Wards 1 & 8 NPA
Regular MeetingBurlington, VT · June 8, 2022
Packet
Wards 1 & 8 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA)
Agenda
June 8, 2022 6:30PM
In-person at the Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library
And Zoom online
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84036123619
Webinar ID: 840 3612 3619
Or Telephone: Dial:US: +1 929 205 6099 Webinar ID: 840 3612 3619
YouTube:
YouTube Livestream: NPA Wards 1&8 Playlist, click on upcoming/next meeting:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLljLFn4BZd2Pa3H8l30gy_gZ3NL6orXcN
Note: This is for live streaming purposes only. Ward residents should intend to participate via
Zoom or in-person if they wish to speak or vote.
Facilitator: Tom Derenthal Host:Sam Heinrichs, CEDO Minutes: Jonathan Chapple-Sokol
6:30 Announcements & Introductions
6:35 Speak-out - General Public
6:45 Discussion on Public Safety – Acting Chief Jon Murad, Police Commissioner Melo Grant
7:30 City Councilors’ updates – Zoraya Hightower, Jack Hanson, Ali House
7:45 School Board Commissioners: Kathy Olwell, Aquilas Lokossou, Saja Almogalli
7:55 Update on BTV's Integrated Water Quality Plan – Jenna Olson, DPW
8:15 Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community - Mariah Sanderson & Evan Litwin
8:30 Adjourn
NPA Steering Committee meeting
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Agenda / Minutes
In-person on Tom’s porch at 3:30
Attended by: Tom, Keith, Jonathan, Carol (minutes-taker)
As we began the meeting, Keith spoke about meetings he and others living in Ward 8 are
having around issues of concern for their neighborhoods. They have discussed Redistricting,
the impact of student housing on their neighborhoods, and UVM plans for expanding living
space at Trinity campus. Keith indicated that members of the Ward 8 group were interested in
separating from Ward 1 NPA and forming a Ward 8 NPA because they feel they can better focus
on issues of concern for people living in Ward 8. Keith is checking with CEDO liaison Sam
Heinrichs about the process for changing our NPA structure. Looking at budget expenditures
(see below), only $450 has been spent of the $2500 budgeted for Ward 8. SC members of Ward
1 expressed concern that we are stronger advocates and have more resources when we
combine our 2 wards into 1 NPA. They also were concerned that members of the NPA from
Ward 8 didn’t feel they could raise issues that concern them within the current NPA structure,
and expressed regret that this separation was occurring.
Agenda:
1. Budget Status - Link to Budget
Of the 10 items we agreed to in April, 2022, only 2 of the items were spent.
Jonathan sent $250 to Front Porch Forum and $250 to Town Meeting TV and is waiting
for reimbursement. Ward 1 and Ward 8 each contributed $250 to these expenditures.
Jonathan also signed up for a Survey Monkey annual subscription. Ward 1 and Ward 8
each contributed $200 towards this item.
Tom will check with CEDO liaison Sam Heinrichs to determine if it is still
possible to spend budget money for 2021-22 FY or if we have reached the City’s
deadline. Tom will contact Carol & Jonathan to update about the budget deadline.
2. What to do this Summer + Next Steering Committee meeting
A. Arrange the opportunity for Ward 1 residents to have seats at a Lake Monsters
Baseball game - arrange 1 night and a block of seats. Publicize on Front Porch
Forum to give tickets to 50 residents.
Jonathan will check with CJ Knudsen to arrange this event.
B. Have a barbecue at Schmanska Park in July or August, with Blue Bird
Restaurant catering the meal.
Tom will check with BlueBird and with the City about this event.
C. We discussed making 12 posts on Front Porch Forum during July & August to
include the By-laws draft, information about the Lake Monsters tickets, and
information about the BBQ at Schmanska Park.
3. New Steering Committee Members
We briefly discussed a process for adding new Steering members - to include
attendance at 2 NPA meetings, perhaps a Steering meeting as well, and then holding an
election. We discussed having a vote on all SC members at our October meeting.
Our By-Laws draft stipulates the time for annual elections is before April 1.
4. Ward 1 By-laws
Jonathan has created a draft of By-laws for Ward 1, using the NPA by-law template and
the Ward 8 By-laws. The Ward 1 draft is very similar to other by-laws, except Jonathan
changed the requirement of a quorum and the requirement of term limits for Steering
Committee members.
We agreed that we would review the By-laws draft, make needed changes, and present
them online through Front Porch Forum and ask residents to review them and we would
present the draft at our September 14 NPA meeting for discussion and a vote.
4.Candidate Forum - we didn’t get to this item.
NEXT STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22 AT 4:00 AT TOM’S.
Wards 1 & 8 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA)
Agenda
June 8, 2022 6:30PM
In-person at the Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library
And Zoom online
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84036123619
Webinar ID: 840 3612 3619
Or Telephone: Dial:US: +1 929 205 6099 Webinar ID: 840 3612 3619
YouTube:
YouTube Livestream: NPA Wards 1&8 Playlist, click on upcoming/next meeting:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLljLFn4BZd2Pa3H8l30gy_gZ3NL6orXcN
Note: This is for live streaming purposes only. Ward residents should intend to
participate via
Zoom or in-person if they wish to speak or vote.
Facilitator: Tom Derenthal Host:Sam Heinrichs, CEDO Minutes: Jonathan Chapple-
Sokol
6:30 Announcements & Introductions
Sam: Virtual meeting on Trinity Campus 6/23 6-7:30PM
Carol: No meetings in July or August. Next meeting 9/14
6:35 Speak-out - General Public
Sharon Bushor: Commented on new high school – concern about gap between
bonding cap and expected cost. Hoping for unity around prioritizing spending on
this important project. Hoping to keep BHS and BTC close together. Officials
should insist State provide financial support. Also: City Councilors need to express
their positions on redistricting. Need to ensure good balance between long term and
transient residents.
Richard Hilliard: Lack of painted Pedestrian Crossings is dangerous. We need to
look after our children and other pedestrians – it is a “grave delinquency and
disservice”
Martine LaRocque Gulick: Democratic Candidate for State Senate
6:45 Discussion on Public Safety – Acting Chief Jon Murad, Police Commissioner
Melo Grant
A relatively contentious discussion about the state of public safety in Burlington.
Those interested are referred to the video starting at minute 0:17:30.
7:30 City Councilors’ updates – Zoraya Hightower, Jack Hanson, Ali House
Video time 1:26:00: Redistricting (smaller wards, Hybrid model,…). Asking UVM to
be a better neighbor.
7:45 School Board Commissioners: Kathy Olwell, Aquilas Lokossou, Saja Almogalli
Video time 1:49:00 – High school bond
7:55 Update on BTV's Integrated Water Quality Plan – Jenna Olson, DPW
8:15 Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community - Mariah Sanderson & Evan
Litwin
Video time: 1:51:00
8:30 Adjourn