City Council

City of Winooski 27 West Allen Street Winooski Vermont 05404 Vermont’s Opportunity City 802 655 6410 winooskivt.gov Winooski City Council Meeting Monday, December 4, 2023 at 6 PM Attend in person: Winooski City Hall (27 W Allen St) Attend online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84364849328 Attend by phone: 1 646 558 8656 Webinar ID: 843 6484 9328 I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:10 PM Members Present: Mayor Kristine Lott; Councilor Aurora Hurd; Deputy Mayor/Councilor Thomas Renner; Councilor Bryn Oakleaf; Councilor Charles Judge. Officers Present: Elaine Wang, City Manager; John Audy Jr, Fire Chief; Jazmine Hurley, Housing Initiative Director; Eric Vorwald, Planning and Zoning Manager; Jon Rauscher, Director of Public Works; Paul Sarne, Communications Director; Angela Aldieri, Finance Director; Jenny Willingham, City Clerk; Sarah Greenberg, Assistant City Clerk. Others Present: Ryan Johnston owner of McKee’s, Dan Langfitt, Meaghan Willis, Jenn Conley from VHB, Judy Lance, Camryn Woods, Jordan Mitchell from Town Meeting TV, Meghan O’Rourke from CCTV, Mike O’Brien, Sue O’Brien, Nick Brownell, Bridget, Bryan Davis from CCRPC, Connor Daley, Elisabeth Sundberg from CHB, Marshall Distel from CCRPC, Nate, Terry Zigmund. II. Agenda Review Minutes: There were no proposed changes to the meeting’s agenda. III. Public Comment Terry Zigmund: Terry asked if there is a line item level of detail in the budget discussions happening tonight. Mayor Lott said tonight is a very general overview of possible budgets, and that more detailed discussions will be happening during the individual department presentations in the coming weeks. City Manager Elaine Wang welcomed anyone with specific questions to reach out to City Staff at the budget@winooskivt.gov email. Terry also asked about line striping around the City appearing incomplete and was curious about how this impacts the upcoming budget. Elaine and Public Works Director Jon Rauscher gave an overview of the budget and city work possibilities given the current striping status.  City of Winooski 27 West Allen Street Winooski Vermont 05404 Vermont’s Opportunity City 802 655 6410 winooskivt.gov IV. Consent Agenda A. Approval: City Council and Liquor Control Board Minutes of November 6, 2023 B. Approval: Payroll Warrants October 29 - November 11, 2023, November 12 – November 25 C. Approval: Accounts Payable November 16 and November 29, 2023 D. Approval: Vermont Community Foundation Equitable and Inclusive Communities Round 2 Grant Application - Elaine Wang, City Manager E. Approval - City Council Legislative Priorities 2024 - Mayor Kristine Lott Motion: A motion was made by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Hurd. Voted and passed 4-0. V. Council Reports Mayor Kristine Lott: Met with Zoning Director Eric Vorwald, Housing Initiative Director Jazmine Hurley, and Planning Commission Chair to clarify Council guidance in regards to priority housing, with a joint meeting targeted for February. Planning Commission will meet again on December 14th and in January will return to meeting twice a month (second and fourth Thursdays of the month). Followed up with VTRANS after last meeting to clarify financial local match options for the bridge project. Connected with the Burlington mayor’s office for a hosting a shared state Representatives breakfast. Met with City Manager Elaine Wang, the School Board Presidents, and Superintendent to discuss coordinating community outreach on City and School Budgets in January and February. Councilor Bryn Oakleaf: Attended a joint meeting with the Infrastructure and Finance Commissions. Airport Commission has its regular meeting at 4 PM December 6th. Councilor Aurora Hurd: Hopefully will have two alternates for the Inclusion and Belonging Committee up for consideration at the next meeting at 6 PM on December 14th over Zoom. Safe, Healthy, Connected People met November 21st, a draft for invasive species management policy for City parks was reviewed. The Commission also got an update on the possibility of the Winooski Parks District taking over management of Memorial Park. The Commission wishes for this investigation to continue with more community input. The next Safe, Healthy, Connected People meeting will be December 12th. Deputy Mayor Thomas Renner: Thanks Mayor and Councilor Oakleaf for attending the new “Council Chats” that happened recently at Monkey House. Next Council Chat happening at Scout December 17th at 10am. Thanks everyone who came out to the holiday pop up. Announcements from Downtown Winooski – Blingo will be at Last Stop Sports Bar on Tuesday December 5th. Councilor Charles Judge: The Winooski Housing Commission postponed their November meeting, rescheduled for December 19th at 6 PM.  City of Winooski 27 West Allen Street Winooski Vermont 05404 Vermont’s Opportunity City 802 655 6410 winooskivt.gov VI. City Updates Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Budget: Tonight kicks off Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Staff Budget presentations. Any and all questions about the City of Winooski Budget for FY25 can be directed to budget@winooskivt.gov. The general budget process is each year the City Manager and City Staff work together to create a budget that provides the same Services provided by the city in the last year and that budget is then adjusted to increasing wage prices, City growth, and the priorities set by the City Council. The City Council decides wat budget will be voted on by the community each year in March in March on Town Meeting Day (3/5/2024 this coming year). The full schedule of budget meetings and information please visit the City website at winooskivt.gov/fy25 Winter Parking Ban: A reminder that the annual city-wide winter parking ban is now in effect: • There is no overnight street parking in downtown Winooski from 2:30am to 6am from December 1st to March 31st. • All other streets only have parking bans during snow storms/snow plowing. Those ban hours are from 11pm to 7am. To sign up for text message alerts for when City wide winter parking bans will occur text the word “winooski” to 888777 or register online at www.nixle.com For full details on parking in Winooski visit www.winooskivt.gov/parking • Some general parking reminders: There is no overnight parking in the parking lot of the O’Brien Community Center (OCC), and please help the road and sidewalk plowing teams by making sure lawn ornaments, sports equipment, and all other obstructions are not in the City right of way so damage to personal property does not occur during plowing. Operation Fire Cuffs: The City of Winooski is happy to join Operation Fire Cuffs in their annual toy drive for the UVM Children’s Hospital. Every year this special tradition brings joy to children in need and residents are encouraged to donate. Donations can be made at the Winooski Fire Department Monday through Thursday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and at Winooski City Hall Monday through Friday 8 AM to 4 PM until December 21st. VII. Regular Items A. Discussion: Public Hearing on Municipal Code Chapter 9 - Housing - John Audy, Fire Chief Minutes: Mayor Lott opened a public hearing at 6:29 PM. Fire Chief John Audy gave an overview of the proposed amendments to Chapter 9 of the Municipal Code concerning Housing in Winooski. Mike O’Brien asked if under the proposed amendments a tenant in Winooski could make an anonymous complaint against a landlord. Chief Audy clarified that anyone can submit a Minimum Housing Complaint Form for any property anonymously. Asking for any more comment and seeing none Mayor Lott closed the hearing at 6:37PM. B. Discussion/Approval - Amendments to Municipal Code Chapter 9 - Housing – John Audy, Fire Chief Minutes: Mayor Lott opened Council discussion on the proposed amendments. Councilor Renner thanked Chief Audy for the work.  City of Winooski 27 West Allen Street Winooski Vermont 05404 Vermont’s Opportunity City 802 655 6410 winooskivt.gov Motion: A motion to approve the amendments was made by Councilor Hurd, seconded by Councilor Judge. Voted and passed 4-0. C. Discussion: Walk/Bike Master Plan Draft Presentation - Eric Vorwald, Planning and Zoning Manager, Jenn Conely VHB Minutes: In FY 2023, the City received funding through the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s (CCRPC) Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) to conduct a walk bike master plan for the City. The CCRPC contracted with VHB to complete this effort and has served as the project manager. The team provided a presentation on the draft plan and answered questions from Council. D. Discussion: Town Meeting TV Budget Presentation - Elaine Wang, City Manager, Meghan O'Rourke, CCTV Projects Director Minutes: Megan O’Rourke the Co-Director of CCTV, and Jordan Mitchell the Co-Director of Town Meeting TV gave an overview of their budget and requested contribution from the city. Council discussion ensued. RECESS: Council Recessed at 7:17 PM. The meeting reconvened at 7:23 PM. E. Discussion: Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Presentation - Overall, General Government - Elaine Wang, City Manager Minutes: Per the Council-approved FY25 Budget schedule and in compliance with the Winooski City Charter, the City Manager Elaine Wang presented budget scenarios for FY25 to inform City Council’s decisions for their budget to propose to voters. Two budgets were proposed based on Council’s initial input during the October 2nd 2023 City Council meeting: - A Council-Directed budget that was updated with costs for existing services and included some increases to catch up on some deficiencies, with an emphasis on the Municipal Infrastructure Master Plan goal area. - A City Manager suggested budget that adds funding to the Council-Directed budget to reach level services, or catch up, in the Safe, Healthy, Connected People Master Plan goal area as well. Council discussion ensued. F. Discussion: Strategic Vision Goal Area Updates: All, Economic Vitality - Elaine Wang, City Manager Minutes: Councilor Renner asked about the staffing audit timeline, City Manager Wang informed Council that a draft has been completed to request proposal of an outside firm to conduct it. Councilor Oakleaf asked about the City’s sidewalk permit insurance requirements reference in the public comment at the beginning of the meeting. Wang said there is nothing in Burlington like the Winooski roundabout and that the City’s traffic configuration is the main driver behind the city insurer’s recommendation for a higher insurance level for sidewalk permits around the roundabout.  City of Winooski 27 West Allen Street Winooski Vermont 05404 Vermont’s Opportunity City 802 655 6410 winooskivt.gov VIII. Adjourn A motion to adjourn was made by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Judge. Council voted 4-0 to adjourn at 8:33 PM. Attest: __________________________________________________________ Sarah Greenberg, Assistant City Clerk