The new MOU, which requires Council approval, would commit UVM to providing 1.5 beds per undergraduate student enrolled above fall 2023 level; City to up-zone three campus parcels at Trinity, East Ave, and the Waterman block

Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that he and President Suresh Garimella of UVM have overcome prior setbacks and reached a housing agreement intended to increase student beds, reduce student pressure on the broader local housing market, and support UVM’s admission goals. The MOU, if approved by the City Council, will commit the university to providing a minimum of an additional 1.5 beds per every one undergraduate student it enrolls above the fall 2023 level. To facilitate the creation of on-campus beds, the Administration commits to work with UVM to advance several zoning amendments for UVM’s Trinity Campus on Colchester Ave, the 280 East Avenue parcel, and the Waterman block on South Prospect Street.

It is anticipated that these zoning amendments will enable UVM to construct as many as 1500 new student beds, in addition to the over 600 beds for graduates, faculty, and staff and nearly 550 beds for undergraduates planned in South Burlington. The agreement also commits the University to providing annual reports on beds and enrollment trends.

The Mayor plans to present the agreement publicly in a City Council presentation on Monday, December 18, and seek City Council approval for the agreement in early 2024.  UVM and the City will also hold an informational public meeting about the agreement in January (details to be announced).

“President Garimella’s sustained commitment to building new student housing has been welcome and impressive, and, I am pleased to say, will now be reflected in and supported by a new agreement between UVM and the City,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “After a year of discussions and hard work, we now have a plan to up-zone not one parcel, but three separate large UVM-owned lots for major on-campus student housing projects, as well as fresh commitments from the university to build new beds as undergraduate enrollment grows, and to improve transparency around their future goals and enrollment data. Importantly, this MOU goes beyond immediate actions and commits both the City and UVM to ongoing, future efforts to address our housing needs. While construction always takes a long time and involves significant uncertainty, this agreement creates a clear path to reducing student housing pressures to the lowest point since the 90s and supports modest growth in enrollment for undergrads.”

UVM’s fall 2023 Undergraduate Enrollment was 11,614, including 2,896 first year students.

“UVM and Burlington are fortunate to be so attractive to a new generation of Vermonters,” said UVM President Suresh Garimella, “and the university is glad to work with our partners in the City to make possible our envisioned expansion of on-campus housing."

Commitments in the MOU

The proposed MOU will take effect following City Council approval and will be effective through October 2028. In the agreement, both parties would commit to re-evaluate and memorialize future commitments prior to its expiration.

The MOU will commit UVM to:

• Provide new beds for undergraduate students if enrollment grows, by increasing the number of available beds by an amount that is at least 1.5 times the increase in the number of Undergraduate Students over and above the fall 2023 baseline;
• Provide the City an annual report depicting the number of and basis for calculating its available beds and undergraduate students on or before October 31 of each year for the five-year term of the MOU;
• And identifies UVM’s intent to exceed this commitment to positively impact off-campus housing demand and UVM’s goal for undergraduate first-year enrollment for the next five years.

The MOU commits the City to:

• Address current zoning regulations that limit the amount of student housing that can be built on the UVM campus within the institutional zoning district, including:

• On or before March 31, 2024, the creation of an Institutional Core Campus (ICC) District specific to the 280 East Avenue Parcel.
• On or before October 31, 2024, the creation of an ICC District specific to the Waterman Block.
• On or before October 31, 2024, zoning amendments  that enable the construction of buildings on UVM’s Trinity Campus.

Background

A 2009 Memorandum of Agreement between the City and UVM established mutual commitments to address concerns about the impact of student housing on residential neighborhoods in the city. Originally set to expire in 2015, the MOA was extended once but expired in 2019. Mayor Weinberger urged UVM to consider a new or amended MOA.

UVM later requested that long-discussed zoning amendments for Trinity Campus be considered, and the Trinity Campus amendments were included in the Mayor’s December 2021 Housing Action Plan. The Planning Commission considered those zoning changes beginning in early 2022, and city staff and UVM officials attended or facilitated a number of public discussions focused on UVM’s campus planning, housing, and enrollment issues, and to gather feedback on the goals for zoning on Trinity Campus. In those discussions and subsequent Commission meetings, community members expressed support for new on-campus housing and improvements to existing on-campus housing options. However, many concerns were raised about the relationship between the University’s ability to house more students on campus and its future enrollment trajectory in the absence of an MOU. The Planning Commission communicated support for more tangible housing commitments by UVM when it referred ZA-22-04 to the City Council in December 2022.

In February 2023, ZA-22-04 was tabled by Council (and per statute, will expire on December 20, 2023). UVM leadership reengaged the Administration in April about its interest in a new MOU.

Mayor’s 2021 Housing Action Plan

Mayor Weinberger has long believed that building of new student beds is a critical strategy for increasing the community’s overall housing supply and addressing the city’s housing availability crisis.  His first Housing Action Plan, in 2015, included goals (which were partially realized before the pandemic) for creating new student beds for UVM and Champlain College students. Rezoning of Trinity Campus was included in the Mayor’s 2021 Housing as a Human Right Action Plan, alongside two other zoning changes: to create the South End Innovation District (SEID) and for the Neighborhood Code. The SEID was unanimously adopted by City Council July 2023, and the Administration has submitted a slate of zoning amendments related to the Neighborhood Code to a joint committee of the City Council Ordinance Committee and Planning Commission which are currently under review.

Attachments

Draft MOU Regarding Housing

Future Trends Slide: illustrates net change in UVM undergrad enrollment and beds since 2009. The potential changes depicted beyond 2023 would be enabled by the agreement and subsequent zoning changes, but not guaranteed by it.

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City Announces $1.9 million in ARPA funds for two new Champlain Housing Trust projects, including new homeownership opportunities at Cambrian Rise; CityPlace Partners now integrating affordable homes into mixed-income, mixed-use project

Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger, Champlain Housing Trust (CHT), Evernorth, CityPlace Partners, and Cambrian Rise announced milestones on three significant Burlington affordable housing projects. Over the next 2-3 years these projects will create a total of more than 180 new permanently affordable homes in Burlington.

“The only way out of our long-standing, acute, housing shortage is to build a lot more homes. Today’s announcements will help ensure that during this period of historically high levels of new home production in our City, nearly 200 will be dedicated to low-income households,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Burlington is fortunate to have skilled, committed local non-profit and private builders working towards this goal.”

The new milestones are:

• Mayor Weinberger is seeking City Council approval at the December 18 meeting of $1 million commitment of the City’s American Rescue Plan Act funds to Post Apartments, a 38-unit apartment building to be built on the current site of VFW Post 784. The project will also include a new home for the VFW, community space, and office spaces for Burlington’s Community Justice Center, and is expected to start construction in the spring of 2024.
• CityPlace Partners has decided to build the roughly 70 permanently affordable units required on the project integrated throughout the north building of the project, instead of as a stand-alone, publicly financed, affordable housing building in partnership with CHT and Evernorth.  The foundation of the north building was built in 2023 and CityPlace Partners projects vertical construction of the building to begin in the first half of 2024.
• With CHT’s development capacity and large public subsidies no longer committed to CityPlace, CHT is now pursuing the development of a new building in the Cambrian Rise neighborhood which will include 30 permanently affordable, shared-equity condominiums, as well as 40 permanently affordable rental homes.
• Mayor Miro Weinberger is seeking City Council approval of a commitment of $950,000 of the City’s ARPA funds to these CHT projects at Cambrian Rise at the December 18 meeting.

“The success of the City Place Partners and their work at this site is critical to the success of Burlington’s downtown. We are disappointed that this partnership is ending but are committed to helping to make sure that CPP succeeds in bringing much-needed housing, especially permanently affordable housing to Burlington’s downtown,” said Michael Monte, Chief Executive Officer of CHT. “We are about to sign an agreement to develop 30 new permanently affordable condominiums through CHT’s shared equity program, as well as 40 permanently affordable rentals at Cambrian Rise, in partnership with Evernorth including apartments available to serve our community’s most vulnerable.”

“We worked closely with Champlain Housing Trust and Evernorth over the past twelve months, and ultimately felt it made sense to absorb the permanently affordable units into the project, rather than place them in a single building,” said Patrick O’Brien, Project Manager for CityPlace Partners. “We appreciate that CHT and Evernorth will continue to bring low-cost housing units to fruition at two other exciting developments in Burlington, and others throughout the state. This decision is a win-win for everyone because CityPlace Partners will provide affordable homes with very little, if any public subsidy, which will free up millions of dollars of incentives for the creation of units elsewhere in Burlington.”

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Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger called for community-wide support of Burlington’s Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab neighbors and invites Vermonters to join a candle light vigil at the intersection of Pearl and Church Street tonight at 5:30 pm.  

Mayor Weinberger made the following statement:  

“The terrible, unprovoked attack of three young visitors to Burlington was a shocking violation of the values of this welcoming and inclusive community. These bright, caring young men are good friends to each other, committed to their families, and are loved and valued by many. They deserved to enjoy a peaceful and joyful visit to our city, not the irreparable violence they endured.  

The shooting has also shaken many Palestinian, Arab and Muslim Vermonters, by confirming their worst fears, that vitriol, hate and Islamophobia would find them here in Vermont while war continues in the Middle East. 

We cannot let the terrible actions of one man define this vibrant and diverse place. I urge Burlingtonians to stand together in support of these victims, their families, and all of our Muslim and Arab neighbors and once again demonstrate the profound kindness and strength of this community. We have an opportunity to do this at tonight’s vigil, and through further actions in the days to come.”  

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Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger hosted a press conference to address the investigation into the shooting of three Palestinian students Saturday night in Burlington, Vermont and to announce the subsequent arrest and arraignment of the suspected shooter Jason Eaton. Present for the press conference were Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad, two uncles of the victims Rich Price and Radi Tamimi, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, United States Attorney for the District of Vermont Nikolas Kerest, and representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. 

The press conference was recorded by Town Meeting TV and is available to view online here: https://www.youtube.com/live/tEbxdu7tg8w?si=YpBhNFL2NKrTnFbo  

Mayor Weinberger made the following remarks:  

“The Saturday evening shooting of three young Palestinian college students visiting Burlington on their holiday break was one of the most shocking and disturbing events in this city’s history.   

This horrific, unprovoked attack was a tragic violation of the values and character of this welcoming, inclusive, and close-knit community.   

I am grateful that as a result of a huge, coordinated law enforcement response, led throughout by the Burlington Police Department, that we had the suspected shooter off of the street in less than 24 hours.  

We announced the arrest of Jason Eaton just after midnight last night and Burlingtonians were relieved to be able to go to school and work this morning knowing that the shooter was in custody.  

Mr. Eaton has now been arraigned and charged with triple attempted murder, charges that carry the potential for life sentences.   

This case remains the top priority of the Burlington Police Department. The investigation will continue as will our collaboration with state and federal partners, to give our prosecutors the strongest case possible, and to ensure that Mr. Eaton is held fully accountable for his actions. 

These law enforcement actions, while outstanding, will not erase the damage done by Saturday night’s violence. It is incumbent on us to continue supporting the victims, their families, and their communities. 

We are honored to be joined at this press conference by Rich Price, a long-time Burlingtonian who was hosting the three young men during their visit and who is the uncle of Hisham Awartani, the most seriously injured of the three men, as well as Radi Tamimi, the uncle of Kinnan Abdalhamid, who flew in from California this morning.  Rich and Radi, I am so sorry that this terrible event happened to your nephews here in Burlington.  Thank you for your collaboration and coordination throughout this ordeal, including the conversations we had yesterday, and please know that City will continue to do all that we can to support you and your loved ones during their recovery.   

I hope that Burlington’s Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities see in yesterday’s prompt arrest the City’s commitment to justice and keeping all members of our community safe.  I have been and will continue to be in communication with Muslim leaders about how Burlington can support their communities through this time of war and high international tension. 

I want to thank Chief Murad and the hard-working and skilled Detective Bureau led by Lieutenant Michael Beliveau for once again quickly bringing a shooting investigation to resolution.   

Your quick and forceful actions, over a holiday weekend, on the heels of the push you have been making to solve the November 12 double-homicide, speaks to the commitment and character of the Burlington Police Department. 

I am grateful to Chief Murad, also, for his leadership creating the Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force more than a year ago as we experienced a spike in gun violence this community has never before. As you will hear in a moment when Chief Murad reviews the steps that led to the arrest of Mr. Eaton, that task force of local, state and federal partners, including critically both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, as well as the FBI, responded immediately to the shooting and played a critical role in the events leading to the arrest.  This taskforce has become an invaluable part of our response to serious events at a time when we and so many other law enforcement agencies are short-staffed. 

I am also very grateful to State’s Attorney Sarah George for working deep into the night last night to secure search warrants and bring forward charges. Thank you for your partnership and leadership. 

Finally, I am grateful for US Attorney Nicholas Kerest.  Not only has the US Attorney been extremely supportive through this event, the federal government has provided enormous technical resources and law enforcement capacity throughout, and I have received direct support from the White House and the Department of Homeland Security as we navigated this unprecedented event.  And one of the reasons we got a little bit of a late start with this event is that I just had an extended phone call with President Biden.  It was my honor to thank the President for his leadership and caring for our community and the victims of this terrible crime, and to make clear to him the critical role federal partners played in securing a quick arrest.  

We are fortunate to have dedicated public servants working in the federal government who are committed to holding shooters accountable for gun violence despite the enormous barriers in the law and regulations that they face.” 

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Burlington, Vt. -- This morning, tragic events continue to unfold in small communities across Maine following a mass shooting event last night in Lewiston. Early reports describe a scene of ongoing mayhem with at least sixteen people dead, more than fifty injured, and the shooter still at large. This is one of 565 mass shootings in America this year. Mayor Weinberger made the following statement: 

“Even amidst a climate in which American mass shootings have become routine, the events unfolding in Maine are shocking. This time, the tragedy is taking place in a New England college city much like Burlington. The community life of Lewiston, Maine is one that we know and understand. As a city of neighbors, we know what it is like to walk into any bar, restaurant, or bowling alley and see friends, schoolmates, coworkers, and family. Yet, the devastation and terror that Lewiston and surrounding communities are faced with this morning is unimaginable and horrifying.   

As in so many past tragedies in the twelve years since Newtown, early reports say this lone shooter used a military-style semi-automatic weapon to commit these murders. As long as we allow these weapons to circulate in mass numbers with virtually no regulation, these catastrophes will continue. We can, and must, pass common-sense gun laws to end this scourge of violence. No other nation lives this way, and neither should we.”   

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Burlington, Vt. –During a dedication ceremony last week, Vermont’s largest airport was officially renamed the “Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport,” or “Leahy BTV” for short, in honor of Senator Patrick Leahy and his lasting contributions to the Airport, to the City of Burlington, and to Vermont. Mayor Miro Weinberger first announced his intent to rename the airport during his final State of the City in April, and the Burlington City Council took action to approve the change in May.

Joined by his wife Marcelle and many colleagues, friends, and family, Senator Leahy was present as the new logo was unveiled on the side of the Terminal; the same building Senator Leahy was instrumental in securing funding for. Mayor Weinberger, Governor Scott, representatives of Vermont’s federal delegation, City Councilors, legislative leaders, local business and community leaders, and members of the City Team were all in attendance for the celebration. 

“The benefits of Senator Leahy’s leadership and long career of service are immense. He has shaped the laws of our country with great integrity and moral strength – and shown me and countless others what good government and thoughtful governance can do to make the lives of the people we serve better, safer, and more just,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “For over 100 years, Burlington has been the proud steward of the airport where hundreds of thousands of travelers pass through each year and see a glimpse of the best of Vermont and Burlington – a place where we invest in safety and innovation, where we value local goods, labor, and artists, where the wellbeing of our community drives progress, and where we take pride and pleasure in hospitality. It is perfectly fitting that now and forever, this will be called the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport.”

“When a young man from Montpelier boarded a plane to take his first ever from Burlington Airport, I never could have imagined this day. That was the first of many memories and what became an endless number of flights over more than four decades of travelling back and forth to Washington. I can still picture that small terminal with no jetways when I took that first flight.  I was in the crowd when candidate John F. Kennedy stopped at Burlington Airport on a final campaign swing to speak before an overflowing crowd.  The next day, he was elected President.  And there have been countless joyous reunions, some more notable than others, such as when Captain Richard Phillips returned from being rescued by the Navy seals to a huge crowd of international press,” said Senator Patrick Leahy. “I have always believed that a vibrant Burlington airport is an important component to the economic vitality of Vermont. Not only is it a gateway for visitors to our state that support our food and hospitality industries but access to air travel is important for the Vermont business community at large.”

President Biden and numerous Vermont leaders shared their gratitude and congratulations for Senator Leahy:

In a previous statement, President Biden said to Leahy, “Countless early mornings and late-night flights doing the people’s business. It’s fitting that the Burlington International Airport will be named after you. Everyone who flies through will remember your tenacity and your service, your honesty, your dignity and the best of what you’ve provided for our country.”

Governor Phil Scott: “My friend Senator Leahy has carved out a legacy that will benefit Vermonters for generations to come, and that’s because he always served with an eye on what’s best for our state. The dedication of BTV is a fitting tribute to honor that legacy, and his ongoing contributions to Vermont.” 

Senator Peter Welch: “My predecessor Patrick Leahy was a giant of the Senate and a tireless champion for Vermonters. He brought the voices of hardworking Vermont families with him to our nation’s Capitol for nearly 50 years, and fought to bring millions of dollars of federal investments to Vermont to strengthen and redevelop our state. Margaret and I are delighted to celebrate Patrick, Marcelle, and the Leahy family with the renaming of the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport. It’s a well-deserved honor, and we thank him for his decades of service.”

Congresswoman Becca Balint: “Senator Leahy always kept the needs of Vermonters front and center in his work in Washington. I’m thrilled to honor Senator Leahy and his wife, Marcelle through renaming of the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport. This tribute will serve as a reminder to Vermonters and visitors of the Senator's steadfast service and dedication to our state.”

Director of Aviation Nic Longo: “From our humble beginnings as Vermont farmland, through our 100+ year history of innovation within aviation and air travel, our shared passion to reach toward the skies has long been a cornerstone of BTV’s existence. Evolution, Passion, Service, and Innovation define our airports history and will continue to fuel our progress for the next century to come under the name Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport.”

The timing of the new logo unveiling is fitting as the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport continues efforts with over $180 million in capital projects over the coming years; with much of the funds being secured by Senator Patrick Leahy.

Details of those projects and the airport’s sustainability efforts can be found at www.BTV.aero.

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Burlington, Vt. – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced he will not be seeking a fifth term as Mayor of Burlington. He made the announcement from the Lorraine B. Good Room in Burlington City Arts Studios on Church Street, where he first announced his intent to run for Mayor twelve years ago, surrounded by family, Department Heads, City staff, community leaders, and supporters.

Mayor Weinberger began his remarks by saying, “In this room 12-years ago I announced my intent to run for Mayor of Burlington. I said we would fix the city’s finances, hold city officials accountable, and get stuck and stalled projects moving again. I promised the people of Burlington a Fresh Start, hard work, and a steady hand during the crises of our time.”

He went on to conclude that: “After twelve years – the longest unbroken stretch of any mayor – with the pandemic behind us, the economy largely recovered, and investment and progress on track to continue, I have decided that now is the right time for me to conclude my service as Mayor.”

The Mayor thanked current and past members of the City team, City workers, Union Leaders, local business and non-profit leaders, and local builders for their support and partnership over the years, and “most importantly”, he thanked the people of Burlington for their trust and confidence. In his remarks, he reflected on the many accomplishments and successes of the Administration over his twelve years in office:  

• The City has locked in more than $44 million in direct taxpayer and ratepayer interest savings since 2012 by securing a 6-notch improvement in Burlington’s credit rating from the brink of a “junk bond” status to an Aa3 rating and by restoring the rainy-day fund from -$15M to over $8.6M. Mayor Weinberger has dramatically increased city services and advanced an equitable economic recovery, including with the creation of the Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging and Business and Workforce Development Departments – all while keeping all local taxes well below the rate of increase of state property taxes.
• Since 2011, more than 2,000 new homes have been built or are in construction, and the City is on track to meet Mayor Weinberger’s goal of increasing the City’s housing production rate 400% by 2026. Between 2019 and 2022 the Mayor led the creation of 90+ low-barrier emergency shelter beds and the Community Resource Center which now serves over 2,000 people a year. He directed millions in new investments in homelessness programs, including to strengthen Coordinated Entry which now connects an average of 25 formerly unhoused households to permanent housing every month. Since 2012, 27% of all new housing units built were permanently affordable, and revenue to the Housing Trust Fund has increased more than 400%.
• Five years after Burlington became the first 100% Renewable Energy City, Mayor Weinberger announced the most ambitious climate goal in the country – to achieve Net Zero by 2030. Today, Burlington has 385 solar arrays generating well over 9,000 PV, the most per capita of any city east of the Mississippi. This year, the City will implement a voter-approved and State-first Carbon Pollution Impact Fee, and in 2021 voters approved a first-in-the-nation $20M revenue bond to fund electrification incentives and grid improvements. In the City’s Net Zero efforts, Mayor Weinberger has made equity and accessibility a top priority through the green stimulus incentive package, an innovative on-bill financing program, requiring rental weatherization, and more.
• Mayor Weinberger has led the completion of the Downtown Transit Center, the major renovation of City Hall Park, the Moran FRAME, and the broader revival of the northern waterfront. In 2022, the City celebrated the return of train service to New York City, and after a 34-year hiatus, construction at the Champlain Parkways is underway. He directed over $100 million of historic public investments through his 10-year Capital Plan, doubling the prior rate of road paving, tripling prior annual sidewalk investments, and initiating water relining for the first time. Mayor Weinberger guided historic investments of federal dollars at the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, including a $19M Terminal Integration Project and worked to help secure $165M in voter-approved bonding and $19M in State funds for the construction of the Burlington High School and Technical Center.
• Under Mayor Weinberger’s successful Rebuilding Plan, the Police Department is coming back from a devastating blow by the City Council with a confirmed Police Chief, 69 officers, and innovative new public safety resources including CSLs, CSOs, Urban Park Rangers, and the soon-to-launch BTV Cares program. Burlington is leading the State’s opioid response with innovation and local investment with all of its local opioid settlement dollars committed. Mayor Weinberger led Burlington in an aggressive virus control and equitable vaccination effort resulting in national leadership in low Covid-19 infection and fatality rates for an American city.
• Mayor Weinberger secured voter approved zoning changes and bonding authority for $35.9M in Downtown TIF and $21.8M in Waterfront TIF investments and leveraged an additional $31.5M in federal funds to expand the Great Streets initiative which, when complete, will rebuild 15-18 downtown blocks. He led comprehensive reforms to zoning and permitting which attracted millions more in private development downtown, including more than $200M estimated for the CityPlace project and $36M for the completed Champlain College housing project on St. Paul St.
• Mayor Weinberger successfully negotiated 12 collective bargaining contracts with the City’s four unions without going to arbitration a single time. In 2017, he intervened to end the first Burlington teachers strike in over 25 years after just four days. In its first year, the new Department of Business and Workforce Development launched a revolving loan fund and micro-businesses incubator program, strengthened direct support for families and child care providers, dispersed $1 million in ARPA grants to area non-profits to support an equitable recovery from the pandemic, launched BTV Market which features dozens of local, women-owned, and BIPOC-owned businesses, and secured a $1.5 million grant for workforce and job training to improve equity in local trades.
• From the start, Mayor Weinberger has understood the importance of great public spaces and the City’s role in building community. In 2022, he announced Juneteenth as an official City holiday for the first time, and since 2021, the REIB Department has hosted a major annual Juneteenth celebration. Since 2018, the City has hosted Highlight on New Year’s Eve, and dozens of concerts, splash dance, and speakers in the revitalized City Hall Park every summer. The Moran FRAME is already serving as a new canvas and stage for local creatives, and Mayor Weinberger committed $2 million of local ARPA funds to new and improved public gathering spaces across Burlington, including a second phase 2 of Moran FRAME, in Roosevelt Park, and to support the expansion of the BCA studios on Pine Street which now serves 1,900 adults and 1,700 youth every year. This year, the City will celebrate the completion of Vermont’s first universally accessible playground at Oakledge Park.

Mayor Weinberger is the longest continuously serving Mayor in the City’s history, having been first elected in March 2012. Many leaders shared messages of support and gratitude for the Mayor’s service to Burlington and to Vermont:

“For 12 years, Miro Weinberger has led Burlington with steady and visionary leadership. He has returned the City to fiscal health, cutting costs for Burlington taxpayers and delivering those savings back to the community with thoughtful investments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked side by side with our medical community to advocate for the public health funding and economic support Vermonters needed in a time of great stress and uncertainty. And his groundbreaking work on climate and renewable energy has inspired leaders across the nation to rethink what’s possible in their climate action agendas,” said Senator Welch. “Throughout his time as Mayor, I was proud to partner with Miro on projects to deliver important investments to Burlington, including new infrastructure, affordable housing, green transit, and support for small business. I’m thankful for Miro’s dedication to the city of Burlington, the state of Vermont, and wish him well in his continuing commitment to serving Vermonters.”

“I want to thank Mayor Weinberger for his 12 years of dedicated service to the City of Burlington, the longest of any Mayor in Burlington history. Miro came in to office at a time of financial peril for Burlington and carefully shepherded Burlington back to a place of responsible financial management, saving taxpayers considerable sums,” said Congresswoman Balint. “He continued improvement on the waterfront, completely rebuilt the beloved Burlington bike path, increased housing in the city, made historic investments in childcare, and encouraged sustainable development such as the expansion of City Market into the South End, among many other accomplishments. Miro has faced challenges as the leader of our biggest city and he has risen to meet them, always prioritizing the health, prosperity, and safety of all Burlingtonians. He is a true public servant. I have tremendous respect for him and wish him and his family the best going forward.”

Senator Patrick Leahy sent the following note of support before the Mayor’s announcement: “Burlington, and Vermont, have been so helped by your service. Marcelle and I were married here in Burlington 61 years ago. We’ve seen this City during difficult times, and during the good times. Your leadership has been essential during COVID, housing crises, improving education, and dozens of other significant issues. In addressing these problems, you have set an example for the rest of the state, and you have certainly made Burlington better.”

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Burlington, Vt. -- Today, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger announced over $44 million in savings for Burlington’s taxpayers, driven by favorable lending terms as a result of the City’s restored Aa3 credit rating. These locked-in savings were shared in Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Katherine Schad’s Fiscal Health Report, an annual report that the administration has published since it was requested by the City Council in 2013 following the issuance of a $9 million Fiscal Stability Bond that year. The report updates prior savings projections and outlines $24,108,885 in current dollars of savings on debt service. The report outlines an additional $20,566,079 savings on future debt service for the $130 million bond issued for the construction of a new Burlington High School and Technical Center. Together, the total current dollar savings to tax payers and ratepayers is $44,674,964.

"In 2012, we were teetering on a financial cliff, our rainy-day fund was millions of dollars in the red, and Burlington was pockmarked with stalled projects and aging public infrastructure,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “After more than a decade of strong and careful management we have locked in millions of taxpayer savings while restoring our cash reserves and making historic levels of public investment into our roads, sidewalks, stormwater system, parks, and City buildings. The City of Burlington is on solid ground and taxpayers will feel the benefits of this dramatic turnaround for years to come.”

In August, Moody’s Investment Service provided its most recent credit opinion, affirming the City’s Aa3 credit rating and citing several credit strengths, including that “Burlington's budget management and policy credibility and effectiveness is strong and is reflected in its healthy financial position and trend of stable operations and reserves.”  Further, Moody’s stated that “The city's financial position is likely to remain stable over the next few years because of conservative budgeting and prudent revenue increase.”

"Once again Moody’s has affirmed a stable financial position for the City of Burlington at a double-A rating and we are pleased to report significant taxpayer savings as a result,” said CAO Katherine Schad. “Throughout the pandemic and economic recovery, my office has continued this Administration’s commitment to strict financial management and perpetual improvement of our internal systems. As a result, we are in a strong position to continue high levels of capital investment and we are ready for whatever storms may come in the future.”

Background

• Between 2010 and 2012, the City’s credit rating was downgraded six steps in three separate actions by Moody’s, from a high of Aa3 to a low of Baa3 (one step from junk bond status), citing the Burlington Telecom liability and advances to other enterprise funds; increasing reliance on short-term borrowing; and multiple years of operating deficits.
• In FY12 the Management Letter from the City’s auditor stated the City was “at risk” due to being “overly reliant on borrowing from financial institutions to provide overall City short-term cash requirements.”
• In FY13, in response, the Mayor and City Council received voter approval to issue $9 million in Fiscal Stability Bonds in 2013. The bond proceeds resulted in an immediate improvement of the City’s cash situation and eliminated costly short-term borrowing.
• Since FY13, the City has seen four credit rating upgrades for a total of a six-notch improvement with the most recent upgrade to Aa3 being achieved in July 2019. Moody’s August 2023 credit opinion updated the rating agency’s analysis supporting this rating.
• The improved score leads to lower interest rates and more preferable borrowing terms, saving tax payers money.
• In its most recent round of significant borrowing earlier in September, the City secured a 3.84% interest rate for $130 million in school construction bonding, resulting in net present value savings of $20,566,079 on future debt service payments versus what the cost would have been if the City’s credit rating was still Baa3.

Restoring the Unassigned Fund Balance

Critical to restoring Burlington’s positive credit score has been the dramatic improvement to the Unassigned Fund Balance (UAFB), also known as the rainy-day fund, which provides cash reserves used to maintain essential public services during crisis.

• In FY12 the City had a more than $15 million deficit in the UAFB, primarily driven by the uncollectible Burlington Telecom receivable, and carried more than $23 million in cash deficits across numerous general and enterprise funds.
• The first step to stabilize the situation was the $9 million in Fiscal Stability Bonds, and in FY13 the City saw its first positive UAFB since 2009.
• The Administration and leadership team worked hard over many years to focus on fiscal management, including by implementing a new UAFB policy in FY15, which commits the City to a UAFB of 5 – 15% of the General Fund budget’s operational costs.
• As a result, the UAFB was converted to a surplus of $9.7 million by the end of FY18 and has remained well within the target range despite the COVID crisis.

More Information:

The CAO’s fiscal health report is available online here.

The August Moody’s credit opinion is available online here.

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BED’s E-Bucket Truck for Line Crew Replaces Fossil Fuel Truck In Important Step toward Net Zero Energy

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger and Burlington Electric Department (BED), joined today by partners from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and Burlington City Councilor Hannah King (Ward 8), unveiled the state’s first all-electric bucket truck. The new truck, with its unique white and green colors and “all electric – powered by 100% renewable energy” tag line rather than the traditional orange color, constitutes another important step along the path to Burlington becoming a Net Zero Energy city. It will reduce BED’s annual diesel fuel usage by an estimated 1,650 gallons and reduce engine idling by an estimated 1,500 hours.

“Burlington is aggressively moving forward to electrify everything and reduce our carbon emissions as quickly as possible,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “When it comes to investing public dollars into new City assets that could serve our community for many years, we always look for new, innovative electric technologies that are aligned with our Net Zero Energy goal. I appreciate the integral funding support we received from the State of Vermont that has allowed our dedicated lineworkers, who work day and night in all kinds of weather, to be the first team to put an electric bucket truck to the test. I hope that seeing this new truck out at work will inspire Burlingtonians and visitors alike to explore new ways to power their homes, business, and lives with our 100% renewable electricity.”

“The team at Burlington Electric Department worked hard to bring this new electric bucket truck to Burlington, and this may well be the first E-bucket truck that will charge up using 100 percent renewably-sourced electricity,” stated Darren Springer, General Manager, Burlington Electric Department. “We are excited for Burlingtonians to see this new truck out in the community, helping to keep the lights on while demonstrating the most cutting-edge technology on the market. We recognize that operating this first-in-Vermont electric bucket truck is a significant responsibility, as our experiences will serve as a test case for distribution utilities and other companies with similar truck needs to study and learn from. BED will share data and its experiences with the State and other interested parties, and we hope this is the first of many larger vehicle electrification projects in the City and State of Vermont.”

About the new, all-electric bucket truck

In its analysis of the new electric bucket truck, BED ensured that its capabilities would meet or exceed the actual operating parameters and reliability of the 20-year-old fossil fuel truck it is replacing.

• The new truck was manufactured by Terex Utilities, a company that introduced the first ever all-electric bucket truck in June 2022.
• There are two battery systems: one for operating the truck that will be charged with a Level 3 DC fast charger that will fully charge the truck in approximately six hours; and another for operating the aerial boom and hydraulics systems that will be charged with a Level 2 charger capable of fully charging in approximately five hours.
• The truck will reduce annually an estimated 18.6 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nearly 230 pounds of NOx.
• It has a 110- to 115-mile driving range and the ability to idle for seven hours per workday, while providing sufficient power to operate the aerial boom and bucket (55 feet high from ground to base of bucket and 60 feet working height) on a single charge.
• Other features include: safety features including truck-stabilizing hydraulics when the boom is extended, horns, and continuous radio contact.
• The truck and two chargers were funded largely by the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust (EMT), from which the State of Vermont awarded BED a grant in the amount of $560,000.
• BED will pay the remaining balance of the $718,248, and calculates a payback of nine years, given the magnitude of the annual maintenance and fuel savings.

In applying for the EMT grant, BED referenced its two-pronged approach to help advance vehicle electrification, including: offering a range of incentives to encourage Burlingtonians to purchase electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and home and workplace chargers; and committing to electrifying BED’s own fleet and supporting its sister City departments to do the same; when and where vehicle purchases are made and when replacement technology is available. DEC manages the EMT funds with a primary goal of reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the state. Based in part on input from the public, other state agencies and the legislature, DEC determined that EMT funds would be allocated to assess the feasibility of all-electric technologies and begin to catalyze market transformation in Vermont, from diesel-powered to electric-powered equipment. A requirement of the grant is that the old bucket truck must be retired to ensure air quality and public health benefits are achieved.

DEC Commissioner John Beling, who attended the announcement with members of DEC’s Air Quality and Climate Division, stated: “With ground transportation pollution being such a significant contributor to the degradation of our environment, our DEC team is doing all it can to work with partners around the State to reduce emissions of NOx, greenhouse gases, and other harmful air pollutants. We hope our collective success in securing Vermont’s very first all-electric bucket truck serves as a catalyst for utilities and other businesses all over Vermont to replace their fleet trucks with electric trucks whenever possible. On behalf of Governor Phil Scott and ANR Secretary Julie Moore, I am pleased to participate in this very meaningful announcement.”

City Councilor Hannah King, who serves on the Council’s Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee (TEUC), stated: “I appreciate the focus that the Mayor and BED have placed on taking all possible steps to electrify our City fleet across all departments by replacing fossil fuel vehicles with electric vehicles. This new, all-electric bucket truck provides a great opportunity for the City and BED to lead by example, an example I hope will inspire other organizations, businesses, and individual residents to take climate action however they can.”

BED Lineworker Ciaran Canavan, who will be driving the new, electric bucket truck, stated: “When we lineworkers are out in the community, we focus first on keeping ourselves and our community safe while providing reliable electric service. Then, we take our work a step further by educating Burlingtonians whenever we can on the importance of reaching our Net Zero Energy goal. Now, with our new electric bucket truck, we have a visual teaching tool that will help us educate everyone about what it means to take steps along the road to Net Zero Energy.”

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Mayor Commits to Additional Funding to Support VCJR Center for Justice-Involved People 

Burlington, Vt. – On August 15, 2023, Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform (VCJR) celebrated the completion of their first year operating Vermont’s first specialized re-entry and recovery center for justice-involved people living with substance use disorders.  The center is located at 109 Bank Street at the corner of Bank and Pine Streets in downtown Burlington. 

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger has been the lead champion in establishing the center, which is financially supported by the City of Burlington, University of Vermont Medical Center, Ben & Jerry’s Foundation and others. 

"The magnitude of the overdose crisis in Vermont is heartbreaking, and one of the few bright spots in our current response is the success of the new re-entry and recovery center at VCJR,” said Mayor Weinberger. “We have to make this our number one public health priority – this moment demands new innovations in treatment and near heroic efforts at harm reduction. By focusing on this high-risk population and introducing new strategies like contingency management, VCJR is helping our community meet the moment.”  

The Mayor announced that, in the absence of any financial support from the State of Vermont, the City will be chipping in another $75,000 this year from Burlington’s allocation of opioid settlement funds in addition to the $173,051 of CDBG funds and $62,500 from the non-profit ARPA grant program the City has already committed to VCJR since late 2022. 

“Prepared or not, people are coming home to their communities every day,” said Tom Dalton, Executive Director of VCJR. “Incarcerated people listed improving re-entry support as their number one need, and the need is huge. Addressing unmet needs within this high-impact group of people is resulting in profound benefits for justice-involved people as well as for their children and communities.” 

“VCJR are the ones you can call on whether it be you’re getting out of jail, headed to court, just relapsed or doing your best to prevent a relapse,” said Tyler Sears, a client at VCJR. “They even reach out to you when you’re in jail or pick you up on your first day out to welcome you back and make sure you have everything you need.” 

The Mayor recently released a report saying that between January and July of 2023, the Burlington Police Department (BPD) responded to a record 265 overdoses, already surpassing the prior year’s total. Overdose responses increased by 75% between 2021 and 2022, and could increase as much as 100% between 2022 and 2023. City analysts project the total number of incidents to approach 500 by the end of the year.  

Justice-involved people are among the most vulnerable to fatal overdoses. Risk of overdose death increases dramatically during the weeks following release from incarceration. According to researchers at the University of Vermont, only 22% of prison staff say Vermont is doing a good job preparing people for release from incarceration.   

VCR has served 168 unduplicated, high-risk justice-involved people with substance use disorders so far at the center in downtown Burlington. Upon intake, VCJR program participants reported: 

• 49% were recently released from incarceration 

• 96% reported extremely low income (based on HUD income guidelines) 

• 59% were unhoused 

• 82% tested positive for opioids, 89% tested positive for stimulants and 77% tested positive for both opioids and stimulants (like cocaine and methamphetamine) 

• 82% reported current injection drug use 

• 29% had serious wounds or infections (often related to use of drugs containing xylazine) 

• 52% reported they have experienced serious mental health symptoms related to methamphetamine use 

• 83% have experience domestic or sexual violence 

• 82% reported a history of overdose (60% reported an overdose in the last 6 months)(4% reported an overdose within 24 hours prior to intake) 

“People face enormous risks and challenges especially as they return home and VCJR is a place where they can come and get the help they need,” said Jess Kirby, VCJR Director of Client Services. 

VCJR’s center has been helping justice-involved people succeed by providing a range of re-entry and recovery services including overdose prevention, case management, parenting support and help meeting basic needs like housing and transportation. 

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