Muyni
← Back to Montpelier

City Council

Regular Meeting

Montpelier, VT · April 4, 2018

AgendaMinutes

Minutes

Minutes of the Montpelier City Council Special Meeting April 4, 7:00 PM, April 5, 3:30 PM Police Department Community Room, 1 Pitkin Court In attendance: Mayor Anne Watson, City Manager Bill Fraser, Councilors Dona Bate, Conor Casey, Glen Hutcheson, Ashley Hill and Rosie Krueger. City Manager Bill Fraser acted as City Clerk. The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM 18-113. Without objection, the agenda was approved by acclamation. Mayor Watson provided opening statements and invited District 2 candidates to address Council. Alex Geller spoke, followed by Lalitha Mailwaganam, followed by Jack McCullough. Council took comments from Ivan Shadis, Celia Riechel, Robert Tracey, Corby Griffin, Jake Brown, Eve Jacobs Carnahan, Dan Boomhower, Justin Kenny, Carolyn Grodinsky, Jill Remick, Phil Dodd, Mike Reid, Dan Dickerson, Francis Dodd, Priscilla Minkin. Council took further comments from District 2 candidates. Lalitha Mailwaganam spoke, followed by Alex Geller, followed by Jack McCullough. Councilor Bate offered comments. Council took public comments from David Kidney, Steven Sease, Priscilla Minkin, Ivan Shadis, Corby Griffin, Francis Dodd, Sheila from District 2, Justin Kenny, Mike Reid. Mayor Watson offered comments. 18-114. At 8:27 PM Councilor Krueger moved that Council enter into Executive Session for the purposes of considering an appointment in accordance with Title I, VSA §313. Ashley Hill seconded. Mayor Watson offered comments. Motion carried unanimously (5-0). At 11:13 PM Councilor Krueger moved that Council come out of Executive Session. Councilor Bate seconded. Motion carried unanimously (5-0). At 11:14 PM Councilor Krueger moved that Council recess until the following day, April 5th at 3:30 PM in City Hall. Councilor Casey seconded. Council took public comment from Jake Brown and Phil Dodd. Councilor Krueger’s motion to recess carried unanimously (5-0). April 5, 2018, 3:30 PM City Council Chambers, City Hall The Mayor called the meeting to order at 3:30 PM Councilor Krueger moved to come out of recess. Councilor Hill seconded. Motion carried unanimously (5- 0). Mayor Watson invited district 2 candidates to speak before Council. Jack McCullough spoke followed by Alex Geller. City Manager Fraser read e-mailed statement from Lalitha Mailwaganam. At 3:41 PM Councilor Casey moved to enter into Executive Session. Councilor Krueger seconded. Motion carried unanimously (5-0). At 4:32 PM Councilor Krueger moved to come out of Executive Session. Councilor Hill seconded. Motion carried unanimously (5-0). 18-114 (cont.) Mayor Watson read a joint statement by City Council At 4:36 PM Councilor Casey moved to appoint Jack McCullough to fill the vacant District 2 seat on the City Council. Councilor Bate seconded. Vote carried unanimously (5-0). Councilor Coburn Hutcheson moved to adjourn meeting. Councilor Casey seconded. Without objection, the Mayor declared the meeting adjourned at 4:37 by unanimous consent.

Agenda

Agenda for Special City Council Meeting Police Department Community Room 1 Pitkin Court Wednesday, April 4, 2018 7:00 P.M. 1) Call to Order by the Mayor 2) 18-113. Review and Approve Agenda 3) 18-114. Appoint District 2 City Councilor a) It is possible that some of this discussion will be conducted in Executive Session in accordance with Title I, VSA §313, Executive Sessions, (a)(3) The appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. 4) Adjournment Alex Geller 978-380-0953 7 Kent Street LETTER OF INTEREST alex.geller@gmail.com Dear City Council, I am writing this letter of interest in hopes that you will consider me when deciding the appointment to the now vacant District 2 City Council seat. I ran in this recent election because of my desire to give back to the community by contributing my skills and background to our City Council. Building upon my undergraduate degree in Geology and Master of Science in Computer Information Systems, over the last 10 years I have made a career in both the public and private sectors. I have been a scientist, environmental regulator, and now am an IT Business Analyst charged with finding efficiencies wherever possible so that our tax dollars can go further. In your deliberation, I hope you’ll find my professional experiences and personal commitment to excellence helpful additions to the Council for the duration of the now open seat. EXPERIENCE To aid in your decision making, some of the more relevant details of my background include that from 2007 - 2013 I served the State as a Hazardous Site and Brownfields Manager. In this capacity, I was responsible for representing the State of Vermont in ensuring that human health and the environment were protected from both acute and historical hazardous releases. Such releases included petroleum, chlorinated solvents, and various other environmental contaminants. This role encompassed reviewing the work of environmental consultants for compliance with state regulations and authorizing payment from both the state Petroleum Cleanup Fund and Brownfields grants used to help redevelop abandoned or underutilized properties with known or suspected contamination. My six years of service in this area represents experience the City could draw from in the effort to transform from our industrial manufacturing past into our aspirational clean economy. In the last 5 years, I transitioned from my environmental regulatory role to supporting the work of my colleagues by becoming an IT professional. I completed my graduate studies at Boston University In 2015 and today serve as an IT Business Analyst. This type of role could probably be summarized as the translator who helps business professionals like engineers, accountants, permit writers, and grant managers articulate their needs to software developers so they can understand how to best configure or build a software solution that meets those needs. This often results in developing the “requirements” that make up a Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure software for the state. Skill sets developed to support these activities could be leveraged by City Council in supporting efforts focused on modernizing city government operations through the procurement and implementation of software. In the last 18 months, I have been part of a team assigned to redevelop the custom software used to build our $600+ million ​annual budget​. Developing this software in-house required me to collaborate closely with our CFO and many Budget Developers throughout the Agency to understand the budgeting process and requirements. The net result is that hundreds of staff can simultaneously budget their programs, allocate various funding sources to capital projects, maintenance projects, administrative needs, equipment, grants and more, to produce the capital transportation plan for the legislature and governor to approve. The knowledge and expertise gained in understanding the complex budgeting process employed at VTrans enabled our team to support the Agency in developing its annual budget through enhanced access to information, automation, and powerful reporting. This is saving valuable resources, increasing transparency, and allowing us to better utilize and leverage taxpayer money. I believe this experience would translate well as the Council works on future City budgets. DEDICATION I am a data oriented thinker, and am including some of the metrics I used in my campaign to quantify my level of dedication and desire to serve. Hours of City Council Canvased Meet the Candidate Media Interviews Meetings Observed 850 7 3 9 Houses Fora/Gatherings in last 2 months GellerForMontpelier.com Recruited Prior Campaign Experience 310 15 0 Unique Visitors Volunteers Results I hope this letter informs your decision making and look forward to continued discussion regarding my desire to serve on City Council, representing the residents of District 2. Best Regards, -Alex Geller Alex Geller 978-380-0953 7 Kent Street Letter of Interest alex.geller@gmail.com Addendum Dear City Council, I am providing this addendum to my original March 10 Letter of Interest in light of additional requirements sought by the council. Specifically, I have prepared a statement on my vision for Montpelier. VISION FOR MONTPELIER Montpelier, like many population centers around the country, is faced with a generation of people looking to live in a location with public services, jobs, and a sense of community. This is supported by many indicators, but arguably the most significant of which is that of our housing demand and inflation of property values in recent years. Market trends, combined with the recent rezoning efforts position our city to expand it’s housing capacity - an outcome I enthusiastically support. I believe that it’s the role of city council to lead the city through a methodical process that realizes an expansion of our housing, while ensuring it is supported by adequate services and infrastructure. My vision for Montpelier, starts with establishing a target for growth. While there may be any number of ways to settle on a target, whether it focuses on public input, infrastructure capacity, economic constraints, cultural or geographic constraints, it will behoove us to identify what we are shooting for, and consequently, how we define success. Once a target is defined, a plan to reach that target can be put into place. My personal goals for what I hope to contribute to Montpelier are simple. I want to lend the experiences detailed in my original letter to ensure that we can reach our goal while maximizing public input, minimizing or eliminating human health and environmental impacts, preserving the character of Montpelier, expanding what makes this community great and using every opportunity to address our challenges along the way. In terms of expanding on our strengths, one of our greatest attributes is outdoor recreation. I can think of no greater outdoor recreation asset than Hubbard Park. In fact, it’s success is also its greatest challenge. Hubbard park is so popular that, in order to remain safe, park uses must be limited. I see this as a sign that additional outdoor recreation opportunities would be well received by our community. Specifically, I think it is important that we continue to support the North Branch Park Multi-use Trail project and pursue opportunities to create a white water park and river access points. These are especially attractive opportunities because so many outside interests are willing to support their responsible development with grants and expertise in planning. Ultimately, these outdoor recreation opportunities can make Montpelier a destination for visitors and businesses looking to relocate, thereby supporting our local economy. I see Infrastructure planning and funding as a major, ongoing challenge for Montpelier. The council should be commended for their efforts in recent years to make this a priority. As someone who works every day in the transportation sector, I know that having the right tools is critical to doing the best job, and to that end, I want to make sure that DPW has the tools necessary to ensure that they are well positioned for an expansion of our population. Modern asset management software tools have a proven track record for streamlining development, assisting in long term planning and using our infrastructure capital in a way that maximizes value of investments. Ultimately, one concept that intrigues me is that of an infrastructure master plan that incorporates water supply, sanitary disposal, roadway, stormwater, bridges, and buildings. If a comprehensive evaluation of all these assets were performed with an immediate outlook of 5 years and a long term outlook of 30 years, the city could benefit in a number of ways. It can help us establish current infrastructure needs, long term budgetary trends as well as prepare early for major long term initiatives. Montpelier is a great community already, but it can be made better. Beyond the specific ideas I’ve outlined above, I’d like to see us be an economically healthy, safe city that is diverse and open to people from all walks of life, with good roads and sidewalks, lots of recreational opportunities, and excellent and efficient city services. We should strive to be a place that both values its citizens and is an innovative leader, such as with our Net Zero policies. Finally, in this time of national discord and regressive policies, I’d like to see Montpelier continue to show the rest of the country how citizens can come together and do things the right way. Best Regards, -Alex Geller To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to apply for the vacant seat on the Montpelier City Council in District 2. I have lived in Montpelier for over a decade; I own a house here in Montpelier, I work in Montpelier, send my kids to school in Montpelier, and I care very much about what goes on here. While I love much of what goes on here, I am concerned that Montpelier, for all its progressive politics and the best of intentions of its citizenry, is still a very white, very upper-middle class town that does not even know or recognize it' s own inherent white (and economic) privilege. For this reason, I feel it extremely important that we have someone on the City Council who is not white, who is not economically well-off, to speak for the citizens of this town who all too often feel invisible here. I have worked as an HIM (Medical Records Release) Coordinator/ Cardiovascular Technician I LNA I Medical Secretary at Central Vermont Medical Center and have seen first hand the decimation being caused by the opioid crisis; I currently work at the Vermont Bar Association and so have become far more cognizant of the day to day political, economic and social climate in Vermont in general and Montpelier in particular, and feel it important that I make my voice heard, and through me the voices of all the minorities - racial and economic - who live here in Montpelier. As a City Councilmember I would advocate for more affordable housing, and for opportunities for everyone to share their culture with the community at large, through awareness events at City Hall as well as throughout the entire city. And on a more prosaic note, I would also advocate for the city to appropriate a greater share of its funding to upgrading the town' s infrastructure such as our roads, sewer and water lines, and aging schools and other town buildings. We must begin a more serious, long term approach to these problems; we simply cannot afford to kick the can down the road any longer. And lastly, another issue that I would like the City to consider strikes at the very heart of our democratic process here in the U.S. - I would like Montpelier to return to having an actual town meeting on town meeting day. When I first moved to the U .S. and was living in North Montpelier, my husband at the time took me to town meeting, and I was struck by that raw, unfiltered democracy in action. In these days of social media and partisan paranoia on both sides of the political divide, we all too often surround ourselves with like minded people, and we rarely get the chance to truly have to listen to those who may vehemently disagree with us. yet th~s I believe is cru~ially important, and since Montpelier is still small enough to support it, I thmk we would gam tremendously by returning to a town meeting process instead of a simple vote. So I thank you for the opportunity to apply for this vacant seat, and fervently hope that I will be able to serve our community in this capacity. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, 8ai~ Vermont Bar Association Serving the Public and the Profession Lalitha Mailwaganam March 301h 2018. LALITHA MAILWAGANAM LAWYER REFERRAL MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR PHON E: 802-223-2020 37 Court Street FAX : 802-22 3-1573 P.O. Box 100 lalitha@vtbar.org Montpelier, VT 05601-0 100 www.vtbar.org Lalitha Mailwaganam 50 Liberty Street, #1, Montpelier, VT 05602 802-522-0325 lalithamail@yahoo.com Professional Skills • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with equal dedication and tight deadlines. • Quick learner with a passion to update my knowledge to enhance productivity. • Able to switch between tasks and complete all tasks within a reasonable period of time. • Adept at analyzing business needs, creating training materials, and providing educational outreach. • Hardworking, dependable, punctual, and reliable. • Excellent ability to work independently and within a team environment. • Ability to meet customer requirements in stressful environments with a positive attitude. • Strong client, organizational and preparation skills. • Profound knowledge of different cultures, languages, and customs. • Excellent organizational skills for planning and managing events and activities. • Ability to establish communication effectively with individuals from varied cultural backgrounds. • Positive attitude toward change and new environments. • Seek opinions of others when making decisions. • Tolerant, curious and appreciative of different work patterns while remaining committed to deadlines. • Think critically and act logically to evaluate situations, solve problems and make decisions. • Maintain composure in stressful situations or when under pressure. • Fluent in Tamil (Native) and Bahasa Malaysia. Technical Skills Meditech, PICS, e-Clinicals, Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, Front Page), Lotus Suite, Windows OS, QuickBooks; Hardware and Software installation, troubleshooting and maintenance. Work Experience •!• Lawyer Referral and Membership Coordinator Jan 2017- Present As a Lawyer Referral Coordinator for the Lawyer Referral Service at the Vermont Bar Association (VBA), I assist the general public in locating a lawyer or a non-profit organization to consult regarding legal issues. I am responsible for upkeep of the association's database of referr al lawyers, their area of law and geographical location. As a Lawyer Membership Page 1of3 coordinator, I am responsible for overseeing parts of the VBA budget, including record- keeping, communication with lawyers and board members and collection of fees. I am expected to maintain a high level of confidentiality. In addition to referral calls, my daily duties also include maintaining the database of Vermont lawyers, recording membership status changes, processing new membership applications, marketing and preparing information packages for new members. Also, on a voluntary basis, I also work with Legal Aid and Victims of Crime Unit in assisting and recruiting attorneys to provide probono or low-cost legal services. •!• Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) i. Release of Information Analyst (HIM) Nov 2015-0ct 2016 I was primarily responsible for coordinating the release of information of medical records via Electronic Health Record (EHR) for patients, patient care, physician research, chart audits, billing information, risk management, as well as gathering data for submission to state and federal agencies. I also was responsible for answering third party inquiries from various government agencies (Disability, Law Enforcement, Legal, DCF), law firms and insurance companies. I also coordinated other authorized requests while adhering to HIPPA privacy regulations, state and federal regulations, and by querying multiple Electronic Health Record (EHR) to obtain the required records. I worked with other departments to obtain records that are not available in the EHR by contacting outside storage facilities. I also provided support to doctors, nurses and administration staff via telephone for assistance in locating records within the Electronic Health Record. I maintained a detailed log of release of information, as well as high security to protect confidential information. ii. Cardiovascular Technician (Cardiology) May 2012 - Oct 2013 I performed a number of non-invasive procedures in diagnostic cardiac stress procedures and exercise testing in this position. Those procedures included Nuclear Stress Test, Stress Echo, Regular Stress Test, Holter Monitors, EKG and PYE. I designed several spreadsheets for the Cardiology Stress Lab, including one for the "Bruce Test Protocol" that calculates the percentage of stress level according to the patients' age and streamlined the process. iii. Medical Secretary (ICU) Nov 2012 - Dec 2013 In this post, I helped with written orders of physicians and entered orders in the EHR system. Duties also included: coordinating with other department to ensure that crucial tests are done in a timely manner; managing front desk and phones in ICU; screening visitors to the unit. iv. LNA (Med-Surg, ED, ICU, Psychiatry, W&C) ]an 2011 - Oct 2016 This post included providing basic nursing services, such as checking vital signs, monitoring distress signs and similar complications and answering patient calls to provide other forms of assistance. •!• Vermont Chamber of Commerce Aug 2003 - Dec 2005 Program Manager for VT Construction Career Council/Mentoring Partnership/Business Education Partnership • Reorganized the payroll system on QuickBooks and handled bi-monthly payroll. • Assisted independently-hired instructors in ordering needed materials and managing class schedules. Page 2 of 3 • Designed and created brochures, flyers and newsletters for company's programs and services. • Updated the website . • Processed requests for funds from, and created quarterly reports for the VT Department of Education and Training. • Supervised the dispersal of grant monies to mentoring programs around the State of Vermont. • Scheduled and supervised meetings with mentoring offices statewide . • Organized statewide conferences for the Vermont Mentoring Partnership and its affiliates, booking state- and nationally-known speakers. •!• IT Training Consultant (Malaysia) July 1995 - Mar 2002 IT Trainer • Taught software training classes for corporate clients (MCSB Systems, IconAge) and field insurance agents (Great Eastern Life Assurance). • Designed and wrote student manuals for all software training classes. • Provided help desk support via e-mail, telephone and on-site meetings. • Worked creatively with clients to tailor the classes to their specific needs. • Offered hardware and software troubleshooting and installation. • Responsible for replacing defective and inadequate software packages and making it more convenient for trainees. • Conducted software trainings in off-site and on-site classroom. • Guided users by providing instructions on use of different software in a user-friendly way. • Maintained software and hardware tools that are used for training purpose. •!• Creative Support Center (Malaysia) Jan 1995 -July 1995 Help Desk Technician • Provided help desk support for company's in-house software such as Payroll, Human Resource and Accounting Software. • Performed maintenance and monitored system performances to provide upgrades accordingly. • Prepared recovery plans to recover lost or corrupted data. • Performed installation and maintenance for systems and equipment at different sites. • Provided remote assistance for installation of third party applications. Education Certified Health Information Technology in System/Technical Support in Electronic Health Record. (HIT PRO TS) Community College of Vermont 2011 Licensed Nursing Assistant Barre Technical Center, VT 2011 Diploma in Computing Information Systems Stamford College, Malaysia 1996 Page 3 of 3 JOHN J. MCCULLOUGH Ill ATTORNEY AT LAW 20 TOWNE ST. MONTPELIER, VT. 05602-4231 (802)734-3851 March 30, 2018 William J. Fraser City Manager 39 Main St. Montpelier, Vt. 056002-2950 District 2 vacancy Dear Bill: I am writing to apply for appointment to the unexpired term of the District 2 City Council vacancy. I believe Montpelier needs a councilor who will pursue an activist vision of the City Council, support new housing development and energy efficiency, and work to make Montpelier a more welcoming and vibrant community. As anyone who has heard me speak at a Council meeting knows, I truly believe that Montpelier is the best place in Vermont to live. The dynamic culture, the quality of life, the degree of involvement Montpelier residents have in their community all contribute to the appeal Montpelier holds for new and potential residents. I've lived in Montpelier with my family since 1983. During that time I've volunteered for all kinds of civic activities. Like many of us I started out involved with my two sons' activities, coaching their soccer and baseball teams and working as a member of the Union School Parents' Group, eventually serving as Secretary and then President. I have continued to support our schools, helping to create Friends of Montpelier Schools. Building on my professional background in housing advocacy I have served on the board of the Montpelier Housing Authority since 1996 and as chair since 2003. I've been a member of the Montpelier Housing Task Force almost from the beginning, serving as co-chair since 2004 and chair for about the last ten years. The cost and limited supply of housing are among the biggest challenges facing the city, and we have worked to keep the need for housing in the public eye and to develop policies to encourage housing development. We worked to establish the Housing Trust Fund and worked with city staff, the Planning Commission, and the Council to develop the new Master Plan and zoning ordinance in ways that would allow for the development of new housing for people who now find it impossible to live in Montpelier. These efforts helped lead to the successful adoption of a new Master Plan and zoning ordinance by the City Council earlier this year, and I believe that my advocacy contributed to the success of those efforts. In addition to the Housing Task Force I have been an elected Justice of the Peace since 1998, performing weddings, working on elections, and adjudicating property assessment appeals. In the last few years I have served as chair of the Board of Civil Authority. My goal is to work with the other members of the Council and city staff to foster positive development and ensure that city government has the resources it needs to meet the challenges of the future. Having established a zoning ordinance to encourage housing development I would move to implement the recommendations of the 2011 Barriers to New Housing Report, found on the city's web page. While some of the recommendations are incorporated in the new zoning ordinance, success will depend on a commitment by the Council to take action and to ensure that the city has adequate staffing and other resources to implement the recommendations. Other challenges confront our city. Are we doing all we should to maintain our physical infrastructure? Do our public safety agencies have the capacity to respond to the opioid crisis and other public health concerns? How will we achieve the highest level of energy efficiency to meet our Net Zero goals? How will we manage city budgets, both expenditures and revenues, to meet the needs of a growing population with a sustainable level of taxation? What can the city do to help our retail and other small businesses thrive? My experience and leadership have prepared me to participate in these debates, and to help frame the solutions. I look forward to the chance to continue to serve the people of Montpelier as a member of the City Council. Thank you . Very truly yours, <}L_~~euj_ ~ J~jn J . ij:ccull~ugR III JOHN J . MCCULLOUGH III 20 Towne St. Montpelier, Vt. 05602 EMPLOYMENT Attorney , Vermont Legal Aid. May 1983-present. General practice of poverty law. Extensive litigation in State and Federal courts and administrative fora . Lead and co-counsel in Federal class actions. Practice before Vermont Supreme Court. Director of the Mental Health Law Project, litigating involuntary mental health cases and supervising the work of the office, including three other attorneys and, at times, two paralegals. Presented training for Vermont Legal Aid; Northeast Regional Training Center; Vermont Bar Association; the National Employment Law Project; the National Association for Rights, Protection, and Advocacy; the Vermont League of Cities and Towns; the National Lawyers Guild; and the Vermont Police Academy, including programs on housing, legal ethics, mental health law, public benefits, and trial practice. Worked closely with client groups on litigation and legislative and administrative advocacy. Appointed by Governor Dean to the Vermont Housing Council, which reviews policies and issues related to affordable housing. Served on numerous legislative study committees on issues as varied as Small Claims Court, involuntary mental health treatment, and the treatment of offenders with psychiatric diagnoses. Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of Western Michigan. June 1979-April 1983. Specialized in housing law, including evictions, habitability and utility shutoffs, and Community Development. Litigated in Federal and State courts and administrative fora. Active in Michigan Legal Services Housing Task Force and Michigan Tenants Rights Coalition. Student Attorney , Student Legal Services, Ann Arbor, Michigan . June 1978- May 1979. Represented University of Michigan students on evictions and other issues involving substandard housing. EDUCATION LEGAL University of Michigan Law School. J .D . awarded December 1979 . Honors Jane L. Mixer Award , presented to the student who has done the most to further the cause of social justice. UNDERGRADUATE Michigan State University. B.A. in Linguistics awarded April 1976. Honors Graduated with High Honors . Honor Roll . HIGH SCHOOL Regis High School, New York, N.Y . Graduated 1971. Honors Full, four-y ear scholarship. National Merit Finalist REPORTED CASES Munro-Dorsey v. Department of Social Welfare, 144 Vt. 614 (1984). Successfully litigated the application of AFDC absence regulations to a joint custody arrangement. Habel v. Department of Employment and Training, 146 Vt. 566 (1986) . Successfully challenged the use of a minimum earnings test in determining the "last employing unit" under the state unemployment statute. Ovaitte v. Department of Employment and Training, 148 Vt. 161 ( 1987). Challenged misconduc t disqualification for unemployment compensation for discharge resulting from sabbath observance. Slocum v. Department of Social Welfare, 154 Vt. 4 7 4 ( 1990). Successfully challenged the Welfare Department's claiming reimbursement of General Assistance pay m ents b eyond the two-year period provided by State regulation. Dubuque v. Yuetter, 728 F. Supp. 303 (D . Vt. 1989) , rev'd 917 F. 2d 741 (2d Cir. 1990). Challenged the Department of Agriculture 's regulations penalizing an entire Food Stamp household when the primary wage earner who is not the head of household voluntarily quits a job without good cause . Highgate Associates v. Merryjield, 157 Vt. 313 (1991). Successfully challenged the use of a one dollar per day late charge in a subsidized housing project lease based on common law principles of liquidated damages and penalties . Audet v. Koier, 2 Vt. Law Week 269 (1991). Represented statewide low- income advocacy group as amicus curiae in attempt to require state payment of the cost of trial transcripts for indigent civil appellants based on state and federal constitutional law. Farley v. Sullivan, 793 F . Supp. 1267 (D. Vt. 1992), rev'd 983 F. 2d 405 (2d Cir. 1993). Statewide class action challenging a budgeting practice of the Social Security Administration which resulted in triple counting of income r eceived by SSI recipients in the first month of eligibility for benefits. Tucker v. Bushway, 689 A.2d 426 ( 1996) . Vermont Supreme Court appeal which established the ability of a tenant in an eviction for nonpayment of rent to redeem her tenancy by paying past due rent, court costs, and interest after the entry of judgment, but before issuance of the writ of possession. State v. Dixon, 10 Vt. Law Week 1 (1999). Represented amici Vermont Low Income Advocacy Council and Vermont Tenants, Inc. in this appeal that John J. McCullough III established that a landlord does not have the authority to bar guests of a tenant from the common areas of rental property. Houle u. Quenneville, 173 Vt. 80 (2001). Represented tenants alleging retaliatory conduct in nonrenewal of lease. J.L. u. Miller, 174 Vt. 288 (2002). Final decision in a class action challenging procedures for involuntary nonemergency medications. L'Esperance u. Benware, 175 Vt. 292 (2003). Cocounseled case in which Vermont Supreme Court determined that evidence was sufficient to show that landlord breached duty to provide safe water to tenants. Hunter u. State, 177 Vt. 339 (2004). Represented class action plaintiffs in challenge to state budget cuts. In re L.A., 181 Vt. 34 (2006). Successful appeal establishing standard for involuntary psychiatric medication. In re T.S.S., 199 Vt. 157 (2015). Successful appeal establishing requirement that demonstrate likelihood of danger in the near future to justify continuing involuntary treatment. PUBLICATIONS Law and Mental Health Professionals: Vermont, McCullough, Ilona Engel, Spencer Wright. American Psychological Association 2006. CONSENT OF CANDIDATE LOCAL ELECTION - CITY CANDIDATE per the Montpelier City Charter The filing period for petitions of nomination for local office and this Consent of Candidate form is no later than 30 days preceding the day of the election and no earlier than 40 days preceding the day of the election. Both forms must be filed with the city clerk. Th is consent form is used by local election officials to determine the form of a candidate's name, its spelling and the use of any initials or nicknames for the ballot. Please complete this form carefully, using the exact form of your name as you want it to appear on the ballot. You may include a nickname , but you may not include a title . (For example, Rick "Speedy" Driver is o.k., but you cannot use Dr. Rick Driver.) I consent to having my name printed on the ballot for the office of: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ City Council-unexpired term _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ (Office and Term Length) City of Montpelier My name (exactly as I wish it to appear on the ballot): Name: John J. McCullough Ill Town of Residence: Montpelier 3 I ·3 0 1ui DatJ 20 Towne St., Montpelier, Vt. 05602-4231 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Mailing Address Town, State , Zip (802) 734-3851 mcculloughiii@comcast.net Daytime Telephone Number Email

Get email alerts for Montpelier

A daily email when new agendas and minutes are posted.

Report an issue with this meeting