington Aging Council Page 1 of 4  Meeting August 20, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 6:30 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor, City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington Category 3. AgeWell (45 minutes) Department Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO) Type Recommended Action 4. Syringe Litter Check-in (20 minutes) 5. Regional Programs Initial Discussion (20 minutes) 6. Scheduling Check-in and Adjournment Subject 6.1. Motion to adjourn Meeting August 20, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 6:30 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor, City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington Category 6. Scheduling Check-in and Adjournment Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action Page 2 of 4 To: Burlington City Council, Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Committee (Evan Litwin, Chair, Carter Neubieser, Allie Schachter) From: Burlington Aging Council (Former Members) Symphorien Sikyala, Congolese Community, Molly Dugan, Cathedral Square, Jane Catton, Age Well, Kelly Stoddard Poor, AARP-VT, Andrea Viets, Heineberg Community Senior Center, Alison Miley, Howard Center, Barbara Shaw-Dorso, Resident, Charles J Messing, Resident, Glenn McRae, Resident Date: August 6, 2025 RE: Implementation of the Age Strong Burlington Priority Measures We were gratified by the action taken by City Council on May 19th to pass a resolution to Adopt the Burlington Aging Council Age Strong Burlington Plan. As noted in the resolution: • The Age-Strong Burlington Plan is the basis for forming appropriate creative and innovative approaches to address challenges, and the City Council accepts the report for further consideration and action, • The CDNR Committee give due consideration to identify and recommend to City Council clear action steps to move appropriate recommendations to action beginning with the renewal of a Burlington Council on Aging populated by an appropriate set of members to develop and further these recommendations for the benefit of the city, supported by the many city partners who participated in the development of the plan. We understand that there was a robust overview discussion at the CDNR June meeting, but no follow-up discussion or action at the July meeting. We believe that you are next scheduled to meet on August 20th. We hope that the Plan is on the agenda and that there is an opportunity for the CDNR committee to formulate a series of specific recommendations for immediate implementation to bring back to City Council for consideration and start to initiate specific critical actions that are crucial to the health and well-being of the City. We respect the fact that the City is facing significant financial challenges, though we were deeply disappointed to see the elimination of staff and programs that provided the very limited services the City had in place to address the well-being of our older residents. It is more important than ever to ensure that there is an active voice embedded in City government to speak to the needs and wishes of our older citizens (some 12% of the city population). While the plan is far-reaching and aspirational, it was purposefully designed to offer a set of no or very low-cost measures that would lay the foundation for long-term action in support of this growing population. Some of those measures that we urge you to take up and promptly advance includes: • Formalize BAC as a City commission. Re-establish BAC membership with an "implementation" oriented membership. The commission should support CDNR and be staffed by an appropriate city staff person. 1 Page 3 of 4  • Request that key City Departments designate a lead contact available to coordinate and connect with the BAC (e.g., Planning (data); Library; DPW (Plan BTV); Parks and Recreation; REIB; Public Safety; Advisory Council on Accessibility). • Request quarterly reporting from City Departments to BAC / CDNR on programs and policies, in place and in development, related to the Age Strong Burlington Priorities. • Create a schedule for an annual set of resolutions aligned with BAC priority action areas in line with state and national events and awareness campaigns. Work with City Partners to identify appropriate events and dates and provide input into resolutions. These four steps would provide a foundation to assist CDNR to make substantial future progress. The goals remain the same, but the need is more acute, and opportunities can be lost through inaction. BAC sustaining goals: 1. to elevate the contributions of older adults in Burlington; 2. to raise issues facing older adults in Burlington and the organizations that serve them; 3. to make policy recommendations to the Mayor and City Council to address gaps, needs, and opportunities that impact older adults in Burlington; 4. to ensure that the voices of older adults in Burlington are at the forefront of City policy. We appreciate your focus and attention to moving the Age Strong Burlington Plan forward and stand ready to support the committee in its deliberations and actions. 2 Page 4 of 4