City Council

41 7 southburlington VERMONT MINUTES CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 18 August 2025, at 6: 30 p. m., in the Auditorium, 180 Market Street, and by Zoom. MEMBERS PRESENT: T. Barritt, Chair; E. Fitzgerald, L. Smith, A. Chalnick, A. Pugh ALSO PRESENT: J. Baker, City Manager; Chief S. Locke, Deputy City Manager; C. McNeil, City Attorney; J. Pellerin, Deputy City Attorney; I. Blanchard, Community Development Director; N. LeBrecque, Economic Development Committee; L. Huffman, S. Pedigo, J. Abrams, Vermont State Attorney' s Office; B. Sirvis, B. Britt, L. Kupferman 1. Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 2. Instructions on exiting the building in case of emergency and review of technology options: 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: Mr. Chalnick asked to add to item # 10 a discussion of the role of committees. 4. Comments and questions from the public not related to the agenda: Mr. Coleman was concerned that there wasn' t enough publicity about the City Hall offices being closed on the celebration of Bennington Battle Day. PAGE 1 Ms. Leduc, a resident of Cheesefactory Lane, asked the city to purchase the TDRs belonging to her and to her sister in law. They are both widows and have waited 17 years to see a return on the TDRs, which has caused the land to be encumbered. One is valued at $ 96, 000 and the other at $ 72, 000. The farm was in Ms. Leduc' s husband' s name and in his family for over 100 years. They worked hard to preserve the land, which has benefited the city tremendously. Ms. Leduc provided a map of the area for Council members. 5. Councilors Reports on Committee Assignments and meetings attended, and City Manager' s Report: Council members reported on meetings and events they had attended in recent weeks. Ms. Baker: Dorset Street paving is complete along with new striping. Thanked the School Board for including her on the Superintendent search committee. Bus service will begin on Market Street on 25 August with 15- minute service. There is a new STOP sign at the Market and Garden Streets intersection. 6. Consent Agenda: a. Consider and Sign Disbursements b. Approve Minutes from 27 June 2025, 30 June 2025, and 7 July 2025 City Council meetings c. Award the FY26 line striping contract to L& D Safety Marking Corporation and authorize the Deputy Director of Operations to sign the contract d. Authorize the City Manager to execute the proposed Development Agreement between the City of South Burlington and O' Brien pertaining to the relinquishment and relocation of Old Farm Road upon final review and approval of City Attorney e. Appoint John Christman as Building Inspector for the City of South Burlington pursuant to 24 App. V. S. A. Ch. 13, Section 301 f. Authorize Fire Marshall John Christman, Assistant Fire Marshall Casey Follensbee and Rental Registry Manager Patricia Wehman CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 2  to be the designated officials authorized to issue municipal tickets for violations of the fire prevention and protection, electrical installations or rental registry ordinance g. Approve Resolution # 2025- 17 Amending the City' s Housing Trust Fund Ms. Pugh suggested removing the Minutes of 27 June from Item " b" as she was not yet a member of the Council for the meeting. Mr. Chalnick then moved to approve the Consent Agenda minus the Minutes of 27 June 2025. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Chalnick moved to approve the Minutes of 27 June 2025 as presented. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed 4- 0 with Ms. Pugh abstaining. 7. Possible approval of national opioid settlement agreements with Purdue Pharma, the Sackler Family, and eight opioids manufacturers negotiated by the State of Vermont and authorize the City Manager to execute any and all documents necessary for the City to join in the settlement agreements: Mr. McNeil noted the agreements are the same as previous agreements. Ms. Abrams said the difference is the defendants and the amounts of money. The total for this settlement is $ 7, 400, 000, 000 which will be divided among the states. Vermont will receive $ 22, 000, 000 which will be distributed among communities with populations over 10, 000. South Burlington will receive a share based on its population. Ms. Abrams said she will provide a link to the website where the City amount will be available. The State has already given its approval of the settlement. Mr. McNeil said the money received from the previous settlement is being used for opioid abatement efforts. There is now $ 215, 000 in that fund. The Council must approve all allocations. The suggestion is to wait until the new Police Chief has assumed the position. Ms. Abrams said there is also a second settlement comprised of 8 smaller settlements totaling $ 720, 000, 000. Three of these settlements will take place over time. $ 1, 740, 000 will come to Vermont and will be divided in the same way as the larger settlement. CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 3 Mr. Chalnick moved that the Council approve the agreements with Purdue Pharma, the Sackler Family, and eight opioid manufacturers as negotiated by the State of Vermont and to authorize the City Manager to execute any and all documents necessary for the City to join in the settlement agreements. Ms. Pugh seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Barritt commented that he is thankful for the city to get the funds, but these defendants have damaged a large portion of the American population. He was glad the money can be used to help victims. Ms. Baker thanked the Attorney General' s Office for its role in negotiating these agreements. 8. Receive a presentation on the South Burlington Economic Development Strategic Plan and possibly adopt the Plan: Ms. LeBrecque, Chair of the Economic Development Committee, said there was a lot of community involvement in the Plan, and it has the full, resounding support of the Committee. Ms. Huffman and Mr. Pedigo of the consulting firm CIVICSOL then presented the features of the plan. Ms. Huffman stressed that economic development should happen with a community as it touches people' s lives. She also stressed that communities that can keep talent in place will keep development moving. In their research, they saw a lot of opportunity for innovation.She noted that housing is key factor in this as it is a major way to attract to the community and to keep people there. In doing their research, CIVICSOL benchmarked against 10 peer communities nationwide and analyzed target industries. They engaged 100+ stakeholders through roundtables and interviews including 20 one- on- one interviews with local businesses. They also spent time with leadership and noted that this community believes in its leadership. They conducted a comprehensive target cluster assessment and analyzed 6 peer organizations. Mr. Pedigo said the plan they envision starts from a place of strength for the following reasons: CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 4  a. A community on the rise, attracting young professionals and families b. 70% of residents have a college degree, which is twice the national average c. The city is home to 20% of county jobs and fast- growing export- drive clusters d. There are new public spaces which are shaping a vibrant downtown e. There are embedded climate goals into economic development f. Lifestyle keeps people in the community ( e. g., scenic views, schools, livability, etc.). Ms. Huffman then outlined the 5 Strategic Goals of the plan as follows: 1. Bold innovation that powers the future, a hub for leading- edge, clean, high value innovation — the city is already at the center of clean, climate- aligned economy. There is still work to do, especially in growing local housing supply. Strategies for this include: launching sector partnerships in aviation, anchoring Vermont' s Tech Hub by collaborating with UVM, creating an innovation district near the Airport, supporting early- stage companies, and telling South Burlington' s innovation story. 2. A place where talent belongs, diverse talent where people stay and succeed — South Burlington is one of Vermont' s youngest, most educated cities which has human- centered goals such as housing, childcare, etc. It should seek to align the workforce and economic development to ensure local training and education. Housing and childcare access should be expanded to make the city a viable place to live. The city should launch a young professionals' initiative to connect emerging leaders through networking, service and career building and should support small businesses and an entrepreneurial ecosystem. 3. A destination that draws you in — The city should activate City Center as a year- round entrepreneurial hub, support the transformation of UMall, launch a hospitality and place- making initiative, strengthen destination appeal by working with regional partners, and infest in active transportation infrastructure. 4. A place that is ready for what comes next ( e. g., city processes, ready sites, Strategies include creating and seeking opportunities for etc.) — redevelopment projects that advance City Center, ensuring permitting processes are easy to navigate, maintaining a real- time inventory of commercial and CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 5 industrial spaces to support business, equipping the city with tools to promote investment, and establishing a neighborhood center/downtown along Shelburne Road to complement City Center. 5. " Built to deliver" — Strategies include establishing an economic development function by creating dedicated staff with a more traditional economic background, improving internal coordination with digital and cross- training, and strengthening the city' s voice in regional and state economic strategy. Ms. Fitzgerald said she was both overwhelmed and energized by the Plan and is very supportive. She felt it is timely to look at this and cited the energy of the Economic Development Committee. She also noted that funding will be critical, possibly utilizing grant programs. The city can also pass along its experiences to other parts of the state. Mr. Chalnick congratulated all those who worked on the plan. It has a lot of detail, including an implementation plan, timelines, etc. He stressed the need to be conscious of environmental impacts. He asked Ms. LeBrecque what are the top 3 priorities of the Committee. Ms. LeBrecque said the first thing is to communicate the plan and get the community involved with its importance. She felt the City could make better use of the Committee. She also noted there are things in " Year One" that don' t cost a lot. High on their list is maximizing the Airport hub. Mr. Chalnick stressed the need to keep staff focused on the items in Goal # 5. Ms. Baker agreed and said they have already begun that conversation. She stressed that the number one act is for the Council to adopt the plan. Mr. Smith said the plan is remarkable and has a lot of promise. He asked whether there is a vision as to how the City can become an " innovative hub." Ms. Huffman said one way is to get very focused on " sector partnerships." There is a need to talk not only to companies but also to workforce management as to what pieces of your education are contributing to your workforce, housing, supply chain, etc. Make it easy for people to access resources. Ms. Baker cited work that is already done ( e. g., the TIF District). The need is to bring key players to the forefront. The city has the ability to respond when people communicate what they need. CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 6 Ms. Pugh cited the importance of being a destination that " draws you in." It should be a destination built for everyone. She felt Goal # 3 was the most important one for her. She hoped the Council wouldn' t " get in the way" but lets the great staff move forward. Mr. Barritt noted the City is already doing a lot of things in the plan. He cited the importance of schools and noted the success they have had at Global Foundries with internes. Public comment was then solicited. There was no public comment. Mr. Chalnick then moved to adopt the Economic Development Plan as presented. Ms. Fitzgerald seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 9. Discuss the education and enforcement of speed and behavior on the City' s Shared Use Paths: Mr. Chalnick noted the Committee has spent lot of time this subject. a on They have a draft presentation. He suggested the Council ask them to finalize that work. Ms. Pugh agreed and suggested a time- line/ deadline. Mr. Smith said it' s all about developing a culture of caring/ consideration/ respect. Members agreed to have them respond to the Council after the Committee' s 8 October meeting. Ms. Sirvis noted she was told by a youth on an electric bike to " get out of the way." She suggested some coordination with the schools. She also worried about youngsters not wearing helmets. Mr. Britt said the Committee is willing to work on their presentation and suggested coming to the Council at its second meeting in October. 10. Review Council Liaison roles and appointments to committees and possibly take action: Mr. Chalnick read from the by- laws regarding the purpose of committees to deal with " things which integrated into the priorities of the He said that' s are City." why there are such great people on the committees. Mr. Smith said he sees committee members subject as " matter experts," which is why the city appoints CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 7 them. Being a 2- way street is important to utilize their talents and skills. Ms. Baker agreed. Mr. Smith said he would like to give the NRCC time to get a work plan to the Council because of the committee turnover. Mr. Kupferman said the NRCC had a work session today and do have work a plan. They also have a list for next year' s plan as well. With regard to committee liaison appointments, Ms. Pugh agreed to be the liaison to the Public Art Committee. She also was interested in the Recreation/ Parks and Bike/ Ped committees and would be willing to serve as back- up. Ms. Fitzgerald noted that the Housing Committee got an update from Kelsey Peterson regarding the Planning Commission work. The Council provided information regarding " bedrock" standards and the space behind the Double Tree. She stressed that when the Planning Commission gets a new topic to work on, something else gets " pushed out." She felt the Council should be aware of that and perhaps reconsider. 11. Discuss the process to potentially extend the contract between the City Council and City Manager: Ms. Baker noted the contract expires next June, and she would like to know what will happen before that time. Historically, the City Council has appointed two people to negotiate with the Manager, bring a proposal to the full Council, discuss in Executive Session, and then be voted on by the Council. Mr. Chalnick and Ms. Fitzgerald agreed to serve in this capacity with assistance from the City Attorney. Ms. Baker suggested late October/ early November to have a contract approved, so it is known when the budget is being discussed. Members were OK with this process. 12. Convene as Liquor Control Commission to consider the following applications for approval: Myer' s Bagels, LLC, 1St/ 3' d Class Restaurant/ Bar License: CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 8 Mr. Smith moved that the Council convene as the Liquor Control Commission. Mr. Chalnick seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Chalnick moved to approve the 1st/ 3rd Class Restaurant/ Bar License for Myer' s Bagels as presented. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Chalnick moved to reconvene as City Council. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 13. Review the significant agenda topics for the Council' s 2 September 2025 City Council Meeting: Ms. Baker said the significant items include: an executive session on the AFSCME Contract; public hearing and possible action on LDR and Official Map amendments, public hearing and possible action on update to the Nuisance Ordinance, interviews for Economic Development, Sextons, and Energy Committees and executive session, consideration of a stipend policy, and discussion of Fire Department- Prevention Unit and possible direction to staff. 14. Other Business: No other business was presented. 15. Possible executive session to discuss confidential attorney- client communications made for the purpose of providing professional legal services to the City Council: Ms. Fitzgerald moved that the Council make a specific finding that premature general public knowledge of the Council' s discussion of confidential attorney- client communications made for the purpose of providing professional legal services to the Council clearly would place this public body at a substantial disadvantage. Mr. Chalnick seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Ms. Fitzgerald then moved that the Council enter into executive session under 1 V. S. A. Section 313( a)( 1)( F) for the purpose of discussing Confidential Attorney- Client Communications made for the purpose of providing professional legal services to the Council, inviting into the session Ms. Baker, Chief Locke, Mr. McNeil and Mr. Pellerin. Mr. Chalnick seconded. Motion passed unanimously. The Council entered executive session at 8: 55 p. m. CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 9 Mr. Chalnick moved to end executive session and reconvene in open session. Mr. Smith seconded. The motion passed unanimously. As there was no further business to come before the Council Mr. Smith moved to adjourn. Ms. Fitzgerald seconded. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 9: 25 p. m. Clerk CITY COUNCIL 18 AUGUST 2025 PAGE 10