FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 28, 2016
Contacts:  Katie Vane, Mayor’s Office, 802.734.0617
                   Mike Kanarick, Burlington Electric Department, 802.735.7962

Mayor Miro Weinberger Announces Formation of Unique City Partnership, Bringing Potential for Significant Energy Savings
Burlington Town Center, UVM Medical Center, UVM, BURDES, Burlington Electric, Vermont Gas to Work with Corix Utilities to Create District Energy System

Burlington, VT: Mayor Miro Weinberger today at a news conference outside the Burlington Town Center announced the formation of a unique City partnership with institutions, utilities, district energy advocates, and landowners to bring Burlington the potential for significant energy savings. Through the new partnership, the Burlington Electric Department on behalf of the City, Vermont Gas Systems, the Burlington Town Center, the University of Vermont Medical Center, the University of Vermont, and the Burlington District Energy System together will work with Corix Utilities to explore the potential of creating a district energy system that likely would begin in the downtown and expand to include capturing waste heat from Burlington Electric’s McNeil Generating Station.

“After many years of leadership on conservation and renewable energies, today Burlington is taking an important step toward achieving a cost efficiency and environmental goal that has eluded us for many years: establishing a district energy system in Burlington,” stated Mayor Weinberger. “As Burlington continues to shape its future by integrating its existing energy infrastructure with renewable power, we are fortunate that the Burlington Town Center project and Don Sinex’s commitment to bettering the Burlington community have provided this unique opportunity to explore the potential for district energy for the City. District energy has the potential to bring significant savings and long-term energy stability to Burlington’s major employers.”

“Once again, Burlington Electric is leading through energy innovation,” stated Neale Lunderville, General Manager of Burlington Electric Department. “Having been the first city in the nation to source 100 percent of our power from renewable generation, this partnership between public institutions, private companies, and community leaders, as well as Burlington’s local gas and electric utilities, is a significant milestone on our journey toward a more sustainable energy future.”

Lunderville continued, “The Burlington Town Center redevelopment is a game-changer for district energy in the Queen City. Without the strong commitment from both the Town Center and Vermont Gas, our options to create a roadmap for district energy in Burlington were becoming slim. By looking at the new development’s whole energy picture – that is, looking at both thermal and electric needs through the lens of new technologies – we’ve been able to fuel momentum toward making district energy a reality.”

John St. Hilaire, Vice President of Operations at Vermont Gas Systems, stated: “Vermont Gas is focused on innovative projects that will help reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency as we move toward a clean energy future. This partnership with the City of Burlington is a unique way to continue to expand our resources within our existing footprint and showcase how a natural gas utility plays an integral part in our changing energy landscape.”

Background: Multiple efforts over many years to create value using McNeil waste heat
The potential positive contributions of a district energy system (DES) in Burlington have been advocated for decades by a group of engaged community stakeholders. As far back as 1994, Burlington Electric has studied and evaluated the district energy opportunity for Burlington. Feasibility studies were conducted and reports prepared for the City in 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2002 with little progress after the publication of those reports. Founded in 2007, the Burlington District Energy System (BURDES) Committee, a group of interested local citizens, has worked to move a Burlington district energy project forward through the development of both financial and technical feasibility studies for the downtown, UVM MC, UVM, and other Burlington customers. In 2014, Burlington Electric, UVM MC, and UVM engaged Ever-Green Energy to complete a district energy feasibility study. The Ever-Green report concluded that, although the project was technically feasible, a number of other factors, including the low price of natural gas, made it infeasible at that time.

Thereafter, having appointed Lunderville in July 2014 as the new General Manager at Burlington Electric, Mayor Weinberger tasked Lunderville with exploring one final effort to either find a way to move forward with the long-sought district energy plan or determine definitively that the effort was not feasible. Lunderville worked closely with BURDES, UVM MC, and UVM to rigorously review previous studies and develop a comprehensive financial model to understand the economic issues. Ultimately, by bringing the Burlington Town Center redevelopment project (with its significant new load), as well as Vermont Gas (with its extensive thermal experience), to the table, the partners saw new life for a district energy system. BED sought experienced outside partners to bid on the work, which attracted five viable proposals, including one from Corix Utilities.

Burlington Electric and Vermont Gas, along with BTC, UVM MC, UVM, and BURDES, found Corix to be an experienced and talented partner, selecting them for the project. Corix is a privately held, community-focused corporation with international experience in providing utility infrastructure services, management, and products for municipal, institutional, military, and private-sector customers. Corix will be working with these community organizations to evaluate and understand the technical and financial viability of a Burlington-based DES, including the optimal structure for implementation, and will by June 2017 provide a definitive roadmap and implementation strategy for a DES in Burlington. The cost of the initial engagement with Corix will be evenly shared by Burlington Electric, Vermont Gas, BTC, UVM MC, and UVM with each funding one fifth of the cost of the implementation strategy study up to a total maximum cost of $75,000 for the entire study.

How the Burlington district energy system would work and the Corix roadmap
A district energy system allows for the provision of heat and hot water to customers by creating a thermal grid (like an electric grid, but for heat instead of electricity) from energy sources around the City. The principal source of energy for a DES in Burlington is available through the recovery of waste heat from Burlington Electric’s McNeil Generating Station, a 50-megawatt, biomass-powered generating station. That renewable energy generating process creates a tremendous amount of heat. Capturing that waste heat and converting it to usable energy through a DES will increase the efficiency of McNeil and decrease the amount of waste heat released into the environment.

Energy would be transported through an underground distribution system of pipes running from McNeil between the Burlington Town Center (BTC), the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVM MC), and selected University of Vermont (UVM) buildings. Additional energy sources may include, but would not be limited to, solar thermal, geothermal, and other heat recovery methods.

The new concept that emerged over the last year during the request for proposals process was the recognition that the addition of substantial new downtown load through the redevelopment of BTC made the downtown district viable.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to help make district energy a reality in the new Burlington Town Center,” said Eric van Roon, Sr. Vice President at Corix. “When we look at all the different community leaders who have stepped up to support the project – from the Mayor’s Office to Burlington Electric to the University of Vermont, the University of Vermont Medical Center and other community and business leaders – it gives us a high degree of confidence that the right team is in place to position Burlington as a leader in energy delivery. Corix’s experience delivering successful district energy projects across North America tells us that district energy is financially viable, environmentally responsible, and highly reliable, but it takes a team all working together to deliver it. Corix is looking forward to being part of that team in Burlington.”

Regarding next steps, van Roon added, “Over the next several months, we will work with the community stakeholders to determine the most efficient and cost effective means of staging and phasing the infrastructure to establish the district energy backbone, affordably connect new and existing buildings, and optimize the use of renewable energy in Burlington.”

Jan Schultz, BURDES co-founder and former Burlington Electric Commissioner, stated: “We are excited about the recent progress made with Burlington Electric having engaged Corix and the participation of the various parties working together to take the next step toward a more sustainable city and a more efficient McNeil Station.”

Don Sinex, Managing Director at Devonwood Investors, owner of the Burlington Town Center, stated: “We’re very excited that our project, in addition to creating more affordable housing, commercial office and retail space, road connectivity and streetscape improvements, also may fulfill the long-desired goal of bringing district energy to downtown Burlington. We are committed to transforming the Burlington Town Center into a leading model for green, sustainable downtown development and look forward to using district energy as a significant part of that success.”

Dawn LeBaron, Vice President Hospital Services at the University of Vermont Medical Center, stated:  “We are excited to continue the conversation with partners across the City around district energy planning. This is an important conversation as we look to advance our efforts around environmental sustainability.”

Thomas Gustafson, Vice President for University Relations and Administration at the University of Vermont, who was unable to attend the announcement, shared the following: “The University of Vermont has been a long-time proponent of the concept of district energy, over the years constructing and utilizing the largest district heating and cooling system in the State of Vermont.  Most of our buildings are connected to this system. We also support the use of renewable, sustainable energy sources, including the McNeil Generating Station, provided that it is done in an efficient and cost-effective manner.  Importantly, it must protect affordability for our primary constituents – especially our students. UVM is excited about the new approach to this long-standing challenge that has emerged in the conversations with Corix, and UVM will continue its participation in the process to assess the feasibility of creating a district energy system to serve downtown Burlington, the University of Vermont Medical Center, and selected UVM campus buildings not currently connected to UVM’s internal district system, and we look forward to the completion of this study.”

Karen Paul, City Councilor and former Chair of the Burlington Electric Commission, stated: ““Good ideas, even great ideas, are not always adopted and acted upon quickly. They must be driven into practice with courage, patience and fortitude. BED has a long tradition, and national recognition, for being ahead of the curve, and the move to district energy is no exception. District energy was being talked about when I began serving on the Electric Commission in 1996. Our community owes a great thanks to the early adopters who kept the conversation going and to our business and institutional partners without whom we would not be here today. Also, we must thank our guiding champions like Mayor Miro Weinberger, BED General Manager Neale Lunderville, and the amazing BED staff team, whose inspiring leadership and willingness to approach challenges with zeal and determination helped us reach this day. District energy is a great idea, and I remain hopeful that its time finally has come.

Kelly Devine, representative of Together for Progress, Executive Director of the Burlington Business Association, and member of Building Homes Together, stated: “Burlington needs to create more housing for all, more downtown office space, and more opportunities for locally owned business in all areas of the City. The Burlington Town Center project is a critical next step. The fact that it strengthens the viability of district energy in Burlington is an added benefit. The Burlington Town Center project furthers Burlington’s climate action and clean lake goals. Taking the next step on district energy will help ensure a bright future for Burlington. We are and we will continue to be an amazing place to call home.”

Gabrielle Stebbins, Chair of the Burlington Electric Commission, stated: “For years, the Burlington Electric Commission has heard Queen City residents express a strong interest in moving toward greater energy efficiency through district energy. Today, with this partnership, marks a great step forward in harnessing this opportunity."

*Please see District Energy Announcement Documents, which includes:

• Overhead map of potential district energy footprint from past BURDES study
• Chart indicating potential heating load
• Chart indicating carbon dioxide emission reduction potential

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 26, 2016
Contact:  Katie Vane
                 802.734.0617

City Wins “Neighborly Bonds Challenge”
Award projected to save up to $185,000 in costs related to anticipated bonding; Neighborly’s innovative, technology-based platform seeks to democratize tax-exempt bond market with bonds as small as $100, reducing City interest rates + allowing Burlingtonians + others to invest in local projects

Burlington, VT: The City of Burlington is one of five winners of the “Neighborly Bonds Challenge,” a contest that called on public agencies interested in offering their communities the opportunity to invest directly in local projects through the purchase of municipal bonds. The five Neighborly Bonds Challenge winners, announced on September 22 at the Bond Buyer Conference in Los Angeles, are Austin, TX, Somerville, MA, the Housing Trust of Silicon Valley, and Lawrence, KS. Winners of the Neighborly Bonds Challenge receive an innovative issuance platform, which provides the same services typically provided by City underwriters, bond counsel, and financial advisers, with issuance fees waived, as well as free marketing financing.

By winning the competition, the City could save up to $185,000 in lower transaction costs on anticipated bonding. The Neighborly technology-based platform is expected to make the municipal bond market accessible to a wider range of investors, potentially reducing the long-term interest rates for Burlington bonds and saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of the bonds.  Those savings are expected to lower the cost of the City’s Sustainable Infrastructure Plan for the 21^st Century, approved unanimously by the City Council on September 19, 2016 and coming to the voters on the November ballot.

“This award is welcome news at a time when the City is focused on infrastructure investment,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger.  “I am excited about the potential for this award and this new technology-based platform to bring down the cost of our Sustainable Infrastructure Plan for the 21^st Century.  I hope voters will see in this news another example of how the City is using innovation and hard work to bring down the cost of necessary, responsible local government investment.  It is also exciting that winning this competition will create a new civic opportunity for Burlingtonians to directly invest in the City’s future.”

Neighborly selected Burlington as one of its winners because of the City’s focus on financial and environmental sustainability, one of Neighborly’s primary interests when choosing projects. Other measures used to evaluate the participating cities included community impact, credit quality, civic engagement of local residents, and the innovative nature of proposed projects. Winners were drawn from more than $100 million of proposed issuances.

“We are honored to work with such esteemed issuers,” said Jase Wilson, CEO and Founder of Neighborly. “As a broker-dealer, the opportunity to issue bonds for cities so committed to improving the lives of citizens fits directly with our mission to modernize public finance.”

Neighborly is a San Francisco-based firm that provides municipal bonds issued in a lower denomination chosen by the issuer and sold through the firm’s innovative technology platform. The platform offers document generation services, expert bond counsel opinion, investor marketing assistance, data driven pricing, sale and closing functions, as well as continuing disclosure and investor relations. Traditionally, state and local governments have issued municipal bonds to finance long-term public projects. Bonds are typically $5,000 or more, a cost that can be prohibitively expensive for average community members, but is attractive to larger institutional buyers as bond interest is often exempt from federal income tax (and in some cases from state and local taxes as well).

Using the Neighborly platform, cities can now limit the cost of employing bond counsel, financial advisors, and underwriters, which for Burlington can total up to about $185,000 with a major bond issue.  In addition, cities can propose projects and open investment opportunities to smaller retail buyers by issuing bonds as low as $100. By working with Neighborly, Burlington will join a Vermont tradition going back to 1996, when the State of Vermont began selling lower denomination Citizen Bonds.

In the coming weeks, the City will work with Neighborly to determine the amount it wishes to bond for on the platform, and other transaction terms and details.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 19, 2016
Contact:  Katie Vane
                 802.734.0617

City Council Unanimously Approves $50 Million Comprehensive Plan to Address City’s Core Infrastructure Needs
Plan includes major street, sidewalk, fire engine, and Bike Path investments over next five years + proactive replacement of water lines over 75-years-old; Non-property tax sources are anticipated to fund over 40 percent of the capital investment; After two years of preparation plan now goes to the voters

Burlington, VT:  Tonight the City Council unanimously approved a comprehensive 10-year capital plan to properly steward its public infrastructure for future generations. The new capital plan will address the community’s capital needs in a way that minimizes the financial impact on residents grappling with high property taxes, and will ultimately save taxpayers money by keeping pace with needed infrastructure improvements, rather than waiting until costly emergency interventions are necessary.  Major elements of the plan will now appear on the fall ballot for voter ratification.

“We have inherited from prior generations a beautiful City with excellent infrastructure and many treasured public assets,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “It is now our generation’s turn to properly steward the City’s core infrastructure and leave our children a City worthy of Burlington’s proud history.  After over four years of financial reforms that have restored our A credit rating and saved taxpayers and ratepayers millions of dollars, and with interest rates at historic lows, now is the time for us to act decisively to comprehensively address our infrastructure needs and put the City on a sound footing for the future.”

The plan is summarized below.  A more detailed description of the infrastructure investments and strategy for paying for the plan can be found in the attached Capital Plan White Paper, An Infrastructure Plan for a Sustainable City.

Infrastructure Challenge: Overdue investment in streets, sidewalks, fire engines + Bike Path

Over the past two years, the City of Burlington has conducted a thorough evaluation of its infrastructure, and identified numerous areas of chronic underinvestment, including:

• Sidewalks: 16 percent of our sidewalk system is in serious to failed condition based on an empirical assessment across the City conducted by a specialized firm.
• Streets: 23 percent of our streets are currently in a poor or failed condition and we are falling further behind every year.
• Water mains:  An estimated 42 percent of our water mains are older than 75 years old, and thus at or near the end of their useful life. 
• Bike Path: This much-loved recreation and transportation corridor along the lake generates millions of dollars in economic activity for the City every year, yet in many areas is in poor and deteriorating condition and does not meet modern standards.
• Fire engines: Five of our six fire vehicles are nearing the end of their service life, and responsibly replacing these necessary vehicles carries a substantial cost.
   

The Way Forward: $50 million over five years to address critical needs based on key principles

The proposed 10-year capital plan – which includes $42 million of general fund investment and over $8 million of investment by the City’s water company in the next five years – would address all of the needs described above and more over the next five years.  The plan is based on a number of key principles:

• Long-term planning: For the first time in recent years, the City now has a comprehensive 10-year capital plan.  This planning tool enables strategic decision-making with a multi-year perspective that can help avoid dramatic impact on property taxpayers, improve coordination of related investments (i.e. replacing water lines when streets are dug up for repaving), and identify structural funding deficiencies that can be addressed with appropriate planning. 
• Focus on preventative maintenance: The City has prioritized a new and logical effort around cost-saving preventative maintenance, including, for example, a systematic approach to sealing cracks and micro-surfacing on City streets and shaving down cement sidewalks to eliminate displacement. 
• Prudent financial management: The City’s energy efficiency efforts and recent refinancing have reduced the City’s annual capital costs by over $200,000 a year. Further, the City’s improved credit rating combined with historic low interest rates will reduce the expense of long-term borrow in the near future.
• Shared responsibility and reduced property tax burden:  Homeowners, renters, businesses, institutions and visitors all benefit from Burlington having good infrastructure and all should be responsible for its upkeep.  The plan recognizes this by proposing paying for over 40 percent of the total plan costs with non-property tax sources (gross receipts revenues, new institutional payments, water rates, and philanthropic contributions).
   

Next steps: the plan goes to the voters

As a result of tonight’s votes, two major elements of the plan will now appear on the November ballot in separate ballot items:

• $27.5 million general obligation bond: This bond will be drawn down incrementally between now and Fiscal Year 2021.  When fully phased in, the cost to a household that owns a median priced property of $231,500 is projected to be about $10 a month. Passage of this bond will require approval by two thirds of the voters on November 8.
• $8.4 million water revenue bond: This bond will also be drawn down incrementally between now and Fiscal Year 2021 as the water investments will be coordinated with the City’s street repaving work.  This will cause water rates to rise about 2 percent annually and ultimately cost the average residential water payer approximately $2.50 a month more than they are currently paying at the same rate of consumption.
   

City Council unanimously supports the plan

In addition to the City Council, the Capital Plan was reviewed by every relevant City Commission and Board.

"We can't afford not to address the significant deferred maintenance on our streets, sidewalks, parks, and public buildings,” said Council President Jane Knodell. “It may be less costly in the short run to put it off, but it will cost us more in the long run if we do, as the condition of our infrastructure deteriorates further. Investing today will save us and our children money tomorrow."

“As a City, it is our obligation to responsibly steward the assets we have received for the benefit of future generations.  This capital plan honors that obligation,” said Councilor Karen Paul. “We also need to be thoughtful about when we reinvest in these assets. It is financially prudent to make these necessary investments now, when economic conditions are favorable, so that the impact on taxpayers is as minimized as possible.”

“The capital plan advances goals in the city’s strategic Climate Action Plan, and comes with a number of positive environmental impacts, including improved stormwater infrastructure, energy efficient building improvements, and major improvements to walking and biking systems for Burlingtonians,” said Councilor Selene Colburn. “In the time I have served on Burlington City Council, I have talked to many constituents about the need for improved pedestrian safety in the form of sidewalk improvements, and I’m excited that this plan is poised to deliver on that.”

“From fixing our streets and sidewalks to making improvements to City Hall Park, this plan will not only address our capital needs in a fiscally responsible way, it will have a direct, positive impact on the day-to-day lives of Burlingtonians for years to come," said Councilor Max Tracy.

“This is an opportunity to build on the success we as a community have had in substantially strengthening the City’s finances,” said Councilor Chip Mason. “By comprehensively analyzing the City’s capital needs and creating a clear plan to address the deficiencies identified, this effort will substantially improve our public infrastructure in a cost-efficient way.”

"This plan is the product of a thoughtful, deliberative process on the part of the administration, City Council, and department leaders,” said Councilor Tom Ayres. “The result is a long-range plan for the betterment of our community that assures prudent management of tax dollars while responding to both urgent and emerging needs for the repair and improvement of the City's critical infrastructure."

"A core responsibility of any municipal government is the stewardship of the community's public infrastructure,” said Councilor Adam Roof. “This capital plan takes a long-term approach to ensuring the upkeep of Burlington's streets, sidewalks, and other assets so that future generations can live, work, and play without the ongoing burden of deferred maintenance."

* Please see Capital Plan White Paper, “An Infrastructure Plan for a Sustainable City,” and Capital Plan Spreadsheet 

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2016
Contact: 

Katie Vane
Mayor’s Office
802.734.0617

Dave Whitney, CEO
EcoSolutions
802.878.7464

Erin Desautels, Principal
Vermont Small Business Accelerators, LLC
EcoSolutions and Main Street Project Services
802.922.0495

City of Burlington Employs Innovative Pilot Project to Address Blue-Green Algae Blooms in Lake Champlain
EcoSolutions Demonstration Will Test Phosphorus Reduction Project at North Beach and Perkins Pier Boat House

Burlington, VT – On August 26, EcoSolutions, a Vermont-based engineering design/build firm specializing in the application of innovative ecological restoration technologies and use of low impact designs (LID) for stormwater and wastewater projects, deployed a two-part pilot project to explore the feasibility and performance of a new approach in mitigating the impact of excess phosphorus runoff to waterbodies such as Lake Champlain. Phosphorus is one of the primary causes of algae blooms. While many algae blooms are not toxic, some kinds of blue-green algae produce natural toxins that can be released when the algae die.  This summer has seen numerous beach closures as a precaution to swimmers.

Lake Champlain has long been challenged by excess phosphorus finding its way into the water from fertilizer and soil erosion in stormwater runoff, wastewater discharge, and agricultural practices. While communities such as Burlington are working hard to ramp up their efforts to address these land-side contributors, solutions for reducing phosphorus runoff from the watershed will take time to fully implement. Burlington is hopeful that the pilot project technology can play a large role in mitigating the frequency of algae blooms in high use areas of the lake in the near term.

“At the end of a summer in which we faced unprecedented algae blooms, we are excited about the potential of this new technology to expand the public’s safety and enjoyment of the lake, and to complement our other lake protection strategies,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “While we clearly have a very long way to go as a City and State on this critical issue, this pilot continues Burlington’s long record of stormwater leadership and innovation.  We are thankful to Main Street Project Services for funding this pilot and EcoSolutions for its partnership in this effort.”

“We appreciate the concern and frustration expressed by Burlington residents and visitors over beach closures this summer, and we are thrilled to be testing an innovative solution to the challenge of algae blooms in our lake,” said Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Director Jesse Bridges. “We encourage everyone to not only be mindful of changing conditions as our summer season comes to a close, but also to enjoy and advocate for the continued health of one of our most treasured resources.”

“Algae blooms in natural water bodies can have a serious impact on public health and disrupt the balance of the aquatic habitat,” said EcoSolutions CEO David Whitney. “The biological algae control technology gives us the ability to remove phosphorus from our lakes and streams so that it can be reused on our residential/commercial landscapes and our farms. If done correctly, it can immediately address algal blooms in the short term, while also creating a way to re-use a valuable resource, phosphorus, offering long-term protection for our natural resources."

How the new technology works

EcoSolutions uses two techniques to address blue-green algae blooms: the first, a biological process that out-competes algae in freshwater systems, and the second, a system that captures phosphorus and nitrogen, reducing the pollution that contributes to blue-green algae blooms. EcoSolutions began testing the technologies on August 19. The North Beach application will stay in through September or the first blue-green algae bloom. The Boat House wetland will stay in until the middle of October.

The main portion of the EcoSolutions pilot project along the Lake Champlain Waterfront will be a treatment system located on the Northern end of the public portion of North Beach. This will consist of an anchor line that runs approximately 200 feet between buoys at the separation of the beach from the bay and deploys ceramic “media” inoculated with beneficial microbes in clusters to treat algae and remove phosphorus. Inhaling the powder form of the microbes contained within the media is not recommended, however, EcoSolutions mixes the powder form in water and soaks the media discs to inoculate them. Once deployed, the microbes are safe for the public and existing aquatic ecology.

The second part of the pilot project will include a floating wetland with attached media located directly in front of the Burlington Boat House at Perkins Pier. The floating wetland will serve as an educational feature, allowing the public to view the technologies and the results up-close.

This pilot project has been funded with an investment from Main Street Project Services, which has made the donation because of its belief that the health of Lake Champlain is vital to our community now and for future generations. Should the pilot demonstrate favorable results, the City will engage in a cost benefit analysis and conversation about an ongoing preventative maintenance program.    

Burlington’s record on Lake Champlain water quality protection

The City currently tests its drinking water weekly to ensure none of the possible toxins that can be present with algae blooms have entered the City water supply. Most importantly, City of Burlington has already taken many steps towards mitigating sources of excess phosphorus and other water quality pollution prior to this year’s release of the EPA and State’s new Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for Lake Champlain.

The City’s leadership on lake protection issues goes back decades:

• In 2009 the City created its first stormwater utility, becoming the second city after South Burlington to create such a utility in the State.  The dedicated funding provided by the City’s stormwater user fee has greatly improved our ability to capture sediment, and the phosphorus associated with it, before it reaches the Lake. Funding supports dedicated equipment and operators who clean stormwater catch basins throughout the non-winter months. The City also reviews all projects that disturb more than 400 square feet of land area to ensure that proper best management places are in place to reduce sediment runoff during construction, and that projects which are redeveloping or adding new impervious surface have proper stormwater runoff treatment in place.  The stormwater user fee also funds planning and engineering staff who work to plan stormwater improvements throughout the City.
   
• The City’s three wastewater treatment plans consistently remove 95% of the phosphorus from the wastes discharged from homes and businesses.  In the summer of 2014, City staff also began experimenting with different techniques to optimize the amount of phosphorus removal at two of the City’s three plants. Thus far, the results have been extremely positive, and average phosphorus concentrations at their outfalls have been reduced an additional 20%. 
   

• Since the beginning of the Weinberger Administration in 2012, the City has substantially expanded its commitment to improving its stormwater system.  In addition to supporting stormwater rate increases needed for programmatic improvements in years past, City Council recently approved the 2017 Fiscal Year Stormwater Budget, which increased stormwater capital funding by over 36% to provide additional funding for stormwater mitigation projects.  Examples of this year’s phosphorus reduction projects include substantial stormwater improvements on Grant Street that will capture runoff from significant storm events and allow it to soak in underground instead of entering the City’s sewer system.  Later this year, a major erosion mitigation project is planned at the Gazo stormwater outfall, reducing the amount of sediment that eventually reaches the Winooski River and the Lake.
   
• Other City projects include the launch of a substantial City wide Integrated Planning effort (funded by a combination of a State grant, subsidy and Clean Water loan) to examine the City’s overall long-term strategy for meeting all of its Clean Water goals, including phosphorus reductions, combined sewer overflow mitigation, stormwater impairments, and flooding, as well as ongoing participation in regional education and outreach effort in Chittenden County to help inform citizens how they can help reduce stormwater and phosphorus runoff.
   

*Please see the EcoSolutions informational packet for images and further descriptions of the pilot project

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 31, 2016
Contact:  Katie Vane
                  802.734.0617

Mayor Miro Weinberger, City Councilors + Other Officials Announce Progress Stabilizing & Reforming the City’s Retirement System
Series of changes have already resulted in two tax cuts; Projected to save taxpayers & ratepayers approximately $8 million dollars versus pre-reform models through 2020; System on more stable footing for future though challenges remain

Burlington, VT: Mayor Miro Weinberger was joined today by City Councilors, members of the City’s Retirement Committee, Burlington Employee Retirement System (BERS) Board, union representatives, and community members for an announcement that, after more than a decade of dramatic increases in City payments to the City’s retirement system even as its funded ratio fell, the system’s stakeholders have jointly implemented a set of reforms that have already resulted in significant savings for taxpayers and ratepayers and put the system on more stable footing. 

This outcome is the product of three years of work to increase trust among union representatives, non-union employees, the Administration, BERS Board, and City Council – each of whom have worked diligently to identify the root causes of the rising cost of the retirement system – and to implement appropriate steps to strengthen the system.  The reforms included employee benefit changes that were negotiated with all four public employee unions – the final contract was signed with the Burlington Police Officers Association on August 29 – as well as significant changes in the way the BERS Board administers the retirement fund and how it invests the system’s assets (detailed below).  The major accomplishments of the reforms to date include:

• Following a period in which City payments into BERS rose from about $1 million a year to $9 million a year between fiscal year FY03 to FY15, City payments have remained essentially flat for three annual payments in a row, making possible modest municipal property tax cuts in each of the last two years.
   
• City taxpayers and ratepayers are projected to save approximately $8 million in payments through 2020 relative to pre-reform projections.  A Burlington household owning a home with median home value of $231,500 will save approximately $140 as a result of these changes by the end of the current tax year in June, 2017, and is projected to save an additional total of $370 over the next three years (current and projected savings are illustrated in Exhibit A, City’s Annual Contribution Trend Line).
   
• These projected City payment savings do not include investment fund expense reductions of approximately $600,000 annually.  Expense savings are significant because they represent funds that stay invested and enjoy compounding growth each subsequent year.  If these annual savings are sustained in future years and reinvested, the fund projects to increase by between $35 and $40 million over the next 30 years as a result of this change (see Exhibit B, Impact on Retirement Fund of Annual Expense Savings).
   
• The system’s funded ratio has also improved, reversing the trend of the prior decade.  After dropping from 115 percent funded in FY00 to 69 percent in FY15, the retirement system is now funded at approximately 74 percent.  The improvement is significant, as the funding percentage is an important indicator of the system’s health – a system funding percentage below 80 percent is widely considered to have fallen below a concerning threshold.
   
• Going forward, future City payment projections should be more in line with actual experience because the system is now using updated, modern projections about expected lifespans for system retirees.
   
• City employees are now sharing the risk of inflation, rising benefit costs, and investment return rates for the first time.  Through contract negotiations, all four bargaining units agreed to employee risk-sharing provisions that call for automatic increases in employee contributions when the system fails to meet projections.  In FY17, the City payment would have been $109,503 higher without this provision.

“Our financial progress as a city continues,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Through a broad, multi-pronged reform of the pension system, we have stopped the dramatic growth in City payments, achieved two years of immediate tax cuts, and put the system on more stable footing for the long term. This work took the patience and sustained effort of everyone involved over the last three years, and built on progress made in earlier reform efforts in 2006 and 2009.  I am grateful for the partnership of the City Council, the BERS board, our public employee unions and non-union employees, and the City’s outstanding senior management in this critical work.”

Background: At the Start of the New Administration in 2012, BERS Faced Serious Challenges

As a result of a variety of both national factors and issues unique to Burlington, BERS has experienced serious challenges since the beginning of the century.  The City attempted to address these challenges in collective bargaining rounds in 2006 and 2009, however at the beginning of the new administration in 2012, City payments were continuing to increase sharply and the plan’s funded ratio was dropping.     

In response, the City Administration held a summit with public employee representatives and national experts in November 2013, and created a Retirement Committee to review the situation and make recommendations on the path forward.  Thus began a year-long study resulting in a summary paper released in late 2014 (see Exhibit C, Retirement Committee Summary Paper).  Major findings of that report included:

• The relative funding level of BERS had deteriorated more substantially than the national average from 2001 to 2013 (38 percent reduction in funding percentage versus 28 percent). 
   
• Relative to employees, the City was bearing a disproportionate share of inflation, market and mortality risk.
   
• BERS was out of line with national norms, resulting in the City paying approximately 80 percent of all pension contributions versus a national average of approximately 70 percent.
   
• The BERS actuary was using a combination of factors that front-loaded taxpayer and ratepayer costs.
   
• BERS was paying substantial active management investment fees and had underperformed relative to the market for a number of years.
   
• The BERS actuary was using previous assumptions about life expectancy, making future funding shortfalls likely.
   

City Pursued and Implemented Three Broad Reform Strategies

Following the year of study, the Administration, City Council and BERS Board pursued three broad reform strategies: holding steady taxpayer contributions, increasing employee risk sharing, making changes to the BERS administration, and pursuing a new investment strategy:

Increased employee contribution + risk sharing – The City negotiated four-year contracts (FY15 through FY18) with all four public employee unions that included pension terms that increased employee contributions and risk-sharing.  All four contracts concluded without resorting to mediation or arbitration, including the Burlington Police Officers Association contract, which was signed on August 29, 2016.  Major provisions of the contracts included:

• Increased contributions.  Over the course of the contract, public safety employee contributions rise from 10.8 percent to 11 percent, and all other employees will increase their contributions from 3 percent to 4.2 percent.  
• Clear triggers for additional contributions.  In recognition of steep taxpayer and ratepayer payment increases from 2000 to 2015, all four bargaining units agreed that if the City’s FY17 and/or FY18 required contribution were to be more than $9M, then the employees would contribute more for that year.  In FY17 the contribution amount is over $9.1M, so employees will contribute an additional .2 percent of salary to make up the difference.  In FY18, if necessary, employees may contribute for the one year up to 2 percent of salary to address any additional needed contribution above the $9M. If that 2 percent is not enough, the City can reopen the financial sections of the union contracts so it can then negotiate the additional sum needed above 2 percent.
• Retiree COLA limits.  The bargaining units agreed that employees who retire after the signing of the latest contracts’ Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) will be based on actual COLA figures with a 2.75 percent cap.  This cap allows a more accurate actuarial projection of future costs than previous caps, which traditionally were as high as 5 or 6 percent.
• Vesting changes.  BERS previously provided for partial vesting in the system after three years of employment with full vesting not until seven years, which increased the administrative complexity of the system. Now, employees are fully vested after five years, with no partial vesting for new employees, which is more consistent with national averages, and if employees remove their retirement investment before being fully vested, they will receive 2 percent interest versus the prior 5 percent.
• Limited wage growth.  The recently approved four-year contracts with all four unions have pay raises for FY15 – FY18 that closely correlate to the current low inflation rate.  As the actuary assesses pay increases as part of the valuation and then the City contribution amount, reasonable pay increases effectively help to control future pension system costs.

​Administrative changes – Working closely with the City’s actuary and the CAO, the BERS Board has made a number of important changes to the manner in which the retirement system is administered, including:

• Revised life expectancy assumptions.  BERS instituted a mortality table that more accurately reflects lengthening lifespans. This more accurate figure reduces the likelihood of unanticipated benefit cost increases in the future.
• More accurate projection of benefit costs.  Prior to FY15, the City’s actuary estimated retirement fund needs based on current employees only, using a method that did not take into account the true benefits of changes in the retirement system formulas previously negotiated with employees.  As a result, the substantial retirement benefit reductions for employees hired later than 2006, agreed to by the City and employee unions, were not fully incorporated into the actuarial model. The BERS Board and CAO worked with the City’s actuary to build a more accurate model and now its valuation and the City’s contribution levels are based on a conservative actuarial estimation that forecasts changes in staffing.

​New investment strategy – The BERS Board, working closely with the Administration, rewrote its investment policy (see Exhibit D, Investment Policy Statement) and has made a number of significant changes to the way it invests its approximately $155 million of assets.  Significant changes included:  

• Revised asset allocation to improve and make returns more predictable.  In reaction to the Retirement Committee finding that the portfolio managed for BERS had underperformed the market over a number of years, and following the new policy that BERS should “Use simple investment structures that the Trustees understand,” BERS has removed funds from “alternative” investment instruments like private equity and hedge funds and invested the entire portfolio in more traditional investment vehicles.  
• Reduction in fees.  One of the benefits of the change in asset allocation is that it allows the entire portfolio to be invested in low-cost passive investment funds that predictably earn market returns at much lower costs.  At the beginning of 2016, the BERS Board moved the great majority of its assets into passive index funds managed by Mellon Capital, which will save the system approximately $600,000 annually in asset management fees.  As noted above, the impact of this savings and compounding reinvestment is substantial over a long time horizon.  This approach has been widespread for decades in the personal investment market, but has only recently become a focus for a number of public investment funds.  Links to articles that discuss this strategy can be found at the bottom of this release.  
• 10-year smoothing.  While experts generally agree that stock market investments produce the highest returns over an extended timeframe, such investments can encounter large short-term losses and volatility.  Such volatility can put considerable pressure on taxpayers, ratepayers and employees, given the manner in which the City’s annual payment is calculated.  By moving from 5-year to 10-year smoothing of investment returns, BERS has reduced the impact of short-term volatility on the City and employees.
• Long-term horizon.  The new BERS investment policy philosophy lists “Adhere to a long-term perspective” as its top principle.  BERS and the City are highly aware that returns produced by different investment strategies can vary greatly in the short-term and that performance is best evaluated over a long time period.

​Future Challenges Remain for BERS

The reforms detailed above are projected to save taxpayers and ratepayers millions of dollars in the short-term and have improved the retirement system’s solvency and stability. While the City believes that BERS is now on improved footing and that the current public employee contracts create a solid framework for sharing costs and risks between employees and taxpayers, the system will continue to face challenges in the years ahead.  Some areas that are concerning and may require further attention and reforms include:

• Funded ratio.  While the system’s funded ratio has improved from 69 percent to 74 percent, it is important that the ratio continue to rise in the years ahead.  Funded ratios below 80 percent are generally considered a cause for concern.
• Assumed investment rate of return. BERS’s longstanding policy has been to assume an annual investment rate of return of 8 percent.  The Retirement Committee found this to be on the higher end of return assumptions in public retirement plans and there is concern that the plan’s actual annual growth will not consistently meet that target.  A reduction in this assumed rate of return would raise the annual contributions necessary to keep the system properly funded. This issue is being explored by the BERS Board and the Administration for potential future action.
• Changing demographics.  One challenge of traditional pension plans is that they have tended to become more expensive over time as population demographics shift and as retirees enjoy longer lifespans.  The longevity assumptions in BERS will require ongoing review.

​Jane Knodell, City Council President: "It is important to note that the City and its employees have stabilized the cost of its retirement benefit while remaining committed to a defined benefit plan.  This kind of plan provides greater income security to retirees in recognition of their faithful work over the years on behalf of Burlington's residents and businesses."

Karen Paul, City Councilor: “Today celebrates the culmination and realization of what can happen when there is truly an inclusive process on what has been a challenging subject over the past decade and a half. After other attempts that illuminated the concerns and offered a helpful base, the Retirement Committee's work was the first process where all parties - Unions, non-Union employees, the Administration, the Council and the BERS Committee - were at the table and everyone was listened to respectfully and thoughtfully. 

“It was from that place that a document was crafted that truly respects the perspectives of all, honors promises made to our valued employees and allows for a defined benefit plan that embraces a sense of shared responsibility toward the sustainability of this plan, hopefully for many years to come.  The four foundations of the plan have guided negotiations and signal a new day for our pension that I believe can make for lasting change for our community's continued financial stability and for our employees who contribute greatly to our City's successes."

Bob Rusten, Chief Administrative Officer: “It has been most gratifying to work with such a great team as represented by BERS Board, the Mayor and City Administration, Council and union and non-union employees, to analyze such a complex system and come up with solutions that are fair to taxpayers and employees, and that strengthen a good retirement system which supports retention and recruitment of staff.  That being said, we cannot rest on the work done so far, and I look forward to working with a similar, varied group of people to identify further ways to strengthen the system.”

Jeffrey Wimette, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Business Manager: “The creation and execution of the plan to stabilize the systematic problem with the City pension system was made possible through the collaborative efforts at all levels.  The abilities of the leadership teams to establish trust and respect among their respective groups codified the success for now.  This trust and respect must stand strong in order to address the ever changing future.”

Michael Curtin, Local 3044 President: “We are deeply appreciative of the Retirement Committee’s hard work, Mayor Weinberger’s leadership, the entire negotiating team, and the City Council for working with us to resolve our differences and move our city forward.  It was a long and difficult effort, but when two sides work collaboratively and collectively, a positive outcome can be had, as we see here today.  The union took steps through the collective bargaining process to help ensure the sustainability of the pension system, protecting the income and retirement savings for the city’s workers while not placing the burden on the taxpayers.”

Mike Flora, Retirement Committee participant: “Thank you to the Mayor for having the vision to address the concerns of the retirement system in a thoughtful way as it related to the City Employees.  The idea of forming the Retirement Committee reflected everyone’s desire to find a workable solution that struck a balance with the employees and taxpayers of Burlington. The Mayor charged the Committee to explore all options and come up with recommendations that were to be fair to all affected by the City pension system.

“Over the year of meetings, as a group we explored many paths, spoke to actuaries numerous times, consulted with a pension change expert and spoke to other municipalities. The Committee then put forth the recommendations and it was accepted to be part of contract negotiations with each collective bargaining unit. A thank you needs to go out to each non-union employee who put forth great ideas and each bargaining unit representative who was part of this Committee. They carried the recommendations back to their membership for negotiations. It appears in the final contract settlements that the Committee’s work was recognized and implemented.

“Finally, I would like to thank my fellow Committee members for coming together and having the willingness to address our retirement system. It was not an easy process, but together we secured for each City employee a peace of mind that their retirement remains intact.”

Jim Strouse, BERS Board Chair: “It has been immensely satisfying to see the Retirement Board come together in unity and accomplish these very important changes.  This bodes well for the future as we continue our search for further improvements in the City’s retirement system.”

Tom Torti, Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce Director: “The City’s commitment to fiscal stability is evident in its important effort to stabilize its retirement system, which in turn benefits City residents and businesses by providing future tax savings.  Individuals and businesses can now reinvest those savings into Burlington’s economy, and continue to grow our vibrant culture and make this city a great place to live and visit.”

* Articles discussing public pension fund investments in alternative investments and passive asset management:

Pension Funds Trail Individuals in Embracing Index Funds, New York Times

Pension Advisers Learn the Folly of Trying to Beat the Market, New York Times

Exhibit A: City’s Annual Contribution Trend Line

Exhibit B: Impact on Retirement Fund of Annual Expense Savings

Exhibit C: Retirement Committee Summary Paper

Exhibit D: Investment Policy Statement

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 16, 2016
Contact: Gene Richards, Director of Aviation, Burlington International Airport, 343-9909, grichards@btv.aero
Katie Vane, Communications & Projects Coordinator, City of Burlington, 734-0617, katie@burlingtonvt.gov
Kevin Dorn, City Manager, City of South Burlington, 846-4107, kdorn@sburl.com

City of South Burlington and City of Burlington Settle Property Tax Dispute Regarding Burlington International Airport

The City Councils of both South Burlington and Burlington have approved a settlement agreement that draws to a close a dispute over property taxes paid to the City of South Burlington by the City of Burlington for the Burlington International Airport (BIA) property.  This ends an approximately 5 year dispute between the two communities over the assessment of the BIA property that ultimately landed in Vermont Superior Court.  The Councils took this action almost simultaneously at regular meetings held the evening of August 15^th.

“This was an enormously complex property tax case that involved a variety of land uses and narrowly written statutes that apply to airports and property owned by one community but located in another,” said Helen Riehle, Chair of the South Burlington City Council.  “I want to express my appreciation to the staff and attorneys of both Cities, who worked tirelessly to arrive at this negotiated settlement and to Councilor Meaghan Emery who attended the mediation sessions on behalf of the Council.”

“This settlement is good for the traveling public and good for the airport,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “It represents another important step in our multi-year effort to restore financial stability to the Burlington International Airport, and will allow the airport to continue making progress on the financial metrics that led to BTV’s credit rating upgrade in December 2014 without putting new price pressures on air travelers or the airlines. The City of Burlington appreciates South Burlington’s collaboration in reaching this settlement and its partnership on a wide range of important community issues.” 

“Burlington International Airport is pleased with the agreement reached between the City of Burlington and the City of South Burlington,” said BTV Aviation Director Gene Richards. “Importantly, the settlement establishes a clear methodology for future assessments that should help avoid tax disputes between the airport and South Burlington. This agreement recognizes the important interrelationship between the Airport and the City of South Burlington, and with this issue resolved allows all parties to focus on ways to mutually support the economic growth of the region.”

The City of Burlington owns the land and buildings that make-up Burlington International Airport, which is actually located in the City of South Burlington. The total area of the airport is a little over 870 acres and includes properties both inside and outside of the formal boundaries of BIA as well as the so-called Noise Compatibility Program properties in the Chamberlin neighborhood of South Burlington. 

The dispute over the valuation of these properties began in 2012. The City of Burlington filed appeals each subsequent year through 2016. Those ultimately made their way to the Vermont Superior Court.

In March 2016, the Court issued a decision that clarified how specific property tax statutes apply to various elements of the Airport property. Following a subsequent day-long mediation session the two municipalities have agreed on a settlement with the following key terms.

• Beginning in tax year 2015-16, the total assessed value of Airport land and buildings will be approximately $52 million and by statute this assessed value will be in effect for 2016-17 and 2017-18. This is a reduction from the current assessment of $77 million.
• This valuation is based in part on Airport land being valued at $25,750 per acre, and residential land acquired for noise compatibility purposes at $280,000 per acre. Commercial private use leased space within the Airport property will have an assessed value of $6.214 Million, and the land and buildings outside the perimeter fence will have an aggregate assessed value of $3.295 Million
• Based on the Superior Court’s decision, Burlington will pay property taxes on some Airport land and improvements and a payment in lieu of taxes (“PILOT”) on other Airport land.
• For 2015-16, the City of Burlington will be billed a total of approximately $717,000 combined property taxes and PILOT, from which municipal revenue to South Burlington will be approximately $238,000 and the remainder will be statewide education property taxes payable to the State of Vermont.  In following years, the amounts payable both as PILOT and property taxes will be based on (i) the land owned by Burlington in each category, (ii) the values per acre referenced above, and (iii) the effective tax rates.
• This $717,000 total represents a reduction of $838,163 from the pre-settlement total payment of $1,555,163.
• Burlington will receive a credit on its municipal property taxes in 2016-17 and 2017-18 of approximately $59,000 each year in recognition of dismissing its 2015-16 overpayment claims.
• Based on authority in the South Burlington City Charter and a special statute concerning municipally-owned airport property, South Burlington and Burlington have reached an agreement on property taxes for the 10-year period 2018-19 through 2027-28 with the following key terms:
  • The $52 million base value will continue for Airport property, with adjustments made based on acquisitions or other changes in the real estate inventory of the Airport, including certain changes of use of buildings.
  • Taxes and PILOT payments will continue, with the assessed taxes and PILOT based on effective tax rates over the 10-year period.
  • If statewide education property taxes are greater than the parties intend, South Burlington will extend additional credits in the future if certain conditions are met.
  • The parties agree to work together over the period of the agreement to achieve the intended benefits of the arrangement.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 12, 2016
Contact:  Katie Vane
                   802.734.0617

One Burlington Square to be Redeveloped
Renovations Will Result in 50,000 Square Feet of Class A Office Space
Completed by December 2017

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger, private developer and President of Investors Corporation of Vermont Paul Sprayregen, and University of Vermont (UVM) Health Network President and CEO Dr. John R. Brumsted today announced that the office space at One Burlington Square will be redeveloped by Investors Corporation of Vermont beginning March 1, 2017.  The redevelopment will provide for an “A” grade office building in downtown Burlington with added on-site parking.  The newly renovated offices are expected to be completed in early December 2017.

One Burlington Square was constructed in 1969 and, consistent with buildings of that vintage, among other concerns, it lacks energy efficiency. The upcoming redevelopment of the building will improve the building shell, allowing for greater energy efficiency. Investors Corporation of Vermont is planning on obtaining LEED certification for the building, and will provide for the utilization of solar panels that will dramatically improve electrical costs. The One Burlington Square redevelopment will also upgrade the building, adding an additional level on the existing roof and converting a portion of the existing ground floor to covered parking.

“The renovation of One Burlington Square is a welcome investment in our downtown that will bring the building in line with our City’s larger goals of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility to keep Burlington strong and vibrant,” said Mayor Weinberger.

Long-time tenant UVM Medical Center is moving out of One Burlington Square to allow the redevelopment to occur. UVM Medical Center will be relocating workers currently in One Burlington Square to the GE building in South Burlington.

“While we have to leave One Burlington Square in order to allow Investors Corporation of Vermont to redevelop the site, and were unable to find available space within Burlington for an operation of our size, we look forward to bringing 350 to 400 employees, many of whom currently work outside of Burlington, back into the downtown when Burlington Town Center is redeveloped,” said John R. Brumsted, President and CEO of UVM Health Network. UVM Medical Center has signed a Letter of Intent to lease approximately 100,000 square feet in Burlington on 2019.

“We have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with University of Vermont Medical Center, but as their needs have changed over the years, so have ours,” said Paul Sprayregen, President of Investors Corporation of Vermont. “This is an opportunity for us to make significant improvements for this building that will create a comfortable, energy efficient, and safe working environment, and meet the demands of a vibrant downtown rental market.”

The project has obtained the necessary permits, and will begin construction once UVM Medical Center has decommissioned the building, expected in February of 2017.

# # #

*Please see rendering of the redeveloped building

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 21, 2016
Contact:  Katie Vane, Mayor’s Office - 802.734.0617
                 Erick Crockenberg, New Moran, Inc. – 802.734.2194

Joint Statement of Mayor Miro Weinberger and New Moran, Inc.
“Final window for the New Moran redevelopment”

“The City and New Moran, Inc. (NMI) have been working under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to redevelop the Moran Plant since August, 2014.  Both parties acknowledge that while NMI has created an exciting vision for the building and raised significant community and philanthropic support for that vision, a feasible project has yet to be established to the City’s satisfaction upon the timeline and scope envisioned in the MOU.  
 


“Although time is short, the City continues to be supportive of NMI’s vision and welcomes the opportunity to consider a feasible project proposed by NMI in the near future.  Simultaneously, NMI remains committed to and confident in delivering a compelling, financially feasible redevelopment of the Moran Plant.

“Since the City is committed to making a decision about the future of the building in the months ahead, the City must, at this point, take steps that are incompatible with continued extension of the MOU.  These steps include analyzing the costs, challenges and opportunities of building demolition, and exploration of whether other parties can deliver promptly the vision of a revitalized Moran building that we have been pursuing for the last two years.

“Therefore, the City and NMI have agreed to mutually dissolve the now out-of-date MOU, while inviting NMI to make further submissions prior to November 11, 2016 so that a feasible proposal can be considered by the City alongside its other options.”

Please see attached Mutual Consent Agreement

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 18, 2016
Contact:  Katie Vane
                 802.734.0617

Mayor Miro Weinberger Statement Regarding the Murder of Baton Rouge Police Officers

“Today the nation is reeling from another mass shooting of police officers, this time in Baton Rouge. Burlington offers its condolences to the families and friends of the victims and sends thoughts of strength and hope to the injured.  These attacks on police officers must stop.  They are a strain of violence that will only prevent us from making progress as a nation toward peace and justice in the parts of our society where they are so urgently needed.  President Obama got it right yesterday when he said that ‘We as a nation have to be clear that nothing justifies violence against law enforcement.  Attacks on police are an attack on all of us and the rule of law that makes society possible.’

As our national political conventions begin, we are being tested as a country in a way that we have not been in decades.  The terrible events of recent weeks make it clear that we have so much work to do at every level of government, and throughout society, on a range of issues concerning justice, public safety, and policing in our nation.  In the months ahead we must work together with great urgency to resolve them. 

However, there is also work we must do today, as we seek to deescalate the tensions that are driving us apart.  We would do well to hew to the call for unity also issued by the President yesterday:

‘…regardless of race or political party, or profession; regardless of what organization you are a part of; everyone right now focus on words and actions that can unite this country rather than divide it further.  We don’t need inflammatory rhetoric.  We don’t need careless accusations thrown around to score political points or advance an agenda.  We need to temper our words and open our hearts. All of us...  That’s what’s needed right now.  And it’s up to all of us to make sure that we are part of the solution and not part of the problem.’”

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2016
Contact:  Katie Vane
                 802.734.0617

Mayor Miro Weinberger Statement Regarding the Murder of Dallas Police Officers

“Tragedy has followed tragedy with the planned murder of five police officers at a peaceful protest in Dallas yesterday. My thoughts are with the family and friends of the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Area Rapid Transit officers killed and the seven other officers and two civilians injured on Thursday night.

In light of this attack on America’s police, I cannot overstate the support I have for the Burlington Police Department.  Our city is extremely fortunate to have a police department so dedicated to protecting the people of Burlington in a just and skillful manner.  The challenges and pressures that our officers routinely encounter on patrol are enormous and not fully understood by many.  In the wake of this attack, which makes clear that officers anywhere can be targets of violence, I am appreciative more than ever of the courage and commitment that our officers show in putting on the uniform and doing their duty every day.

Tragedies like those that have occurred over the past three days tear at the fabric of our society. We must rededicate ourselves to the work of uniting all Americans.  We must continue to strengthen the trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve and unite against violence.”

# # #