FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
February 2, 2021 
Contact: Olivia LaVecchia 
                (802) 734-0617 

City of Burlington Releases FY20 Fiscal Health Report; Stewardship of City’s Finances Has Locked in More than $21 Million in Savings for Taxpayers Since 2013 

Burlington, VT – The City of Burlington today released its annual Fiscal Health Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, which provides information about the steps the City has taken to improve its financial standing since 2012 and the impacts of those efforts. A major finding of the report is that since 2013, the City has locked in more than $21 million in savings for taxpayers and ratepayers. 

“Our financial health is the foundation of everything else we do as a City,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Through sound financial management we are now spending much less on interest payments and instead making historic investments in our sidewalks, roads, parks, and infrastructure that protects Lake Champlain, and investing in impactful new social programs to address access to early childhood education, homelessness, and the opioid crisis, all while keeping increases in municipal property taxes under the rate of inflation. I’m grateful for the commitment of the City management team and employees, the partnership of the City Council, and above all, the support of Burlington voters on several critical ballot items since 2013 for helping us realize this turnaround in the City’s finances. We know that effective fiscal stewardship requires ongoing vigilance, and I’m pleased that this Fiscal Health Report also includes updates on the latest steps the City is taking to do even better.” 

The report was developed by the City’s Clerk/Treasurer’s Office, and authored by Chief Administrative Officer Katherine Schad and Director of Financial Operations Richard Goodwin. 

“The FY20 Fiscal Health Report shows that over the past year, the City has continued to achieve significant savings as a result of its improved fiscal management and health,” said CAO Schad. “I hope that Burlington residents will find this report to be a useful update on the City’s work to responsibly steward our finances.” 

Between 2010 and 2012, the City's credit rating was downgraded six steps in three separate actions by the ratings firm Moody’s, from a high of Aa3 to a low of Baa3 with a negative outlook. Since that time, the City has taken a number of steps to improve its financial management, and as a result, seen four credit rating upgrades for a total of a six-notch improvement. In July 2019, the City received a two-notch upgrade that fully restored the Aa3 rating it held prior to the downgrades, and it has maintained that rating since.  

The report’s findings include: 

• $21 million in savings: The report analyzes how much it would have cost to service the City’s debt if the City still had its Baa3 negative outlook credit rating, compared to how much debt service costs today with the City’s restored Aa3 credit rating, given that it is less expensive to borrow money with a better credit rating. It finds that for all bonds issued since voters approved the Fiscal Stability Bond in 2013, the City has locked in an estimated $21,203,967 in current dollars of savings over the terms of the bonds – a direct savings for every taxpayer and ratepayer. 
• $8.6 million in rainy day fund: The City’s rainy day fund, formally known as the unassigned fund balance (UAFB) is an important reflection of the City’s financial health. In FY12 the City had a negative UAFB of more than $15 million; today, the report finds, City has a strong balance of $8.6 million in its rainy day fund – a decrease in the fund balance when compared to FY19, but stable with the balance over the last four years, and within the target level established by the City’s Fund Balance Policy. Thanks to these reserves, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the City was able to avoid the staff furloughs or layoffs that many other cities experienced, continue to provide the services on which residents rely, and dedicate $1 million to a Covid-19 emergency fund to support Burlingtonians through the pandemic. 
• Recommendations for the future: The report also reviews recommendations for further strengthening of the City’s financial management, and reports on the City’s actions in response to those recommendations. 

The report notes that the City continues to experience reductions in revenues as a result of the ongoing pandemic, and that the City will not pursue tax increases to cover these shortfalls but instead seek State and Federal relief. 

“We remain optimistic about the financial health of the City of Burlington,” the report concludes. “The UAFB remains high and the savings we have achieved as a result of our high credit rating are significant.”  

For additional information, please see: 

• February 2021: “FY20 Fiscal Health Report” [PDF]
• July 2019: “City of Burlington Receives Two-Notch Credit Rating Upgrade from Moody's Investors Services” 
• March 2019: “FY18 Fiscal Health Report” [PDF]
• January 2018: “FY17 Fiscal Health Report” 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2021
Contacts: 
Olivia LaVecchia, Mayor’s Office, (802) 734-0617
Mike Kanarick, Burlington Electric Department, (802) 735-7962

Burlington Green Stimulus Incentives Are Working and Have Been Extended into 2021

Heat Pump Installations Under BED’s Net Zero Energy Programs Have Increased Fivefold and Allowed More Low-and Moderate-Income Burlingtonians to Strategically Electrify; Installations Support City’s Net Zero Energy Goal and Help Jump-Start Economy

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger and Burlington Electric Department (BED) today jointly announced that the Burlington Green Stimulus program is working and that program incentives have been extended into 2021 and will remain available through year’s end or until funding is exhausted. The Green Stimulus significantly increased incentives to help Burlingtonians heat their homes and power their vehicles with BED’s 100 percent renewably-sourced electricity. The increased incentives have boosted the City’s residential cold climate heat pump installations under BED’s strategic electrification program by more than five times since June 2020, allowing many Burlingtonians, including low- and moderate-income community members, to benefit from heat pump technology. The Green Stimulus initiatives are moving Burlington closer to a Net Zero Energy future, helping put contractors and installers back to work, and supporting economic recovery during the pandemic.

“Strategic electrification – powering our homes, cars, and businesses with 100 percent renewably-sourced energy – is the answer to the climate emergency,” said Mayor Weinberger. “This is how we save the planet while preserving and even improving our 21st century standard of living. Burlingtonians forged tremendous progress in 2020 and, if all of us get involved, we can show the world that this kind of structural change is possible. I’m pleased to announce that we are extending our Green Stimulus program into 2021 and will do everything we can to ensure that all Burlingtonians have access to and receive an equitable share of the economic relief and recovery resources available through Green Stimulus.”

The Green Stimulus offers incentives for technologies including heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric vehicles (EVs), and more. Of these, the heat pump incentives have been the most popular. As of January 25, 2021, pursuant to BED’s strategic electrification programs, Burlingtonians have applied for rebates for the installation of 217 heat pumps. The Green Stimulus has led to a fivefold increase in the installation of residential heat pumps in the eight months from June 1, 2020 through today, when compared to the 41 heat pump installations from September 2019 through May 2020, when BED first launched the Tier 3 incentive (see below chart, “Residential Heat Pump Installations (T3 Incentives)”). Of the 217 heat pump rebates, 36 customers, or nearly 17 percent, received additional low- and moderate-income rebates. Further, the annual carbon savings from heat pumps in Burlington will be 4.5 million lbs. per year (see below chart, “Annual Carbon Reduction from Heat Pumps”).

“BED is proud to have been one of the first utilities anywhere in the country to launch a Green Stimulus program in the early days of the pandemic, representing our commitment to support our customers and our community during the economic recovery while continuing to make progress toward our Net Zero Energy goal,” said Darren Springer, General Manager (GM) of Burlington Electric Department. “We hope many more Burlingtonians are able to make the switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy by taking advantage of our heat pump incentives, as well as our many other Green Stimulus initiatives.” 

In addition to continued, enhanced heat pump incentives, BED will continue to offer many other opportunities through the Green Stimulus program, including: enhanced EV incentives; enhanced energy efficient appliance and weatherization incentives; a partnership with Old Spokes Home and Opportunities Credit Union to make electric bikes (E-bikes) available at cost and with zero percent interest loans to low-income customers; home energy loans through BED’s partnership with local credit unions to provide residential customers who install heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and/or new Energy Star home appliances with interest rates as low as zero percent based on household income; and a commercial loan program with zero percent loans for small businesses and nonprofits that need help replacing equipment with energy efficient options, as well as funds for ventilation improvements through an Economic Development Administration grant.

BED Customers and Installation Partners Applaud the Breakthrough Green Stimulus

Katelyn Ellermann, a BED customer and homeowner in Burlington’s Old North End, joined today’s virtual announcement to share her heat pump story. Ms. Ellermann and her husband installed their first cold climate heat pump three years ago, taking advantage of a supplier-side incentive. Pleased with the heat pump’s efficiency and its ability to comfortably heat their upstairs and cool their entire home, they decided to purchase another heat pump to heat space on their home’s first floor. Ms. Ellermann stated: “The very generous Green Stimulus rebate made the installation a much more manageable and less stressful investment. We’re efficiently heating our downstairs and further minimizing our reliance on fossil fuel. We’re glad that we’ve been able to both make our home more comfortable and help our City progress toward its Net Zero Energy goal. We hope our story inspires other Burlingtonians to consider taking advantage of this program.”

Mark Stephenson, Owner and General Manager of Vermont Energy Contracting & Supply Corp. and former Chair of the Burlington Electric Commission, who installed Ms. Ellermann’s new heat pump, added: “I’ve been in the energy business for 35 years and installing heat pumps for 20 years. The uptick in heat pump installations in Burlington is the largest increase I’ve seen in all my years of installing various HVAC technologies. The added incentives offered by the Burlington Green Stimulus have made a huge difference, allowing many more folks to make the move to heat pumps.”

Environmental and Nonprofit Energy Leaders Endorse Mayor’s Electrification Initiative

Nonprofit energy industry and environmental leaders joined the City team for today’s announcement, lending support to the idea that the Burlington Green Stimulus and other strategic electrification initiatives represent meaningful and impactful strategies for addressing the climate emergency.

Jenna Tatum, Director of the Building Electrification Institute, stated: “The Building Electrification Institute works with cities around the country to support equitable strategies for moving buildings off fossil fuels through building electrification. These strategies will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, lower housing costs, and can create good local jobs while using proven technologies such as heat pumps to provide efficient heating and cooling. By taking on the Net Zero Energy 2030 goal and advancing strong incentives and thoughtful policies to support electrification in buildings, Burlington is playing a leading role in addressing the climate crisis.”

Olivia Campbell Anderson, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Vermont, stated: “Renewable Energy Vermont members are installing efficient, clean heating technologies, such as cold climate heat pumps, all around the state, helping their neighbors stay warm and take the chill out of winter gas and oil bills. Mayor Weinberger’s and Burlington Electric Department’s leadership to help Vermonters save money with local renewable heating meaningfully propels climate progress and our local economy. The Burlington Green Stimulus program supports and creates local jobs, with 1,275 Vermonters now working in renewable heating services.”

Johanna Miller, Energy and Climate Action Program Director of Vermont Natural Resources Council, stated: “Greenhouse gas emissions from the heating/thermal sector are the second largest source of emissions in Vermont, and we need to focus policy and initiatives to reduce these emissions dramatically to reach our state climate goals. The Green Stimulus is a great example of local leadership, and it is great to see so many heat pumps installed in Burlington despite the challenges created by the pandemic. I hope Burlington can serve as a model for a green recovery effort at the state and national levels.”
 

Path to the Burlington Green Stimulus Program

During his April 6, 2020 State of the City address just a few weeks into the pandemic, Mayor Weinberger promised that, while doing everything possible to fight COVID-19, the City team also would continue to focus on core Burlington values, including its commitment to lead the way in responding to the global climate emergency. As a major step in that direction, the Mayor announced that a new Green Stimulus program would soon be launched by redirecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in existing efficiency funds to support a range of expanded and new initiatives to help support both the City’s economic recovery from the pandemic and its transition to becoming a Net Zero Energy city. The Green Stimulus would include numerous incentives, as well as loan programs to support residential customers with strategic electrification and energy efficiency projects, including heat pump installations, energy efficient appliance purchases, and weatherization efforts. During the April 7 Mayor’s Briefing and the April 22 Mayor’s Briefing, the Mayor and GM Springer updated the community on the progress of the Green Stimulus program, including details of the 15 initiatives that make up the program. Then, during the June 1 Mayor’s Briefing, the Mayor and GM Springer officially launched the Green Stimulus program after approval by the Public Utility Commission to repurpose unspent efficiency funds.

To learn more about the Green Stimulus, Burlingtonians may visit burlingtonelectric.com/greenstimulus, email efficiency@burlingtonelectric.com, or call 865.7300.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2021 
Contact:  Olivia LaVecchia 
                 (802) 734-0617 

Mayor Miro Weinberger Urges City Council to Adopt Public Safety Continuity Plan 

Burlington, VT – At tonight’s City Council meeting, the Council will consider a Public Safety Continuity Plan developed by the Administration. In a memo posted to the City Council agenda, Mayor Miro Weinberger urges the City Council to approve this plan.  

“It is a fundamental job of City government to ensure public safety,” Mayor Weinberger writes in the memo. “When the public calls, we need to be able to respond with professional public safety employees who are trained for the full range of emergencies and needs that Burlington residents expect to be addressed. Now, however, the City Council has created a crisis in public safety that threatens the City’s continued ability to meet this fundamental responsibility… The package before you Monday night is my second attempt to propose a solution to this crisis. I respectfully urge you to approve it as a necessary step during this period of evaluation and assessment, and caution again that significant additional public safety service curtailments will happen soon if this proposal is not accepted... By joining with the administration and approving this proposal, you will create a path for providing the services we need and the Burlington public expects, while also trying new strategies and completing the analysis that we need in order to succeed at further transformation of the Police Department.” 

Mayor Weinberger’s memo outlines the ways in which the City is currently facing a crisis in public safety: 

• In June 2020, the City Council voted to reduce the number of police officers in Burlington from 105 to 74, without a plan in place for how the City would respond to the full range of calls with 30 percent fewer officers. 
• Already, as a result of this vote, the Police Department has had to curtail services that include: the Community Affairs Officer who helped coordinate the City’s response to graffiti, the Emergency Response Officer who helped manage the innovative strategies that the Department uses to respond to acute mental health crises, the street crime team that responded to patterns of open-air drug activity and robbery, and foot patrols on Church Street.
• Soon, matters are likely to become worse. There are currently 41 officers available for patrol. When that number falls into the high 30s, the Police Department will have to curtail additional services that include: Reassigning the Domestic Violence Prevention Officer who coordinates enforcement, prosecution, and services follow-up for this complicated and unfortunately common crime; reducing the detective bureau, limiting their ability to respond to felony assaults, robberies, gun violence, narcotics and sex trafficking, and pattern crimes; and no longer being able to support the Fire Department at all scenes to ensure those scenes are safe prior to entry, impacting the Department’s ability to provide emergency medical services. 
• As staffing levels drop without the kind of shift in workload that requires a comprehensive assessment to undertake, the City faces increased overtime – which has budgetary implications and serious performance implications that result from overwork. 

The Administration’s Public Safety Continuity Plan would respond to this crisis by taking the following actions: 

• Raising the cap on sworn officers from 74 to 84, and establishing a target level of 78 sworn personnel – a significant reduction from 105, but one that maintains the BPD’s ability to respond to calls for service; 
• Adding four Community Service Officers, giving the City new capacity to shift more calls to personnel who have different training than sworn officers and do not carry weapons; and 
• Immediately adding a Community Service Liaison position who would provide support for individuals who have come into contact with police and are suffering from opioid use disorder, and beginning the process of creating two more of these positions. 

The full proposal, including Mayor Weinberger’s memo, is available on the City Council agenda. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2021
Contact: Olivia LaVecchia
(802) 734-0617

Statement from Mayor Miro Weinberger on the Inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris

Burlington, VT – Today, in advance of the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement:

“Four years ago, the job of every elected official in the country changed profoundly as the federal government was taken over by a President hostile to our country’s institutions and values. Here in Burlington, local government suddenly had new responsibilities – to fight back against draconian changes to federal immigration policy, to maintain our commitments to the Paris Climate Accords even as the country withdrew, and to attempt to sustain civility and common purpose even as the national dialogue coarsened and splintered.

“Today, the country will swear in President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and once again have an administration of which we will be proud. Our children will see a Black woman in high office, and our country will be reminded again of the profound importance of honesty, integrity, and empathy.

“The fight in Burlington to contain Covid-19 and help our residents who have lost their jobs and businesses over the last year will improve immediately with a White House team that values and invests in local government. We will still face enormous problems in the years ahead. But now, as we tackle the generational challenges of racial justice and the climate crisis, the President and Vice President will no longer be a pervasive force that makes everything much harder, and instead will be partners in helping us achieve these difficult, transformational changes.

“Congratulations and thank you Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! Hurrah! Burlington stands with you ready to rebuild from 2020 and finally achieve the ideals of equality, justice, and opportunity for all that this country is supposed to represent.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2021
Contact: Olivia LaVecchia
(802) 734-0617

Mayor Miro Weinberger Responds to Councilor Ali Dieng’s Proposal to Delay Administration’s Public Safety Plan

Burlington, VT – At the December 21, 2020 City Council meeting, the Weinberger Administration presented a plan to raise the cap of sworn police officers to 84 and authorize the hiring of additional public safety personnel. That plan is scheduled to come to the Council for approval on Monday, January 25. Now, Councilor Ali Dieng has introduced a resolution that is on the agenda at tonight’s Council meeting that would defer action on this proposal until after Town Meeting Day.  In response, Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement:

“Progressive City Councilors have created a crisis in public safety in Burlington, over my strenuous objection, by lowering the cap on sworn officers by 30 percent without a plan for how public safety would be staffed in the aftermath of this decision. Having heard from so many Burlingtonians on this important issue, I am confident that voters support my position to keep the cap at 84 or higher. I oppose Councilor Dieng’s proposal to delay action and dodge Council responsibility for fixing the problem it created. The City Council should not need a vote of the public to understand that we need a well-resourced and professional police department to respond to the approximately 30,000 calls for service the City receives every year, even as we explore the possibility of responding to some of these calls in new and different ways. The Council should not wait until after Town Meeting Day to approve my Administration’s proposal on this urgent public safety matter.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9, 2021
Contact: Olivia LaVecchia
(802) 734-0617

Mayor Miro Weinberger Responds to Fatal Structure Fire on King Street

Burlington, VT – In response to today’s structure fire at 199 King Street, Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement:

“Early this morning, Burlington lost two residents in the City’s first fatal fire since June 2012. My heart goes out to the friends and loved ones of the deceased, and the other five households who are now displaced. I walked the burned-out building with Fire Chief Steven Locke soon after it had been stabilized. I commend the Burlington firefighters who responded to this tragedy within minutes of the emergency call. They moved swiftly through the structure while it was still engulfed in flames to ensure that no other lives were lost.

“An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. What is already clear is that the fire moved through the apartment building with stunning speed and power, upending the normalcy of many lives in a matter of  minutes. I urge everyone to check your smoke alarms and fire systems regularly – and hug your loved ones. Despite all the progress we have made on building fire safety in recent decades, our protection from sudden tragedy requires ongoing vigilance.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2021
Contact: Olivia LaVecchia
                (802) 734-0617

Statement from Mayor Miro Weinberger Regarding Events at the Nation’s Capitol

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement:

“I opened my Covid-19 briefing at 2:00 pm today expressing optimism for the future of our country following the election of Georgia’s first Black U.S. Senator, the likelihood that the newly elected Congress will once again be supportive of America’s cities, and the expectation that the presidential election would be certified today. Over the course of my hour-long briefing, armed protestors swarmed the Capitol and suspended the certification of the vote. The peaceful transition of power is a cornerstone of our democracy, and it is a civic tragedy that this has been interrupted for the first time in our long history. I condemn this destructive, violent riot and President Trump’s incitement of it in the strongest possible terms. I am heartbroken to see this happening. Our democracy is precious and fragile, and we must all work to heal and strengthen it.”

Update: On January 8, 2021, Mayor Weinberger released a longer letter to the community about the insurrection at the Capitol.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 4, 2021
Contact: Olivia LaVecchia
                (802) 734-0617

Statement from Mayor Miro Weinberger on Negotiations Regarding Veto of Charter Change

Burlington, VT – On Thursday, December 31, Mayor Weinberger’s veto of the Charter Change regarding the independent community control board was posted as part of the City Council agenda, along with a memo that outlined the Mayor’s decision and called for an attempt to find consensus. Today, Mayor Weinberger released the following statement:

“Following the release of my veto letter on Thursday, City Council President Max Tracy reached out to me on Sunday morning and invited me to discuss my veto with several Progressive City Councilors. I met with them at noon that day for approximately 90 minutes. Director of Police Transformation Kyle Dodson and Chief of Staff Jordan Redell also attended.

“The meeting was productive, detailed and, from my perspective, appeared to be conducted in good faith by all participants. I left the meeting optimistic that there is much common ground between us on the issue of reforming police discipline, hopeful of achieving a compromise either now or in the months to come, and awaiting a response from the Councilors as to whether they were interested in continuing the talks and attempting to negotiate changes to the proposed Charter Change before tonight. No further progress or material communications took place until early this afternoon, when Councilors were back in touch with me and shared some proposed new Charter Change language.

“I appreciate that over the last two days, the Progressive Councilors showed willingness to find compromise. Unfortunately, however, the changes transmitted this afternoon fell well short of addressing my fundamental concern that the current Charter Change proposal will undermine the City’s ability to ensure public safety – specifically, that when the public calls, we are able to respond with professional public employees who are trained for the full range of emergencies and needs that the public expects to be addressed.

“Further, following additional consultations with the City Attorney, it has become more clear to me than it was at the time of my Thursday veto letter that the legally prescribed process for making Charter Changes does not lend itself to compromise at this stage. Indeed, it is clear that there are no options to make binding changes to the Charter Change language at this point that would provide adequate transparency and opportunity for the thorough vetting and review needed by Councilors, the Administration, and the public. Specifically, all options for making changes to the Charter Change language at this point would require last-minute amendments of tonight’s City Council agenda, language to be negotiated and acted upon by the Council without any public review, and some kind of non-binding Council vote at tonight’s meeting.

“Therefore, I will not be rescinding my veto, and I urge the City Council to sustain it tonight.

“It is very unfortunate that a clear opportunity for consensus and progress on this important policing and racial justice issue was missed. Prior to the key vote on this Charter Change on December 14, I made repeated requests for the City Councilors who have led this effort to engage the Administration. Unfortunately, they declined to collaborate sooner. I believe that had we been able to have those discussions earlier, before that vote, we now would have a Charter Change with broad support heading to the ballot for Burlington voters to decide in March.

“While we will not have that consensus for this March, I am still committed to achieving that goal as soon as possible. If my veto is sustained tonight, the work to improve our police discipline system and build trust with Burlington’s BIPOC residents on this issue must continue with urgency. As detailed in my veto letter, there is much that we can and should do immediately to continue making progress in our current disciplinary system while, at the same time, working toward necessary structural change. I am committed to continuing this work and I hope my City Council colleagues will be as well.”

“Finally, I want to address the many Burlington residents who have advocated for this Charter Change. I respect and am grateful for the work you have put into this process. Though I do not feel I can responsibly do what you want me to tonight, I believe you have shaped Burlington’s discussions, raised critical ideas, and advanced policy goals in recent months. I hope that on another day, not far in the future, we will be able to find compromise and common ground on this issue, and achieve enduring progress for policing and racial justice.”

For additional information, please see:

• December 31, 2020: “Veto of Charter Change re: Independent Community Control Board and Call for Collaboration and Progress”
• December 7, 2020: “Memo from Mayor Weinberger re: Police Oversight Charter Change”

Mayor Weinberger’s veto letter from Thursday closed with an alternative plan that can progress immediately. That proposal is reprinted here:

“I am committed to taking the following steps to implement immediate improvements to our current system and continue momentum towards future structural changes:

• I will work with the City Council to bring forward a resolution soon that immediately delegates new disciplinary authority to the Police Commission, including the authority to conduct independent investigations. We do not need a charter change to delegate this authority to the citizen oversight board that exists today.
• I will also work with the City Council to bring forward soon a current year budget amendment granting the Police Commission a budget for conducting such independent investigations.
• Ultimately, we will still need a charter change on police discipline. As soon as possible, the Council and the Administration should appoint a new Special Committee of Councilors and Administration representatives that continues to work to find common ground on this issue. This committee should be tasked with hearing from both racial justice advocates and police officers who will serve under a new system, and returning with a consensus proposal by mid-2021.
• To ensure that this consensus proposal can be put to the voters and delivered to the legislature for the start of the 2022 session, I propose that we commit to a Special Election next fall (such a Special Election will also likely be necessary for TIF project bonding authority and perhaps other infrastructure bonding as well).
• One of the major short-comings of the Council’s current charter change proposal is that it is unclear what standards the new board would attempt to hold officers accountable to. I propose that the Council and Administration act in January to address that short-coming by requesting that the Police Commission review the current departmental discipline standards and recommend new standards in advance of a Special Election next fall.
• While getting police discipline right is critical, we must expand our focus if we truly seek to secure different policing outcomes. I have requested that our Director of Police Transformation Kyle Dodson complete a review of our officer training and evaluation systems and issue recommendations to me and the City Council before the end of his six-month tenure. Further, Director Dodson has been exploring the creation of a process to forge reconciliation between the Burlington police and the BIPOC community, and I have asked him to conclude that work and issue recommendations before his tenure ends.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
December 29, 2020 
Contact:  Olivia LaVecchia 
                 (802) 734-0617 

Railyard Enterprise Project Advancing to Preliminary Engineering 

Burlington, VT - Last week, the City Council unanimously approved a motion in support of the advancement of the Railyard Enterprise Project to preliminary engineering. The City and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) expect that design work could begin in 2021, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and VTrans have committed to providing 90 percent of the funding. When complete, the Railyard Enterprise Project will create an important new link in our transportation network and connect Pine Street to Battery Street adjacent to the Vermont Rail System railyard. 

In response to this action, Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement: 

“For decades the City of Burlington has sought to connect Battery Street and Pine Street in order to improve the City’s connectivity, create new economic development opportunities, and reduce traffic in the neighborhoods that border the blocks of Pine Street south of Main Street. While progress toward this goal has been slow and uneven over the years, last week we took a big step toward making this vision a reality as the City Council unanimously supported the Administration’s plan to move three Railyard Enterprise Project concepts to Preliminary Engineering and further evaluation. This City action, combined with the commitment by VTrans Secretary Joe Flynn to provide 90 percent Federal and State funding for the project, ensures that after years of conceptual planning, millions of dollars of engineering work will now be invested this critical infrastructure project in the next few years.” 

“This is great news for the King and Maple neighborhood,” said Michael Monte, Chief Operating Officer of the Champlain Housing Trust. “Constructing the Pine Street to Battery Street connection will significantly reduce traffic in the King Street neighborhood and will enhance its livability.” 

For additional information about the Railyard Enterprise Project, including plans showing the concepts that will now receive further evaluation, please see the materials that are part of the City Council’s December 21, 2020 agenda or the project’s website. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2020
Contact: Olivia LaVecchia
                (802) 734-0617

Statement Regarding Winter Access for the Public to the Grounds of the Burlington Country Club

Burlington, VT – In recent weeks, the Burlington Country Club stated that it was going to restrict public access to its grounds during the winter months. Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement:

“I was disappointed to hear that the Burlington Country Club officially closed their property to the public, especially because during the pandemic, outdoor activity and access to open space is vital. I thought the action was out of step with the coordinated and collaborative efforts that so many Burlington and Vermont institutions have taken to support public health during the pandemic.

“Accordingly, I met on Monday with the President of the Board and General Manager of the Burlington Country Club.  I listened to the Club's concerns and decision-making process about public access and then expressed my strong views that they should immediately revert back to the former policy of not restricting the public use of their grounds in the winter. On Tuesday, the Burlington Country Club took action to remove the ‘No Trespassing’ signs by the end of the week, and agreed not to prohibit public access to their grounds this winter in support of public health during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I’m appreciative of all of the Burlingtonians who raised this concern with my office. Thank you to Ward 6 City Councilor Karen Paul, who has been working for months with neighbors and the Club leadership to allow residents to access the grounds in the winter. Thank you to South District Councilor Joan Shannon for her advocacy for public access as well. And lastly, thank you to the Board of the Burlington Country Club for their willingness to quickly reconsider this change. I recognize that Burlington Country Club has concerns about the use and treatment of their property and remind all Burlingtonians that if they access that property they should treat it respectfully, be mindful of any areas that are roped off, and avoid damaging this winter outdoor resource."

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