City Council

4 southburlington VERMOfil MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKING MEETING 27 JUNE 2025 The South Burlington City Council held a policy & priorities working meeting on Friday, 27 June 2025, at 9: 00 a. m., in Room 301, 180 Market Street, and by Zoom. MEMBERS PRESENT: T. Barritt, Chair; E. Fitzgerald, L. Smith, A. Chalnick, M. Scanlan ALSO PRESENT: J. Baker, City Manager; Chief S. Locke, Deputy City Manager; C. McNeil, City Attorney; J. Pellerin, Deputy City Attorney; S. Briscoe, Acting Police Chief; T. DiPietro, Public Works Director; M. Machar, Finance Director; R. Donahey, Deputy Finance Director; B. Miguez, Climate Action Manager; P. Conner, Director of Planning & Zoning; M. Sousa, HR Manager; A. Matth, Recreation Director; A. Dabrowski, Data Manager; I. Blanchard, Community Development Director; N. Gingrow, IT Director; E. Quallen, Deputy Director of Capital Projects; J. Murray, Library Director; P. Taylor, A. Pugh, E. Griffin, L. Bailey, A. Allen, J. Leas, J. Zagursky, P. Zagursky, J. Simson, K. Cameron 1. Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 2. Instructions on exiting building in case of emergency and review of technology option: Ms. Baker provided instructions on emergency exit from the building and reviewed technology options. 3. Additions, deletions or changes in the order of Agenda items: No changes were made to the Agenda. 4. Comments and questions from the public not related to the agenda: PAGE 1 Ms. Zagursky presented a petition from residents asking the City Council to speak with J. A. M. Golf about not going through with their approval to build on land adjacent to Wheeler Park. She reviewed the history of the property and noted that two appeals to the Courts denied. Other members of the public cited a were concern with runoff affecting an underground stream and the loss of " a million dollar view." Mr. Leas showed a picture of that view which is called " spectacular" in the 2016 City Plan. Ms. Allen felt there should be development next to parks so people can walk to the parks. 5. Hold a working meeting and discussion on the FY26 Policy Priorities and Strategies: Ms. Baker explained the process and noted that its function is to be sure that the Council and City staff are aligned over the fiscal year. She added that staff' s obligation is to bring to the Council its expertise and to fully implement the policy the Council adopts. She stressed that this is not an inventory of all that the City does. Ms. Baker then reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the Council and staff as follows: City Council: a. Make policy decisions b. Hear from the public c. Adopt policy d. Provide financial resources Staff: a. Provide expertise b. Implement policy Ms. Baker then reviewed recent successes including the following: a. New finance system b. New permitting system c. Parks & Open Space Master Plan d. Data driven decisions e. Climate Action Plan CITY COUNCIL 27 JUNE 2025 PAGE 2  f. Rental Registry g. Funding for the bike/ ped bridge h. Permanently conserved Wheeler Park i. Ordinance changes j. LDR amendments k. Increased Library programming I. Bidding out of the boardwalk Ms. Baker outlined some elements that are new to the work session process: a. Items are arranged by " type of work" b. More detail has been added with specific " FY26 Proposed Efforts c. Items are prepared for the improved data/ reporting system d. The process anticipates more complete City Plan and operations reporting Ms. Baker stressed that they are not starting with a blank slate and showed a list on actions that are on- going including: a. Hiring of a new Police Chief b. Hiring of a new Library Director c. Modernizing of City government d. Significant number of Master Plans including Economic Development, Parks and Recreation, and Climate Action e. $ 84M in capital projects including: 1. Bartlett Bay Treatment Plant update 2. Bike/ ped bridge 3. Second water tank 4. City Center boardwalk 5. Garden Street 6. Williston Road streetscape 7. Annual paving plan Ms. Baker said the Leadership Team has recommended policy priorities and strategies as well as items for the " bike rack" ( important items but not for this fiscal year). A number of the items have budgets or financial implications. There are also ideas from the City Council from previous meetings and from City committees. Mr. Barritt then asked for public comment. CITY COUNCIL 27 JUNE 2025 PAGE 3 Ms. Bailey: Asked why there are no plans to do anything with the Economic Development Plan until FY27. She also questioned whether the City is planning to use Al ( artificial intelligence). Mr. Simson: Asked the Council to review the rules and regulations regarding cemeteries that the Cemetery Committee sent to them. He also noted receipt of a 50, 000 donation to beautify Eldridge Cemetery which the Committee is making plans to do. He felt it is timely to get back to the business of selling cemetery lots and expressed the willingness of the Committee to work with the Council to accomplish this. Council members then indicated some priorities which do not appear on the City' s list: Mr. Chalnick felt it was important for the City to hire a Cemetery Administrator. Mr. Smith said it need not be a full- time position as he didn' t think it was a huge job. Mr. Scanlan suggested it might fall under the Parks Department. Mr. Chalnick felt there was too much detail for that. Chief Locke said if this becomes a priority, staff will advise the Council as to what is involved. Mr. Smith questioned whether this is a small enough item to add without displacing anything else. Mr. Chalnick then asked what the City can do to make progress with electrification of homes, to go from 85% to 100% and do more for rental buildings. Mr. Barritt agreed but said he would like to see a thermal inspection process as there is no way of knowing whether the installations are being done correctly. This could mean hiring someone else as he did not want to see developers self- regulating. Ms. Miguez said there have been initial meetings to understand the challenges and issues. That would be the first step. Get the program running, then get to regulating it. Mr. Chalnick said he would like to see an update on TDRs to see if the program is working. He also wanted to see a " building maintenance ordinance" to prevent what happened on Shelburne Road. Ms. Baker suggested Vacant Building a " Ordinance." Mr. Barritt said that # 1 to him is graffiti which he felt should be cleaned up within a few hours. He suggested the possibility of having the Public Arts Committee set aside an area for that type of art. Mr. Chalnick said the City also does not have a policy around urban, public trees. CITY COUNCIL 27 JUNE 2025 PAGE 4 Ms. Fitzgerald said the education funding system is in trouble and she urged keeping some flexibility as the Council does the budget. She noted the Council has not received a policy recommendation from the Economic Development Committee. Other things that she was interested in included the City Green, additional Library needs as City Center continues to develop, City Charter changes she noted a potential request from the School District). Ms. Baker noted that the Library is already a recommendation. Mr. Scanlan said various parts of the City Plan have to become priorities. Mr. Smith said climate issues are a symptom of what is being faced globally. The cause, he felt, is over- consumption and population. He felt climate can' t be addressed without addressing consumption. He cited the need to live differently from how we are living now. He said if we build on agricultural land, there will be even more food insecurity issues. Mr. Barritt asked how to prepare for a 30- day drought or a 10- inch rainfall. Mr. Scanlan said he thought the City Plan is heading that way. The important thing is to be sure staff has the resources to carry out the steps in the City Plan in an equitable way. Mr. Chalnick also felt the Council should lead in educating the public. Ms. Fitzgerald said this should be a regional effort. Other members agreed. Mr. Barritt suggested looking at speed limits, especially on Dorset Street. With people walking and biking, traffic has to be slowed down. Mr. Barritt also felt that water rates paid by multi- unit buildings should be fair, especially when there isn' t a meter for each unit. Members then engaged in the exercise of placing dots on the charts of priorities to indicate their preferences and items to potentially eliminate. Items that received 3 " want to do" dots included: cemeteries, climate enforcement at rental buildings ( Mr. Conner noted that CCRPC has looked into this; the question is whether there is authority for the municipality to enforce this. Mr. McNeil said the legality of enforcement would need to be examined. Mr. Conner also explained the link to the Energy Code which is given to developers. Ms. Baker said this would require heavy staffing, planning, education, legal review, etc.). CITY COUNCIL 27 JUNE 2025 PAGE 5 Three red " don' t do" dots were given to TDRs and City Council expansion. Ms. Fitzgerald question removing something from the bike rack that has been recommended by a City committee ( i. e., the Council expansion). Mr. Barritt supported the cultural plan as an enhancement of other plans. Ms. Baker said this is a capacity issue for the staff person who would address it. Mr. Smith asked where the City Green issue stands at this time. Ms. Blanchard said it is in the discussion stage. Ms. Baker said the first step will be to put it on the Official City Map. Mr. Chalnick suggested an executive session discussion of this. Mr. Scanlan stressed the need to know the financial implications for all the items. Members asked to keep items that did not get three " go ahead" dots on the bike rack so the Council doesn' t lose sight of them. Members then addressed recommendations received from committees as follows: Economic Development Committee: support for the strategic plan and its implementation. Ms. Blanchard noted they Committee would like to participate in discussion on other issues ( e. g., growth management, housing). Planning Commission: no large initiatives Housing Committee: Support for the regional housing plan and looking further into it. Ms. Baker noted receipt of a memo from Ms. Peterson regarding a motion made by the Housing Committee to recommend that before there is action on a permanent conservation easement for the Hubbard Park that an analysis is completed of the pros and cons of dividing the property into conserved and non- conserved parcels. Mr. Chalnick questioned whether this is within the scope of that committee. Mr. Smith said they should have the opportunity to ask the Council to consider things the Council has not charged them with. Ms. Fitzgerald said she sensed that the Housing Committee would have liked to have provided information on the Longview property. CITY COUNCIL 27 JUNE 2025 PAGE 6 Public Arts Committee: Would like to weigh in on things that go to the DRB regarding arts. Also the possibility of a cultural plan. Recreation & Parks Committee: Mr. Matth said everything they presented falls under the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Energy Committee: Questions their role and Ms. Miguez' role. Ms. Miguez noted that small gas engines are at the bottom of the committee' s list. Bike and Ped Committee: Ms. Quallen said one of their recommendations if a city- wide speed limit review as a first step to get to " Vision Zero" ( having zero fatalities on the roadways). CCRPC is doing a safety plan. Natural Resources and Conservation Committee: Mr. Chalnick said the Council needs to get to that committee' s priority of a Tree Management Plan. They feel themselves disempowered because the Council has not acted on this. Mr. Smith said it gets complicated because property owners can do what they want on their land. Owners cut down trees before they come to the DRB with a plan where they could be told they have to keep those trees. Ms. Baker said the first part of this should be a " public tree ordinance." Mr. Chalnick said he favors both. Mr. DiPietro said the City Arborist is very interested in this, and the City will be seeing some movement. He added that it will be a future staffing issue. Mr. Conner said when it becomes more than public trees, there will have to be an objective and tools to accompany/ accomplish that objective. Members agreed to move the public tree ordinance" from the bike rack to the work plan. Ms. Baker said the NRCC will come forward with a proposed workplan over the summer. Mr. Chalnick celebrated the work of the Recreation/ Parks Department this past year. Mr. Smith expressed amazement at what they accomplished. Mr. Barritt celebrated the folks who maintain the City Hall/ Library building and said it looks " tip top" all the time. Mr. Taylor asked about the School Board request regarding a different budget vote date. Mr. Chalnick said the Council is waiting for a formal request from them. Mr. Taylor asked if the Schools and City would have different voting dates. Ms. Baker discussed the elements that would have to be considered including the Presidential Primary every four years. CITY COUNCIL 27 JUNE 2025 PAGE 7 Mr. Taylor also invited members and the community in a clean- up day at Eldridge Cemetery on 12 July. 6. Other Business: A member of the public spoke regarding a Pool/ Recreation Center which will be more important as time goes on. People are now driving to Essex to use their pool, and the aim is to get people out of their cars. As there was no further business to come before the Council Mr. Chalnick moved to adjourn. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 12: 05 p. m. de.,/), Clerk CITY COUNCIL 27 JUNE 2025 PAGE 8