City Council

Remote Winooski City Council Meeting Monday, October 5, 2020, at 6 PM Attend Online: https://zoom.us/j/92505510602 Attend by phone: 1 646 558 8656 Webinar ID: 925 0551 060 View our Remote Meeting Procedures and Public Comment Request Form at winooskivt.gov or call 802 655 6410 I. Call to Order II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Agenda Review IV. Public Comment V. Consent Agenda a. Approval: Liquor Control and City Council minutes of 9/21/20 and 9/29/20 b. Approval: Accounts Payable Warrant ending 10/02/20; Payroll Warrant for period 09/06/2020 – 09/19/2020 and Subsequent to payout for July and August VI. Council Reports VII. City Updates VIII. Regular Items a. Discussion: Parks and Open Space Master Plan – R Coffey b. Discussion/Approval: Resolution: Industrial Wastewater Charge – J Rauscher c. Discussion: FY22 Budget: Goal Setting – J Baker d. Discussion: 2020 Policy Priorities and Strategies Recovery Plan Report-out #2 – J Baker IX. Adjourn Mayor Kristine Lott - klott@winooskivt.gov Councilor Hal Colston - hcolston@winooskivt.gov Councilor Jim Duncan - jduncan@winooskivt.gov Councilor Amy Lafayette - alafayette@winooskivt.gov Councilor Mike Myers - mmyers@winooskivt.gov Jessie Baker, City Manager - jbaker@winooskivt.gov  MINUTES The Mayor called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Councilor Colston led the Pledge of Allegiance. Members Present: Mayor: Kristine Lott Councilors: Amy Lafayette, Michael Myers, Hal Colston, James Duncan Officers Present: Jessie Baker, City Manager; Carol Barrett, City Clerk; Ray Coffey, Community Services Director; Jon Rauscher, Public Works Director; Angela Aldieri, Finance Director; Paul Sarne, Communications Coordinator; Rick Hebert, Police Chief; Eric Vorwald, Planning & Zoning Director; Heather Carrington, Economic Director; John Audy, Fire Chief. Others Present: Laura Stedenfeld and Sheila Fuentes, Omnes; Brad Opferman, Gwennie Talbot, Kate Nicolletti, Lauren Chicote, WVPD III. Agenda Review – None IV. Public Comment – None V. Consent Agenda MOTION by Councilor Myers seconded by Councilor Colston to approve the consent agenda as presented. Voted and passed 4-0. VI. Council Reports Councilor Lafayette- said Downtown Winooski received a grant from the State of Vermont in the amount of $10,000.00 to promote local businesses. She said the organization is projecting running out of money in Dec. Councilor Myers – nothing to report Councilor Duncan – said the Housing Committee is reviewing the master plans goals. We are focusing on goals, affordable and mix housing, connect and reconnect with other communities etc. Councilor Colston – said they have finished with the Legislature on September 25, 2020. He also said he would be attending the Airport Commission meeting on October 6, 2020. Mayor Lott – said the Technical Advisory committee is reconvening to review the draft implementation plan for the compatability program. She also said the FAA approved the Burlington Airport for the overall program and they are now working on the details on how that will be rolled out. At our next council meeting, we should have more details to share. VII. City Updates • Angela’s 15 year anniversary with the City • Ballots – all have been mailed out. And they are starting to come in! o Remember to read the instructions carefully. o 89 today – on day #1 o They can be mailed back or dropped off between 9:00 and 3:00 or 24/7 in the dropbox downstairs. o Next week we are having a special dropbox installed upstairs. • BTV Sound Committee – meeting tomorrow to start reviewing the Noise Mitigation Implementation Plan. • Upcoming Meetings o Planning Commission will meet on Thursday and begin reviewing amendments to the land use regulations. o Finance Commission – next Tuesday at 48 Lafountain Street o Next Public Hearing on Charter Changes, next Tuesday, 10/13 at 6:00 remotely • Welcome Gwennie Talbot, who started today as our Parks and Community Gardens Manager. Gwennie, who has worked for the past year with our Thrive Program, brings a great deal of experience with community gardening, as well as a passion for Winooski, and we are extremely excited to have her moving into this new role with our City team! • Winooski Recreation and Parks have teamed up with Winooski resident and creative writing expert, Aurora Hurd, to provide a fun and engaging creative writing course! This unique program is made available for two skill levels: teens (ages 15 - 17) and adults (18+). Courses will be provided remotely via Zoom - course information and participation instructions will be emailed directly to you in advance. This is a six week course, starting the week of November 2nd. o Teens: Starts 11.4.20 / Wednesdays, 4 - 5:30 PM o Adults: Starts 11.5.20 / Thursdays, 6:30 - 8 PM Sign up today on the City website! VIII. Regular Items a. Discussion: Parks and Open Space Master Plan – R Coffey Mr. Coffey gave an overview of the Parks and Open Space Master Plan. He said in January 2019, the City of Winooski was one of 10 communities nationally to be awarded a 10-Minute Walk Planning Grant for the National Recreation and Parks Association. This $40,000 grant was designed to help the City develop a comprehensive Parks and Open Space Master Plan, with $32,000 of those funds allocated to contracting with a professional consultant to support the development of the plan. After a competitive RFQ process in August/September 2019, the city selected Omnes Studio to perform the work, with Council authorizing the City Manager to execute the contract at their October 7, 2019 regular meeting. The original anticipated completion date was March/April 2020 was delayed due to COVID-19; however, we resumed efforts in June 2020. A draft of this Plan was reviewed with the Safe, Healthy, Connected people Commission at their meeting on September 15, 2020, and edits/comments from that meeting were incorporated into the final draft being presented tonight. He said staff recommends adoption of the Plan as presented. The City Manager said this is a huge document with a ton of work that has gone into it. I just want to acknowledge to Council there is a lot here for tonight. All we are asking you to do tonight is take it in, provide feedback, comment and if you are okay with it, at our next council meeting we can approve it on the 19th. No action is necessary. Ms. Stedenfeld of Omnes gave a presentation on the Parks and Open Space Master Plan. She said we have had formal public meetings with staff, Winooski Historical Society, Middle and High School students, spent a lot of time on the ground. We also had online survey of thoughts and suggestions. She explained each of the parks and the open space. See attached. There was lengthy discussion concerning the plan. Mayor Lott said she was troubled by the larger 76 capital improvements. She would like to see separation of these two different types of products. Councilor Colston agreed with the Mayor’s point she made. How do we look at this in a stage process and what is the best way to frame it? Councilor Myers said he enjoyed the report and is a good vision for Winooski. He also suggested having vocational students build the boardwalks. He said the overall vision is good and supports some of the smaller projects. Councilor Lafayette said there is a lot of good ideas. If we had to prioritize, I would like to see the connectivity of the trails. Councilor Duncan said he likes this plan and the direction that will work. I appreciate all the elements and recommendations on the conservation easements. Ms. Talbot is concerned about the encampment down at Memorial Park. This will play a part of gentrification, what resources are we providing for these people. The Mayor said she also had that thought; folks aren’t living there because that’s where they want to be. Moving out an encampment, where are we sending these folks. It’s important to think about if we are making changes in the future and its part of our housing development discussions. Mr. Coffey said this has been a very helpful conversation. I hear some of the areas of concern and I think it gives us a little bit of homework, but I am also hearing there is not a lot of conflict with the suggestions that are here. There is more of a quest of sort of aspirational nature versus reality and sort of figure out how to frame it. The Mayor said she wants it to be very clear, that for her is the setup in the report that is problematic. She said the current tier for me does not clarify a priority issue for residents and what is nice to have in the future. b. Discussion/Approval: Resolution: Industrial Wastewater Charge – J Rauscher Mr. Rauscher said the purpose for implementing an industrial wastewater rate structure is that high strength waste costs more per gallon for treatment than domestic sewage. The current fee structure allows industrial users to utilize our standard sewer rates based on metered water usage only. This does not fairly convey the added loading and treatment costs borne by the City in order to treat high strength wastewater. For example, higher strength waste requires added aeration (electric costs), chemicals and solids removal. MOTION by Councilor Duncan seconded by Councilor Lafayette to approve the Industrial Wastewater Charge as presented. Voted and passed 4-0. The Mayor called for a brief recess at 7:23 p.m. and reconvened meeting at 7:25 p.m. c. Discussion: FY22 Budget: Goal Setting – J Baker The City Manager said on September 21, 2020, the Council approved the FY22 budget schedule as presented by the Leadership Team. As we work to build the proposed budget over the next two months, there are key questions we would like you to consider: The FY21 budget was built by staff in the fall of 2019 and approved by the voter’s just days before COVID-19 hit Vermont. The City Manager discussed the Initial FY22 Assumptions, Capital Improvement Plan Considerations, Additional FY22 Unknowns and a breakdown of what our neighbors are currently paying for with their municipal tax dollars. The Mayor said a good portion of our residence are struggling. I would like to see level service and I would like it to be less than the COLA, no service reduction and no capital. Councilor Lafayette agrees with a lot of what the Mayor was saying, level service, keep are staff working and capital projects are not super important. I know the Thrive program struggled in the past, but I would like to keep that alive for next year. Councilor Myers had concerns about our SRO officers. Can the City function with one less officer. I agree with the Mayor and Amy. Councilor Duncan generally agree with the sentiments. Support our staff and potentially our capital projects. I would like to keep that tax rate increase below 2% d. Discussion: 2020 Policy Priorities and Strategies Recovery Plan Report –out #2 – J Baker The City Manager presented the 2020 Policy Priorities and Strategies. She said given the COVID-19 pandemic we currently face, the reduced staffing levels, and the financial uncertainty, you adopted a 2020 Recovery Plan in July 2020. This is the second report-out on the plan. See attached. IX. Adjourn MOTION by Councilor Myers seconded by Councilor Colston to adjourn the City Council Meeting at 7:55 p.m. Voted and passed. 4-0. ATTEST:_____________________ City Clerk