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, August 5, 2024 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; Deputy Mayor Thomas Renner, Councilor Aurora Hurd, Councilor Charles Judge Officers Present: Elaine Wang, City Manager; Paul Sarne, Communications Director; Angela Aldieri, Finance Director; Ravi Venkataraman, Director of City Planning; Jenny Willingham, City Clerk; Amanda Casper, Assistant City Clerk Others Present: Connor Daley, Ryan Delaney, Patrice Lumumba, Karol Cannon, Clayton Dykstra, Michelle Metzler, Micayla Schambura, Peter Burns, John Phinney, Daniel Langfitt, Carlos Esquivel Cordova, Chloe Tomlinson, Eli Ogilvie II. Agenda Review Minutes: City Manager, Elaine Wang, asked for Appointments under the Consent Agenda to be pulled off separately to allow for the guests of those Items time to speak. Mayor Lott separated Item G from the rest of the consent agenda. III. Public Comment Minutes: Peter Burns made public comment in favor of the proposed bike lanes on LaFountain. Ryan Delaney made public comment in favor of the proposed bike lanes on LaFountain. Clayton Dykstra made public comment in favor of the proposed bike lanes on LaFountain. Karol Cannon inquired about the results of the speed monitoring that has taken place near her property. Carlos Esquivel Cordova made public comment in favor of the proposed bike lanes on Lafountain.  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 Meeting Minutes of July 15, 2024 b. Approval: Payroll Warrant July 7 - 20, 2024 c. Approval: Accounts Payable August 1, 2024 d. Approval: Subsequent to Payout Warrant - May 2024 e. Approval: Subsequent to Payout Vendor Update- August 1, 2024 f. Approval: Appoint Zoning Administrator g. Approval: Appointments to Housing Commission and Winooski Memorial Library Committee h. Approval: International Youth Day Resolution Minutes: Council was presented with Items A-F and Item H for approval on the Consent Agenda. Motion: A motion was made by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Hurd. Voted and passed 3-0. V. Council Reports Mayor Kristine Lott: None. Deputy Mayor Thomas Renner: Safe, Healthy, Connected People meet on August 13, 2024. Downtown Winooski meets the following week. Safe, Healthy, Connected People did have some interviews. At the August 18th and the September 22nd Farmers Market, members of the Council will be there to talk to folks who may be interested in joining a commission, have questions about the process, or what it involves. Mayor Lott shared a video on her social media detailing the commission process as well as Town Meeting TV’s YouTube account. Councilor Charles Judge: Thanked Patrice Lumumba for his interest in the Winooski Housing Commission and congratulated him on his appointment. The next meeting will be on August 27th at 6 PM at City Hall and via Zoom. Councilor Aurora Hurd: Inclusion and Belonging Commission is meeting August 8, 2024 at 6 PM via Zoom. On the agenda they will be discussing housing concerns and have the housing staff come and speak to the commission. Other items on the agenda are: discussing the role of chair as well as having non-resident commission members. VI. City Updates Elaine Wang, City Manager gave the following updates: Statewide Primary Election The Statewide Primary election is on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Voting will take place at the Winooski Senior Center (123 Barlow Street) from 7 AM - 7 PM. To learn more about the election, view sample ballots, register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and more, please visit winooskivt.gov/vote. Learn about the Winooski Housing Trust Fund Did you know that City of Winooski offers four affordable housing funding programs, under our “Housing Trust Fund”? These loans, and limited grants, programs, are administered by the Opportunities Credit Union right  City of Winooski 27 West Allen Street Winooski Vermont 05404 Vermont’s Opportunity City 802 655 6410 winooskivt.gov here in Winooski. Visit our website at winooskivt.gov/housing to learn more – discover our Interest Rate Buydown and Down Payment Assistant programs for first-time homeowners, Home Improvement Loans to fix or improve properties, and Affordable Housing Construction and Rehabilitation Loans for real estate developers and public agencies providing affordable housing opportunities. IV. Consent Agenda (Continued) g. Approval: Appointments to Housing Commission and Winooski Memorial Library Committee Minutes: Patrice Lumumba introduced himself to Council for appointment to the Housing Commission and gave an overview of his background in the community. Discussion ensued. Motion: A motion was made by Councilor Hurd to approve item G, seconded by Councilor Judge. Voted and passed 3-0. VII. Regular Items a. Discussion/Approval: Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Planning Grant Application – Ravi Venkataraman, Director of City Planning Minutes: Director of City Planning, Ravi Venkataraman, introduced the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Planning Grant Application and gave a quick overview of what the grant would entail to council for approval. Discussion ensued. Motion: A motion was made by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Hurd. Voted and passed 3-0. b. Discussion/Approval: A Just Cause Eviction Charter Change Timeline, Cost & Logistics – Jenny Willingham, City Clerk Minutes: City Clerk, Jenny Willingham, gave an update to Council on the change in timeline, cost, & logistics for A Just Cause Eviction Charter vote. Discussion ensued. Chloe Tomlinson made public comment in favor of holding the revote in the November election. Discussion ensued. Connor Daley made public comment in favor of holding the revote in March. Discussion ensued. Motion: A motion was made to put the revote on the March 4th ballot by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Judge. Councilor Hurd opposed. Voted and passed 3-1. c. Discussion/Approval: Finalize Policies, Priorities and Strategies, Discuss Commission Engagement – Mayor Kristine Lott Minutes: Mayor Kristine Lott presented the following draft changes to Policies, Priorities, and Strategies: Items that have been completed were removed from the enclosed draft, some language was updated to reflect that items are further along than when the document was adopted last year, new items are in red for ease of reference. Discussion ensued.  City of Winooski 27 West Allen Street Winooski Vermont 05404 Vermont’s Opportunity City 802 655 6410 winooskivt.gov Minutes: Mayor Lott called for a 5-minute recess at 7 PM with Council reconvening at 7:05 PM Motion: A motion was made by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Hurd to adopt the fiscal year 24/25 Policies, Priorities, & Strategies with item H5 moved into a must do category and language to present a plan to Council regarding possible renovation of the fire house moved into SHCP 2. Voted and passed 3-0. Minutes: Mayor Lott opened the discussion up to Council about Commission Engagement. Discussion ensued. Michelle Metzler the chair from the Municipal Infrastructure Commission added comment to the discussion. Motion: A motion was made by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Hurd to have Executive session. Voted and passed 3-0. A motion was made by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Hurd to enter Executive Session. Voted and passed 3-0. Executive Session was entered into at 7:40 PM. VIII. Executive Session Pursuant to 1 V.S.A. §313 (2) the negotiation of real estate purchase or lease options related to temporary easements for the Burlington-Winooski Bridge Motion: A motion was made by Councilor Renner, seconded by Councilor Judge to exit Executive Session. Voted and passed 3-0. Exited Executive Session at 8:19 PM. IX. Adjourn Motion: A motion was made by Councilor Renner, Seconded by Councilor Judge to adjourn the meeting. Voted and passed 3-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 PM Attest: _____________________________________________________________ Amanda Casper, Assistant City Clerk